As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 27, 2013
Registration No. 333-190354
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 4
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 3663 | 27-4332098 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
1100 CommScope Place, SE
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 324-2200
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the registrant’s principal executive offices)
Frank B. Wyatt, II
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, SE
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 324-2200
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
| Patrick H. Shannon Jason M. Licht Latham & Watkins LLP 555 Eleventh Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 (202) 637-2200 |
Arthur D. Robinson Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP 425 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10017 (212) 455-2000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ¨
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
| ¨ Large accelerated filer | ¨ Accelerated filer | x Non-accelerated filer | ¨ Smaller reporting company |
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
CommScope Holding Company, Inc. is filing this Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-190354) to submit Exhibits 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 10.17, 10.27, 10.28 and 10.33. Accordingly, this amendment consists only of the facing page, this explanatory note, Item 16 of Part II of the Registration Statement, the signature pages to the Registration Statement and the filed exhibits. No changes are being made to the prospectus or Items 13, 14, 15, or 17 of Part II to the Registration Statement.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The actual and estimated expenses in connection with this offering, all of which will be borne by us, are as follows:
| SEC Registration Fee |
$ | 102,300 | ||
| FINRA Filing Fee |
113,000 | |||
| Printing and Engraving Expense |
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| Legal Fees |
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| Accounting Fees |
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| Blue Sky Fees |
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| Stock Exchange Listing Fees |
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| Transfer Agent Fee |
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| Miscellaneous |
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|
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| Total |
$ | |||
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Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Reference is made to Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, which enables a corporation in its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director for violations of the director’s fiduciary duty, except (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, which provides for liability of directors for unlawful payments of dividends of unlawful stock purchase or redemptions or (4) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.
Reference is also made to Section 145 of the DGCL, which provides that a corporation may indemnify any person, including an officer or director, who is, or is threatened to be made, party to any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of such corporation, by reason of the fact that such person was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interest and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any officer or director in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against the expenses that such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred.
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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be filed as an exhibit to this registration statement will provide that our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breach of their fiduciary duties. However, nothing contained in such provision will eliminate or limit the liability of directors (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws will provide for indemnification of the officers and directors to the full extent permitted by applicable law.
In addition, we will enter into agreements to indemnify our directors and executive officers containing provisions, which are in some respects broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the DGCL. The indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify such persons against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, liabilities, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any such person in actions or proceedings, including actions by us or in our right, that may arise by reason of their status or service as our director or executive officer and to advance expenses incurred by them in connection with any such proceedings. The proposed form of such indemnification agreement will be filed as Exhibit 10.22 to this Registration Statement.
The proposed form of Underwriting Agreement, to be filed by amendment to this Registration Statement, will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of the registrant and its officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
The information presented in this Item 15 does not give effect to the -for- stock split, which will occur with the filing of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws immediately prior to this offering. Since June 30, 2010, we have granted to our directors, officers and employees options to purchase an aggregate of 3,274,988 shares of our common stock with per share exercise prices equal to $16.70, $17.20 or $26.70 under our equity incentive plan, which we refer to as the existing equity incentive plan.
Since June 30, 2010, 12 of our directors, officers and former employees have exercised options and purchased an aggregate of 167,305 shares of our common stock, net of exercise price and tax withholding, at per share prices equal to $7.93, $9.80, $11.71, $16.04, $16.20, $26.24, $26.63, $29.51, $29.67 or $30.42 under our existing equity incentive plan or our predecessor equity incentive plan.
Unless otherwise stated, the sales of the above securities were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder, or Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering or pursuant to benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. Individuals who purchased stock as described above represented their intention to acquire the stock for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were affixed to the share certificates issued in such transactions.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
| (A) | Exhibits |
| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement | |
| 3.1 | Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. | |
| 3.2 | Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. | |
| 4.1 | Indenture governing the 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019, among CommScope, Inc. as Issuer, the Guarantors named therein, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated January 14, 2011 | |
| 4.2 | Form of 8.25% Senior Note due 2019 (included in Exhibit 4.1) | |
| 4.3 | Indenture governing the 6.625% / 7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020, between CommScope Holding Company, Inc. as Issuer and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated May 28, 2013 | |
| 4.4 | Form of 6.625% / 7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Note due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.3) | |
| 5.1** | Form of Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP | |
| 10.1** | Revolving Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among CommScope Holding Company, Inc., CommScope, Inc., as Parent Borrower, the U.S. Co-Borrowers and European Co-Borrowers named therein, the Guarantors named therein, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as US Administrative Agent, and J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as European Administrative Agent | |
| 10.2** | Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 9, 2012, among CommScope, Inc., as Parent Borrower, the US Borrowers, European Co-Borrowers and Guarantors named therein, the Lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as U.S. Administrative Agent, and J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as European Administrative Agent | |
| 10.3** | Revolving Credit Facility Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.) and the additional Grantors party thereto, in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent and as administrative agent for the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.4** | Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.5** | Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.6** | Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.7** | Credit Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.), as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
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| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 10.8** | Amendment Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2012, among CommScope, Inc., as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
| 10.9** | Amendment Agreement, dated as of March 8, 2013, among CommScope, Inc., as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
| 10.10** | Term Loan Credit Facility Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.) and the additional Grantors party thereto, in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent and as administrative agent for the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.11** | Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.12** | Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.13** | Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.14** | Holdings Guaranty, dated as of January 14, 2011, by CommScope Holding Company, Inc. in favor of the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.15** | Subsidiary Guaranty, dated as of January 14, 2011, from the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein in favor of the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.16** | Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among CommScope Inc., CommScope Holding Company, Inc., certain Subsidiaries party thereto as a Guarantor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent for the holders of Revolving Credit Obligations, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent for the holders of Initial Fixed Asset Obligations | |
| 10.17 | Form of Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement | |
| 10.18** | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between Frank M. Drendel and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.19** | Employment Agreement between Randall W. Crenshaw and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.20** | Employment Agreement between Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.21** | Form of Amended and Restated Severance Protection Agreement between the Company and certain executive officers | |
| 10.22** | Form of Indemnification Agreement | |
| 10.23** | Andrew Corporation Management Incentive Program, dated November 18, 1999, as amended May 12, 2003, May 14, 2004 and January 22, 2008 | |
| 10.24** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. 1997 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 7, 2004) | |
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| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 10.25** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective February 28, 2007) | |
| 10.26** | Amended and Restated CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2011 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective February 19, 2013) | |
| 10.27 | Form of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan | |
| 10.28 | Form of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan | |
| 10.29** | CommScope, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan (as amended effective March 24, 2009) | |
| 10.30** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (as amended and restated effective April 9, 2009) | |
| 10.31** | Forms of Stock Option Award Agreement under the Amended and Restated CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2011 Incentive Plan | |
| 10.32** | First Amendment, dated January 12, 2011, to Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan | |
| 10.33 | Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. and Each other person executing this agreement as a “Rollover Investor” | |
| 21.1** | List of Subsidiaries | |
| 23.1** | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
| 23.2** | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
| 24.1** | Powers of Attorney (included in the signature pages to this registration statement) | |
| * | To be filed by amendment. |
| ** | Previously filed. |
| (B) | Financial Statement Schedules |
Schedule I
Parent Company only Financial Statements required to be filed under this item are set forth in Item 8 of this Registration Statement.
Schedule II—Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Certain information required in Schedule II, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts, has been omitted because equivalent information has been included in the financial statements included in this Registration Statement.
Other financial statement schedules have been omitted because they either are not required, are immaterial or are not applicable.
Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in
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the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of us in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
We hereby undertake that:
| (i) | for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
| (ii) | for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Hickory, state of North Carolina, on September 27, 2013.
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. | |
| Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. | ||
| President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and as of the dates indicated.
| Signature |
Title |
Date | ||
| /s/ Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
September 27, 2013 | ||
| /s/ Mark A. Olson Mark A. Olson |
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
September 27, 2013 | ||
| /s/ Robert W. Granow Robert W. Granow |
Vice President and Corporate Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Frank M. Drendel |
Director and Chairman of the Board | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Marco De Benedetti |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Peter J. Clare |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Campbell R. Dyer |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Stephen C. Gray |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * L. William Krause |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * Claudius E. Watts IV |
Director | September 27, 2013 | ||
| * By: | /s/ Frank B. Wyatt, II | |
| Frank B. Wyatt, II Attorney-in-fact |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement | |
| 3.1 | Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. | |
| 3.2 | Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. | |
| 4.1 | Indenture governing the 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019, among CommScope, Inc. as Issuer, the Guarantors named therein, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated January 14, 2011 | |
| 4.2 | Form of 8.25% Senior Note due 2019 (included in Exhibit 4.1) | |
| 4.3 | Indenture governing the 6.625% / 7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020, between CommScope Holding Company, Inc. as Issuer and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated May 28, 2013 | |
| 4.4 | Form of 6.625% / 7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Note due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.3) | |
| 5.1** | Form of Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP | |
| 10.1** | Revolving Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among CommScope Holding Company, Inc., CommScope, Inc., as Parent Borrower, the U.S. Co-Borrowers and European Co-Borrowers named therein, the Guarantors named therein, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as US Administrative Agent, and J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as European Administrative Agent | |
| 10.2** | Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 9, 2012, among CommScope, Inc., as Parent Borrower, the US Borrowers, European Co-Borrowers and Guarantors named therein, the Lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as U.S. Administrative Agent, and J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as European Administrative Agent | |
| 10.3** | Revolving Credit Facility Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.) and the additional Grantors party thereto, in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent and as administrative agent for the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.4** | Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.5** | Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.6** | Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.7** | Credit Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.), as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
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| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 10.8** | Amendment Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2012, among CommScope, Inc., as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
| 10.9** | Amendment Agreement, dated as of March 8, 2013, among CommScope, Inc., as Borrower, CommScope Holding Company, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | |
| 10.10** | Term Loan Credit Facility Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, among CommScope, Inc. (as successor by merger to Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.) and the additional Grantors party thereto, in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as collateral agent and as administrative agent for the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.11** | Patent Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.12** | Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.13** | Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, made by Allen Telecom LLC, Andrew LLC and CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Collateral Agent | |
| 10.14** | Holdings Guaranty, dated as of January 14, 2011, by CommScope Holding Company, Inc. in favor of the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.15** | Subsidiary Guaranty, dated as of January 14, 2011, from the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein in favor of the Secured Parties referred to therein | |
| 10.16** | Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among CommScope Inc., CommScope Holding Company, Inc., certain Subsidiaries party thereto as a Guarantor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent for the holders of Revolving Credit Obligations, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent for the holders of Initial Fixed Asset Obligations | |
| 10.17 | Form of Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement | |
| 10.18** | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between Frank M. Drendel and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.19** | Employment Agreement between Randall W. Crenshaw and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.20** | Employment Agreement between Marvin S. Edwards, Jr. and CommScope, Inc., dated January 14, 2011, as amended on September 12, 2013 | |
| 10.21** | Form of Amended and Restated Severance Protection Agreement between the Company and certain executive officers | |
| 10.22** | Form of Indemnification Agreement | |
| 10.23** | Andrew Corporation Management Incentive Program, dated November 18, 1999, as amended May 12, 2003, May 14, 2004 and January 22, 2008 | |
| 10.24** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. 1997 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective May 7, 2004) | |
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| EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT | |
| 10.25** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective February 28, 2007) | |
| 10.26** | Amended and Restated CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2011 Incentive Plan (as amended and restated effective February 19, 2013) | |
| 10.27 | Form of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan | |
| 10.28 | Form of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan | |
| 10.29** | CommScope, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan (as amended effective March 24, 2009) | |
| 10.30** | Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (as amended and restated effective April 9, 2009) | |
| 10.31** | Forms of Stock Option Award Agreement under the Amended and Restated CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2011 Incentive Plan | |
| 10.32** | First Amendment, dated January 12, 2011, to Amended and Restated CommScope, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan | |
| 10.33 | Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 14, 2011, by and among Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. and Each other person executing this agreement as a “Rollover Investor” | |
| 21.1** | List of Subsidiaries | |
| 23.1** | Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
| 23.2** | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP | |
| 24.1** | Powers of Attorney (included in the signature pages to this registration statement) | |
| * | To be filed by amendment. |
| ** | Previously filed. |
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Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:
1. The present name of the Corporation is CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
2. The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name Cedar I Holding Company, Inc., by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) on October 22, 2010. The original Certificate of Incorporation was subsequently amended on January 6, 2011 to change the Corporation’s authorized capital stock, was further amended on January 26, 2011 to change the Corporation’s name to CommScope Holding Company, Inc. and was further amended on October [4], 2013 to effect a [—] for [—] stock split and increase the number of authorized shares of stock of the Company.
3. In an action taken by written consent by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, a resolution was duly adopted pursuant to Sections 141(f), 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, setting forth this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which restates and integrates and also further amends the original Certificate of Incorporation as heretofore amended, declaring this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be advisable and directing that it be submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their approval. The holders of the Corporation’s outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted duly approved and adopted this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation by written consent in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
4. The Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
FIRST: Name. The name of the corporation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Corporation”) is:
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
SECOND: Registered Office. The Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is Corporation Service Company.
THIRD: Purpose. The Corporation is to have perpetual existence and its purpose is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
FOURTH: Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is [—], consisting of: (x) [—] shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (y) [—] shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”) issuable in one or more series as hereinafter provided.
FIFTH: Common Stock. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted or imposed upon the Common Stock are as follows:
1. Dividends. Subject to the rights of any holders of any shares of Preferred Stock which may from time to time come into existence and be outstanding, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to the payment of dividends when and as declared by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) in accordance with applicable law and to receive other distributions from the Corporation. Any dividends declared by the Board to the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock shall be paid to the holders thereof pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder as of the record date of such dividend.
2. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Subject to the rights of any holders of any shares of Preferred Stock which may from time to time come into existence and be outstanding, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.
3. Voting. Each holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held by such holder. Each holder of Common Stock shall be entitled to notice of any stockholders’ meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation (as in effect at the time in question) and applicable law on all matters put to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of either the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.
SIXTH: Preferred Stock. The Board is hereby expressly authorized, subject to limitation prescribed by law, to provide by resolution or resolutions for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock as a class or in one or more series and, by filing a certificate of designation, pursuant to the DGCL, setting forth a copy of such resolution or resolutions to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in the class or in each such series, and to fix the designations, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of the class or of each such series and the qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board with respect to the class or each such series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:
1. the number of shares constituting the class or any series and the distinctive designation of that class or series;
2. the dividend rate or rates on the shares of the class or any series, the terms and conditions upon which and the periods in respect of which dividends shall be payable, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of that class or series;
3. whether the class or any series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights;
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4. whether the class or any series shall have conversion privileges and, if so, the terms and conditions of conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate upon such events as the Board shall determine;
5. whether or not the shares of the class or any series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates;
6. whether the class or any series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that class or series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund;
7. the rights of the shares of the class or any series in the event of voluntary or involuntary dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that class or series; and
8. any other powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations, and restrictions of the class or any series.
Further, subject to limitation prescribed by law, within the limits and restrictions stated in any resolution or resolutions of the Board originally fixing the number of shares constituting any such class or series, the Board is authorized to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such class or series then outstanding) the number of shares of any such class or series subsequent to the issuance of shares of that class or series.
SEVENTH: Management of the Corporation. The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation and for the purpose of creating, defining, limiting and regulating the powers of the Corporation and its directors and stockholders:
1. Classified Board. The directors of the Corporation, other than any directors elected by the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article Sixth hereof (the “Preferred Stock Directors”), shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the filing and effectiveness of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the Effective Time and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, with directors of each class to hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified; provided that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election; provided that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. In the case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the authorized number of directors of the Corporation (other than Preferred Stock Directors), the number of
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directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.
2. Board Size. Subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and the then-applicable terms of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement among the Corporation and certain of its stockholders, dated as of [—], 2013 (as amended from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”), the precise number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed, and may be altered from time to time, exclusively by a Board resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office.
3. Removal of Directors. Subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement, (i) until the Trigger Date (as defined in Article Fifteenth), a director may be removed at any time, either for or without cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose or by written consent, and (ii) from and after the Trigger Date, a director may be removed only for cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least three-quarters of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of directors, voting together as a single class at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose. For purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, “cause” shall mean (i) a final conviction (without any further right of appeal) of a felony involving moral turpitude, or (ii) willful misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious economically to the Corporation. For purposes of this definition of “cause,” no act, or failure to act, by a director shall be considered “willful” unless committed in bad faith and without a reasonable belief that the act or failure to act was in the best interest of the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation. “Cause” shall not exist unless and until the Corporation has delivered to the director a written notice of the director’s failure to act that constitutes “cause” and, if cure is possible, such director shall not have cured such act or omission within ninety (90) days after the delivery of such notice.
4. Board Vacancies. Subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement, and except as otherwise provided by law, any newly-created directorship on the Board that results from an increase in the number of directors, or any vacancy in the Board that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director so chosen shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
5. Stockholder Action by Written Consent. Until the Trigger Date, any action required or permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are: (i) signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted (but not less than the minimum number of votes otherwise prescribed by law) and (ii) delivered to the Corporation by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded within 60 days of the earliest dated valid consent so delivered to the Corporation. From and after the Trigger Date, any action required or permitted to be
4
taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken only upon the vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting duly called and may not be taken by written consent of the stockholders. The Bylaws of the Corporation may establish procedures regulating the submission by stockholders of nominations and proposals for consideration at meetings of stockholders of the Corporation.
6. Special Meetings. Subject to the special rights of any series of Preferred Stock, a special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board pursuant to a resolution of the Board adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption); provided, that, until the Trigger Date, a special meeting of the stockholders shall also be called by the Secretary of the Corporation at the request of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. From and after the Trigger Date, a special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board pursuant to a resolution of the Board adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption) and the stockholders of the Corporation shall not have the power to call a special meeting of the stockholders. Except as otherwise required by the DGCL, the business to come before, and be conducted at, a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be limited exclusively to the business set forth in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (and any supplement thereof), and the individual or group calling such meeting shall have exclusive authority to determine the business included in such notice. Any special meeting of the stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, and on such date and at such time, as shall be specified in the notice of such special meeting.
7. Board Powers. All corporate powers and authority of the Corporation (except as at the time otherwise provided by law, by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or by the Bylaws of the Corporation) shall be vested in and exercised by the Board.
EIGHTH: Amendment of Bylaws. In furtherance and not in limitation of the power conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board, acting by resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption), is expressly authorized, without the consent or vote of the stockholders, to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation subject to any limitations contained therein. In addition to any other vote otherwise required by law, and subject to any additional limitations as may be set forth in the Bylaws of the Corporation, the stockholders of the Corporation may amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation, provided that any such action will require (i) until the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class and (ii) from and after the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least three quarters of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
NINTH: Liability. No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection existing under this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, including any right or protection of a current or former director of the Corporation hereunder in respect of any act or omission
5
occurring prior to the time of such amendment, modification or repeal. If the DGCL is amended after the Effective Time to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.
TENTH: Absence of Written Ballot. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.
ELEVENTH: Indemnification. The Corporation shall, through its Bylaws or otherwise, indemnify and advance expenses to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL, as it now exists or as hereafter amended from time to time, any person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. The Corporation may, by action of the Board, provide rights to indemnification and to advancement of expenses to such other employees or agents of the Corporation or its subsidiaries to such extent and to such effect as the Board shall determine to be appropriate and authorized by the DGCL. The rights to indemnification and to the advance of expenses conferred in this Article XI shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws of the Corporation, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Any amendment, repeal or modification of the foregoing provision of this Article XI shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director, officer, agent, or other person existing at the time of, or increase the liability of any director of this Corporation with respect to any acts or omissions of such director, officer or agent occurring prior to, such amendment, repeal or modification.
TWELFTH: Business Opportunities. To the fullest extent permitted by Section 122(17) of the DGCL (or any successor provision) and except as may be otherwise expressly agreed in writing by the Corporation and the Carlyle Stockholder (as defined below), the Corporation, on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries, renounces any interest or expectancy of the Corporation and its subsidiaries in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, business opportunities, that are from time to time presented to the Carlyle Stockholder or any of its officers, representatives, directors, agents, stockholders, members, partners, affiliates, subsidiaries (other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries), or any of their respective designees on the Corporation’s Board of Directors and/or any of their respective representatives who, from time to time, may act as officers of the Corporation, even if the opportunity is one that the Corporation or its subsidiaries might reasonably be deemed to have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so, and no such person shall be liable to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries for breach of any fiduciary or other duty, as a director or officer or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such person pursues or acquires such business opportunity, directs such business opportunity to another person or fails to present such business opportunity, or information regarding such business opportunity, to the Corporation or its subsidiaries unless, in the case of any such person who is a director or officer of the Corporation, such business opportunity is expressly offered to such director or officer in writing solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article Twelfth. Neither the alteration, amendment or repeal of this Article Twelfth, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article Twelfth, nor, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, any modification of law, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article Twelfth in respect of any business opportunity first identified or any other matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article Twelfth, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, repeal, adoption or modification. If any provision or provisions of this Article Twelfth shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity,
6
legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article Twelfth (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article Twelfth containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article Twelfth (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Article Twelfth containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law. This Article Twelfth shall not limit any protections or defenses available to, or indemnification or advancement rights of, any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation under this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation’s Bylaws, any other agreement between the Company and such director, officer, employee or agent or applicable law. For purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the “Carlyle Stockholder” shall mean Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. and its affiliates and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, members, partners, directors, officers and employees (in each case other than the Corporation and its subsidiaries).
THIRTEENTH: Section 203 of the General Corporation Law. The Corporation elects not to be governed by, and shall not be subject to the provisions of, Section 203 of the DGCL, “Business Combinations With Interested Stockholders,” as permitted under and pursuant to subsection (b)(3) thereof.
FOURTEENTH: Forum. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware). Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article Fourteenth.
FIFTEENTH: Amendment. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provisions contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the DGCL. All rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Corporation’s Bylaws, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage or separate class vote may be specified by law, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation’s Bylaws or otherwise, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the capital stock required by law, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Corporation’s Bylaws or otherwise, on or following the Trigger Date, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least three quarters of the voting power of all outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt any provision inconsistent with, to amend or repeal any provision of, or to adopt a bylaw inconsistent with, Articles Third, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. For purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the “Trigger Date” shall mean the first date on which the Carlyle Stockholder ceases to beneficially own (directly or indirectly) shares representing a majority of the then issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.
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[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be duly executed as of this [—] day of [—], 2013.
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Marvin S. Edwards | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |
Exhibit 3.2
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
AS ADOPTED ON [—], 2013
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| ARTICLE I |
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS |
1 | ||||
| Section 1.01 |
Annual Meetings |
1 | ||||
| Section 1.02 |
Special Meetings |
1 | ||||
| Section 1.03 |
Participation in Meetings by Remote Communication |
1 | ||||
| Section 1.04 |
Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice |
2 | ||||
| Section 1.05 |
Proxies |
2 | ||||
| Section 1.06 |
Voting Lists |
3 | ||||
| Section 1.07 |
Quorum |
3 | ||||
| Section 1.08 |
Voting |
3 | ||||
| Section 1.09 |
Adjournment |
4 | ||||
| Section 1.10 |
Organization; Procedure; Inspection of Elections |
4 | ||||
| Section 1.11 |
Stockholder Action by Written Consent |
5 | ||||
| Section 1.12 |
Notice of Stockholder Proposals and Nominations |
6 | ||||
| ARTICLE II |
BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
10 | ||||
| Section 2.01 |
General Powers |
10 | ||||
| Section 2.02 |
Number and Term of Office |
10 | ||||
| Section 2.03 |
Annual Meetings; Regular Meetings |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.04 |
Special Meetings |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.05 |
Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.06 |
Quorum; Voting |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.07 |
Action by Telephonic Communications |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.08 |
Adjournment |
11 | ||||
| Section 2.09 |
Action Without a Meeting |
12 | ||||
| Section 2.10 |
Regulations |
12 | ||||
| Section 2.11 |
Resignations of Directors |
12 | ||||
| Section 2.12 |
Removal of Directors |
12 | ||||
| Section 2.13 |
Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships |
13 | ||||
| Section 2.14 |
Director Fees and Expenses |
13 | ||||
| Section 2.15 |
Reliance on Accounts and Reports, etc. |
13 | ||||
| Section 2.16 |
Interested Directors |
13 | ||||
| ARTICLE III |
COMMITTEES |
14 | ||||
| Section 3.01 |
Designation of Committees |
14 | ||||
| Section 3.02 |
Members and Alternate Members |
14 | ||||
| Section 3.03 |
Committee Procedures |
14 | ||||
| Section 3.04 |
Meetings and Actions of Committees |
14 | ||||
| Section 3.05 |
Resignations and Removals |
15 | ||||
| ARTICLE IV |
OFFICERS |
15 | ||||
| Section 4.01 |
Officers |
15 | ||||
| Section 4.02 |
Election |
15 | ||||
| Section 4.03 |
Compensation |
16 | ||||
| Section 4.04 |
Removal and Resignation; Vacancies |
16 | ||||
| Section 4.05 |
Authority and Duties of Officers |
16 | ||||
| Section 4.06 |
Chairman of the Board |
16 | ||||
| Section 4.07 |
President |
16 | ||||
| Section 4.08 |
Vice Presidents |
17 | ||||
| Section 4.09 |
Secretary |
17 | ||||
| Section 4.10 |
Treasurer |
17 | ||||
| Section 4.11 |
Security |
17 | ||||
| ARTICLE V |
CAPITAL STOCK |
17 | ||||
| Section 5.01 |
Certificates of Stock; Uncertificated Shares |
17 | ||||
| Section 5.02 |
Facsimile Signatures |
17 | ||||
| Section 5.03 |
Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates |
18 | ||||
| Section 5.04 |
Transfer of Stock |
18 | ||||
| Section 5.05 |
Registered Stockholders |
18 | ||||
| Section 5.06 |
Transfer Agent and Registrar |
18 | ||||
| ARTICLE VI |
INDEMNIFICATION |
18 | ||||
| Section 6.01 |
Indemnification |
18 | ||||
| Section 6.02 |
Advancement of Expenses |
20 | ||||
| Section 6.03 |
Procedure for Indemnification |
20 | ||||
| Section 6.04 |
Burden of Proof |
20 | ||||
| Section 6.05 |
Contract Right; Non-Exclusivity; Survival |
21 | ||||
| Section 6.06 |
Insurance |
21 | ||||
| Section 6.07 |
Employees and Agents |
22 | ||||
| Section 6.08 |
Interpretation; Severability |
22 | ||||
| Section 6.09 |
Subrogation |
22 | ||||
| ARTICLE VII |
OFFICES |
23 | ||||
| Section 7.01 |
Registered Office |
23 | ||||
| Section 7.02 |
Other Offices |
23 | ||||
| ARTICLE VIII |
GENERAL PROVISIONS |
23 | ||||
| Section 8.01 |
Dividends |
23 | ||||
| Section 8.02 |
Reserves |
23 | ||||
| Section 8.03 |
Execution of Instruments |
23 | ||||
| Section 8.04 |
Voting as Stockholder |
23 | ||||
| Section 8.05 |
Fiscal Year |
24 | ||||
| Section 8.06 |
Seal |
24 | ||||
| Section 8.07 |
Books and Records; Inspection |
24 | ||||
| Section 8.08 |
Electronic Transmission |
24 | ||||
| ARTICLE IX |
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS |
24 | ||||
| ARTICLE X |
CONSTRUCTION |
25 | ||||
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
As Adopted on [—], 2013
ARTICLE I
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1.01 Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the stockholders of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (the “Corporation”) for the election of directors (each, a “Director”) and for the transaction of such other business as properly may come before such meeting shall be held each year either within or outside the State of Delaware at such place, if any, and on such date and at such time, as may be fixed from time to time by resolution of the Corporation’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption) and set forth in the notice or waiver of notice of the meeting, unless, subject to the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and Section 1.11 of these bylaws, the stockholders have acted by written consent to elect Directors as permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”). The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board.
Section 1.02 Special Meetings. A special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board pursuant to a resolution of the Board adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption); provided, that, until the Trigger Date (as such term is defined in the Certificate of Incorporation), a special meeting of the stockholders shall also be called by the Secretary at the request of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock. From and after the Trigger Date, a special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board pursuant to a resolution of the Board adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption) and the stockholders of the Corporation shall not have the power to call a special meeting of the stockholders. Except as otherwise required by law, the business to come before, and be conducted at, a special meeting of stockholders shall be limited exclusively to the business set forth in the notice (and any supplement thereof) and the individual or group calling such meeting shall have exclusive authority to determine the business included in such notice. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of the stockholders previously scheduled by the Board. Any special meeting of the stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, within or outside the State of Delaware, and on such date and at such time, as shall be specified in the notice of such special meeting.
Section 1.03 Participation in Meetings by Remote Communication. The Board, acting in its sole discretion, may establish guidelines and procedures in accordance with applicable provisions of the DGCL and any other applicable law for the participation by stockholders and proxyholders in a meeting of stockholders by means of remote communications, and may determine that any meeting of stockholders will not be held at any place but will be held solely by means of remote communication. Stockholders and proxyholders complying with such procedures and guidelines and otherwise entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be deemed present in person and entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders, whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication.
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Section 1.04 Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice.
(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. The Secretary or any Assistant Secretary shall cause notice of each meeting of stockholders to be given in a manner permitted by the DGCL not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, subject to such exclusions as are then permitted by the DGCL. The notice shall specify (i) the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (if such date is different from the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), (ii) the place, if any, date and time of such meeting, (iii) the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, (iv) in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is called and (v) such other information as may be required by law or as may be deemed appropriate by the Board, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Secretary. If the stockholder list referred to in Section 1.06 of these bylaws is made accessible on an electronic network, the notice of meeting must indicate how the stockholder list can be accessed. If the meeting of stockholders is to be held solely by means of electronic communications, the notice of meeting must provide the information required to access such stockholder list during the meeting.
(b) A written waiver of notice of meeting signed by a stockholder or a waiver by electronic transmission by a stockholder, whether given before or after the meeting time stated in such notice, is deemed equivalent to notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in a waiver of notice. Attendance of a stockholder at a meeting, whether in person or by proxy, is a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business at the meeting on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 1.05 Proxies.
(a) Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent to or dissent from corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy.
(b) A stockholder may authorize a valid proxy by executing a written instrument signed by such stockholder, or by causing his or her signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including but not limited to by facsimile signature, or by transmitting or authorizing an electronic transmission (as defined in Section 8.08 of these bylaws) setting forth an authorization to act as proxy to the person designated as the holder of the proxy, a proxy solicitation firm or a like authorized agent. Proxies by electronic transmission must either set forth, or be submitted with, information from which it can be determined that the electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder. Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of a writing or transmission created pursuant
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to this section may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used if such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction is a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.
(c) No proxy may be voted or acted upon after the expiration of three years from the date of such proxy, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Every proxy is revocable at the pleasure of the stockholder executing it unless the proxy states that it is irrevocable and applicable law makes it irrevocable. A stockholder may revoke any proxy that is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or by filing another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary.
Section 1.06 Voting Lists. The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders (and before any adjournment thereof for which a new record date has been set), a complete list of the stockholders of record entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Nothing contained in this Section 1.06 shall require the Corporation to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. This list, which may be in any format including electronic format, shall be open to the examination of any stockholder prior to and during the meeting for any purpose germane to the meeting in the manner required by the DGCL and other applicable law. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled by this section to examine the list required by this section or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
Section 1.07 Quorum. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or by law, the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of a majority in voting power of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, provided, however, that where a separate vote by a class or series is required, the holders of a majority in voting power of all issued and outstanding stock of such class or series entitled to vote on such matter, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to such matter. When a quorum is once present it is not broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any stockholder. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the stockholders so present may, by a majority in voting power thereof, adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 1.09 of these bylaws until a quorum shall attend.
Section 1.08 Voting. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or by law, every holder of record of shares entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders is entitled to one vote for each share outstanding in his or her name on the books of the Corporation (x) at the close of business on the record date for such vote or (y) if no record date has been fixed, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice of the meeting is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. Except as otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules and regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation or pursuant to any other rule or regulation applicable to the Corporation, its securities or its stockholders, the vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders on the subject matter in question represented in person or by proxy at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient for the transaction of any business at such meeting. The stockholders do not have the right to cumulate their votes for the election of Directors.
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Section 1.09 Adjournment. Any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned from time to time, whether or not a quorum is present, by the chairperson of the meeting or by the vote of a majority in voting power of the shares of stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting, to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the place, if any, and date and time thereof (and the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting) are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken unless the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting after the adjournment, in which case notice of the adjourned meeting in accordance with Section 1.04 of these bylaws shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.
Section 1.10 Organization; Procedure; Inspection of Elections.
(a) At every meeting of stockholders the presiding officer shall be the Chairman of the Board, or in the event of his or her absence or disability, the President, or in the event of both the Chairman’s and the President’s absence or disability, a presiding officer chosen by resolution of the Board. The Secretary, or in the event of his or her absence or disability, the Assistant Secretary, if any, or if there be no Assistant Secretary, in the absence of the Secretary, an appointee of the presiding officer, shall act as secretary of the meeting.
(b) To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Board shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to any such rules and regulations, the presiding officer of any meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting and to prescribe rules, regulations and procedures for such meeting and to take all such actions as in the judgment of the presiding officer are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of such meetings. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the presiding officer of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order, decorum, safety and security at the meeting; (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the presiding person of the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (vi) determining when the polls should be opened and closed for voting; (vii) removing any stockholder who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as established by the chairman of the meeting; and (viii) complying with any state and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. The presiding officer at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting, shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter or business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter of business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
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(c) Preceding any meeting of the stockholders, the Board may, and when required by law shall, appoint one or more persons to act as inspectors of elections who may be employees of the Corporation, and may designate one or more alternate inspectors. If no inspector or alternate so appointed by the Board is able to act, or if no inspector or alternate has been appointed and the appointment of an inspector is required by law, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. No Director or nominee for the office of Director shall be appointed as an inspector of elections. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of an inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall discharge their duties in accordance with the requirements of applicable law.
Section 1.11 Stockholder Action by Written Consent.
(a) Until the Trigger Date and except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote of stockholders, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are: (i) signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted (but not less than the minimum number of votes otherwise prescribed by law) and (ii) delivered to the Corporation by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated valid consent so delivered to the Corporation.
(b) From and after the Trigger Date and except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken only upon the vote of the stockholders at an annual or special meeting duly called and may not be taken by written consent of the stockholders.
(c) If a stockholder action by written consent is permitted under these bylaws and not restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, and the Board has not fixed a record date for the purpose of determining the stockholders entitled to participate in such consent to be given, then: (i) if the DGCL does not require action by the Board prior to the proposed stockholder action, the record date shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation at any of the locations referred to in Section 1.11(a)(ii) of these bylaws; and (ii) if the DGCL requires action by the Board prior to the proposed stockholder action, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution taking such prior action. Every written consent to action without a meeting shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent, and shall be valid if timely delivered to the Corporation at any of the locations referred to in Section 1.11(a)(ii) of these bylaws.
(d) The Secretary shall give prompt notice of the taking of an action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of stockholders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the DGCL.
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Section 1.12 Notice of Stockholder Proposals and Nominations.
(a) Annual Meetings.
(i) Nominations of persons for election to the Board and proposals of business to be considered by the stockholders at an annual meeting of stockholders may be made only (x) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (y) by or at the direction of the Board, or a committee appointed by the Board for such purpose, or (z) subject to the then-applicable provisions of the Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement among the Corporation and certain of its stockholders, dated as of [—], 2013 (as amended from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”), by any stockholder of the Corporation who or which (1) is entitled to vote at the meeting, (2) complies in a timely manner with all notice procedures and other requirements set forth in this Section 1.12, and (3) is a stockholder of record when the required notice is delivered and at the date of the meeting. The immediately preceding sentence shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations at, or bring business (other than matters properly brought under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting) before, an annual meeting of stockholders.
(ii) Notice in writing of a stockholder nomination or stockholder proposal must be delivered to the attention of the Secretary at the principal place of business of the Corporation by the close of business not fewer than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (which anniversary date, in the case of the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Corporation’s initial underwritten public offering of common stock, shall be deemed to be May 2, 2014); provided that if the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days or delayed by more than 70 days from such anniversary date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than 120 days prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. If the number of Directors to be elected to the Board at an annual meeting is increased, and if the Corporation does not make a public announcement naming all of the nominees for Director or specifying the size of the increased Board at least 100 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, then any stockholder nomination in respect of the new position(s) created by such increase in the number of positions shall be considered timely if delivered not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which a public announcement naming all nominees or specifying the size of the increased Board is first made by the Corporation.
(iii) Notice of a stockholder nomination or proposal shall include (A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a Director: (1) a description of all direct and indirect compensation or other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among each such person and his or her respective affiliates and associates, on the one hand, and the stockholder of record and beneficial owner or owners, if any, or other person on whose behalf the nomination is made and their respective affiliates and associates, on the other hand, including without limitation all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder of record making the nomination and any beneficial owner or owners, if any, or other person on whose behalf the nomination is made, or any affiliate or associate thereof, were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant and (2) all other
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information relating to such person required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the solicitations of proxies for the election of Directors in a contested election pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (whether or not the proponent or such person intends to or does deliver a proxy statement or conduct its own proxy solicitation), including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Director if elected, and (B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and if such business includes proposed amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation and/or bylaws of the Corporation, the text of the proposed amendments), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made.
(iv) Notice of a stockholder nomination or proposal shall also set forth, as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:
(1) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and records, and of any such beneficial owner;
(2) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) and of record by such stockholder and any such beneficial owner, provided that such stockholder shall be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such stockholder has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future;
(3) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between or among such stockholder and any such beneficial owner, any of their respective affiliates or associates, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such nomination or other business;
(4) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including, regardless of the form of settlement, any derivative, long or short positions, profit interests, forwards, futures, swaps, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into by or on behalf of, or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding that has been made, the effect or intent of which is to create or mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or any such beneficial owner or any such nominee with respect to the Corporation’s securities (a “Derivative Instrument”);
(5) to the extent not disclosed pursuant to clause (4) above, the principal amount of any indebtedness of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries beneficially owned by such stockholder or by any such beneficial owner, together with the title of the instrument under which such indebtedness was issued and a description of any Derivative Instrument entered into by or on behalf of such stockholder or such beneficial owner relating to the value or payment of any indebtedness of the Corporation or any such subsidiary;
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(6) a representation that such stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination;
(7) any other information relating to such stockholder and any such beneficial owner required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (whether or not such stockholder intends to or does deliver a proxy statement or conduct its own proxy solicitation); and
(8) a representation as to whether such stockholder or any such beneficial owner intends or is part of a group which intends (x) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to elect the nominee or to approve or adopt the proposal or and/or (y) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such nomination or proposal.
If requested by the Corporation, the information required under clauses (iv)(2), (3), (4) and (5) of the preceding sentence of this Section 1.12(a) shall be supplemented and updated by such stockholder and any such beneficial owner, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice by these Bylaws shall be true and correct as of the record date for the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of the record date), and not later than five (5) business days prior to the date for the meeting, if practicable (or, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to) or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 1.12(a) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to business or a nomination if such stockholder has notified the Corporation of his or her intention to present a proposal or make a nomination at an annual meeting in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s proposal or nomination has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.
(b) Special Meetings.
(i) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting pursuant to Section 1.04 of these bylaws. Nominations of persons for election to the Board at a special meeting of stockholders at which Directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting may be made only (x) by or at the direction of the Board, or a committee appointed by the Board for such purpose or (y) provided that the Board (or stockholders, to the extent in accordance with Section 1.02 hereof) has determined that Directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the Corporation. Subject to the foregoing and the then-applicable provisions of the Stockholders Agreement, a stockholder may nominate persons for
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election to the Board (a “stockholder nomination”) at a special meeting only if the stockholder (1) is entitled to vote at the meeting, (2) complies in a timely manner with the notice procedures and other requirements set forth in paragraph (ii) of this Section 1.12(b), and (3) is a stockholder of record when the required notice is delivered and at the date of the meeting.
(ii) Notice in writing of a stockholder nomination must be delivered to the attention of the Secretary at the principal place of business of the Corporation not more than 120 days prior to the date of the meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the meeting or the 10th day following the last to occur of (a) the public announcement by the Corporation of the date of such meeting and (b) the public announcement by the Corporation of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting, and must comply with the provisions of Sections 1.12(a)(iii) and (iv) of these bylaws. The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 1.12(b) shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder with respect to a nomination if the stockholder has notified the Corporation of his or her intention to present a nomination at such special meeting in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s nomination has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Corporation to solicit proxies for such special meeting.
(c) General.
(i) Except as otherwise expressly provided in any applicable rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act, only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to serve as Directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the presiding officer of a meeting of stockholders shall have the power and duty (x) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.12 and (y) if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with this Section 1.12, to declare that such defective nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted.
(ii) The Corporation may require any proposed stockholder nominee for Director to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a Director. Unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) making a nomination or proposal under this Section 1.12 does not appear at a meeting of stockholders to present such nomination or proposal, the nomination shall be disregarded and/or the proposed business shall not be transacted, as the case may be, notwithstanding that proxies in favor thereof may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 1.12, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders.
(iii) For purposes of this Section 1.12, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
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(iv) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.12, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.12; provided, however, that any references in these bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.12. Nothing in this Section 1.12 shall be deemed to affect any rights of (x) stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (y) the holders of any series of preferred stock to elect Directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or of the relevant preferred stock certificate of designation.
(v) The announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual or special meeting does not commence a new time period (and does not extend any time period) for the giving of notice of a stockholder nomination or a stockholder proposal.
ARTICLE II
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 2.01 General Powers. Except as may otherwise be provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, the affairs and business of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board and the Board may exercise all the powers and authority of the Corporation. The Directors shall act only as a Board, and the individual Directors shall have no power as such.
Section 2.02 Number and Term of Office. The number of Directors, other than any Directors elected by the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article Sixth of the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Preferred Stock Directors”), shall initially be eleven (11), classified (including Directors in office as of the date hereof) with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, which number may be modified (but not reduced to less than seven (7)) from time to time exclusively by a Board resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock, if any, and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement. The initial Class I Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the date hereof, the initial Class II Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the date hereof and the initial Class III Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the date hereof, with Directors of each class to hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified, provided that the term of each Director shall continue until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject to such Director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date hereof, subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock, the successors of the class of Directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election, provided that the term of each Director shall continue until the election and qualification of a successor and be subject to such Director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. In the case of any increase or decrease, from time to time, in the authorized number of Directors (other than Preferred Stock Directors), the number of Directors in each class shall be apportioned as nearly equal as possible. No decrease in the number of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director. At each meeting of the stockholders for the
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election of Directors, provided a quorum is present, the Directors standing for election shall be elected by a plurality of the votes validly cast in such election; provided that for so long as the Stockholders Agreement is in effect, the election of any Director shall also be subject to the then-applicable terms, if any, of the Stockholders Agreement. The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.
Section 2.03 Annual Meetings; Regular Meetings. The annual meeting of the Board may be held at such time or place (within or outside the State of Delaware) as shall be specified in a notice thereof given as hereinafter provided. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held on such dates, and at such times and places (within or outside the State of Delaware) as are determined from time to time by resolution of the Board.
Section 2.04 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board shall be held whenever called by the President or the Chairman of the Board or in the event of his or her absence or disability, by any Vice President, or by a majority of the Directors then in office, at such place (within or outside the State of Delaware), date and time as may be specified in the respective notices or waivers of notice of such meetings. Any business may be conducted at a special meeting of the Board.
Section 2.05 Notice of Meetings; Waiver of Notice.
(a) Notices of special meetings shall be given to each Director, and notice of each resolution or other action affecting the date, time or place of one or more regular meetings shall be given to each Director not present at the meeting adopting such resolution or other action, subject to Section 2.08 of these bylaws. Notices shall be given personally, or by telephone confirmed by facsimile or email dispatched promptly thereafter, or by facsimile or email confirmed by a writing delivered by a recognized overnight courier service, directed to each Director at the address from time to time designated by such Director to the Secretary. Each such notice and confirmation must be given (received in the case of personal service or delivery of written confirmation) at least 24 hours prior to the time of a meeting.
(b) A written waiver of notice of meeting signed by a Director or a waiver by electronic transmission by a Director, whether given before or after the meeting time stated in such notice, is deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a Director at a meeting is a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business at the meeting on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Section 2.06 Quorum; Voting. At all meetings of the Board, the presence of a majority of the total authorized number of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Except as otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the vote of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board.
Section 2.07 Action by Telephonic Communications. Members of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this provision shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 2.08 Adjournment. A majority of the Directors present may adjourn any meeting of the Board to another date, time or place, whether or not a quorum is present. No notice need be given of any adjourned meeting unless (a) the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting are not announced at the time of adjournment, in which case notice conforming to the requirements of Section 2.05 of these bylaws shall be given to each Director, or (b) the meeting is adjourned for more than 24 hours, in which case the notice referred to in clause (a) shall be given to those Directors not present at the announcement of the date, time and place of the adjourned meeting.
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Section 2.09 Action Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or electronic transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 2.10 Regulations. To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation and these bylaws, the Board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings of the Board and for the management of the affairs and business of the Corporation as the Board may deem appropriate. The Board may elect from among its members a chairperson and one or more vice-chairpersons to preside over meetings and to perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board.
Section 2.11 Resignations of Directors. Any Director may resign at any time by submitting an electronic transmission or by delivering a written notice of resignation, signed by such Director, to the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect upon delivery unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of a specified event.
Section 2.12 Removal of Directors.
(a) Until the Trigger Date and subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock, if any, to elect Directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any Director may be removed at any time, either for or without cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of Directors, voting together as a single class at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose or by written consent in accordance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and these bylaws.
(b) From and after the Trigger Date and subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock, if any, to elect Directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any Director may be removed only for cause, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least three-quarters of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally for the election of Directors, voting together as a single class at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in accordance with the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and these bylaws. For purposes of these Bylaws, “cause” shall mean (i) a final conviction (without any further right of appeal) of a felony involving moral turpitude, or (ii) willful misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious economically to the Corporation. For purposes of this definition of “cause,” no act, or failure to act, by a Director shall be considered “willful” unless committed in bad faith and without a reasonable belief that the act or failure to act was in the best interest of the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation. “Cause” shall not exist unless and until the Corporation has delivered to the Director a written notice of the Director’s failure to act that constitutes “cause” and, if cure is possible, such Director shall not have cured such act or omission within ninety (90) days after the delivery of such notice.
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Section 2.13 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock, if any, to elect Directors pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation thereunder) and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any newly-created directorship on the Board that results from an increase in the number of Directors, or any vacancy in the Board that results from the death, disability, resignation, disqualification or removal of any Director or from any other cause shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Director. Any Director filling a vacancy shall be of the same class as that of the Director whose death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other event caused the vacancy, and any Director filling a newly created directorship shall be of the class specified by the Board at the time the newly created directorship was created. A Director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created Directorship shall hold office until his or her successor has been elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
Section 2.14 Director Fees and Expenses. The amount, if any, which each Director shall be entitled to receive as compensation for his or her services shall be fixed from time to time by the Board and, if any Director shall serve as a member of any committee of the Board or perform special services at the request of the Board, such Director may be paid such additional compensation as the Board may from time to time determine. The Corporation will cause each non-employee Director serving on the Board to be reimbursed for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by him or her in connection with such service. Such compensation and reimbursement shall be payable even though there be an adjournment because of the absence of a quorum. No such payment shall preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.
Section 2.15 Reliance on Accounts and Reports, etc. A Director, as such or as a member of any committee designated by the Board, shall in the performance of his or her duties be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Corporation and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of the Corporation’s officers or employees, or committees designated by the Board, or by any other person as to the matters the member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.
Section 2.16 Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its Directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association, or other organization in which one or more of its Directors or officers are directors or officers, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the Director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because such person’s or persons’ votes are counted for such purposes if (a) the material facts as to such person’s or persons’ relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Directors or committee who then in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested Directors, even though the disinterested Directors be less than a quorum, (b) the material facts as to such person’s or persons’ relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders or (c) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Interested Directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
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ARTICLE III
COMMITTEES
Section 3.01 Designation of Committees. The Board shall designate such committees as may be required by applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules and the then-applicable terms of the Stockholders Agreement and may designate such additional committees as it deems necessary or appropriate. Each committee shall consist of such number of Directors, and with such qualifications, as may be required by applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules or as from time to time may be fixed by the Board and shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation to the extent delegated to such committee by resolution of the Board (and, in the exercise of any such authority, may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it), which delegation shall include all such powers and authority as may be required by applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules. No committee shall have any power or authority as to (a) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of Directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, (b) adopting, amending or repealing any of these bylaws or (c) as may otherwise be excluded by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 3.02 Members and Alternate Members. The members of each committee and any alternate members shall be selected by the Board and the Board may provide that the members and alternate members serve at the pleasure of the Board; provided that for so long as the Stockholders Agreement is in effect, the composition of each Committee shall also be subject to the then-applicable terms, if any, of the Stockholders Agreement. Any Committee may be abolished or re-designated from time to time by the Board. An alternate member may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. An alternate member shall be given all notices of committee meetings, may attend any meeting of the committee, but may count towards a quorum and vote only if a member for whom such person is an alternate is absent or disqualified. Each member (and each alternate member) of any committee shall hold office only until the time he or she shall cease for any reason to be a Director, until his or her successor shall have been designated and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.
Section 3.03 Committee Procedures. A quorum for each committee shall be a majority of its members, unless the committee has only one or two members, in which case a quorum shall be one member, or unless a greater quorum is established by the Board. The vote of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report to the Board when required. The Board shall adopt a charter for each committee for which a charter is required by applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules, may adopt a charter for any other committee, and may adopt other rules and regulations for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws or any such charter, and each committee may adopt its own rules and regulations of government, to the extent not inconsistent with these bylaws or any charter or other rules and regulations adopted by the Board.
Section 3.04 Meetings and Actions of Committees. Except to the extent that the same may be inconsistent with the terms of any committee charter or applicable laws, regulations or stock exchange rules, meetings and actions of each committee shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of the following sections of these bylaws, with such bylaws being deemed to refer to the committee and its members in lieu of the Board and its members:
(a) Section 2.03 (to the extent relating to place and time of regular meetings);
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(b) Section 2.04 (relating to special meetings);
(c) Section 2.05 (relating to notice and waiver of notice);
(d) Sections 2.07 and 2.9 (relating to telephonic communication and action without a meeting); and
(e) Section 2.08 (relating to adjournment and notice of adjournment).
Special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board.
Section 3.05 Resignations and Removals. Any member (and any alternate member) of any committee may resign from such position at any time by submitting an electronic transmission or by delivering a written notice of resignation, signed by such member, to the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Secretary. Such resignation shall take effect upon delivery unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of a specified event. Any member (and any alternate member) of any committee may be removed from such position by the Board at any time, either for or without cause; provided that for so long as the Stockholders Agreement is in effect, the removal of any member of a Committee shall be subject to the then-applicable terms, if any, of the Stockholders Agreement.
Section 3.06 Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs in any committee for any reason, the remaining members (and any alternate members) may continue to act if a quorum is present. A committee vacancy may be filled only by the Board in accordance with Section 3.02 and, for so long as the Stockholders Agreement is in effect, the then-applicable terms, if any, of the Stockholders Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 4.01 Officers. The Board shall elect a President and a Secretary as officers of the Corporation. The Board may also elect a Chairman of the Board (who, if so elected, must be a Director), a Treasurer, one or more Vice Presidents (any one or more of whom may be designated an Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President or other classifications of Vice Presidents), Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, and such other officers and agents as the Board may determine. In addition, the Board from time to time may delegate to any officer the power to appoint subordinate officers or agents and to prescribe their respective rights, terms of office, authorities and duties. Any action by an appointing officer may be superseded by action by the Board. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, except that one person may not hold both the office of President and the office of Secretary. No officer need be a Director. For the avoidance of doubt, the term Vice President shall refer to an officer elected by the Board as Vice President and shall not include any employees of the Corporation whose employment title is “Vice President” unless such individual has been elected as a Vice President of the Corporation in accordance with these bylaws.
Section 4.02 Election. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the officers of the Corporation need not be elected for a specified term but shall serve at the pleasure of the Board or for such terms as may be agreed in the individual case by each officer and the Board. Officers and agents appointed pursuant to delegated authority as provided in Section 4.01 (or, in the case of agents, as provided in Section 4.07) shall hold their offices for such terms as may be determined from time to time by the appointing officer. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor has been elected or appointed and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. A failure to elect officers shall not dissolve or otherwise affect the Corporation.
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Section 4.03 Compensation. The salaries and other compensation of all officers and agents of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board or in the manner established by the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that such officer is also a Director.
Section 4.04 Removal and Resignation; Vacancies. Any officer may be removed for or without cause at any time by the Board, without prejudice to the rights, if any, of such officer under any contract to which such officer is a party. Any officer granted the power to appoint subordinate officers and agents as provided in Section 4.01 may remove any subordinate officer or agent appointed by such officer, at any time, for or without cause, without prejudice to the rights, if any, of such officer under any contract to which such officer is a party. Any officer or agent may resign at any time by delivering notice of resignation, either in writing signed by such officer or by electronic transmission, to the Board, the Chairman of the Board or the President, without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which such officer is a party. Unless otherwise specified therein, such resignation shall take effect upon delivery. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, may be filled by the Board or by the officer, if any (provided that the delegated authority as provided in Section 4.01 has not been revoked as of such time), who appointed the person formerly holding such office.
Section 4.05 Authority and Duties of Officers. An officer of the Corporation shall have such authority and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties (a) as may be required by law, (b) to the extent not inconsistent with law, as are specified in these bylaws, (c) to the extent not inconsistent with law or these bylaws, as may be specified by resolution of the Board, and (d) to the extent not inconsistent with any of the foregoing, as may be specified by the appointing officer with respect to a subordinate officer appointed pursuant to delegated authority under Section 4.01. The Board may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.
Section 4.06 Chairman of the Board. If the Chairman of the Board shall have been elected or appointed, the Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Directors at which he or she is present and shall have such other powers and duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board.
Section 4.07 President. Unless there is a separately designated Chairman of the Board, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and Directors at which he or she is present, shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, shall have general control and supervision of the policies and operations of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. He or she shall manage and administer the Corporation’s business and affairs and shall also perform all duties and exercise all powers usually pertaining to the office of a chief executive officer of a corporation, including, without limitation all powers incident to the title “President” under the DGCL. He or she shall have the authority to sign, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, checks, orders, contracts, leases, notes, drafts and all other documents and instruments in connection with the business of the Corporation. Except as otherwise determined by the Board, he or she shall have the authority to cause the employment or appointment of such employees (other than the President) or agents of the Corporation as the conduct of the business of the Corporation may require, to fix their compensation, and to remove or suspend such employee or any agent employed or appointed by any officer or to suspend any agent appointed by the Board. In addition, the President shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Board or as are set forth in
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the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. The President shall have the duties and powers of the Treasurer if no Treasurer is elected and shall have such other duties and powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe.
Section 4.08 Vice Presidents. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, if one or more Vice Presidents have been elected or appointed, each Vice President shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Board or the President. In the event of absence or disability of the President, the duties of the President shall be performed, and his or her powers may be exercised, by such Vice President as shall be designated by the Board or, failing such designation, by the Vice President in order of seniority of title, with the title of “Executive Vice President” being more senior than “Senior Vice President” which is, in turn, more senior than “Vice President” (and among Vice Presidents with the same seniority of title, among them in seniority of election or appointment to that office), in each case, without limiting the last sentence of Section 4.01.
Section 4.09 Secretary. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Secretary shall issue all authorized notices for, and shall keep minutes of, all meetings of the stockholders and the Board. He or she shall have charge of the corporate books and shall perform other duties as the Board or the President shall designate from time to time.
Section 4.10 Treasurer. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, if the Treasurer shall have been elected or appointed, the Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board or the President. The Treasurer, subject to the order of the Board, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to such office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board or the President shall designate from time to time.
Section 4.11 Security. The Board may require any officer, agent or employee of the Corporation to provide security for the faithful performance of his or her duties, in such amount and of such character as may be determined from time to time by the Board.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL STOCK
Section 5.01 Certificates of Stock; Uncertificated Shares. The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, except to the extent that the Board has provided by resolution that some or all of any or all classes or series of the stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have, and the Board may in its sole discretion permit a holder of uncertificated shares to receive upon request, a certificate signed by the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Such certificate shall be in such form as the Board may determine, to the extent consistent with applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation and these bylaws.
Section 5.02 Facsimile Signatures. Any or all signatures on the certificates referred to in Section 5.01 of these bylaws may be in facsimile form, to the extent permitted by law. If any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed, or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon, a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
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Section 5.03 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates. A new certificate may be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed only upon delivery to the Corporation of an affidavit of the owner or owners (or their legal representatives) of such certificate, setting forth such allegation, and, if required by the Board, a bond or other undertaking, in such form as may be approved by the Board or a financial officer of the Corporation designated by the Board, to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of any such new certificate.
Section 5.04 Transfer of Stock.
(a) Upon surrender to the Corporation or the transfer agent of the Corporation of a certificate for shares, duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer, the Corporation shall issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books; provided, however, that the Corporation shall be entitled to recognize and enforce any lawful restriction on transfer. Within a reasonable time after the transfer of uncertificated stock, the Corporation shall send to the registered owner thereof a written notice containing the information required to be set forth or stated on certificates pursuant to Sections 151, 156, 202(a) or 218(a) of the DGCL. Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and these bylaws, the Board may prescribe such additional rules and regulations as it may deem appropriate relating to the issue, transfer and registration of shares of the Corporation.
(b) The Corporation may enter into additional agreements with stockholders to restrict the transfer of stock of the Corporation in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
Section 5.05 Registered Stockholders. Prior to due surrender of a certificate for registration of transfer, the Corporation may treat the registered owner as the person exclusively entitled to receive dividends and other distributions, to vote, to receive notice and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of the owner of the shares represented by such certificate, and the Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or legal claim to or interest in such shares on the part of any other person, whether or not the Corporation shall have notice of such claim or interests; provided, that if a transfer of shares is made for collateral security, and not absolutely, this fact shall be so expressed in the entry of the transfer if, when the certificates are presented to the Corporation for transfer or uncertificated shares are requested to be transferred, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so.
Section 5.06 Transfer Agent and Registrar. The Board may appoint one or more transfer agents and one or more registrars, and may require all certificates representing shares to bear the signature of any such transfer agents or registrars.
ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 6.01 Indemnification.
(a) In General. The Corporation shall hold harmless and indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and other applicable law, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or is asked to provide testimony in connection with, or is otherwise involved in, any threatened, pending or
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completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, legislative or otherwise and whether formal or informal (each, a “proceeding”) by reason of, arising out of, or in any way related to, the fact that (x) such person, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was serving or has agreed to serve as a Director or officer of the Corporation, or (y) such person, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, while serving as a Director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, manager or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, nonprofit entity or other enterprise or (z) such person, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer or manager of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (each, an “Other Enterprise”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by such person in such capacity, and who satisfies the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or other applicable law:
(1) in a proceeding other than a proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person or on such person’s behalf in connection with such proceeding and any appeal therefrom; or
(2) in a proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person or on such person’s behalf in connection with the defense or settlement of such proceeding and any appeal therefrom; provided, that, no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
The termination of any proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement (with or without court approval), conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not of itself adversely affect the right to indemnification as set forth herein or create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation or, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(b) Indemnification in Respect of Successful Defense. To the greatest extent permitted by law, to the extent that a present or former Director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding referred to in Section 6.01(a) or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be conclusively determined to be entitled to indemnification hereunder with respect to such proceeding. Further, for purposes of this Section 6.01(b) and without limitation, the termination of any proceeding referred to in Section 6.01(a), or claim, issue or matter in such proceeding, by settlement (with or without court approval), entry of a plea of nolo contendere (or its equivalent) or by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful resolution as to such proceeding, claim, issue or matter.
(c) Indemnification in Respect of Proceedings Instituted by Indemnitee. Section 6.01(a) does not require the Corporation to indemnify a present or former Director or officer of the Corporation in respect of a proceeding (or part thereof) instituted by such person on his or her own behalf (other than by way of defense, counterclaim or crossclaim), unless such proceeding (or part thereof) has been authorized in the specific case by the Board or the indemnification requested is pursuant to the last sentence of Section 6.03 of these bylaws.
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Section 6.02 Advancement of Expenses. The Corporation shall advance all expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by a present or former Director or officer in defending any proceeding prior to the final disposition of such proceeding upon written request of such person and delivery of an undertaking by such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision of a court of competent jurisdiction from which there is no further right of appeal that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. The indemnified party’s undertaking to repay the Corporation any amounts advanced for expenses shall not be required to be secured and shall not bear interest. Advancements shall be made without regard to the indemnified party’s ability to repay the expenses. The Corporation shall not impose on the indemnified party additional conditions to advancement of expenses or require from the indemnitee additional undertakings regarding repayment. Advancements of expenses pursuant to this subsection shall not require approval of the Board or the stockholders of the Corporation, or of any other person or body. The Secretary shall promptly advise the Board in writing of the request for advancement of expenses, of the amount and other details of the request and of the undertaking to make repayment provided pursuant to this subsection. Advancements of expenses shall be made within ten (10) calendar days after receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements requesting such advancements from time to time. Advancements of expenses shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Corporation to support the advancements claimed. The Corporation may authorize any counsel for the Corporation to represent (subject to applicable conflict of interest considerations) such present or former Director or officer in any proceeding, whether or not the Corporation is a party to such proceeding.
Section 6.03 Procedure for Indemnification. Any indemnification under Section 6.01 of these bylaws or any advancement of expenses under Section 6.02 of these bylaws shall be made only against a written request therefor (together with supporting documentation) submitted by or on behalf of the person seeking indemnification or advancement. Indemnification may be sought by a person under Section 6.01 of these bylaws in respect of a proceeding only to the extent that both the liabilities for which indemnification is sought and all portions of the proceeding relevant to the determination of whether the person has satisfied any appropriate standard of conduct have become final. A person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may seek to enforce such person’s rights to indemnification or advance of expenses (as the case may be) in the Delaware Court of Chancery to the extent all or any portion of a requested indemnification has not been granted within ninety (90) days of, or to the extent all or any portion of a requested advance of expenses has not been granted within ten (10) days of, the submission of such request. All expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such person in connection with successfully establishing such person’s right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VI, in whole or in part, shall also be indemnified by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Section 6.04 Burden of Proof.
(a) In any proceeding brought to enforce the right of a person to receive indemnification to which such person is entitled under Section 6.01 of these bylaws, it shall be presumed, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, that such person is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement and the Corporation shall have the burden to overcome such presumption by establishing that there is no reasonable basis to support it. A prior determination by the Corporation (including its Board or any committee thereof, its independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant is not entitled to indemnification shall not prejudice the claimant in any proceeding brought to enforce the right of such person to receive indemnification (and the Corporation may not refer to or introduce into evidence any
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such determination in such proceeding) and any such proceeding shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits. For purposes of any determination of good faith, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if the action or failure to act is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or an Other Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to such person by the officers, employees, boards (or committees thereof) of the Corporation or an Other Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel or other advisors (including financial advisors and accountants) for the Corporation or an Other Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or an Other Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert or advisor selected by the Corporation or an Other Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 6.04(a) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which a person may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) In any proceeding brought to enforce a claim for advances to which a person is entitled under Section 6.02 of these bylaws, the person seeking an advancement need only show that he or she has satisfied the requirements expressly set forth in Section 6.02 of these bylaws.
(c) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other Director or officer of the Corporation or an Other Enterprise shall not be imputed to an indemnified person for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Article VI.
Section 6.05 Contract Right; Non-Exclusivity; Survival.
(a) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by this Article VI shall be deemed to be separate contract rights between the Corporation and each Director and officer who serves in any such capacity at any time while these provisions as well as the relevant provisions of the DGCL are in effect, and such contract rights shall vest immediately upon the commencement of such person’s service to the Corporation or, in the case of service to an Other Enterprise at the request of the Corporation, to an Other Enterprise. Persons who after the date of the adoption of this provision serve or continue to serve the Corporation as Directors or officers or who, while serving as such, serve or continue to serve an Other Enterprise at the request of the Corporation, shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses contained in this Article VI. No repeal or modification of any of these provisions or any relevant provisions of the DGCL shall adversely affect any right or obligation of such Director or officer existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to any state of facts then or previously existing or any proceeding previously or thereafter brought or threatened based in whole or in part upon any such state of facts. Such “contract rights” may not be modified retroactively as to any present or former Director or officer without the consent of such Director or officer.
(b) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by this Article VI shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses to which a present or former Director or officer of the Corporation seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled by any agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors, or otherwise.
(c) The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by this Article VI to any present or former Director or officer of the Corporation shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.
Section 6.06 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was or has agreed to become a Director, officer, employee or agent of the
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Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person or on such person’s behalf in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VI. The Corporation may also create a trust fund, grant a security interest and/or use other means (including, without limitation, letters of credit, surety bonds and/or other similar arrangements) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law to ensure the payment of such amounts as may become necessary to effect the indemnification as provided in this Article VI or elsewhere.
Section 6.07 Employees and Agents. The Board, or any officer authorized by the Board generally or in the specific case to make indemnification decisions, may cause the Corporation to indemnify and advance expenses to any present or former employee or agent of the Corporation in such manner and for such liabilities as the Board may determine, up to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and other applicable law.
Section 6.08 Interpretation; Severability. Terms defined in Sections 145(h) or (i) of the DGCL have the meanings set forth in such sections when used in this Article VI. If this Article VI or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless (i) indemnify each Director or officer of the Corporation as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including an action by or in the right of the Corporation, and (ii) advance expenses to each Director or officer of the Corporation entitled to advancement of expenses under Section 6.02 in accordance therewith, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article VI that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 6.09 Subrogation. Any person entitled to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses, in each case pursuant to this Article VI, and that is an officer, employee, partner or advisor of the Carlyle Stockholder (as such term is defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) (each such person, a “Sponsor Indemnitee”), may have certain rights to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses provided by or on behalf of the Carlyle Stockholder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these bylaws or otherwise: (i) the Corporation is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., the Corporation’s obligations to each Sponsor Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Carlyle Stockholder to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by each Sponsor Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) the Corporation will be required to advance the full amount of expenses incurred by each Sponsor Indemnitee and will be liable for the full amount of all liabilities, expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by this Article VI, without regard to any rights each Sponsor Indemnitee may have against the Carlyle Stockholder, and (iii) the Corporation irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Carlyle Stockholder from any and all claims against the Carlyle Stockholder for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these bylaws or otherwise, no advancement or payment by the Carlyle Stockholder on behalf of a Sponsor Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which such Sponsor Indemnitee has sought indemnification or advancement of expenses from the Corporation will affect the foregoing and the Carlyle Stockholder will have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of such Sponsor Indemnitee against the Corporation. The Carlyle Stockholder is an express third party beneficiary of the terms of this Article VI.
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ARTICLE VII
OFFICES
Section 7.01 Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware shall be located at the location provided in the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 7.02 Other Offices. The Corporation may maintain offices or places of business at such other locations within or outside the State of Delaware as the Board may from time to time determine or as the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 8.01 Dividends.
(a) Subject to any applicable provisions of law and the Certificate of Incorporation, dividends upon the shares of the Corporation may be declared by the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board, or by written consent in accordance with the DGCL and these bylaws, and any such dividend may be paid in cash, property or shares of the Corporation’s stock.
(b) A member of the Board, or a member of any committee designated by the Board shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its officers or employees, or committees of the Board, or by any other person as to matters the Director reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation, as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities and/or net profits of the Corporation, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of surplus or other funds from which dividends might properly be declared and paid.
Section 8.02 Reserves. There may be set apart out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board from time to time may determine proper as a reserve or reserves for meeting contingencies, equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation or for such other purpose or purposes as the Board may determine conducive to the interest of the Corporation and its stockholders, and the Board may similarly modify or abolish any such reserve.
Section 8.03 Execution of Instruments. Except as otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board or any officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board may authorize any other officer or agent of the Corporation to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name and on behalf of the Corporation. Any such authorization must be in writing or by electronic transmission and may be general or limited to specific contracts or instruments.
Section 8.04 Voting as Stockholder. Unless otherwise determined by resolution of the Board, the President or any officer of the Corporation authorized thereby shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Corporation to attend any meeting of stockholders or equityholders of any corporation or other entity in which the Corporation may hold securities, and to act, vote (or execute proxies to vote) and exercise in person or by proxy all other rights, powers and privileges incident to the ownership of such securities at any such meeting, or through action without a meeting. The Board may by resolution from time to time confer such power and authority (in general or confined to specific instances) upon any other person or persons.
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Section 8.05 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31st of each year, or such other twelve (12) consecutive months as the Board may designate.
Section 8.06 Seal. The seal of the Corporation shall be circular in form and shall contain the name of the Corporation, the year of its incorporation and the words “Corporate Seal” and “Delaware”. The form of such seal shall be subject to alteration by the Board. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed, affixed or reproduced, or may be used in any other lawful manner.
Section 8.07 Books and Records; Inspection. Except to the extent otherwise required by law, the books and records of the Corporation shall be kept at such place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as may be determined from time to time by the Board.
Section 8.08 Electronic Transmission. “Electronic transmission”, as used in these bylaws, means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed (a) by resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized Directors (whether or not there exists any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption) acting at any special or regular meeting of the Board if, in addition to any other notice required by these Bylaws and other applicable requirements contained herein, notice of such amendment, alteration or repeal is contained in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, which notice shall also include, without limitation, the text of any such proposed amendment and/or any resolution calling for any such amendment, alteration or repeal, (b) until the Trigger Date, at any regular or special meeting of the stockholders upon the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors, voting together as a single class, if, in the case of such special meeting only, in addition to any other notice required by these Bylaws and other applicable requirements contained herein, notice of such amendment, alteration or repeal is contained in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, which notice shall also include, without limitation, the text of any such proposed amendment and/or any resolution calling for any such amendment, alteration or repeal, or (c) from and after the Trigger Date, at any regular or special meeting of the stockholders upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least three-quarters of the shares of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors, voting together as a single class, if, in the case of such special meeting only, in addition to any other notice required by these Bylaws and other applicable requirements contained herein, notice of such amendment, alteration or repeal is contained in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, which notice shall also include, without limitation, the text of any such proposed amendment and/or any resolution calling for any such amendment, alteration or repeal. So long as the Stockholders Agreement remains in effect, the Board shall not approve any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of these bylaws, or the adoption of any new bylaw, that would be contrary to or inconsistent with the Stockholders Agreement or this sentence.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) no amendment to the Stockholders Agreement (whether or not such amendment modifies any provision of the Stockholders Agreement to which these bylaws are subject) shall be deemed an amendment of these bylaws for purposes of this Section 9.01, and (y) no
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amendment, alteration or repeal of Article VI shall adversely affect any right or protection existing under bylaws immediately prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal, including any right or protection of a present or former Director or officer thereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment.
ARTICLE X
CONSTRUCTION
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of these bylaws as in effect from time to time and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation as in effect from time to time, the provisions of such Certificate of Incorporation shall be controlling.
* * * *
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Exhibit 4.1
EXECUTION VERSION
CEDAR I MERGER SUB, INC.,
COMMSCOPE, INC.,
as Issuer
and the Guarantors party hereto
8.25% Senior Notes due 2019
INDENTURE
Dated as of January 14, 2011
WILMINGTON TRUST FSB,
as Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||
| ARTICLE I | ||||||
| Definitions and Incorporation by Reference | ||||||
| SECTION 1.1. | Definitions | 1 | ||||
| SECTION 1.2. | Other Definitions | 32 | ||||
| SECTION 1.3. | Rules of Construction | 33 | ||||
| ARTICLE II | ||||||
| The Notes | ||||||
| SECTION 2.1. | Form and Dating | 34 | ||||
| SECTION 2.2. | Form of Execution and Authentication | 36 | ||||
| SECTION 2.3. | Registrar and Paying Agent | 37 | ||||
| SECTION 2.4. | Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 37 | ||||
| SECTION 2.5. | Lists of Holders of the Notes | 38 | ||||
| SECTION 2.6. | Transfer and Exchange | 38 | ||||
| SECTION 2.7. | Replacement Notes | 47 | ||||
| SECTION 2.8. | Outstanding Notes | 47 | ||||
| SECTION 2.9. | Treasury Notes | 47 | ||||
| SECTION 2.10. | Temporary Notes | 47 | ||||
| SECTION 2.11. | Cancellation | 48 | ||||
| SECTION 2.12. | Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest | 48 | ||||
| SECTION 2.13. | CUSIP Numbers | 49 | ||||
| SECTION 2.14. | Record Date | 49 | ||||
| ARTICLE III | ||||||
| Covenants | ||||||
| SECTION 3.1. | Payment of Notes | 49 | ||||
| SECTION 3.2. | Reports and Other Information | 50 | ||||
| SECTION 3.3. | Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock | 52 | ||||
| SECTION 3.4. | Limitation on Restricted Payments | 58 | ||||
| SECTION 3.5. | Liens | 64 | ||||
| SECTION 3.6. | Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries | 65 | ||||
| SECTION 3.7. | Asset Sales | 66 | ||||
| SECTION 3.8. | Transactions with Affiliates | 69 | ||||
| SECTION 3.9. | Change of Control | 71 | ||||
| SECTION 3.10. | Maintenance of Insurance | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.11. | Additional Guarantors | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.12. | Compliance Certificate; Statement by Officers as to Default | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.13. | [Reserved.] | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.14. | Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.15. | Covenant Suspension | 74 | ||||
| SECTION 3.16. | Stay, Extension and Usury Laws | 75 | ||||
-i-
| Page | ||||||
| ARTICLE IV | ||||||
| Merger; Consolidation or Sale of Assets | ||||||
| SECTION 4.1. | When the Issuer May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets | 75 | ||||
| ARTICLE V | ||||||
| Redemption of Notes | ||||||
| SECTION 5.1. | Optional Redemption | 76 | ||||
| SECTION 5.2. | Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions | 77 | ||||
| SECTION 5.3. | Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed | 77 | ||||
| SECTION 5.4. | Notice of Redemption | 77 | ||||
| SECTION 5.5. | Deposit of Redemption Price | 78 | ||||
| SECTION 5.6. | Notes Payable on Redemption Date | 78 | ||||
| SECTION 5.7. | Notes Redeemed in Part | 79 | ||||
| SECTION 5.8. | Offer to Repurchase | 79 | ||||
| ARTICLE VI | ||||||
| Defaults and Remedies | ||||||
| SECTION 6.1. | Events of Default | 81 | ||||
| SECTION 6.2. | Acceleration | 82 | ||||
| SECTION 6.3. | Other Remedies | 82 | ||||
| SECTION 6.4. | Waiver of Past Defaults | 82 | ||||
| SECTION 6.5. | Control by Majority | 83 | ||||
| SECTION 6.6. | Limitation on Suits | 83 | ||||
| SECTION 6.7. | Rights of Holders to Receive Payment | 83 | ||||
| SECTION 6.8. | Collection Suit by Trustee | 84 | ||||
| SECTION 6.9. | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 84 | ||||
| SECTION 6.10. | Priorities | 84 | ||||
| SECTION 6.11. | Undertaking for Costs | 84 | ||||
| ARTICLE VII | ||||||
| Trustee | ||||||
| SECTION 7.1. | Duties of Trustee | 85 | ||||
| SECTION 7.2. | Rights of Trustee | 86 | ||||
| SECTION 7.3. | Individual Rights of Trustee | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 7.4. | Disclaimer | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 7.5. | Notice of Defaults | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 7.6. | Compensation and Indemnity | 88 | ||||
| SECTION 7.7. | Replacement of Trustee | 88 | ||||
| SECTION 7.8. | Successor Trustee by Merger | 89 | ||||
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| Page | ||||||
| SECTION 7.9. | Eligibility; Disqualification | 89 | ||||
| SECTION 7.10. | Limitation on Duty of Trustee | 89 | ||||
| SECTION 7.11. | Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer | 89 | ||||
| SECTION 7.12. | Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes | 90 | ||||
| ARTICLE VIII | ||||||
| Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance | ||||||
| SECTION 8.1. | Discharge of Liability on Securities; Defeasance | 90 | ||||
| SECTION 8.2. | Conditions to Defeasance | 91 | ||||
| SECTION 8.3. | Application of Trust Money | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 8.4. | Repayment to Issuer | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 8.5. | Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 8.6. | Reinstatement | 93 | ||||
| ARTICLE IX | ||||||
| Amendments | ||||||
| SECTION 9.1. | Without Consent of Holders | 93 | ||||
| SECTION 9.2. | With Consent of Holders | 94 | ||||
| SECTION 9.3. | Effect of Consents and Waivers | 94 | ||||
| SECTION 9.4. | Notation on or Exchange of Notes | 95 | ||||
| SECTION 9.5. | Trustee To Sign Amendments | 95 | ||||
| ARTICLE X | ||||||
| Guarantees | ||||||
| SECTION 10.1. | Guarantees | 95 | ||||
| SECTION 10.2. | Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge | 97 | ||||
| SECTION 10.3. | Right of Contribution | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 10.4. | No Subrogation | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 10.5. | Limitations on Merger | 98 | ||||
| ARTICLE XI | ||||||
| INTENTIONALLY OMITTED | ||||||
| ARTICLE XII | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | ||||||
| SECTION 12.1. | Notices | 99 | ||||
| SECTION 12.2. | Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 100 | ||||
| SECTION 12.3. | Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 100 | ||||
| SECTION 12.4. | [Reserved] | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.5. | Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.6. | Days Other than Business Days | 101 | ||||
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| Page | ||||||
| SECTION 12.7. | Governing Law | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.8. | Waiver of Jury Trial | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.9. | No Recourse Against Others | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.10. | Successors | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.11. | Multiple Originals | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.12. | Variable Provisions | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.13. | Table of Contents; Headings | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 12.14. | Force Majeure | 102 | ||||
| SECTION 12.15. | USA Patriot Act | 102 | ||||
| SECTION 12.16. | [Reserved] | 102 | ||||
| SECTION 12.17. | Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes | 102 | ||||
EXHIBITS
| EXHIBIT A |
Form of Note | |
| EXHIBIT B |
Form of Certificate of Transfer | |
| EXHIBIT C |
Form of Certificate of Exchange |
-iv-
INDENTURE, dated as of January 14, 2011, as amended or supplemented from time to time (this “Indenture”), among CEDAR I MERGER SUB, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (“Merger Sub”), COMMSCOPE, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Issuer”), certain subsidiaries of the Issuer from time to time parties hereto (the “Guarantors”) and WILMINGTON TRUST FSB, a federal savings bank, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”).
Recitals of the Issuer
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) of the Notes (as defined herein):
ARTICLE I
Definitions and Incorporation by Reference
SECTION 1.1. Definitions.
“144A Global Note” means a global note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that shall be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
“ABL Credit Agreement” means (i) the credit agreement with respect to the asset-based revolving credit facility entered into on the Issue Date among the Issuer, Holdings, certain Subsidiaries of the Issuer, the financial institutions named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the original lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, and (ii) whether or not the credit agreement referred to in clause (i) remains outstanding, if designated by the Issuer to be included in the definition of “ABL Credit Agreement,” one or more (A) debt facilities, indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, notes, debentures, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, (B) debt securities, indentures or other forms of debt financing (including convertible or exchangeable debt instruments or bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances), or (C) instruments or agreements evidencing any other Indebtedness, in each case, with the same or different borrowers or issuers and, in each case, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, increased, replaced or refunded in whole or in part from time to time.
“Acquired Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Subsidiary of, such specified Person; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, co-registrar or additional paying agent.
“Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable Redemption Date, the greater of:
(i) 1.0% of the then outstanding principal amount of such Note; and
(ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such Redemption Date of (1) the redemption price of the Note at January 15, 2015 as set forth in Section 5.1(a), plus (2) all required interest payments due on such Note through January 15, 2015 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the Redemption Date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such Redemption Date, plus 50 basis points; over (B) the then outstanding principal amount of such Note.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Asset Sale” means:
(1) the sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition (whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions) of property or assets (including by way of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction) of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (each referred to in this definition as a “disposition”); or
(2) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests (other than (i) directors’ qualifying shares or shares or interests required to be held by foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent required by applicable law and (ii) Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with Section 3.3) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) (whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions),
in each case other than:
(a) a sale, exchange or other disposition of Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities or obsolete, damaged, unnecessary, unsuitable or worn out equipment in the ordinary course of business;
(b) the sale, conveyance, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in a manner pursuant to Section 4.1 or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;
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(c) any Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment that is permitted to be made, and is made, under Section 3.4;
(d) any disposition of assets or issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, with an aggregate Fair Market Value of less than $20.0 million;
(e) any transfer or disposition of property or assets by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to the Issuer or by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(f) the creation of any Lien permitted under this Indenture;
(g) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(h) the sale, lease, assignment, license or sublease of inventory, equipment, accounts receivable or other current assets held for sale in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with any financing transaction;
(i) the lease, assignment or sublease of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;
(j) a sale of accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” to a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing or in factoring or similar transactions;
(k) a transfer of accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” (or a fractional undivided interest therein) by a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(l) any exchange of assets for assets (including a combination of assets and Cash Equivalents) related to a Similar Business of comparable or greater market value or usefulness to the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, which in the event of an exchange of assets with a Fair Market Value in excess of (1) $20.0 million shall be evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate, and (2) $40.0 million shall be set forth in a resolution approved in good faith by at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer;
(m) the grant in the ordinary course of business of any license or sub-license of patents, trademarks, know-how and any other intellectual property;
(n) the sale in a Sale/Leaseback Transaction of any property acquired after the Issue Date within twelve months of the acquisition of such property;
(o) the surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, release or surrender of a contract, tort or other litigation claim in the ordinary course of business; and
(p) foreclosures, condemnations or any similar action on assets not prohibited by this Indenture.
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“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Board of Directors” means as to any Person, the board of directors or managers, sole member or managing member, as applicable, of such Person (or, if such Person is a partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the general partner of such Person) or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Borrowing Base” means, as of any date, an amount equal to: (1) 85% of the value of all accounts receivable owned by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date; plus (2) 70% of the value of all inventory owned by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date, all calculated on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.
“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law to close in New York City.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and
(4) 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.
“Capitalized Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as in effect as of the date hereof.
“Cash Contribution Amount” means the aggregate amount of cash contributions made to the capital of the Issuer or any Guarantor described in the definition of “Contribution Indebtedness.”
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) U.S. Dollars, pounds sterling, euros or the national currency of any participating member state of the European Union;
(2) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the government of the United States or any country that is a member of the European Union or any agency or instrumentality thereof in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances, in each case with maturities not exceeding one year, and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any commercial bank having
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capital and surplus in excess of $500 million, or the foreign currency equivalent thereof, and whose long-term debt is rated “A” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency);
(4) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;
(5) commercial paper issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Issuer) rated at least “A-1” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency) and in each case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(6) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof having one of the two highest rating categories obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency) in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(7) Indebtedness issued by Persons (other than the Sponsor) with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P or “A-2” or higher from Moody’s in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(8) investment funds investing at least 95% of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (6) above; and
(9) in the case of Investments by any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary, (x) such local currencies in those countries in which such Foreign Subsidiary transacts business from time to time in the ordinary course of business and (y) Investments of comparable tenor and credit quality to those described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (8) customarily utilized in countries in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates for short-term cash management purposes.
“Change of Control” means:
(1) the sale, lease or transfer, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to a Person other than one or more of the Permitted Holders; or
(2) Holdings becomes aware of the acquisition by any Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act), other than any of the Permitted Holders, in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of Equity Interests or otherwise, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of Voting Stock of the Issuer representing 50% or more of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer (such event or circumstance, a “Beneficial Ownership Event”);
provided, however, that in no event shall a Change of Control be deemed to have occurred pursuant to clause (2) above if immediately after, and for the 90 days following, the occurrence of the Beneficial Ownership Event, the Consolidated Total Debt Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of the Beneficial Ownership Event would be no greater than 3.50 to 1.00.
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“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Issuer by any Officer.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, to the extent such expense was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income (including amortization of original issue discount, the interest component of Capitalized Lease Obligations, and net payments and receipts (if any) pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations and excluding amortization of deferred financing fees and expensing of any bridge or other financing fees, the non-cash portion of interest expense resulting from the reduction in the carrying value under purchase accounting of the Issuer’s outstanding Indebtedness and commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Receivables Financing);
(2) interest on Indebtedness described in Section 3.4(b)(xiii)(b) (to the extent not already included in clause (1) above); and
(3) consolidated capitalized interest of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued;
less interest income for such period;
provided that, for purposes of calculating Consolidated Interest Expense, no effect shall be given to the discount and/or premium resulting from the bifurcation of derivatives under FASB ASC 815 and related interpretations as a result of the terms of the Indebtedness to which such Consolidated Interest Expense relates.
For purposes of this definition, interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by such Person to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis; provided, however, that:
(1) any net after-tax extraordinary, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses or income or expenses (including the effect of all fees and expenses relating thereto), including, without limitation, any fees, expenses, charges or payments made under or contemplated by the Merger Agreement or otherwise related to the Transactions, shall be excluded;
(2) the Net Income for such period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period;
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(3) any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of discontinued operations shall be excluded;
(4) any net after-tax gains or losses (including the effect of all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to business dispositions (including Capital Stock of any Person) or asset dispositions or abandonments other than in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) shall be excluded;
(5) any net after-tax gains or losses (including the effect of all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness, Hedging Obligations and other derivative instruments shall be excluded;
(6) the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary of such Person, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting (other than a Guarantor), shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period;
(7) solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)(1), the Net Income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of its Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless such restrictions with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions have been legally waived; provided that (x) the net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be included therein and (y) the Consolidated Net Income of such Person shall be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or converted into cash) by any such Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, to the extent not already included therein;
(8) any non-cash compensation expense realized from employee benefit plans or post-employment benefit plans, grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded;
(9) (a) (i) the non-cash portion of “straight-line” rent expense shall be excluded and (ii) the cash portion of “straight-line” rent expense that exceeds the amount expensed in respect of such rent expense shall be included and (b) non-cash gains, losses, income and expenses resulting from fair value accounting required by FASB ASC 815 shall be excluded;
(10) unrealized gains and losses relating to hedging transactions and mark-to-market of Indebtedness denominated in foreign currencies resulting from the application of FASB ASC 830 shall be excluded;
(11) any (a) severance or relocation costs or expenses, (b) one-time non-cash compensation charges, (c) the costs and expenses after the Issue Date related to employment of terminated employees, or (d) costs or expenses realized in connection with or resulting from stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other rights existing on the Issue Date of officers, directors and employees, in each case of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall be excluded;
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(12) accruals and reserves, contingent liabilities and any gains and losses on the settlement of any pre-existing contractual or non-contractual relationships as a result of the Transactions that are established or adjusted within 12 months after the Issue Date and that are so required to be established or adjusted in accordance with GAAP or as a result of adoption or modification of accounting policies shall be excluded;
(13) the effect of any non-cash impairment charges or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs of assets (including intangible assets, goodwill and deferred financing costs but excluding accounts receivable) or liabilities resulting from the application of GAAP (including in connection with the Transactions) and the amortization of intangibles arising from the application of GAAP (excluding any non-cash item to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenditures in any future period except to the extent such item is subsequently reversed) shall be excluded; and
(14) any fees and expenses incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, Investment, Asset Sale, issuance or repayment of Indebtedness, issuance of Equity Interests, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Issue Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed) and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction shall be excluded.
In addition, to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of proceeds actually received from business interruption insurance and reimbursements of any expenses and charges pursuant to indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Permitted Investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the purpose of Section 3.4 only, there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any dividends, repayments of loans or advances or other transfers of assets from Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to the extent such dividends, repayments or transfers increase the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under Sections 3.4(a)(C)(5) or (6).
“Consolidated Non-cash Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate depreciation, amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period), impairment, compensation and other non-cash expenses of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries reducing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if any non-cash charges referred to in this definition represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from EBITDA in such future period to such extent paid.
“Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio” as of any date of determination means the ratio of (1) (x) Consolidated Total Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries that is secured by a Lien as of the end of the most recent fiscal period for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall
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occur minus (y) the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents, in each case, that is held by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of such most recent fiscal period to (2) the EBITDA of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case, with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Total Indebtedness and EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Consolidated Taxes” means, with respect to any Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for any period, provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including, without limitation, state franchise and similar taxes, and including an amount equal to the amount of tax distributions actually made to the holders of Capital Stock of such Person or any direct or indirect parent of such Person in respect of such period in accordance with Section 3.4(b)(xii) which shall be included as though such amounts had been paid as income taxes directly by such Person.
“Consolidated Total Debt Ratio” as of any date of determination means the ratio of (1) (x) Consolidated Total Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal period for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur minus (y) the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents, in each case, that is held by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of such most recent fiscal period to (2) the EBITDA of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case, with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Total Indebtedness and EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis, to the extent required to be recorded on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, Capitalized Lease Obligations and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments and, regardless of whether on or off balance sheet, obligations under Receivables Financings.
“Contingent Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any leases, dividends or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent:
(1) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor,
(2) to advance or supply funds:
(a) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation; or
(b) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor; or
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(3) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof.
“Contribution Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate amount of cash contributions (other than Excluded Contributions) made to the capital of the Issuer or such Guarantor after the Issue Date, provided that:
(1) such Contribution Indebtedness shall be Indebtedness with a Stated Maturity later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes and a Weighted Average Life to Maturity longer than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Notes, and
(2) such Contribution Indebtedness (a) is Incurred within 210 days after the making of such cash contributions and (b) is so designated as Contribution Indebtedness pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate on the Incurrence date thereof.
“Convertible Notes” means the 3.25% Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2015 of the Issuer.
“Corporate Trust Office” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.1 or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuer or Holders pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 12.1.
“Credit Agreements” shall mean any ABL Credit Agreement and any Term B Credit Agreement.
“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“Default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.
“Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns, or such other depository institution hereinafter appointed by the Issuer.
“Designated Non-cash Consideration” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation, less the amount of Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection on such Designated Non-cash Consideration.
“Designated Preferred Stock” means Preferred Stock of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable (other than Excluded Equity), that is issued after the Issue Date for cash and is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are contributed to the capital of the Issuer (if issued by Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer) and excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.4(a)(C).
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“Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is redeemable or exchangeable), in each case, at the option of the holder thereof or upon the happening of any event:
(1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (other than as a result of a change of control or asset sale; provided that the relevant asset sale or change of control provisions, taken as a whole, are no more favorable in any material respect to holders of such Capital Stock than the asset sale and change of control provisions applicable to the Notes and any purchase requirement triggered thereby may not become operative until compliance with the asset sale and change of control provisions applicable to the Notes (including the purchase of any Notes tendered pursuant thereto)),
(2) is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, or
(3) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part,
in each case prior to 91 days after the maturity date of the Notes; provided, however, that only the portion of Capital Stock that so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date shall be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, however, that if such Capital Stock is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Issuer in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability; provided, further, that any class of Capital Stock of such Person that by its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock shall not be deemed to be Disqualified Stock.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary or a Foreign Subsidiary Holdco or a Subsidiary of a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957(a) of the Code.
“EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus, without duplication, to the extent the same was deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income:
(1) Consolidated Taxes; plus
(2) Consolidated Interest Expense; plus
(3) Consolidated Non-cash Charges; plus
(4) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees, termination payments and related expenses paid to the Sponsor (or any accruals relating to such fees and related expenses) during such period to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 3.8; plus
(5) any expenses or charges (other than Consolidated Non-cash Charges) related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the Incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred by this Indenture (including a
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refinancing thereof) (whether or not successful), including (i) such fees, expenses or charges related to (x) the offering of the Notes or (y) the Transactions, (ii) any amendment or other modification of the Notes or other Indebtedness and (iii) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Qualified Receivables Financing; plus
(6) the amount of loss on sale of receivables and related assets to a Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing; plus
(7) the amount of any restructuring charges or reserves (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include retention, severance, systems establishment cost, excess pension charges, contract termination costs, including future lease commitments, costs related to the start up, closure, relocation or consolidation of facilities and costs to relocate employees), plus
(8) all adjustments of the nature used in connection with the calculation of “Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA” as set forth in note 3 to “Summary historical and unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent such adjustments continue to be applicable during the period in which EBITDA is being calculated, plus
(9) any costs or expense incurred pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Issuer or a Guarantor or the net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity) solely to the extent that such net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)(1); plus/minus
(10) gains or losses due solely to fluctuations in currency values and the related tax effects,
less, without duplication, non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding any items that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period).
“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means any public or private sale after the Issue Date of capital stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable (other than Disqualified Stock), other than:
(1) public offerings with respect to the Issuer’s or such direct or indirect parent’s common stock registered on Form S-8; and
(2) any such public or private sale that constitutes an Excluded Contribution or Refunding Capital Stock.
“Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
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“Excluded Contributions” means the net cash proceeds and Cash Equivalents received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from:
(1) contributions to its common equity capital, and
(2) the sale of Capital Stock (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer,
in each case designated as Excluded Contributions pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate executed by an Officer of the Issuer, the proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.4(a)(C).
“Excluded Equity” means (i) Disqualified Stock, (ii) any Equity Interests issued or sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or any employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries (to the extent such employee stock ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) and (iii) any Equity Interest that has already been used or designated as (or the proceeds of which have been used or designated as) Cash Contribution Amount, Designated Preferred Stock, Excluded Contribution or Refunding Capital Stock, to increase the amount available under Section 3.4(b)(iv)(a) or clause (14) of the definition of “Permitted Investments” or is proceeds of Indebtedness referred to Section 3.4(b)(xiii)(b).
“Existing Foreign Facilities” means collectively, (i) that certain Financing Agreement between San Paolo IMI S.P.A and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with aggregate outstanding commitments of $6.3 million, (ii) that certain letter of credit facility between Credit Suisse and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with an aggregate of $6.4 million of letter of credit capacity, and (iii) that certain Credit Facility between China Construction Bank and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with aggregate outstanding commitments of $61.5 million.
“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price that could be negotiated in an arm’s-length, free market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction (as determined in good faith by the Issuer).
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standard Codifications as promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, including any renumbering of such standards or any successor or replacement section or sections promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs, redeems or repays any Indebtedness (other than in the case of revolving credit borrowings or revolving advances under any Qualified Receivables Financing, in which case interest expense shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period) or issues or redeems Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated but prior to the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence or redemption or repayment of Indebtedness, or such issuance or redemption of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock, as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period.
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For purposes of making the computation referred to above, Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers (including the Transactions), consolidations and discontinued operations, in each case with respect to an operating unit of a business, and operational changes, that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has both determined to make and made after the Issue Date and during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the Calculation Date (each, for purposes of this definition, a “pro forma event”) shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers (including the Transactions), consolidations, discontinued operations and operational changes (and the change of any associated fixed charge obligations and the change in EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period. If since the beginning of such period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period shall have made or effected any Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation or discontinued operation, in each case with respect to an operating unit of a business, or operational change that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto for such period as if such Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation discontinued operation or operational change had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period.
For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any pro forma event, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligations applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Issuer may designate. Any such pro forma calculation may include, without limitation, (1) adjustments permitted by and calculated consistent with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X (regardless of whether pro forma financial information would be required to be presented thereunder), (2) adjustments calculated to give effect to any Pro Forma Cost Savings and (3) all adjustments of the nature used in connection with the calculation of “Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA” as set forth in note 3 under the heading “Summary historical and unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent such adjustments, without duplication, continue to be applicable to such four-quarter period.
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of:
(1) Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for such period, and
(2) all cash dividend payments (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary not organized or existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or territory or the District of Columbia thereof and any direct or indirect Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary.
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“Foreign Subsidiary Holdco” means any Domestic Subsidiary that has no material assets other than the Capital Stock of a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957(a) of the Code.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are (except as set forth in the definition of Capitalized Lease Obligations) in effect from time to time. At any time after the Issue Date, the issuer may elect to apply IFRS accounting principles in lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS (except as otherwise provided in this Indenture); provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided, further, any calculation or determination in this Indenture that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to the Issuer election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, for purposes of this Indenture, all references to codified accounting standards specifically named herein shall be deemed to include any successor, replacement, amended or updated accounting standard under GAAP.
“Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(b) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
“Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.1 or 2.6 hereof.
“guarantee” means, as to any Person, a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other obligations.
“Guarantee” means any guarantee of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes by any Person in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
“Guarantors” means each Domestic Subsidiary of the Issuer that executes this Indenture as a Guarantor on the Issue Date and each other Domestic Subsidiary of the Issuer that Incurs a Guarantee of the Notes; provided that upon the release or discharge of such Person from its Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, such Person ceases to be a Guarantor.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under:
(1) currency exchange, interest rate or commodity swap agreements, currency exchange, interest rate or commodity cap agreements and currency exchange, interest rate or commodity collar agreements; and
(2) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange, interest rates or commodity prices.
“Holder” or “Noteholder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.
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“Holdings” means Cedar I Holding Company, Inc. and its successors.
“IFRS” means the International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
“Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, issue, assume, guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Subsidiary.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person:
(1) the principal and premium (if any) of any Indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, (a) in respect of borrowed money, (b) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances (or, without duplication, reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), (c) representing the deferred and unpaid purchase price of any property, except (i) any such balance that constitutes a trade payable, accrued expense or similar obligation to a trade creditor, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business and (ii) any earn-out obligations until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, (d) in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations, (e) representing any Hedging Obligations, if and to the extent that any of the foregoing Indebtedness (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP or (f) under or in respect of Receivables Financings;
(2) to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation of such Person to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, on the Indebtedness of another Person (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business); and
(3) to the extent not otherwise included, Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned by such Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person); provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of: (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination, and (b) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Person;
provided that Contingent Obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business shall be deemed not to constitute Indebtedness.
“Indenture” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm or consultant, in each case of nationally recognized standing that is, in the good faith determination of the Issuer, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.
“Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
“Initial Notes” means the $1,500,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019 of the Issuer issued under this Indenture on the Issue Date.
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“Initial Purchasers” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and such other initial purchasers party to the purchase agreement or future purchase agreements entered into in connection with an offer and sale of Notes.
“Interest Payment Date” means January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing, in the case of the Initial Notes, on July 15, 2011 and ending at the Stated Maturity of the Notes.
“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency.
“Investment Grade Securities” means:
(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash Equivalents) and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition,
(2) securities that have a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s or BBB (or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency,
(3) investments in any fund that invests at least 95% of its assets in investments of the type described in clauses (1) and (2) which fund may also hold immaterial amounts of cash pending investment and/or distribution, and
(4) corresponding instruments in countries other than the United States customarily utilized for high quality investments and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans (including guarantees), advances or capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit and advances to customers and commission, travel and similar advances to officers, employees and consultants made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities issued by any other Person and investments that are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet of the Issuer in the same manner as the other investments included in this definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of cash or other property. If the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, or any Restricted Subsidiary issues any Equity Interests, in either case, such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Issuer, the Issuer shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or other disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Equity Interests of and all other Investments in such Restricted Subsidiary retained. In no event shall a guarantee of an operating lease of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary be deemed an Investment. For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and Section 3.4:
(1) “Investments” shall include the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of the Issuer at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary equal to an amount (if positive) equal to:
(a) the Issuer’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less
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(b) the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and
(2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Issuer.
The amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value (determined, in the case of any Investment made with assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, based on the Fair Market Value of the assets invested).
“Issue Date” means January 14, 2011.
“Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“JV Distributions” means, at any time, 50% of the aggregate amount of all cash dividends or distributions received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a return on an Investment in a Permitted Joint Venture during the period from the closing date of the Acquisition through the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended immediately prior to such date for which financial statements are internally available (provided that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are not required to reinvest such dividends or distributions in the Permitted Joint Venture).
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction); provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.
“Management Agreement” means that certain Management Agreement between the Issuer and T.C. Group V, L.L.C., as amended, restated, modified or replaced as of the date of this Indenture and as may be amended, modified or replaced to the extent such amendment, modification or replacement is not less advantageous to the Holders in any material respect than the Management Agreement as in effect as of the date of this Indenture.
“Management Group” means the group consisting of the executive officers and other management personnel of the Issuer on the Issue Date or who became officers or management personnel of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable, and the Subsidiaries following the Issue Date (other than in connection with a transaction that would otherwise be a Change of Control if such persons were not included in the definition of “Permitted Holders”).
“Merger” means the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Issuer, with the Issuer surviving such merger, pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement.
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“Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 26, 2010, among the Issuer, Holdings and Merger Sub, as amended up to and including the Issue Date.
“Merger Sub” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received in respect of or upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-cash Consideration received in any Asset Sale and any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received, and including any proceeds received as a result of unwinding any related Hedging Obligations in connection with such transaction but excluding the assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness relating to the disposed assets or other consideration received in any other non-cash form), net of the direct cash costs relating to such Asset Sale and the sale or disposition of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and brokerage and sales commissions), and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements related thereto), amounts required to be applied to the repayment of principal, premium (if any) and interest on Indebtedness required (other than pursuant to Section 3.7(b)) to be paid as a result of such transaction, any costs associated with unwinding any related Hedging Obligations in connection with such transaction and any deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the Issuer as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such transaction and retained by the Issuer after such sale or other disposition thereof, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction.
“Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) attributable to such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends.
“Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.
“Notes” means the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes, treated as a single class of securities.
“Notes Custodian” means the custodian with respect to the Global Note (as appointed by the Depositary), or any successor Person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.
“Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including, without limitation, reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances), damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness; provided that Obligations with respect to the Notes shall not include fees or indemnification in favor of the Trustee and other third parties other than the Holders of the Notes.
“Offering Memorandum” means the confidential Offering Memorandum dated January 11, 2011, used in connection with the offering of the Initial Notes.
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“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Issuer.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer of the Issuer that meets the requirements set forth in this Indenture.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer.
“Pari Passu Indebtedness” means:
(1) with respect to the Issuer, the Notes and any Indebtedness, including Additional Notes, that ranks pari passu in right of payment to the Notes; and
(2) with respect to any Guarantor, its Guarantee and any Indebtedness that ranks pari passu in right of payment to such Guarantor’s Guarantee.
“Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream a Person who has an account with the Depositary, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear or Clearstream).
“Permanent Regulation S Global Note” means a permanent Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Temporary Regulation S Global Note upon expiration of the Restricted Period.
“Permitted Asset Swap” means the concurrent purchase and sale or exchange of Related Business Assets or a combination of Related Business Assets and cash or Cash Equivalents between the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person; provided that any cash or Cash Equivalents received must be applied in accordance with Section 3.7.
“Permitted Holders” means each of (i) the Sponsor, (ii) the Management Group, with respect to beneficial ownership of Voting Stock of the Issuer representing not more than 10% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer and (iii) any group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act or any successor provision) of which the Persons described in clauses (i) and (ii) are members; provided that, without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, the Persons described in clauses (i) and (ii), collectively, beneficially own Voting Stock representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer (subject in the case of the Management Group to the limitation in clause (ii)). Any Person or group, together with its Affiliates, whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is made in accordance with the requirements of this Indenture will thereafter constitute an additional Permitted Holder. “Beneficial ownership” has the meaning given to such term under Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(1) any Investment in Cash Equivalents;
(2) any Investment in the Issuer (including the Notes) or any Restricted Subsidiary;
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(3) any Investment by Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer in other Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer and Investments by Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries in other Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer;
(4) any Investment by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a Person that is primarily engaged in a Similar Business if as a result of such Investment (a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, or (b) such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(5) any Investment in securities or other assets not constituting Cash Equivalents and received in connection with an Asset Sale made pursuant to Section 3.7 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;
(6) any Investment (x) existing on the Issue Date, (y) made pursuant to binding commitments in effect on the Issue Date and (z) that replaces, refinances, refunds, renews or extends any Investment described under either of the immediately preceding clauses (x) or (y); provided that any such Investment is in an amount that does not exceed the amount replaced, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended;
(7) advances to employees not in excess of $10.0 million outstanding at any one time in the aggregate;
(8) loans and advances to officers, directors and employees for business related travel expenses, moving and relocation expenses and other similar expenses, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(9) any Investment (x) acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable, or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default and (y) received in compromise or resolution of (a) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer, or (b) litigation, arbitration or other disputes;
(10) Hedging Obligations permitted under Section 3.3(b)(x);
(11) any Investment by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Similar Business (other than an Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (11) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $135.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding; provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (11) is made in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (11) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
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(12) Investments in joint ventures of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the Issue Date in an aggregate amount, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (12) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $135.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets at the time of such Investment, at any one time outstanding; provided, that the Investments permitted pursuant to this clause (12) may be increased by the amount of JV Distributions, without duplication of dividends or distributions increasing amounts available pursuant to Section 3.4(a)(C);
(13) additional Investments by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (13) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $225.0 million and (y) 4.0% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding;
(14) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (14) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 1.75% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding; provided that no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of any such Investment or would result therefrom;
(15) Investments the payment for which consists of Equity Interests (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable; provided, however, that such Equity Interests will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C);
(16) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;
(17) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials and equipment or purchases of contract rights or licenses or leases of intellectual property, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(18) any Investment in a Receivables Subsidiary or any Investment by a Receivables Subsidiary in any other Person in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing, including Investments of funds held in accounts permitted or required by the arrangements governing such Qualified Receivables Financing or any related Indebtedness; provided, however, that any Investment in a Receivables Subsidiary is in the form of a Purchase Money Note, contribution of additional receivables or an equity interest;
(19) Investments of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired after the Issue Date or of an entity merged into or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a transaction that is not prohibited by Section 4.1 after the Issue Date to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation; and
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(20) guarantees of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 3.3, and performance guarantees in the ordinary course of business.
“Permitted Joint Venture” means, with respect to any specified Person, a joint venture in any other Person engaged in a Similar Business in respect of which the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary beneficially owns at least 35% of the shares of Equity Interests of such Person.
“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:
(1) pledges or deposits by such Person under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or U.S. government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(2) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review (or which, if due and payable, are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves are being maintained, to the extent required by GAAP and such proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property or assets subject to any such Lien);
(3) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges (i) that are not yet due or payable or (ii) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings that have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property or assets subject to any such Lien and for which adequate reserves are being maintained to the extent required by GAAP;
(4) Liens in favor of issuers of performance and surety bonds or bid bonds or with respect to other regulatory requirements or letters of credit issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;
(5) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties that were not Incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
(6) Liens Incurred to secure Obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to clauses (i), (iv), (xvii) or (xx) of the definition of “Permitted Debt”; provided that, (x) in the case of clause (iv), such Lien extends only to the assets and/or Capital Stock, the acquisition, lease, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of which is financed thereby and any income or profits thereof; and (y) in the case of clause (xx), such Lien does not extend to the property or assets (or income or profits therefrom) of any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor;
(7) Liens existing on the Issue Date;
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(8) Liens on assets of, or Equity Interest in, a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming such a Subsidiary; provided, further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(9) Liens on assets at the time the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired the assets, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided, further, however, that the Liens may not extend to any other assets owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(10) Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer permitted to be Incurred in accordance with Section 3.3;
(11) Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted to be under this Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligations;
(12) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;
(13) leases and subleases of real property that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(14) Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(15) Liens in favor of the Issuer or any Guarantor;
(16) Liens on accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” Incurred in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(17) deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure liability to insurance carriers;
(18) Liens on the Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(19) grants of software and other technology licenses in the ordinary course of business;
(20) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default and notices of lis pendens and associated rights related to litigation being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been made;
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(21) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(22) Liens Incurred to secure cash management services (and other “bank products”) owed to a lender under Credit Agreements (or any Affiliate of such lender) in the ordinary course of business;
(23) Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement (or successive refinancings, refundings, extensions, renewals or replacements) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (24); provided, however, that (x) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property that secured the original Lien (plus improvements on such property), and (y) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (A) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (24) at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture, and (B) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement;
(24) Liens securing Pari Passu Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3; provided that at the time of any Incurrence of such Pari Passu Indebtedness and the associated Lien and after giving pro forma effect thereto (in a manner consistent with the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio) under this clause (24), the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio shall not be greater than 2.25 to 1.00;
(25) other Liens securing obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business that do not exceed the greater of (x) $87.5 million and (y) 2.0% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence of such obligation, at any one time outstanding;
(26) Liens on the assets of a joint venture to secure Indebtedness of such joint venture Incurred pursuant to clause (xxi) of the definition of “Permitted Debt”;
(27) Liens on equipment of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer granted in the ordinary course of business to the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s client where such equipment is located;
(28) Liens created solely for the benefit of (or to secure) all of the Notes or the Guarantees;
(29) Liens on property or assets used to defease or to satisfy and discharge Indebtedness; provided that such defeasance or satisfaction and discharge is not prohibited by this Indenture;
(30) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation and exportation of goods in the ordinary course of business;
(31) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection; (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodity brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) in favor of banking institutions arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits (including the right of set-off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry; and
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(32) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness; (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries; or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
“Preferred Stock” means any Equity Interest with preferential right of payment of dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
“Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(c) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions hereof.
“Pro Forma Cost Savings” means, without duplication of amounts added-back to calculate EBITDA or otherwise being given pro forma effect, with respect to any period, the reductions in costs and other operating improvements or synergies that have been realized or are reasonably anticipated to be realized in good faith with respect to a pro forma event within twelve months of the date of such pro forma event and that are reasonable and factually supportable, as if all such reductions in costs and other operating improvements or synergies had been effected as of the beginning of such period, decreased by any recurring incremental expenses incurred or to be incurred during such four-quarter period in order to achieve such reduction in costs. Pro Forma Cost Savings described in the preceding sentence shall be accompanied by a certificate delivered to the Trustee from the Issuer’s chief financial officer that outlines the specific actions taken or to be taken and the net cost reductions and other operating improvements or synergies achieved or to be achieved from each such action and certifies that such cost reductions and other operating improvements or synergies meet the criteria set forth in the preceding sentence.
“Purchase Money Note” means a promissory note of a Receivables Subsidiary evidencing a line of credit, which may be irrevocable, from the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer to a Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing, which note is intended to finance that portion of the purchase price that is not paid by cash or a contribution of equity.
“QIB” means any “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A).
“Qualified Receivables Financing” means any Receivables Financing of a Receivables Subsidiary that meets the following conditions:
(1) the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall have determined in good faith that such Qualified Receivables Financing (including financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions) is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Issuer and the Receivables Subsidiary,
(2) all sales of accounts receivable and related assets to the Receivables Subsidiary are made at Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer), and
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(3) the financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions thereof shall be market terms (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) and may include Standard Securitization Undertakings.
The grant of a security interest in any accounts receivable of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Receivables Subsidiary) to secure any Credit Agreement shall not be deemed a Qualified Receivables Financing.
“Rating Agency” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P and (2) if Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act selected by the Issuer or any parent of the Issuer as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be.
“Receivables Fees” means distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any participation interest issued or sold in connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, any Receivables Financing.
“Receivables Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or otherwise transfer to (a) a Receivables Subsidiary (in the case of a transfer by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Receivables Subsidiary), or may grant a security interest in, any accounts receivable (whether now existing or arising in the future) of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, and any assets related thereto including, without limitation, all collateral securing such accounts receivable, all contracts and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such accounts receivable, proceeds of such accounts receivable and other assets that are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with asset securitization transactions involving accounts receivable and any Hedging Obligations entered into by the Issuer or any such Subsidiary in connection with such accounts receivable.
“Receivables Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of receivables in a Qualified Receivables Financing to repurchase receivables arising as a result of a breach of a representation, warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, off-set or counterclaim of any kind as a result of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other event relating to the seller.
“Receivables Subsidiary” means a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Qualified Receivables Financing with the Issuer in which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer makes an Investment and to which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer transfers accounts receivable and related assets) that engages in no activities other than in connection with the financing of accounts receivable of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, all proceeds thereof and all rights (contractual or other), collateral and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities incidental or related to such business, and that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Issuer (as provided below) as a Receivables Subsidiary and:
(a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which (i) is guaranteed by the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer (excluding guarantees of obligations (other than the principal of, and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, or (iii) subjects any property or asset of the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings,
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(b) with which neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms that the Issuer reasonably believes to be no less favorable to the Issuer or such Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Issuer, and
(c) to which neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any obligation to maintain or preserve such entity’s financial condition or cause such entity to achieve certain levels of operating results.
Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.
“Record Date” for the interest payable on any applicable Interest Payment Date means January 1 and July 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Global Note” means a Temporary Regulation S Global Note or Permanent Regulation S Global Note, as applicable.
“Related Business Assets” means assets (other than cash or Cash Equivalents) used or useful in a Similar Business; provided that any assets received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for assets transferred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary will not be deemed to be Related Business Assets if they consist of securities of a Person, unless upon receipt of the securities of such Person, such Person would become a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Replacement Assets” means (1) tangible assets that will be used or useful in a Similar Business, (2) substantially all the assets of a Similar Business or (3) a majority of the Voting Stock of any Person engaged in a Similar Business that will become, on the date of acquisition thereof, a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Period” means, in relation to the Initial Notes, the 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (A) the day on which the Initial Notes are offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and (B) the Issue Date; and, in relation to any Additional Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend, it means the comparable period of 40 consecutive days.
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“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of a Person other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of such Person. Unless otherwise indicated in this Indenture, all references to Restricted Subsidiaries shall mean Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means an arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person and the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person, other than leases between the Issuer and a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or between Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Issuer within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.
“Similar Business” means any business engaged in by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and any business or other activities that are reasonably similar, ancillary, complementary or related to, or a reasonable extension, development or expansion of, the businesses in which the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business, or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“Sponsor” means (1) T.C. Group L.L.C. and (2) one or more investment funds advised, managed or controlled by T.C. Group L.L.C. and, in each case (whether individually or as a group) their Affiliates (but excluding any operating portfolio companies of the foregoing).
“Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and guarantees of performance entered into by the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer that the Issuer has determined in good faith to be customary in a Receivables Financing including, without limitation, those relating to the servicing of the assets of a Receivables Subsidiary, it being understood that any Receivables Repurchase Obligation shall be deemed to be a Standard Securitization Undertaking.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency beyond the control of the issuer unless such contingency has occurred).
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“Subordinated Indebtedness” means (a) with respect to the Issuer, any Indebtedness of the Issuer that is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, and (b) with respect to any Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Guarantor that is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to its Guarantee.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (1) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company) of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock is at the time of determination owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, (2) any partnership, joint venture or limited liability company of which (x) more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general and limited partnership interests, as applicable, are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, whether in the form of membership, general, special or limited partnership interests or otherwise, and (y) such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person is a controlling general partner or otherwise controls such entity and (3) any Person that is consolidated in the consolidated financial statements of the specified Person in accordance with GAAP.
“Temporary Regulation S Global Note” means a temporary Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereof bearing the Global Note Legend, the Private Placement Legend, and the Temporary Regulation S Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 903.
“Temporary Regulation S Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(e).
“Term B Credit Agreement” means (i) the credit agreement with respect to the senior secured term B credit facility entered into on the Issue Date among the Issuer, Holdings, certain Subsidiaries of the Issuer, the financial institutions named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the original lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, and (ii) whether or not the credit agreement referred to in clause (i) remains outstanding, if designated by the Issuer to be included in the definition of “Term B Credit Agreement,” one or more (A) debt facilities, indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, notes, debentures, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, (B) debt securities, indentures or other forms of debt financing (including convertible or exchangeable debt instruments or bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances), or (C) instruments or agreements evidencing any other Indebtedness, in each case, with the same or different borrowers or issuers and, in each case, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, increased, replaced or refunded in whole or in part from time to time.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture.
“Total Assets” means the total consolidated assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
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“Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and as described in the Offering Memorandum under the heading “The Transactions,” including the borrowings under the Credit Agreements, the offering of the Notes and the satisfaction and discharge of the existing notes on the Issue Date.
“Treasury Rate” means, as of the applicable redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to such redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from such redemption date to January 15, 2015; provided, however, that if the period from such redemption date to January 15, 2015 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.
“Trust Officer” means any officer within the corporate trust administration department of the Trustee, with direct responsibility for performing the Trustee’s duties under this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Trustee” means Wilmington Trust FSB until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.
“Unrestricted Definitive Note” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:
(1) any Subsidiary of the Issuer that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of such Person pursuant to Section 3.14; and
(2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are:
(1) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged, or
(2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America,
which, in each case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depository receipt.
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“Voting Stock” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, as the case may be, at any date, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the number of years from the date of determination to the date of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Disqualified Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment, by (2) the sum of all such payments.
“Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary” is any Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Wholly Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means a Subsidiary of such Person 100% of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or shares or interests required to be held by foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent required by applicable law) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person and one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
SECTION 1.2. Other Definitions.
| Term |
Defined in Section | |
| “actual knowledge” |
7.2(g) | |
| “Additional Notes” |
2.2 | |
| “Affiliate Transaction” |
3.8(a) | |
| “Agent Members” |
2.1(e) | |
| “Asset Sale Offer” |
3.7(c) | |
| “Change of Control Offer” |
3.9(b) | |
| “covenant defeasance option” |
8.1 | |
| “Covenant Suspension Event” |
3.15(a) | |
| “Defaulted Interest” |
2.12 | |
| “DTC” |
2.1(b) | |
| “Event of Default” |
6.1 | |
| “Excess Proceeds” |
3.7(c) | |
| “Guarantor Obligations” |
10.1(a) | |
| “IPO” |
3.4(b)(iv) | |
| “legal defeasance option” |
8.1 | |
| “Offer Amount” |
5.8 | |
| “Offer Period” |
5.8 | |
| “Offer to Repurchase” |
5.8 | |
| “Paying Agent” |
2.3 | |
| “Permitted Debt” |
3.3(b) | |
| “Purchase Date” |
5.8(a) | |
| “Redemption Date” |
5.4 | |
| “Refinancing Indebtedness” |
3.3(b)(xiv) |
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| Term |
Defined in Section | |
| “Refunding Capital Stock” |
3.4(b)(ii) | |
| “Registrar” |
2.3 | |
| “Resale Restriction Termination Date” |
2.6(k) | |
| “Restricted Payments” |
3.4(a) | |
| “Retired Capital Stock” |
3.4(b)(ii) | |
| “Reversion Date” |
3.15 | |
| “Special Interest Payment Date” |
2.12(a) | |
| “Special Record Date” |
2.12(a) | |
| “Successor Company” |
4.1 | |
| “Successor Guarantor” |
10.5 | |
| “Suspended Covenants” |
3.15 | |
| “Suspension Period” |
3.15 |
SECTION 1.3. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) “or” is not exclusive;
(d) “including” means including without limitation;
(e) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;
(f) unsecured Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to secured Indebtedness merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured Indebtedness;
(g) references to sections of, or rules under, the Securities Act or Exchange Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;
(h) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article,” “Section” or “clause” refers to an Article, Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Indenture; and
(i) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and any other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not any particular Article, Section, clause or other subdivision.
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ARTICLE II
The Notes
SECTION 2.1. Form and Dating.
(a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, the terms of which are incorporated in and made a part hereof. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements approved as to form by the Issuer, and required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Issuer is subject or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be issuable only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(b) The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes and The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), its nominees, and their respective successors, shall act as the Depositary with respect thereto. Each Global Note (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or the nominee of such Depositary, (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or held by the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions, and (iii) shall bear a Global Note Legend in substantially the following form:
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.
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(c) Except as permitted by Section 2.6(g), any Note not registered under the Securities Act shall bear the following Private Placement Legend on the face thereof:
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: SIX MONTHS] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: FORTY DAYS] AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER, (B) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (D) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (C) OR (D) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM.
(d) [Reserved]
(e) The Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE WILL NOT BE EXCHANGEABLE FOR INTERESTS IN THE PERMANENT REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR ANY OTHER NOTE REPRESENTING AN INTEREST IN THE NOTES REPRESENTED HEREBY WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN A LEGEND CONTAINING RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER, UNTIL THE EXPIRATION OF THE “40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 903(b)(2) OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THEN ONLY UPON CERTIFICATION IN FORM REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE TRUSTEE THAT SUCH BENEFICIAL INTERESTS ARE OWNED EITHER BY NON-U.S. PERSONS OR U.S. PERSONS WHO PURCHASED SUCH INTERESTS IN A TRANSACTION THAT DID NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. DURING SUCH 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE MAY ONLY BE SOLD, PLEDGED OR TRANSFERRED (I) TO THE ISSUERS, (II) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN A TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 904 OF
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REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (III) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH OF CASES (I) THROUGH (III) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. HOLDERS OF INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE WILL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE, IF THEN APPLICABLE.
AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED FOR INTERESTS IN A RULE 144A GLOBAL NOTE ONLY IF (1) SUCH EXCHANGE OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH A TRANSFER OF THE NOTES IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A AND (2) THE TRANSFEROR OF THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE FIRST DELIVERS TO THE TRUSTEE A WRITTEN CERTIFICATE (IN THE FORM ATTACHED TO THIS CERTIFICATE) TO THE EFFECT THAT THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE IS BEING TRANSFERRED (A) TO A PERSON WHO THE TRANSFEROR REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A, (B) TO A PERSON WHO IS PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, AND (C) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF THE STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A RULE 144A GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A PERSON WHO TAKES DELIVERY IN THE FORM OF AN INTEREST IN THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE, WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, ONLY IF THE TRANSFEROR FIRST DELIVERS TO THE TRUSTEE A WRITTEN CERTIFICATE (IN THE FORM ATTACHED TO THIS CERTIFICATE) TO THE EFFECT THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR 904 OF REGULATION S OR RULE 144 (IF AVAILABLE).
Members of, or participants in, the Depository (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository, or the Trustee as its custodian and the Depository may be treated by the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Note for all purposes whatsoever, including but not limited to notices and payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuer, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note. Any notice to be delivered to DTC (including, but not limited to, a notice of redemption) may be delivered electronically by the Trustee in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC.
SECTION 2.2. Form of Execution and Authentication. An Officer shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.
A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. The signature of the Trustee shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.
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The Trustee shall authenticate (i) Initial Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount of $1,500,000,000 and (ii) subject to compliance with Section 3.3, one or more series of Notes (“Additional Notes”) for original issue after the Issue Date (such Notes to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A) in an unlimited amount, in each case upon written order of the Issuer in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, which Officer’s Certificate shall, in the case of any issuance of Additional Notes, certify that such issuance is in compliance with Section 3.3. In addition, each such Officer’s Certificate shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated, the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated, whether the securities are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes and the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding on the date of authentication, and shall further specify the amount of such Notes to be issued as Global Notes or Definitive Notes. Such Notes shall initially be in the form of one or more Global Notes, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Notes to be issued, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction. All Notes issued under this Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and no series of Notes shall have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter.
The Initial Notes and any Additional Notes shall be resold initially only to (A) QIBs and (B) Persons other than U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S. Such Initial Notes and Additional Notes may thereafter be transferred to among others, QIBs and purchasers in reliance on Regulation S.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer.
SECTION 2.3. Registrar and Paying Agent. The Issuer shall maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (including any co-registrar, the “Registrar”) and (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any Holder of a Note. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing and the Trustee shall notify the Holders of the Notes of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. The Issuer may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar. The Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions hereof that relate to such Agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such, and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation in accordance with Section 7.11.
The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and agent for service of notices and demands in connection with the Notes.
SECTION 2.4. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any
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Default by the Issuer in making any such payment. While any such Default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by such Paying Agent to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer) shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee. If the Issuer acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes all money held by it as Paying Agent.
SECTION 2.5. Lists of Holders of the Notes. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes, including the aggregate principal amount of the Notes held by each thereof.
SECTION 2.6. Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. Global Notes shall be exchanged by the Issuer for Definitive Notes, subject to any applicable laws, only (i) if the Issuer delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary for the Global Notes and the Issuer fails to appoint a successor Depositary after the date of such notice from the Depositary or (ii) upon request of the Trustee or Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes if there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. In any such case, the Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing that, upon surrender by the Participants and Indirect Participants of their interests in such Global Note, certificated Notes shall be issued to each Person that such Participants, Indirect Participants and DTC jointly identify as being the beneficial owner of the related Notes. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.10. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.6 or Section 2.7 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.6(a). However, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.6(b) or (c) below.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth in this Indenture to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with the applicable subparagraphs below:
(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, no transfer of beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note may be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser) unless permitted by applicable law and made in compliance with Sections 2.6(b)(ii) and
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(iii) below. Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.6(b)(i) unless specifically stated above.
(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.6(b)(i) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase, or (B) (1) if Definitive Notes are at such time permitted to be issued pursuant to this Indenture, a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903 under the Securities Act. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below.
(iii) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.6(b)(ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and
(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.
(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.6(b)(ii) above, and;
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or
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(z) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (A), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder or the Issuer in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (A) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (A) above.
Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(i) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), if any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) [Reserved]
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(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof;
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Restricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.6(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Restricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(i) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.
(ii) Beneficial Interests in Regulation S Temporary Global Note to Definitive Notes. Notwithstanding Sections 2.6(c)(i)(A) and (C) hereof, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(iii) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), a holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or
(z) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof,
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (A), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder or the Issuer in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
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(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), if any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.6(b)(ii) above, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(iv) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(iv) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(i) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) [Reserved]
(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, and in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note.
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(ii) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or
(z) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (A), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder or the Issuer in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.6(d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(iii) Transfer and Exchange of Unrestricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such exchange or transfer from an Unrestricted Definitive Note or a Restricted Definitive Note, as the case may be, to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to Section 2.6(d)(ii) or (d)(iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes, as the case may be, so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.6(e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.6(e).
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(f) Transfer of Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including, if the Issuer so requests, a certification and/or Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act.
(g) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or
(z) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (A), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder or the Issuer in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(h) Transfer of Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(i) [Reserved.]
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(j) Temporary Regulation S Global Note.
(1) Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of the Temporary Regulation S Global Note, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Notes Custodian and registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euro-clear or Clearstream, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided.
(2) During the Restricted Period, beneficial ownership interests in Temporary Regulation S Global Notes may only be sold, pledged or transferred (i) to the Issuer, (ii) in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S (other than a transaction resulting in an exchange for an interest in a Permanent Regulation S Global Note) or (iii) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States; and beneficial interests in a 144A Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in a Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if applicable).
(3) Within a reasonable period after expiration or termination of the Restricted Period, beneficial interests in each Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be exchanged for beneficial interests in a Permanent Regulation S Global Note upon delivery to DTC of the certification of compliance and the transfer of applicable Notes pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Simultaneously with the authentication of the corresponding Permanent Regulation S Global Note, the Trustee shall cancel the corresponding Temporary Regulation S Global Note. The aggregate principal amount of a Temporary Regulation S Global Note and a Permanent Regulation S Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers of interest as hereinafter provided.
(4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Sections 2.6, a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) of the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(k) Private Placement Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note (other than an Unrestricted Global Note) and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Private Placement Legend.
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraph (b)(iv), (c)(iii), (c)(iv), (d)(ii) or (d)(iii) of this Section 2.6 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(l) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear the Global Note Legend.
(m) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be
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returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
(n) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.
(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon the Issuer’s order in accordance with Section 2.2 or at the Registrar’s request.
(ii) No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.2, 2.10, 3.7, 3.9, 5.7 and 9.4).
(iii) The Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
(iv) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits hereof, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(v) Neither the Registrar nor the Issuer shall be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business on a Business Day 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part or (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date.
(vi) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuer may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
(vii) The Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2.
(viii) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.6 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile or electronically.
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(ix) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Participants or Indirect Participants) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
(x) Neither the Trustee, the Issuer nor any Agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.
SECTION 2.7. Replacement Notes. If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Issuer and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements for replacements of Notes are met. The Holder must supply indemnity or security sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee (with respect to the Trustee) and the Issuer (with respect to the Issuer) to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent or any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer and the Trustee may charge for their fees and expenses in replacing a Note including amounts to cover any tax, assessment, fee or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.
Every replacement Note is an obligation of the Issuer.
SECTION 2.8. Outstanding Notes. The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.8 as not outstanding.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.7, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.
If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 3.1 hereof, it shall cease to be outstanding and interest on it shall cease to accrue.
Subject to Section 2.9, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer, a Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note.
SECTION 2.9. Treasury Notes. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Trust Officer actually knows to be owned by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer, or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be considered as not outstanding. Upon request of the Trustee, the Issuer shall promptly furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Notes, if any, known by the Issuer to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons, and the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officer’s Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Notes not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.
SECTION 2.10. Temporary Notes. Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee shall upon written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of Definitive
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Notes but may have variations that the Issuer and the Trustee consider appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of the written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer, shall authenticate Definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as Definitive Notes.
SECTION 2.11. Cancellation. The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of all canceled Notes in its customary manner (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act), and upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall deliver copies of such canceled Notes to the Issuer. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has redeemed or paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 2.12. Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest. Interest on any Note which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3.
Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not paid when the same becomes due and payable and such nonpayment continues for a period of 30 days shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such defaulted interest and (to the extent lawful) interest on such defaulted interest at the rate borne by the Notes (such defaulted interest and interest thereon herein collectively called “Defaulted Interest”) shall be paid by the Issuer, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:
(a) The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date (as defined below) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date (not less than 30 days after such notice unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee) of the proposed payment (the “Special Interest Payment Date”), and at the same time the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the Special Interest Payment Date and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer of such Special Record Date, and in the name and at the expense of the Issuer, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor to be given in the manner provided for in Section 12.1, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid on the Special Interest Payment Date to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).
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(b) The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Issuer to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause (b), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any such Interest Payment Date (other than an Interest Payment Date at maturity) would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, then the Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day (except if that Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, then interest shall be paid on the immediately preceding Business Day). If the maturity date of the Notes is a day that is not a Business Day, all payments to be made on such day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the maturity date. In either of such cases, no additional interest shall be payable as a result of such delay in payment.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers. The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use). The Trustee shall not be responsible for the use of CUSIP numbers, and the Trustee makes no representation as to their correctness as printed on any Note or notice to Holders. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
SECTION 2.14. Record Date. The Issuer may fix any date as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action, authorized or permitted to be given or take by Holders. If not set by the Issuer prior to the first solicitation of a Holder made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 2.5 hereof) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date, only the Holders on such date (or their duly designated proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.
ARTICLE III
Covenants
SECTION 3.1. Payment of Notes. The Issuer shall promptly pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due and the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes.
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Issuer may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes imposed by the United States of America from principal or interest payments hereunder.
SECTION 3.2. Reports and Other Information.
(a) So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will furnish to the Trustee and Holders requesting such reports:
(1) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (other than for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, which shall be 105 days after the end of such fiscal year) (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Issuer were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as a non-accelerated filer), annual reports of the Issuer containing substantially all of the financial information that would have been required to be contained in an annual report on Form 10-K on the Issue Date (but only to the extent similar information is included herein), and will include (a) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” (b) audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and (c) a presentation of Adjusted EBITDA of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries consistent with the presentation thereof in the Offering Memorandum,
(2) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Issuer were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as a non-accelerated filer), quarterly reports of the Issuer containing substantially all of the financial information that would have been required to be contained in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on the Issue Date under the Exchange Act if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (but only to the extent similar information is included herein), and will include (a) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” (b) unaudited quarterly financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and reviewed pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 (or any successor provision) and (c) a presentation of Adjusted EBITDA of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries consistent with the presentation thereof herein and derived from such financial statements, and
(3) within 5 business days after the occurrence of each event that would have been required to be reported in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (or such later time period provided for in such Form 8-K), current reports containing substantially all of the information that would be required to be filed in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act on the Issue Date pursuant to Sections 1, 2 and 4, Items 5.01 and 5.02 (other than compensation information) and Item 9.01 (only to the extent relating to any of the foregoing) of Form 8-K if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no such current report will be required to be furnished if the Issuer determines in its good faith judgment that such event is not material to Holders or the business, assets, operations, financial position or prospects of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or if the Issuer determines in its good faith judgment that such disclosure would otherwise cause material competitive harm to the business, assets, operations, financial position or prospects of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided that such non-disclosure shall be limited only to those specific provisions that would cause material competitive harm and not the occurrence of the event itself;
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provided, however, (i) in each of clauses (1), (2) and (3) above, the Issuer will not be required to furnish any information, certificates or reports required by (a) Section 302 or Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or related Items 307 or 308 of Regulation S-K, (b) Items 302 or 402 of Regulation S-K or (c) Item 10(e) or Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC with respect to any non-generally accepted accounting principles financial measures contained therein and (ii) such reports required by clauses (1), (2) and (3), shall not be required to contain separate financial statements contemplated by Rule 3-09, Rule 3-10 or Rule 3-16 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC; provided that annual and quarterly reports will include summary guarantor and non-guarantor information consistent with that disclosed in the Offering Memorandum.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer shall be deemed to have furnished such reports referred to above to the Trustee and the Holders if the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (including Holdings) has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR (or successor) filing system and such reports are publicly available.
(c) At any time that any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries are Unrestricted Subsidiaries and such Unrestricted Subsidiaries, either taken together or individually, constitute a Significant Subsidiary, then the quarterly and annual reports required by the preceding paragraph will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” or other comparable section, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
(d) The Issuer will make available such information electronically by posting such information to a secure website or distributing such information via electronic mail and, upon receipt of a request for access to such website or such information via electronic mail, shall promptly grant access to such website or distribute such information via electronic mail to any of the following:
(1) any Noteholder;
(2) any beneficial owner of the Notes that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is a beneficial owner of the Notes;
(3) any prospective investor in the Notes that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is (i) a prospective investor in the Notes and (ii) a QIB or a Non-U.S. Person; and
(4) any market maker that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is or intends to be a market maker with respect to the Notes.
Any person who requests or receives such financial information from the Issuer will be required to represent to the Issuer (to the Issuer’s reasonable good faith satisfaction) that:
(1) it is a holder of the Notes, a beneficial owner of the Notes, a prospective investor in the Notes or a market maker;
(2) it will not use the information in violation of applicable securities laws or regulations;
(3) it will not communicate the information to any Person; and
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(4) it is not a Person (which includes such Person’s Affiliates) that (i) is principally engaged in a Similar Business or (ii) derives a significant portion of its revenues from operating a Similar Business.
(e) Within 10 Business Days after furnishing to the Trustee the annual and quarterly reports required by Sections 3.2(a)(1) and (2) the Issuer would hold a conference call to discuss such reports and the results of operations for the relevant reporting period. Each notice for each conference call may be given electronically by posting to a secure website or distribution via electronic mail and shall be issued no fewer than three Business Days prior to the date of the conference call required to be held in accordance with this paragraph and shall include the time and date of such conference call and either include all information necessary to access the call or direct holders, prospective investors, broker-dealers, securities analysts or market makers to contact the appropriate person at the Issuer to obtain such information; provided that participation in such conference call may be limited to persons that meet the requirements and make the representations set forth in the two preceding paragraphs.
(f) In addition to the extent not satisfied by the foregoing, the Issuer shall furnish to Holders, prospective investors, broker-dealers, securities analysts and market makers, upon their request, any information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(g) The Issuer will be permitted to satisfy its obligations with respect to financial information relating to the Issuer by furnishing financial information relating to Holdings; provided, however, that the same is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to Holdings and any of its Subsidiaries other than the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Issuer, the Guarantors and the other Subsidiaries of the Issuer on a standalone basis, on the other hand.
SECTION 3.3. Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock.
(a) (1) the Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock; and (2) the Issuer shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock and any Restricted Subsidiary may issue shares of Preferred Stock, in each case if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred or such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock is issued would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00 determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been Incurred, or the Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock had been issued, as the case may be, and the application of proceeds therefrom had occurred at the beginning of such four-quarter period; provided, further, that the aggregate amount of Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) that may be Incurred and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock that may be issued pursuant to the foregoing by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors of the Notes shall not exceed the greater of (x) $150.0 million and (y) 3.5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, at any one time outstanding.
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(b) The foregoing limitations will not apply to (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(i) the Incurrence by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness under (i) a Term B Credit Agreement and the guarantees thereof up to an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, the greater of (x) $1,200.0 million and (y) the maximum principal amount of Secured Indebtedness that could be incurred such that after giving effect to such incurrence the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio would be no greater than 2.25 to 1.00, in each case of this clause (i) less the aggregate amount of all permanent reductions of Indebtedness thereunder as a result of principal payments actually made with Net Cash Proceeds from Asset Sales and (ii) an ABL Credit Agreement and guarantees thereof and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder (with letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the face amount thereof) up to an aggregate amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, the greater of (x) $400 million and (y) the Borrowing Base as of the date of such Incurrence, in each case of this clause (ii) less the aggregate amount of Indebtedness under Receivables Financings incurred by a Receivables Subsidiary;
(ii) the Incurrence by the Issuer and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Notes (not including any Additional Notes) and the Guarantees, as applicable;
(iii) Indebtedness existing on the Issue Date, including amounts available to be drawn on the Issue Date under the Existing Foreign Facilities (other than Indebtedness described in clauses (i) and (ii) and other than any Indebtedness being repaid or irrevocably defeased on or following the Issue Date as part of the Transactions and actually so repaid or defeased);
(iv) Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations and mortgage financings as purchase money obligations) Incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, Disqualified Stock issued by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and Preferred Stock issued by any Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer to finance all or any part of the purchase, lease, construction, installation, repair or improvement of property (real or personal), plant or equipment or other fixed or capital assets used or useful in the business of the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries or in a Similar Business (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets) in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference, including all Indebtedness Incurred and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness Incurred and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued pursuant to this clause (iv), not to exceed the greater of (x) $75.0 million and (y) 1.75% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, at any one time outstanding;
(v) Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries constituting reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bank guarantees issued in the ordinary course of business, including without limitation letters of credit in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits (whether current or former) or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance, or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers’ compensation claims; provided, however, that upon the drawing of such letters of credit, such obligations are reimbursed within 30 days following such drawing;
(vi) Indebtedness arising from or related to indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred in connection with the disposition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary of the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Indenture not exceeding the proceeds of such disposition, other than guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition;
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(vii) Indebtedness of the Issuer to a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) such Indebtedness shall be subordinated to the Issuer’s Obligations with respect to the Notes and (y) any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (vii);
(viii) shares of Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary issued to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any Restricted Subsidiary that holds such shares of Preferred Stock of another Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such shares of Preferred Stock (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an issuance of shares of Preferred Stock not permitted by this clause (viii);
(ix) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) if a Guarantor Incurs such Indebtedness to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor such Indebtedness is unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantee of such Guarantor and (y) any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any Restricted Subsidiary lending such Indebtedness ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (ix);
(x) Hedging Obligations that are Incurred in the ordinary course of business (and not for speculative purposes): (1) for the purpose of fixing or hedging interest rate risk with respect to any Indebtedness that is permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be outstanding; (2) for the purpose of fixing or hedging currency exchange rate risk with respect to any currency exchanges; or (3) for the purpose of fixing or hedging commodity price risk with respect to any commodity purchases;
(xi) obligations (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bank guarantees) in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(xii) Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer and Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference that, when aggregated with the principal amount or liquidation preference of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock then outstanding and Incurred pursuant to this clause (xii), does not exceed the greater of (x) $250.0 million and (y) 4.5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, at any one time outstanding;
(xiii) any guarantee by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries so long as the Incurrence of such Indebtedness or other obligations by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary would be permitted under the terms of this Indenture at the time of Incurrence; provided that if such Indebtedness is by its express terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, any such guarantee of such Guarantor with respect to such Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to such Guarantor’s Guarantee with respect to the Notes substantially to the same extent as such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes or the Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable;
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(xiv) the Incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that serves to refund, refinance, replace, redeem, repurchase, retire or defease any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred as permitted under Section 3.3(a) or Sections 3.3(b)(ii), (iii), (xiv), (xv) or (xviii) or any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred to so refund or refinance such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, including any additional Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred to pay premiums, fees and expenses in connection therewith (subject to the following proviso, collectively, the “Refinancing Indebtedness”) prior to its respective maturity; provided, however, that such Refinancing Indebtedness:
(1) has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is not less than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced, replaced, redeemed, repurchased or retired;
(2) has a Stated Maturity that is no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced, replaced, redeemed, repurchased or retired;
(3) to the extent such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances Subordinated Indebtedness, such Refinancing Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness;
(4) is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of (x) the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced plus (y) the amount of premium, fees and expenses Incurred in connection with such refinancing; and
(5) shall not include (x) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Guarantor that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Guarantor or (y) Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(xv) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (i) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred to finance an acquisition and (ii) of Persons that are acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or merged into the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; provided, however, that after giving effect to such acquisition and the Incurrence of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, either:
(1) the Issuer would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of this covenant; or
(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would be greater than immediately prior to such acquisition;
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(xvi) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of its Incurrence;
(xvii) Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by a letter of credit or bank guarantee issued pursuant to Credit Agreements, in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such letter of credit or bank guarantee;
(xviii) Contribution Indebtedness;
(xix) Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of (x) the financing of insurance premiums or (y) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;
(xx) Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries of the Issuer in an amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $175.0 million and (y) 3.25% of Total Assets at the time of such Incurrence, at any one time outstanding;
(xxi) Indebtedness of a joint venture to the Issuer issued pursuant to this clause (xxi) or any Restricted Subsidiary (or in the case that such joint venture is a Guarantor, to the Issuer or any Guarantor) and to the other holders of Equity Interests of such joint venture, so long as the percentage of the aggregate amount of such Indebtedness of such joint venture owed to such other holders of its Equity Interests does not exceed the percentage of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Equity Interests of such joint venture held by such other holders;
(xxii) Indebtedness Incurred by a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing that is not recourse to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Receivables Subsidiary (except for Standard Securitization Undertakings);
(xxiii) Indebtedness owed on a short-term basis to banks and other financial institutions Incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries with such banks or financial institutions that arises in connection with ordinary banking arrangements to manage cash balances of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(xxiv) Indebtedness consisting of Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to future, current or former officers, directors and employees thereof or any direct or indirect parent thereof, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer to the extent described in Section 3.4(b)(iv);
(xxv) customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods purchased in the ordinary course of business;
(xxvi) Indebtedness Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with bankers’ acceptances, discounted bills of exchange or the discounting or factoring of receivables for credit management purposes, in each case incurred or undertaken in the ordinary course of business on arm’s-length commercial terms;
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(xxvii) Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited with the Trustee to satisfy and discharge the Notes in accordance with this Indenture;
(xxviii) guarantees incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of obligations to suppliers, customers, franchisees, lessors and licensees that, in each case, are non-Affiliates;
(xxix) the Incurrence by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness consisting of guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness Guaranteed pursuant to this clause (xxix) does not at any one time outstanding exceed $50.0 million;
(xxx) Convertible Notes that are outstanding on the Issue Date; and
(xxxi) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary Incurred to finance or assumed in connection with an acquisition in a principal amount not to exceed $100.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding together with all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and/or Preferred Stock issued under this clause (xxxi).
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.3, in the event that an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt or is entitled to be Incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant, the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, at the time of Incurrence, divide, classify or reclassify, or at any later time divide, classify or reclassify, such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this covenant; provided that all Indebtedness under the Credit Agreements outstanding on the Issue Date shall be deemed to have been Incurred pursuant to clause (a) and the Issuer shall not be permitted to reclassify all or any portion of such Indebtedness. Accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value, the amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock in the form of additional shares of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the same class, the accretion of liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock for purposes of this covenant. Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness that are otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included in the determination of such amount of Indebtedness, provided that the Incurrence of the Indebtedness represented by such guarantee or letter of credit, as the case may be, was in compliance with this covenant.
For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed or first Incurred (whichever yields the lower U.S. dollar-equivalent), in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced.
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SECTION 3.4. Limitation on Restricted Payments.
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(i) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on account of the Issuer’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests, including any payment made in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Issuer (other than (A) dividends or distributions by the Issuer payable solely in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer; or (B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities);
(ii) purchase or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
(iii) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, or give any irrevocable notice of redemption, in each case prior to any scheduled repayment or scheduled maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness (other than (i) the payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, acquisition or retirement of (A) Subordinated Indebtedness in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, acquisition or retirement and (B) Indebtedness permitted under clauses (vii) and (ix) of the definition of “Permitted Debt” and (ii) the giving of an irrevocable notice of redemption with respect to the transactions described in Sections 3.4(b)(ii) or (iii)); or
(iv) make any Restricted Investment;
(all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:
(A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;
(B) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, the Issuer could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under Section 3.3(a); and
(C) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (1) and (6) of the next succeeding paragraph, but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by the next succeeding paragraph), is less than the sum of, without duplication;
(1) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period) from January 1, 2011 to the end of the Issuer’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit); plus
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(2) 100% of the aggregate net proceeds, including cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash, received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity), including such Equity Interests issued upon exercise of warrants or options; plus
(3) 100% of the aggregate amount of contributions to the capital of the Issuer received in cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash after the Issue Date (other than Excluded Equity); plus
(4) the principal amount of any Indebtedness, or the liquidation preference or maximum fixed repurchase price, as the case may be, of any Disqualified Stock, of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof issued after the Issue Date (other than Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock issued to a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the extent such employee stock ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary)) that has been converted into or exchanged for Equity Interests in the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity); plus
(5) 100% of the aggregate amount received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary from:
(A) the sale or other disposition (other than to the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer) of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and from repurchases and redemptions of such Restricted Investments from the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries by any Person (other than the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) and from repayments of loans or advances that constituted Restricted Investments (other than in each case to the extent that the Restricted Investment was made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(x));
(B) the sale (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the extent such employee stock ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or to the extent that such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment)) of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary; or
(C) any distribution or dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (to the extent such distribution or dividend is not already included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income); plus
(6) in the event any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Issuer has been redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, in each case after the Issue Date, the Fair Market Value of the Investment of the Issuer in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation, combination or transfer (or of the assets transferred or conveyed, as applicable), after deducting any Indebtedness associated with the Unrestricted Subsidiary so designated or combined or any Indebtedness associated with the assets so transferred or conveyed (other than in each case to the extent that the designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary was made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(x) or constituted a Permitted Investment).
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(b) The provisions of Section 3.4(a) shall not prohibit:
(i) the payment of any dividend or distribution or consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof or the giving of a redemption notice related thereto, if at the date of declaration or notice such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(ii) (a) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests (“Retired Capital Stock”) of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, or Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Equity Interests of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or contributions to the equity capital of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity) (collectively, including any such contributions, “Refunding Capital Stock”);
(b) the declaration and payment of accrued dividends on the Retired Capital Stock out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer or to an employee stock ownership plan or any trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) of Refunding Capital Stock; and
(c) if immediately prior to the retirement of the Retired Capital Stock, the declaration and payment of dividends thereon was permitted under Section 3.4(b)(vi) and has not been made as of such time (the “Unpaid Amount”), the declaration and payment of dividends on the Refunding Capital Stock (other than Refunding Capital Stock the proceeds of which were used to redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent) in an aggregate amount no greater than the Unpaid Amount;
(iii) the redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Refinancing Indebtedness thereof;
(iv) the purchase, retirement, redemption or other acquisition (or dividends to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to finance any such purchase, retirement, redemption or other acquisition) for value of Equity Interests of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer held by any future, present or former employee, director or consultant of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer (or their permitted transferees) pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or other agreement or arrangement; provided, however, that the aggregate amounts paid under this clause (iv) shall not exceed (x) $20.0 million in any calendar year or (y) subsequent to the consummation of an underwritten public Equity Offering of common stock of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer (an “IPO”), $30.0 million in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year being permitted to be carried over for the next two succeeding calendar years up to a maximum of (1) $30.0 million in the aggregate in any calendar year or (2) subsequent to the consummation of an IPO, $40.0 million in any calendar year); provided, further, however, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed;
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(a) the cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (to the extent contributed to the Issuer) to members of management, directors or consultants of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer that occurs after the Issue Date (provided that the amount of such cash proceeds utilized for any such repurchase, retirement, other acquisition or dividend will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)); plus
(b) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (to the extent contributed to the Issuer) and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date; plus
(c) the amount of any cash bonuses otherwise payable to members of management, directors or consultants of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer in connection with the Transactions that are foregone in return for the receipt of Equity Interests;
(provided that the Issuer may elect to apply all or any portion of the aggregate increase contemplated by clauses (a) and (b) above in any calendar year); in addition, cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the Issuer from any current or former officer, director or employee (or any permitted transferees thereof) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any direct or indirect parent company thereof), in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of the Issuer from such Persons will not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this covenant or any other provisions of this Indenture;
(v) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiaries issued or Incurred in accordance with Section 3.3;
(vi) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock and the declaration and payment of dividends to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock of Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer issued after the Issue Date; provided, however, that (A) for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of issuance of such Designated Preferred Stock, after giving effect to such issuance (and the payment of dividends or distributions) on a pro forma basis, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00 and (B) the aggregate amount of dividends declared and paid pursuant to this clause (vi) does not exceed the net cash proceeds actually received by the Issuer from the sale (or the contribution of the net cash proceeds from the sale) of Designated Preferred Stock;
(vii) any Restricted Payments made in connection with the consummation of the Transactions or as contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including any payments or loans made to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent to enable it to make any such payments, and the redemption, repayment, payment upon conversion, satisfaction and discharge or defeasance of the Convertible Notes (and the payment of any obligations on Convertible Notes not so repaid, discharged or defeased), whether on or after the Issue Date, in each case, as described in or contemplated by the Offering Memorandum;
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(viii) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Issuer’s common stock (or the payment of dividends to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to fund the payment by Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer of dividends on such entity’s common stock) of up to 6.0% per annum of the net cash proceeds received by the Issuer from any public offering of common stock or contributed to the Issuer by Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer from any public offering of common stock (other than public offerings with respect to common stock registered on Form S-8 and any public sale constituting an Excluded Contribution);
(ix) Restricted Payments that are made with Excluded Contributions;
(x) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $140.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets, at the time of such Restricted Payment, at any one time outstanding;
(xi) the payment, purchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to provisions similar to those described under Sections 3.7 and 3.9; provided that, prior to such payment, purchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value, the Issuer (or a third party to the extent permitted by this Indenture) has made a Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be, with respect to the Notes as a result of such Change of Control or Asset Sale, as the case may be, and has repurchased all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn in connection with such Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be;
(xii) for so long as the Issuer is a member of a group filing a consolidated or combined income tax return with Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, the payment of dividends or other distributions to Holdings or such other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer in amounts required for Holdings or such other parent company to pay federal, state and local income taxes imposed on such entity to the extent such income taxes are attributable to the income of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that (i) the amount of such payments in respect of any tax year does not, in the aggregate, exceed the amount that the Issuer and its Subsidiaries that are members of such consolidated or combined group would have been required to pay in respect of federal, state and local income taxes (as the case may be) in respect of such year if the Issuer and its Subsidiaries paid such income taxes directly as a stand-alone consolidated or combined income tax group (reduced by any such taxes paid directly by the Issuer or any Subsidiary) and (ii) the permitted payment pursuant to this clause (xii) with respect to any taxes attributable to income of any Unrestricted Subsidiary for any taxable period shall be limited to the amount actually paid with respect to such period by such Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purposes of paying such consolidated, combined or similar taxes;
(xiii) the payment of dividends, other distributions or other amounts to, or the making of loans to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent, in the amount required for such entity to, if applicable:
(a) pay amounts equal to the amounts required for Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to pay fees and expenses (including franchise or similar taxes) required to maintain its corporate existence, customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, officers and employees of Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, if applicable, and general
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corporate operating and overhead expenses of Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, if applicable, in each case to the extent such fees, expenses, salaries, bonuses, benefits and indemnities are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries;
(b) pay, if applicable, amounts required for Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings to pay interest and/or principal on Indebtedness the proceeds of which have been contributed to the Issuer (other than as Excluded Equity) and that has been guaranteed by, and is otherwise considered Indebtedness of, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred in accordance with Section 3.3;
(c) pay fees and expenses incurred by Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent, other than to Affiliates of the Issuer, related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering of such parent; and
(d) payments to the Sponsor (a) pursuant to the Management Agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date or as thereafter amended, supplemented or replaced (so long as not more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the Management Agreement as in effect on the Issue Date) or (b) for any other financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including, without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, including in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, which payments are (x) made pursuant to agreements with the Sponsor described in the Offering Memorandum or (y) approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer in good faith;
(xiv) the payment of cash dividends or other distributions on the Issuer’s Capital Stock used to, or the making of loans to Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to, fund the payment of fees and expenses owed by the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent or Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as the case may be, to Affiliates, in each case to the extent permitted by Section 3.8;
(xv) (a) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants and (b) in connection with the withholding of a portion of the Equity Interests granted or awarded to a director or an employee to pay for the taxes payable by such director or employee upon such grant or award;
(xvi) purchases of receivables pursuant to a Receivables Repurchase Obligation in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing and the payment or distribution of Receivables Fees;
(xvii) payments or distributions to satisfy dissenters’ rights, pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets that complies with the provisions of this Indenture applicable to mergers, consolidations and transfers of all or substantially all the property and assets of the Issuer;
(xviii) the distribution, as a dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries the primary assets of which are cash and/or cash equivalents); and
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(xix) the payment of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares of Equity Interests upon exercise or conversion of securities exercisable or convertible into Equity Interests of the Issuer;
provided , however, that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (iv), (vi), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi) and (xviii) of this Section 3.4(b), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.
As of the Issue Date, all of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries shall be Restricted Subsidiaries. The Issuer shall not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated shall be deemed to be Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investments.” Such designation shall only be permitted if a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment in such amount would be permitted at such time and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
For purposes of this Section 3.4, if any Investment or Restricted Payment would be permitted pursuant to one or more provisions described above and/or one or more of the exceptions contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” the Issuer may divide and classify such Investment or Restricted Payment in any manner that complies with this covenant and may later divide and reclassify any such Investment or Restricted Payment so long as the Investment or Restricted Payment (as so divided and/or reclassified) would be permitted to be made in reliance on the applicable exception as of the date of such reclassification.
SECTION 3.5. Liens.
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create, Incur or suffer to exist any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any asset or property of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, or any income or profits therefrom, or assign or convey any right to receive income therefrom, that secures any Obligations of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, unless (1) in the case of Liens securing Subordinated Indebtedness, the Notes or any applicable Guarantee is secured by a Lien on such assets of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary and proceeds thereof that is senior in priority to such Liens; or (2) in all other cases, the Notes or the applicable Guarantee is equally and ratably secured with or prior to such Obligation with a Lien on the same assets of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.
(b) Section 3.5(a) shall not require the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to secure the Notes if the relevant Lien consists of a Permitted Lien. Any Lien that is granted to secure the Notes or such Guarantee under the preceding paragraph shall be automatically released and discharged at the same time as the release of the Lien (other than a release following enforcement of remedies in respect of such Lien or the Obligations secured by such Lien) that gave rise to the obligation to secure the Notes or such Guarantee under the preceding paragraph.
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SECTION 3.6. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries. The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(a) (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (1) on its Capital Stock or (2) with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits; or (ii) make payments with respect to any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(b) make loans or advances to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(c) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
except in each case for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect or entered into on the Issue Date, including pursuant to the Credit Agreements and the other documents relating to the Credit Agreements;
(ii) this Indenture, the Notes and Guarantees thereof;
(iii) applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;
(iv) any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that was in existence at the time of such acquisition (but not created in contemplation thereof), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired;
(v) customary encumbrances or restrictions contained in contracts or agreements for the sale of assets applicable to such assets pending consummation of such sale, including customary restrictions with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary;
(vi) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(vii) customary provisions in (x) joint venture agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business with respect to the Equity Interests subject to the joint venture and (y) operating or other similar agreements, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements entered into in connection with the entering into of such transaction, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of those agreements;
(viii) purchase money obligations for property acquired and Capitalized Lease Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice to the extent such obligations impose restrictions of the nature discussed in clause (c) above on the property so acquired;
(ix) customary provisions contained in leases, licenses, contracts and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice to the extent such obligations impose restrictions of the type described in clause (c) above on the property subject to such lease;
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(x) any encumbrance or restriction of a Receivables Subsidiary effected in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing; provided, however, that such restrictions apply only to such Receivables Subsidiary;
(xi) other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is Incurred subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to Section 3.3; provided that such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument will not materially affect the Issuer’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payment on the Notes (as determined by the Issuer in good faith);
(xii) any encumbrance or restriction contained in Secured Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Sections 3.3 and 3.5 to the extent limiting the right of the debtor to dispose of or transfer the assets securing such Indebtedness;
(xiii) any encumbrance or restriction arising or agreed to in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, (x) detract from the value of the property or assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or (y) materially affect the Issuer’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payment on the Notes (as determined by the Issuer in good faith);
(xiv) existing under, by reason of or with respect to Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing that Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced; and
(xv) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xiv) above; provided that any such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing is, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, no more restrictive as a whole with respect to such encumbrance or restriction than prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.6, (i) the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on common stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock and (ii) the subordination of loans or advances made to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances.
SECTION 3.7. Asset Sales.
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, cause or make an Asset Sale, unless:
(i) the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and
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(ii) except in the case of a Permitted Asset Swap, at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents or Replacement Assets; provided, however that the amount of:
(1) any liabilities (as shown on the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet or in the notes thereto) of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary (other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets or Equity Interests pursuant to an agreement that releases or indemnifies the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from further liability;
(2) any Notes or other obligations or other securities or assets received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days of the receipt thereof (to the extent of the cash received); and
(3) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (3) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 2.25% of Total Assets, at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);
shall each be deemed to be Cash Equivalents for the purposes of this clause (ii).
(b) Within 365 days after the Issuer’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sale, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary may apply the Net Cash Proceeds from such Asset Sale, at its option:
(i) to permanently reduce Obligations under any Secured Indebtedness and, in the case of revolving obligations thereunder, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;
(ii) to permanently reduce Obligations under (x) other Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Issuer or the Guarantors (provided that if the Issuer or any Guarantor shall so reduce such Obligations under such other Pari Passu Indebtedness, the Issuer shall equally and ratably reduce Obligations under the Notes if the Notes are then redeemable at par or, if the Notes are not redeemable at par, by making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all Holders to purchase at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, the pro rata principal amount of Notes that would otherwise be redeemed) or (y) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, in each case, other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer (provided that in the case of any reduction of any revolving obligations pursuant to this clause (ii), the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary shall effect a corresponding reduction of commitments with respect thereto);
(iii) to make an Investment in any one or more businesses (provided that if such Investment is in the form of the acquisition of Capital Stock of a Person, such acquisition results in such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer), assets, or property or capital expenditures, in each case that either replaces the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale or that are used or useful in a Similar Business; or
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(iv) any combination of the foregoing;
provided that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions described in clause (iii) of this Section 3.7(b) if and to the extent that, within 365 days after the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds, the Issuer has entered into and not abandoned or rejected a binding agreement to acquire the assets or Capital Stock of a Similar Business, make an Investment in Replacement Assets or make a capital expenditure in compliance with the provision described in clause (iii) of this Section 3.7(b), and that acquisition, purchase or capital expenditure is thereafter completed within 180 days after the end of such 365-day period.
(c) Pending the final application of any such Net Cash Proceeds, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer may temporarily reduce Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility, if any, or otherwise invest such Net Cash Proceeds in Cash Equivalents. Any Net Cash Proceeds from any Asset Sale that are not applied as provided and within the time period set forth in Section 3.7(b) will be deemed to constitute “Excess Proceeds.” When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $30.0 million, the Issuer shall make an offer (an “Asset Sale Offer”) to all Holders of Notes and to all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to Asset Sales, to purchase the maximum principal amount of such Notes and Pari Passu Indebtedness, as appropriate, on a pro rata basis, that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof (or in the event such other Indebtedness was issued with original issue discount, 100% of the accreted value thereof), plus accrued and unpaid interest (or such lesser price, if any, as may be provided by the terms of such other Indebtedness), to the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture. The Issuer will commence an Asset Sale Offer with respect to Excess Proceeds within ten Business Days after the date that Excess Proceeds exceed $30.0 million by mailing the notice required pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and such other Indebtedness tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Issuer may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Indebtedness, as appropriate, surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and the Issuer or its agent shall select such other Indebtedness to be purchased in the manner described below. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
(d) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the purchase of the Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the Asset Sale provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such compliance.
(e) If more Notes are tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer than the Issuer is required to purchase, selection of such Notes for purchase will be made in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which such Notes are listed, or if such Notes are not listed, on a pro rata basis (and in such manner as complies with applicable legal requirements); provided, that the selection of Notes for purchase shall not result Holder with a principal amount of Notes less than the minimum denomination to the extent practicable.
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A new Note in principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of any Note purchased in part will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note. On and after the purchase date, unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the purchase price, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof purchased.
SECTION 3.8. Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction or series of transactions, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Issuer (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”) involving aggregate consideration in excess of $20.0 million, unless:
(i) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that could have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and
(ii) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $50.0 million, the Issuer delivers to the Trustee a resolution adopted in good faith by the majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (a) above.
(b) The provisions of Section 3.8(a) will not apply to the following:
(i) (a) transactions between or among the Issuer and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or an entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction) and (b) any merger or consolidation of the Issuer and Holdings or any other direct parent of the Issuer, provided that such parent company shall have no material liabilities and no material assets other than cash, Cash Equivalents and the Capital Stock of the Issuer and such merger or consolidation is otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture and effected for a bona fide business purpose;
(ii) (a) Restricted Payments permitted by this Indenture and (b) Permitted Investments;
(iii) any employment agreements entered into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and the payment of reasonable and customary fees and reimbursements paid to, and indemnity and similar arrangements provided on behalf of, officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or Holdings or (to the extent relating to the business of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries) any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
(iv) transactions in which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of clause (a) of the preceding paragraph;
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(v) payments or loans (or cancellation of loans, advances or guarantees) or advances to employees or consultants or guarantees in respect thereof for bona fide business purposes in the ordinary course of business;
(vi) any agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date (other than the Management Agreement) or as thereafter amended, supplemented or replaced (so long as such amended, supplemented or replaced agreement is not more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the original agreement as in effect on the Issue Date) or any transaction or payments contemplated thereby;
(vii) the Management Agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date or as thereafter amended, supplemented or replaced (so long as such amended, supplemented or replaced agreement is not more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the Management Agreement as in effect on the Issue Date) or any transaction or payments (including reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses) contemplated thereby;
(viii) the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under the terms of, the Merger Agreement, any stockholders or similar agreement to which it is a party as of the Issue Date and any amendment thereto or similar transactions, arrangements or agreements that it may enter into thereafter; provided, however, that the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under, any future amendment to any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement or under any similar transaction, arrangement or agreement entered into after the Issue Date shall only be permitted by this clause (viii) to the extent that the terms of any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement together with all amendments thereto, taken as a whole, or new agreement are not otherwise more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the original transaction, arrangement or agreement as in effect on the Issue Date;
(ix) (a) transactions with customers, clients, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture, which are fair to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors or the senior management of the Issuer, and are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party or (b) transactions with Unrestricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(x) any transaction effected as part of a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(xi) the sale or issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer;
(xii) payments by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor or any of its Affiliates made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including, without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, which payments are (x) made pursuant to agreements with the Sponsor described in the Offering Memorandum or (y) approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer in good faith;
(xiii) any contribution to the capital of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock);
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(xiv) any transaction with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that would constitute an Affiliate Transaction solely because the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary owns an Equity Interest in or otherwise controls such Person; provided that no Affiliate of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries other than the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary shall have a beneficial interest or otherwise participate in such Person;
(xv) transactions between the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Issuer or Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer; provided, however, that such director abstains from voting as a director of the Issuer or such direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person;
(xvi) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments permitted by Section 3.4(b)(xii);
(xvii) transactions to effect the Transactions and the payment of all transaction, underwriting, commitment and other fees and expenses related to the Transactions;
(xviii) pledges of Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(xix) the issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, stock option and stock ownership plans or similar employee benefit plans approved by the Board of Directors of the Issuer or of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as appropriate, in good faith;
(xx) any employment, consulting, service or termination agreement, or customary indemnification arrangements, entered into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with current, former or future officers and employees of the Issuer, Holdings or any of their respective Restricted Subsidiaries and the payment of compensation to officers and employees of the Issuer, Holdings or any of their respective Restricted Subsidiaries (including amounts paid pursuant to employee benefit plans, employee stock option or similar plans), in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(xxi) transactions with Affiliates solely in their capacity as holders of Indebtedness or Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as such transaction is with all holders of such class (and there are such non-Affiliate holders) and such Affiliates are treated no more favorably than all other holders of such class generally;
(xxii) the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of their obligations under the terms of, any customary registration rights agreement to which they are a party or become a party in the future; and
(xxiii) investments by the Sponsor in securities of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (and payment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Sponsor in connection therewith).
SECTION 3.9. Change of Control.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each Holder will have the right to require the Issuer to purchase all or any part of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), except to the extent the Issuer has previously elected to redeem the Notes pursuant to Article V.
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(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control, except to the extent that the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem the Notes as described under Section 5.1, the Issuer shall mail a notice (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee describing:
(i) that a Change of Control has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require the Issuer to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date);
(ii) the transaction or transactions that constitute such Change of Control;
(iii) the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed); and
(iv) the instructions determined by the Issuer, consistent with this covenant, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes purchased.
(c) Holders electing to have a Note purchased shall be required to surrender the Note, with an appropriate form duly completed, to the Issuer at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days prior to the purchase date. Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Trustee or the Issuer receives not later than one Business Day prior to the purchase date, a telegram, telex facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount at maturity of the Note which was delivered for purchase by the Holder and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his selection to have such Note purchased.
(d) On the purchase date, all Notes purchased by the Issuer under this Section 3.9 shall be delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Issuer shall pay the purchase price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Holders entitled thereto. With respect to any Note purchased in part, the Issuer will issue a new Note in a principal amount equal at maturity to the unpurchased portion of the original Note in the name of the Holder upon cancellation of the original Note.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.9, the Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
(f) Prior to any Change of Control Offer, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent contained herein to the right of the Company to make such offer have been complied with.
(g) The Issuer shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to this Section 3.9. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this Section 3.9, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 3.9 by virtue of such compliance.
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(h) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon such Change of Control.
SECTION 3.10. Maintenance of Insurance. The Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Issuer, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.
SECTION 3.11. Additional Guarantors. If, after the Issue Date, (a) any Domestic Subsidiary (including any newly formed, newly acquired or newly redesignated Restricted Subsidiary) that is not then a Guarantor guarantees any Indebtedness under either Credit Agreement or (b) the Issuer otherwise elects to have any Restricted Subsidiary become a Guarantor, then, in each such case, the Issuer shall cause such Restricted Subsidiary, within 20 Business Days of the date that such Indebtedness has been guaranteed, to (i) execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor under this Indenture.
Each Guarantee will be limited to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed by that Restricted Subsidiary without rendering the Guarantee, as it relates to such Restricted Subsidiary, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally. However, in a recent Florida bankruptcy case, this kind of provision was found to be ineffective to protect the guarantees.
Each Guarantee shall be released in accordance Section 10.2(b).
SECTION 3.12. Compliance Certificate; Statement by Officers as to Default. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer ending after the Issue Date, an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that to the best knowledge of the signer thereof on behalf of the Issuer, the Issuer is or is not in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Issuer (through its own action or omission or through the action or omission of any Guarantor as applicable) shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which such signer may have knowledge. The individual signing any certificate given by any Person pursuant to this Section 3.12 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of such Person.
So long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days of any Officer becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default.
SECTION 3.13. [Reserved.].
SECTION 3.14. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Subsidiary of the Issuer (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary of the Issuer but excluding the Issuer) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Equity Interests or
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Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on any property of, the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated; provided, however, that the Subsidiary to be so designated and its Subsidiaries do not at the time of designation have and do not thereafter Incur any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender has recourse to any of the assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, further, however, that either:
(i) the Subsidiary to be so designated has total consolidated assets of $1,000 or less; or
(ii) if such Subsidiary has consolidated assets greater than $1,000, then such designation would be permitted under Section 3.4.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that immediately after giving effect to such designation:
(x) (1) the Issuer could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test described under Section 3.3, or (2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be greater than such ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such designation, in each case on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation, and
(y) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(c) Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall be evidenced to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with this Section 3.14.
SECTION 3.15. Covenant Suspension.
(a) If on any date following the Issue Date (i) the Notes have Investment Grade Ratings from both Rating Agencies, and (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture (the occurrence of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being collectively referred to as a “Covenant Suspension Event”), Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.11 and 4.1(iv) (collectively, the “Suspended Covenants”) shall no longer be applicable to such Notes.
(b) In the event that the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants under this Indenture for any period of time pursuant to Section 3.15(a) (any such period, a “Suspension Period”), and on any subsequent date (the “Reversion Date”) one or both of the Rating Agencies withdraw their Investment Grade Rating or downgrade the rating assigned to the Notes below an Investment Grade Rating, then the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenants under this Indenture with respect to future events.
(c) Upon the occurrence of a Covenant Suspension Event, the amount of Excess Proceeds from Net Cash Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
(d) In the event of any reinstatement of the Suspended Covenants pursuant to Section 3.15(b), no action taken or omitted to be taken by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries prior to such reinstatement will give rise to a Default or Event of Default under this Indenture with respect to any Notes; provided that (1) with respect to Restricted Payments made after any such reinstatement, the amount of Restricted Payments made shall be calculated as though Section 3.4 had been in effect prior to,
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but not during the Suspension Period; provided that no Subsidiaries may be designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries during the Suspension Period, and (2) all Indebtedness Incurred, or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued, during the Suspension Period shall be classified to have been Incurred or issued pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(iii). In addition, for purposes of Section 3.8, all agreements and arrangements entered into by Holdings and any Restricted Subsidiary with an Affiliate of the Issuer during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date will be deemed to have been entered into on or prior to the Issue Date and for purposes of Section 3.6, all contracts entered into during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date that contain any of the restrictions contemplated by such Section will be deemed to have been existing on the Issue Date.
The Issuer shall provide an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee indicating the occurrence of any Covenant Suspension Event or Reversion Date. The Trustee will have no obligation to (i) independently determine or verify if such events have occurred, (ii) make any determination regarding the impact of actions taken during the Suspension Period on the Issuer’s and its Subsidiaries’ future compliance with their covenants or (iii) notify the Holders of any Covenant Suspension Event or Reversion Date.
SECTION 3.16. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Issuer and each of the Guarantors covenant (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) that they shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer and each of the Guarantors (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waive all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenant that they shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
ARTICLE IV
Merger; Consolidation or Sale of Assets
SECTION 4.1. When the Issuer May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets.
The Issuer shall not consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Issuer is the surviving Person), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions, to any Person (other than the Merger) unless:
(i) the Issuer is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition will have been made is a corporation or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia, or any territory thereof (the Issuer or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Company”) and, if such entity is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the Notes is a corporation organized or existing under such laws;
(ii) the Successor Company (if other than the Issuer) expressly assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to supplemental indentures;
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(iii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Company or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(iv) immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction, as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, either:
(1) the Successor Company would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 3.3(a); or
(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Successor Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be equal to or greater than such ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction;
(v) if the Successor Company is other than the Issuer, each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to the transactions described above, shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes; and
(vi) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indentures (if any) comply with this Indenture.
The Successor Company (if other than the Issuer) will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, and the Issuer will automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing clauses (iii) and (iv), (a) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer, and (b) the Issuer may merge or consolidate with an Affiliate incorporated or organized solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing the Issuer in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby.
ARTICLE V
Redemption of Notes
SECTION 5.1. Optional Redemption.
(a) The Notes may be redeemed, in whole at any time, or in part from time to time, subject to the conditions and at the redemption prices set forth in Paragraph 7 of the form of Note set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Indenture, together with accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
(b) In connection with any redemption of Notes (including with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering), any such redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including any related Equity Offering. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed.
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(c) Unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable Redemption Date.
SECTION 5.2. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions. If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 5.1, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 2 Business Days for Global Notes and 10 calendar days for Definitive Notes before notice of redemption is required to be mailed or caused to be mailed to Holders pursuant to Section 5.4, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth (a) the paragraph or subparagraph of such Note and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (b) the Redemption Date, (c) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (d) the redemption price. The Issuer may also include a request in such Officer’s Certificate that the Trustee give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in Section 5.4. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee such documentation and records as shall enable the Trustee to select the Notes to be redeemed pursuant to Section 5.3.
SECTION 5.3. Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee shall select Notes for redemption on a pro rata basis or by lot unless otherwise required by law, the Depositary or applicable stock exchange requirements; provided, however, that no Notes in an unauthorized denomination shall be redeemed in part. No Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note in accordance with Section 5.7.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to redemption of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Note redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Note which has been or is to be redeemed.
SECTION 5.4. Notice of Redemption. The Issuer shall mail or cause to be mailed by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to a date fixed for redemption (a “Redemption Date”), to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed. The Trustee may give notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense; provided, however, that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with Article VIII.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(a) the Redemption Date,
(b) the redemption price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.6, if any,
(c) if less than all outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Notes (or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be outstanding after such partial redemption,
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(d) in case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Note shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, the Holder shall receive, without charge, a new Note or Notes of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,
(e) that on the Redemption Date the redemption price (and accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.6) shall become due and payable upon each such Note, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed, and, unless the Issuer defaults in making the redemption payment, that interest on Notes called for redemption (or the portion thereof) shall cease to accrue on and after said date,
(f) the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price and accrued interest, if any,
(g) the name and address of the Paying Agent,
(h) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price,
(i) the CUSIP number, and that no representation is made as to the accuracy or correctness of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes,
(j) the Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes are to be redeemed; and
(k) any conditions to the redemption of Notes.
At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the redemption date, an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph. Such Officer’s Certificate shall state that all conditions precedent to the delivery of such notice have been complied with.
SECTION 5.5. Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Issuer is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.4) an amount of money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all the Notes which are to be redeemed on that date.
SECTION 5.6. Notes Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the redemption price therein specified (together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of the redemption price and accrued interest) such Notes shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Note for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Note shall be paid by the Issuer at the redemption price, together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).
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If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Notes.
If a Redemption Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders whose Notes shall be subject to redemption by the Issuer.
SECTION 5.7. Notes Redeemed in Part. Any Note which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article) shall be surrendered at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 (with, if the Issuer so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder of such Note at the expense of the Issuer, a new Note or Notes, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Note so surrendered, provided that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
SECTION 5.8. Offer to Repurchase. In the event that, pursuant to Section 3.7, the Issuer is required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase the Notes (an “Offer to Repurchase”), it shall follow the procedures specified below.
(a) The Offer to Repurchase shall remain open for a period of at least 20 Business Days following its commencement and not more than 30 Business Days, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Issuer shall apply all Excess Proceeds (the “Offer Amount”) to the purchase of Notes and such other Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, (in each instance, on a pro rata basis, if applicable) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes and other Indebtedness tendered in response to the Offer to Repurchase. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made pursuant to Section 3.1.
(b) If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase.
(c) Upon the commencement of an Offer to Repurchase, the Issuer shall send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Offer to Repurchase, shall state:
(i) that the Offer to Repurchase is being made pursuant to this Section 5.8 and Section 3.7, and the length of time the Offer to Repurchase shall remain open;
(ii) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;
(iii) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue interest;
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(iv) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase shall cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;
(v) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Offer to Repurchase may elect to have Notes purchased in a minimum amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof only;
(vi) that Holders electing to have Notes purchased pursuant to any Offer to Repurchase shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer, a Depositary, if appointed by the Issuer, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;
(vii) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than on the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;
(viii) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and, if applicable, other Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee shall select the Notes and, if applicable, other Pari Passu Indebtedness shall select such other Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased or prepaid, on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of Notes and other Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, surrendered (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Issuer so that only Notes in denominations of $2,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be purchased); and
(ix) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).
(d) On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Section 5.8. The Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon written request from the Issuer, shall authenticate and mail or deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Issuer to the Holder thereof. The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of the Offer to Repurchase on the Purchase Date.
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ARTICLE VI
Defaults and Remedies
SECTION 6.1. Events of Default. Each of the following is an Event of Default:
(i) a default in any payment of interest on any Note when due continued for 30 days;
(ii) a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any, of any Note when due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required purchase, upon acceleration or otherwise;
(iii) the failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply for 60 days after written notice with any of its other agreements contained in the Notes or this Indenture;
(iv) the failure by the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary to pay any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness owing to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) within any applicable grace period after final maturity or the acceleration of any such Indebtedness by the holders thereof because of a default, in each case, if the total amount of such Indebtedness unpaid or accelerated exceeds $50.0 million or its foreign currency equivalent;
(v) the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(1) commences a voluntary case;
(2) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in any voluntary case;
(3) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for any substantial part of its property; or
(4) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;
or takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;
(vi) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(1) is for relief against the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;
(2) appoints a Custodian of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary or for any substantial part of its property; or
(3) orders the winding up or liquidation of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary;
or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days;
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(vii) failure by the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary to pay final and non-appealable judgments aggregating in excess of $50.0 million or its foreign currency equivalent (net of any amounts that are covered by enforceable insurance policies issued by solvent insurance companies), which judgments are not discharged, waived or stayed for a period of 60 days and, in the event such judgment is covered by insurance, an enforcement proceeding has been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or decree that is not promptly stayed; or
(viii) the Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms thereof), or any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary denies that it has any further liability under its Guarantee or gives notice to such effect, other than by reason of the termination of this Indenture or the release of any such Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, and such Default continues for 10 days.
The foregoing shall constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.
However, a default under clause (iii) of this Section 6.1 will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of 25% in principal amount of outstanding Notes notify the Issuer of the default and the Issuer does not cure such default within the time specified in clause (iii) of this Section 6.1 after receipt of such notice
SECTION 6.2. Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.1(v) or (vi) above with respect to the Issuer) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of outstanding Notes by written notice to the Issuer may declare the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal and interest will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default arising from Sections 6.1(v) or (vi) of the Issuer occurs, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all the Notes will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders.
SECTION 6.3. Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes, this Indenture (including sums owed to the Trustee and its agents and counsel) and the Guarantees.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative.
SECTION 6.4. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive, rescind or cancel any declaration of an existing or past Default or Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture if such waiver, rescission or cancellation would not conflict with any judgment or decree, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes (other than such nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due as a result of such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
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In the event of any Event of Default arising from Section 6.1(iv), such Event of Default and all consequences thereof (excluding, however, any resulting payment default) will be annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, if prior to the earlier of (i) a declaration of acceleration pursuant to the preceding paragraph and (ii) 20 days after such Event of Default arose, the Issuer delivers an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that (x) the Indebtedness or Guarantee that is the basis for such Event of Default has been discharged or (y) the Holders thereof have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or action (as the case may be) giving rise to such Event of Default or (z) the default that is the basis for such Event of Default has been cured.
SECTION 6.5. Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Noteholders or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Prior to taking any action under this Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.
SECTION 6.6. Limitation on Suits. Subject to the provisions of this Indenture relating to the rights and duties of the Trustee, in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, when due, no Holder may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(i) such Holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(ii) Holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have requested the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(iii) such Holders have offered the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it in any loss, liability or expense;
(iv) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
(v) the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
SECTION 6.7. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
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SECTION 6.8. Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(i) or (ii) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.6.
SECTION 6.9. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer, its Subsidiaries or their respective creditors or properties and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders (pursuant to the written direction of Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes) in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.6. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan or reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in such proceeding.
SECTION 6.10. Priorities. The Trustee shall pay out any money or property received by it in the following order:
First: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.6;
Second: to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and
Third: to the Issuer or, to the extent the Trustee receives any amount for any Guarantor, to such Guarantor.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section. At least 15 days before such record date, the Issuer shall mail to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.
SECTION 6.11. Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes.
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ARTICLE VII
Trustee
SECTION 7.1. Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee shall not be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered the Trustee indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to the Trustee in its sole discretion against any loss, liability or expense it may incur.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default of which a Trust Officer has actual knowledge, the Trustee:
(i) undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of gross negligence or bad faith on its part, may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, as applicable. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees as the case may be (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(c) The Trustee shall not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) this Section 7.1(c) does not limit the effect of Section 7.1(b);
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer or Trust Officers unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.5.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.
(e) Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
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(f) No provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(g) Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.
(h) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee, security, prefunding or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
SECTION 7.2. Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or any other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person or Persons. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys, custodians, nominees and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of or for the supervision of any agent, custodians, nominees or attorney appointed with due care.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder or under the Notes and the Guarantees in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.
(f) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into any statement, warranty or representation, or the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or other paper or document made or in connection with this Indenture; moreover, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into (i) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (ii) the occurrence of any default, or the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Indenture or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (iii) the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Issuer, personally or by agent or attorney and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
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(g) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except any Default or Event of Default of which a Trust Officer shall have (x) received written notification at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture or (y) obtained “actual knowledge.” “Actual knowledge” shall mean the actual fact or statement of knowing by a Trust Officer without independent investigation with respect thereto.
(h) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(i) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(j) The Trustee may request that the Issuer deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
(k) The Trustee shall not have any duty (A) to see to any recording, filing, or depositing of this Indenture or any agreement referred to herein, or to see to the maintenance of any such recording or filing or depositing or to any rerecording, re-filing or redepositing of any thereof or (B) to see to any insurance.
(l) The right of the Trustee to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty.
SECTION 7.3. Individual Rights of Trustee. Subject to § 310 of the TIA, each of the Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, the Guarantors or their Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Section 7.9. In addition, the Trustee shall be permitted to engage in transactions with the Issuer; provided, however, that if the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest the Trustee must (i) eliminate such conflict within 90 days of acquiring such conflicting interest, (ii) apply to the SEC for permission to continue acting as Trustee or (iii) resign.
SECTION 7.4. Disclaimer. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the Notes or the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Issuer in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication or for the use or application of any funds received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.
SECTION 7.5. Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs and is continuing and is actually known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder notice of the Default within 90 days after it is known to the Trustee. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interests on any Note, the Trustee may withhold notice if and so long as a committee of its Trust Officers in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the Holders.
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SECTION 7.6. Compensation and Indemnity. The Issuer shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for their services as the parties shall agree in writing from time to time. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it, including, but not limited to, costs of collection, costs of preparing and reviewing reports, certificates and other documents, costs of preparation and mailing of notices to Holders and reasonable costs of counsel, in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts. The Issuer shall indemnify the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder (including Paying Agent, and Registrar), and each of their officers, directors, employees, counsel and agents, against any and all loss, liability or expense (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by it in connection with the administration of this trust and the performance of their duties hereunder and under the Notes and the Guarantees, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture (including this Section 7.6), the Notes and the Guarantees and of defending itself against any claims (whether asserted by any Holder, the Issuer or otherwise). The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer of its obligations hereunder. The Issuer shall defend the claim and the Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Issuer need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee as a result of its own willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith.
To secure the Issuer’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Notes. The right of the Trustee to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.6 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or indebtedness of the Issuer.
The Issuer’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section and any lien arising hereunder shall survive the discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee. When the Trustee incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 6.1(v) or (vi) with respect to the Issuer, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
Pursuant to Section 10.1, the obligations of the Issuer hereunder are jointly and severally guaranteed by the Guarantors.
SECTION 7.7. Replacement of Trustee. The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Issuer. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Issuer and the Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee. The Issuer shall remove the Trustee if:
(i) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9;
(ii) the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;
(iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(iv) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Issuer or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.
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A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.6. All costs reasonably incurred in connection with any resignation or removal hereunder shall be borne by the Issuer.
If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Notes may petition, at the Issuer’s expense, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9, unless the Trustee’s duty to resign is stayed, any Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.6 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
SECTION 7.8. Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee, consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.
SECTION 7.9. Eligibility; Disqualification. The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million as set forth in its most recent filed annual report of condition.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b).
SECTION 7.10. Limitation on Duty of Trustee. The Trustee shall not have any duty to ascertain or inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms of this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees by the Issuer, the Guarantors or any other Person.
SECTION 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer. The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
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SECTION 7.12. Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes. Within 60 days after each January 1, beginning with January 1, 2012, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also shall comply with TIA § 313(b). The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes shall be mailed to the Issuer and filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which any Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when any Notes are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.
ARTICLE VIII
Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance
SECTION 8.1. Discharge of Liability on Securities; Defeasance. This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect (except as to surviving rights of registration or transfer or exchange of Notes, as expressly provided for in this Indenture) as to all outstanding Notes:
(a) when (i) all the Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Notes pursuant to Section 2.7 which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or (ii) all of the Notes (a) have become due and payable, (b) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or (c) if redeemable at the option of the Issuer, are to be called for redemption within one year, and the Issuer or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in cash in U.S. Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of deposit together with irrevocable instructions from the Issuer directing the Trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(b) the Issuer and/or the Guarantors have paid all other sums payable under this Indenture; and
(c) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent under this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with (other than Section 8.1(a)(ii)(c) to the extent that compliance will occur solely upon passage of time).
Subject to Sections 8.1(c) and 8.2, the Issuer at any time may terminate (i) all of its obligations under the Notes and
this Indenture (with respect to such Notes) and cure any then-existing Events of Default (“legal defeasance option”) or (ii) its obligations under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11 and the operation
of Section 4.1 (other than Sections 4.1(i), (ii) and (vi)) and Sections 6.1(iii) (with respect to any Default under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7,
3.8, 3.9 and 3.10), 6.1(iv),
6.1(v) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vi) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only) and 6.1(vii)
(“covenant defeasance option”). The Issuer may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. In the event that the Issuer terminates all of its obligations under the Notes
and this Indenture (with respect to such Notes) by exercising its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option, the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee of such Notes shall be terminated simultaneously with the termination
of such obligations.
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If the Issuer exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes so defeased may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. If the Issuer exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes so defeased may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(iii) (with respect to any Default by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with any of its obligations under Article III other than Sections 3.1, 3.11, 3.15), 6.1(iv), 6.1(v) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vi) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vii) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only) and 6.1(viii).
Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Issuer terminates.
Notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b) above, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 7.6, 7.7 and in this Article VIII shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full. Thereafter, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 7.6, 8.5 and 8.6 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.
SECTION 8.2. Conditions to Defeasance.
(a) The Issuer may exercise its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option only if:
(i) the Issuer irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee cash in U.S. Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof in an amount sufficient or U.S. Government Obligations, the principal of and the interest on which will be sufficient, or a combination thereof sufficient, to pay the principal of, and premium (if any) and interest on the applicable Notes when due at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(ii) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee a certificate from a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants expressing their opinion that the payments of principal and interest when due and without reinvestment on the deposited U.S. Government Obligations plus any deposited money without investment will provide cash at such times and in such amounts as will be sufficient to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest when due on all the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(iii) 91 days pass after the deposit is made and during the 91-day period no Default specified in Section 6.1(v) or (vi) with respect to the Issuer occurs which is continuing at the end of the period;
(iv) the deposit does not constitute a default under any other agreement binding on the Issuer;
(v) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the trust resulting from the deposit does not constitute, or is qualified as, a regulated investment advisor under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940;
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(vi) in the case of the legal defeasance option, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (1) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (2) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;
(vii) in the case of the covenant defeasance option, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred; and
(viii) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge of the Notes to be so defeased and discharged as contemplated by this Article VIII have been complied with.
Before or after a deposit, the Issuer may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of such Notes at a future date in accordance with Article V.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Opinion of Counsel required by the clause (vi) above need not be delivered if all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (x) have become due and payable, (y) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or (z) are to be called for redemption within one year.
SECTION 8.3. Application of Trust Money. The Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article VIII. It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations through the Paying Agent and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes.
SECTION 8.4. Repayment to Issuer. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon Company Order any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in this Article VIII which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, provided that the Trustee shall not be required to liquidate any U.S. Government Obligations in order to comply with the provisions of this Section 8.4.
Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Issuer upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, and, thereafter, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Issuer for payment as general creditors.
SECTION 8.5. Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations. The Issuer shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal and interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations.
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SECTION 8.6. Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Issuer and each Guarantor under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article VIII until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII; provided, however, that, if the Issuer or the Guarantors has made any payment of interest on or principal of any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
SECTION 9.1. Without Consent of Holders. Notwithstanding Section 9.2 hereof, this Indenture, the Notes and Guarantees may be amended by the Issuer and the Trustee without notice to or consent of any Holder:
(i) to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency;
(ii) to conform the text of this Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes to the “Description of Notes” in the Offering Memorandum;
(iii) to provide for the assumption by a successor corporation, partnership or limited liability company of the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes;
(iv) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided, however, that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code;
(v) to add or release Guarantees with respect to the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(vi) to secure the Notes;
(vii) to add to the covenants of the Issuer for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer;
(viii) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;
(ix) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes to the extent permitted by Section 3.3 as in effect prior to such amendment, which shall have terms substantially identical in all material respects to the Initial Notes, and which shall be treated, together with any outstanding Initial Notes, as a single issue of securities; or
(x) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee, provided that the successor Trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the terms of this Indenture.
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SECTION 9.2. With Consent of Holders.
(a) This Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes) and any existing or past default or compliance with any provisions of such documents may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes). However, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment may (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
(i) reduce the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;
(ii) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;
(iii) reduce the principal of or change the Stated Maturity of any Note;
(iv) reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note or change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described under Section 5.1;
(v) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in such Note;
(vi) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes;
(vii) make any change in the amendment provisions that require each Holder’s consent or in the waiver provisions;
(viii) make the Notes or any Guarantee subordinated in right of payment to any other obligations; or
(ix) modify the Guarantees in any manner adverse to the Holders.
(b) It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
(c) After an amendment under this Section 9.2 becomes effective, the Issuer shall (or shall cause the Trustee, at the expense of and at the request of the Issuer, to) mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure of the Issuer to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not in any way impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section 9.2.
SECTION 9.3. Effect of Consents and Waivers. A consent to an amendment or a waiver by a Holder of a Note shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of that Note or portion of the Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on the Note. After an amendment or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every Holder unless it makes a change described in clauses (i) through (ix) of Section 9.2(a), in which case the amendment or waiver or other action shall bind each Holder who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Notes. An amendment or waiver made pursuant to Section 9.2 shall become effective upon receipt by the Trustee of the requisite number of written consents.
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The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.
SECTION 9.4. Notation on or Exchange of Notes. If an amendment changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Note regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Issuer or the Trustee so determines, the Issuer in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment.
SECTION 9.5. Trustee To Sign Amendments. The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not, in the sole determination of the Trustee, adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it. In signing any amendment, supplement or waiver pursuant to this Article IX, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 7.1 and 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by or complies with this Indenture, that all conditions precedent to such amendment required by this Indenture have been complied with and that such amendment, supplement or waiver is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions.
ARTICLE X
Guarantees
SECTION 10.1. Guarantees.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Article X, each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as guarantor and not as a surety, with each other Guarantor, to each Holder of the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the Trustee the performance and full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes (including, without limitation, interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Issuer or any Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6) (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guarantor Obligations”). Each Guarantor agrees (to the extent lawful) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this Article X notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.
(b) Each Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) presentation to, demand of, payment from and protest to the Issuer of any of the Guarantor Obligations and also waives (to the extent lawful) notice of protest for nonpayment. Each Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) notice of any default under the Notes or the Guarantor Obligations.
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(c) Each Guarantor further agrees that its Guarantee herein constitutes a Guarantee of payment when due (and not a Guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder to any security held for payment of the Guarantor Obligations.
(d) Except as set forth in Section 10.2 and Article VIII, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guarantor Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not (to the extent lawful) be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guarantor Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Guarantor herein shall not (to the extent lawful) be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Issuer or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement; (d) the release of any security held by any Holder for the Guarantor Obligations or any of them; (e) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Guarantor; (f) any change in the ownership of the Issuer; (g) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guarantor Obligations; or (h) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.
(e) Each Guarantor agrees that its Guarantee herein shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of all the Guarantor Obligations or such Guarantor is released from its Guarantee in compliance with Section 4.1, Section 10.2 and Article VIII. Each Guarantor further agrees that its Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Guarantor Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Issuer or otherwise.
(f) In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Issuer to pay any of the Guarantor Obligations when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and shall, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Trustee or the Trustee on behalf of the Holders an amount equal to the sum of (i) the unpaid amount of such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing and (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Issuer or any Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding).
(g) Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in this Indenture for the purposes of its Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby and (y) in the event of any such declaration of acceleration of such Guarantor Obligations, such Guarantor Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantor for the purposes of this Guarantee.
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(h) Each Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Section.
(i) Neither the Issuer nor the Guarantors shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Guarantee or any release, termination or discharge thereof and any such notation shall not be a condition to the validity of any Guarantee.
SECTION 10.2. Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge.
(a) Any term or provision of this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the maximum amount as shall, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law and not otherwise being void or voidable under any similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.
(b) A Guarantee by a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and each Guarantor and its obligations under the Guarantee and this Indenture shall be released and discharged upon:
(1) the sale, exchange, disposition or other transfer (including through merger or consolidation) of the Capital Stock (including any sale, disposition or other transfer following which the applicable Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary), or all or substantially all the assets, of the applicable Guarantor if such sale, disposition or other transfer is made in compliance with this Indenture;
(2) the Issuer designating such Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 3.4 and the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary”;
(3) in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that after the Issue Date is required to guarantee the Notes pursuant to Section 3.11, the release or discharge of the obligation by such Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary or the repayment of the Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, in each case, which resulted in the obligation to guarantee the Notes, except if a release or discharge is by or as a result of payment under such other obligation;
(4) the Issuer’s exercise of its legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option as described under Article VIII or if the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(5) the release or discharge of such Guarantor’s obligations under each Credit Agreement, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such obligation; or
(6) such Guarantor ceasing to be a Domestic Subsidiary.
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(c) If any Guarantor is released from its Guarantee, any of its Subsidiaries that are Guarantors will be released from their Guarantees, if any.
(d) In the case of Section 10.2(b), the Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
(e) The release of a Guarantor from its Guarantee and its obligations under this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.2 shall not preclude the future applications of Section 3.11 to such Person.
SECTION 10.3. Right of Contribution. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that any such Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made on the obligations under its Guarantee, such Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against the Issuer or any other Guarantor who has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. The provisions of this Section 10.3 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of each Guarantor to the Trustee and the Holders and each Guarantor shall remain liable to the Trustee and the Holders for the full amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder.
SECTION 10.4. No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment or payments made by each Guarantor hereunder, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Trustee or any Holder against the Issuer or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Trustee or any Holder for the payment of the Guarantor Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Issuer or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Trustee and the Holders by the Issuer on account of the Guarantor Obligations are paid in full. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Guarantor Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Trustee and the Holders, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Trustee in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the Trustee, if required), to be applied against the Guarantor Obligations.
SECTION 10.5. Limitations on Merger. A Guarantor will not, and the Issuer will not permit any Guarantor to, consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person (other than the Merger) unless:
(1) either (a) such Guarantor is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Guarantor) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition will have been made is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof (such Guarantor or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Guarantor”) and the Successor Guarantor (if other than such Guarantor) expressly assumes all the obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Guarantee pursuant to a supplemental indenture or (b) such sale or disposition or consolidation or merger is not in violation of Section 3.7;
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(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(3) the Successor Guarantor (if other than such Guarantor) shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture.
The Successor Guarantor will succeed to, and be substituted for, such Guarantor under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Guarantee, and such Guarantor will automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and such Guarantor’s Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Guarantor may merge or consolidate with an Affiliate incorporated or organized solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing such Guarantor in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States, so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Guarantor is not increased thereby, (2) a Guarantor may merge or consolidate with another Guarantor or the Issuer and (3) a Guarantor may convert into a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability corporation or trust organized or existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Guarantor.
ARTICLE XI
INTENTIONALLY OMITTED
ARTICLE XII
Miscellaneous
SECTION 12.1. Notices. Notices given by publication shall be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made, and notices given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed given five calendar days after mailing. Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person, by facsimile or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:
if to the Issuer or any Guarantor:
CommScope, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.,
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
if to the Trustee:
Wilmington Trust FSB
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: CommScope, Inc. Administrator
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The Issuer or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to the Holder at the Holder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.
Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods. If the party elects to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption or purchase) to a Holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from DTC or its designee.
SECTION 12.2. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of Notes on the date hereof), the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:
(i) an Officer’s Certificate in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(ii) an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
SECTION 12.3. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(i) a statement that the individual making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
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(iii) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual, such covenant or condition has been complied with.
In giving such Opinion of Counsel, counsel may rely as to factual matters on an Officer’s Certificate or on certificates of public officials.
SECTION 12.4. [Reserved].
SECTION 12.5. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by, or a meeting of, Holders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.
SECTION 12.6. Days Other than Business Days. If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. If a regular Record Date is not a Business Day, the Record Date shall not be affected.
SECTION 12.7. Governing Law. This Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
SECTION 12.8. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
SECTION 12.9. No Recourse Against Others. An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Issuer or any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor under the Notes, the Guarantees or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.
SECTION 12.10. Successors. All agreements of the Issuer and each Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.
SECTION 12.11. Multiple Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture.
SECTION 12.12. Variable Provisions. The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent and Registrar and custodian with respect to any Global Notes.
SECTION 12.13. Table of Contents; Headings. The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
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SECTION 12.14. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
SECTION 12.15. USA Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act the Trustee and the Trust Officers, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this agreement agree that they shall provide the Trustee and the Trust Officers with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.
SECTION 12.16. [Reserved].
SECTION 12.17. Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes. Holders of the Notes may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders of Notes with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Issuer, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| CEDAR I MERGER SUB, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Claudius E. Watts IV | |
| Name: Claudius E. Watts IV | ||
| Title: President | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
| COMMSCOPE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Jearld L. Leonhardt | |
| Name: Jearld L. Leonhardt | ||
| Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
| COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS MANUFACTURING, INC. CABLE TRANSPORT, INC. ANDREW LLC ANDREW SYSTEMS. INC. ALLEN TELECOM LLC VEXTRA TECHNOLOGIES, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank B. Wyatt, II | |
| Name: Frank B. Wyatt, II | ||
| Title: Senior Vice President and Secretary | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
| WILMINGTON TRUST FSB, as Trustee | ||
| By: | /s/ Joseph P O’Donnell | |
| Name: Joseph P O’Donnell | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]
Global Note Legend, if applicable
Private Placement Legend, if applicable
Temporary Regulation S Legend, if applicable
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| No. [ ] | Principal Amount $[ ], as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto
CUSIP NO. |
CEDAR I MERGER SUB, INC.
COMMSCOPE, INC.
8.25% Senior Note due 2019
CommScope, Inc., a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to [ ], or registered assigns, the initial principal amount set forth on the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, on January 15, 2019.
Interest Payment Dates: January 15 and July 15.
Record Dates: January 1 and July 1.
Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.
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| COMMSCOPE, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| CEDAR I MERGER SUB, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
A-3
| TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION |
||||||||
| WILMINGTON TRUST FSB | ||||||||
| as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Notes referred to in the Indenture. | ||||||||
| By: | ||||||||
| Authorized Signatory | Date: | |||||||
A-4
[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]
8.25% Senior Note due 2019
1. Interest
CommScope, Inc., a Delaware corporation (such corporation, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above.
The Issuer shall pay interest semiannually 1 on January 15 and July 15 of each year, with the first interest payment to be made on [July 15, 2011].1 Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent 2 date to which interest has been paid on the Notes or, if no interest has been paid, from [January 14, 2011].2 The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal or premium, if any (plus interest on such interest to the extent lawful), at the rate borne by the Notes to the extent lawful. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at 2% per annum in excess of the above rate and shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at such higher rate to the extent lawful.
2. Method of Payment
By no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Issuer shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, and/or interest. The Issuer shall pay interest (except Defaulted Interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the January 1 and July 1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date unless Notes are cancelled, repurchased or redeemed after the record date and before the Interest Payment Date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Issuer shall pay principal, premium, if any, and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by the transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depositary. The Issuer shall make all payments in respect of a Definitive Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof.
3. Paying Agent and Registrar
Initially, Wilmington Trust FSB, duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America and having a corporate trust office at Wilmington Trust FSB, 246 Goose Lane, Suite 105, Guilford, CT 06437, Facsimile: 203-453-1183, Attention: CommScope, Inc. Administrator
| 1 | With respect to the Initial Notes. |
| 2 | With respect to the Initial Notes. |
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(“Trustee”), shall act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuer may appoint and change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer or any of its domestically incorporated Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.
4. Indenture
The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of January 14, 2011 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Indenture”), among the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the Securities Act for a statement of those terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer. This Note is one of the 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019 referred to in the Indenture. The Notes include (i) $1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuer’s 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019 issued under the Indenture on January 14, 2011 (herein called “Initial Notes”) and (ii) if and when issued, additional 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019 of the Issuer that may be issued from time to time under the Indenture subsequent to January 14, 2011 (herein called “Additional Notes”). The Indenture contains the terms and restrictions set forth in the Indenture or made a part of the Indenture by reference to the TIA.
5. Guarantee
To guarantee the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest (including post-filing or post-petition interest) on the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Issuer under the Indenture and the Notes when and as the same shall be due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, according to the terms of the Notes and the Indenture, the Guarantors have unconditionally Guaranteed (and future guarantors shall unconditionally Guarantee), jointly and severally, such obligations on a senior unsecured basis.
6. Intentionally Omitted
7. Redemption
(a) On and after January 15, 2015, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the DTC, at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the 12-month period commencing on January 15 of the years set forth below:
| YEAR |
PERCENTAGE | |||
| 2015 |
104.125 | % | ||
| 2016 |
102.063 | % | ||
| 2017 and thereafter |
100.000 | % | ||
(b) At any time prior to January 15, 2015, the Issuer may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
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(c) At any time and from time to time on or prior to January 15, 2015, the Issuer may redeem in the aggregate up to 35% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings (1) by the Issuer or (2) by Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, to the extent the net cash proceeds thereof are contributed to the common equity capital of the Issuer or used to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer from it, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) equal to 108.250% plus accrued and unpaid interest, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date); provided, however, that at least 65% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) must remain outstanding after each such redemption; and provided, further, that such redemption shall occur within 90 days after the date on which any such Equity Offering is consummated.
(d) Unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable redemption date.
(e) Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 7 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Article V of the Indenture.
8. Change of Control; Asset Sales
(a) If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes under Section 5.1 of the Indenture, each Holder shall have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or any part (in integral multiples of $1,000 except that no Note may be tendered in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date) as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.
(b) In connection with any Change of Control Offer (including with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering), any such Change of Control Offer may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including any related Equity Offering. In addition, if such Change of Control Offer or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the purchase date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such purchase may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the purchase date, or by the purchase date so delayed.
(c) In the event of an Asset Sale Offer that requires the purchase of Notes pursuant to Section 3.7(c) of the Indenture, the Issuer shall be required to make an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes in accordance with Section 3.7(c) and 5.8 of the Indenture at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the rights of Holders of record on any Record Date to receive payments of interest on the related Interest Payment Date). Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase shall receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Issuer prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Note purchased pursuant to such offer by completing the form entitled “Option of Holder To Elect Purchase” attached hereto, or transferring its interest in such Note by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days before the Purchase Date.
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9. Denominations; Transfer; Exchange
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of principal amount of $2,000 and whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes for a period beginning 15 Business Days before an Interest Payment Date and ending on such Interest Payment Date.
10. Persons Deemed Owners
The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.
11. Unclaimed Money
If money for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Issuer at its request unless an abandoned property law designates another person. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Issuer and not to the Trustee for payment.
12. Discharge and Defeasance
Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Issuer at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Issuer irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations (sufficient, without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized certified public accounting firm) for the payment of principal, premium (if any) and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.
13. Amendment, Waiver
The Indenture and the Notes may be amended or waived as set forth in Article IX of the Indenture.
14. Defaults and Remedies
Events of Default shall be as set forth in Article VI of the Indenture.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes then outstanding may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Issuer are Events of Default which shall result in the Notes being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.
Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless each receives indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.
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15. Trustee Dealings with the Issuer
Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Issuer or its Affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.
16. No Recourse Against Others
A director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Issuer or any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.
17. Authentication
This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.
18. Abbreviations
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (=tenants in common), TEN ENT (=tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (=joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian) and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).
19. CUSIP Numbers
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures the Issuer has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers as printed on the Notes and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.
20. Successor Entity
When a successor entity assumes, in accordance with the Indenture, all the obligations of its predecessor under the Notes and the Indenture, and immediately before and thereafter no Default or Event of Default exists and all other conditions of the Indenture are satisfied, the predecessor entity shall be released from those obligations.
21. Governing Law
This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
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The Issuer shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge to the Holder a copy of the Indenture which has in it the text of this Note in larger type. Requests may be made to:
CommScope, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below:
I or we assign and transfer this Note to
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)
(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)
and irrevocably appoint agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him.
| Date: | Your Signature: |
Signature Guarantee:
(Signature must be guaranteed)
Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
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[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]
SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE
The initial principal amount of the Note shall be $ [ ]. The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:
| Principal Amount of this | ||||||||
| Amount of decrease in | Amount of increase in | Global Note following | Signature of authorized | |||||
| Date of | Principal Amount of this | Principal Amount of this | such decrease or | signatory of Trustee or | ||||
| Exchange |
Global Note |
Global Note |
increase |
Notes Custodian |
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, check the box:
¨ ¨
3.7 3.9
If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, state the amount in principal amount (must be in denominations of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof): $
| Date: | Your Signature: | |||||
| (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of the Note) |
| Signature Guarantee: | ||
| (Signature must be guaranteed) |
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
CommScope, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
Wilmington Trust FSB
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: CommScope, Inc. Administrator
Re: 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of January 14, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among CommScope, Inc., as Issuer (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors named therein and Wilmington Trust FSB, as Trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
(the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
| 1. | ¨ | Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. |
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| 2. | ¨ | Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. | ||||||
| 3. | ¨ | Check and complete if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A or Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one): | ||||||
| (a) | ¨ | such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act; | ||||||
| or | ||||||||
| (b) | ¨ | or such Transfer is being effected to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof; | ||||||
| or | ||||||||
| (c) | ¨ | such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. | ||||||
| 4. | ¨ | Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. | ||||||
| (a) | ¨ | Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | ||||||
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| (b) | ¨ | Check if Transfer is pursuant to Regulation S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | ||||||
| (c) | ¨ | Check if Transfer is pursuant to other exemption. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | ||||||
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
| [Insert Name of Transferor] |
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: |
Dated:
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ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
| 1. | The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following: | |||||||||||
| [CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)] | ||||||||||||
| (a) | ¨ | a beneficial interest in the: | ||||||||||
| (i) | ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||||||
| (ii) | ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||||||
| (b) | ¨ | a Restricted Definitive Note. | ||||||||||
| 2. | After the Transfer the Transferee will hold: | |||||||||||
| [CHECK ONE] | ||||||||||||
| (a) | ¨ | a beneficial interest in the: | ||||||||||
| (i) | ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||||||
| (ii) | ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||||||
| (iii) | ¨ | Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||||||
| (b) | ¨ | a Restricted Definitive Note; or | ||||||||||
| (c) | ¨ | an Unrestricted Definitive Note, | ||||||||||
| in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. | ||||||||||||
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EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
CommScope, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
Wilmington Trust FSB
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: CommScope, Inc. Administrator
Re: 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019
(CUSIP [ ])
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of January 14, 2011 (the “Indenture”), among CommScope, Inc., as Issuer (the “Issuer”), the Guarantors named therein and Wilmington Trust FSB, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
(the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
1. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note.
(a) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been
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effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(c) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(d) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
2. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes.
(a) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
(b) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] _ 144A Global Note, _ Regulation S Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
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This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
| [Insert Name of Transferor] |
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Dated:
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Exhibit 4.3
EXECUTION VERSION
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.,
as Issuer
6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020
INDENTURE
Dated as of May 28, 2013
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||
| ARTICLE I | ||||||
| Definitions and Incorporation by Reference | ||||||
| SECTION 1.1 |
Definitions | 1 | ||||
| SECTION 1.2 |
Other Definitions | 35 | ||||
| SECTION 1.3 |
Rules of Construction | 36 | ||||
| ARTICLE II | ||||||
| The Notes | ||||||
| SECTION 2.1 |
Form and Dating | 37 | ||||
| SECTION 2.2 |
Form of Execution and Authentication | 40 | ||||
| SECTION 2.3 |
Registrar and Paying Agent | 41 | ||||
| SECTION 2.4 |
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 41 | ||||
| SECTION 2.5 |
Lists of Holders of the Notes | 41 | ||||
| SECTION 2.6 |
Transfer and Exchange | 41 | ||||
| SECTION 2.7 |
Replacement Notes | 51 | ||||
| SECTION 2.8 |
Outstanding Notes | 51 | ||||
| SECTION 2.9 |
Treasury Notes | 51 | ||||
| SECTION 2.10 |
Temporary Notes | 52 | ||||
| SECTION 2.11 |
Cancellation | 52 | ||||
| SECTION 2.12 |
Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest | 52 | ||||
| SECTION 2.13 |
CUSIP Numbers | 53 | ||||
| SECTION 2.14 |
Record Date | 53 | ||||
| ARTICLE III | ||||||
| Covenants | ||||||
| SECTION 3.1 |
Payment of Notes | 53 | ||||
| SECTION 3.2 |
Reports and Other Information | 54 | ||||
| SECTION 3.3 |
Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock | 56 | ||||
| SECTION 3.4 |
Limitation on Restricted Payments | 63 | ||||
| SECTION 3.5 |
Liens | 70 | ||||
| SECTION 3.6 |
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries | 70 | ||||
| SECTION 3.7 |
Asset Sales | 73 | ||||
| SECTION 3.8 |
Transactions with Affiliates | 75 | ||||
| SECTION 3.9 |
Change of Control | 78 | ||||
| SECTION 3.10 |
Maintenance of Insurance | 80 | ||||
| SECTION 3.11 |
Additional Guarantors | 80 | ||||
| SECTION 3.12 |
Compliance Certificate; Statement by Officers as to Default | 81 | ||||
| SECTION 3.13 |
[Reserved.] | 81 | ||||
| SECTION 3.14 |
Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries | 81 | ||||
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| Page | ||||||
| SECTION 3.15 |
Covenant Suspension | 82 | ||||
| SECTION 3.16 |
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws | 83 | ||||
| ARTICLE IV | ||||||
| Merger; Consolidation or Sale of Assets | ||||||
| SECTION 4.1 |
When the Issuer May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets | 83 | ||||
| ARTICLE V | ||||||
| Redemption of Notes | ||||||
| SECTION 5.1 |
Optional Redemption | 84 | ||||
| SECTION 5.2 |
Mandatory Principal Redemption | 85 | ||||
| SECTION 5.3 |
Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions | 85 | ||||
| SECTION 5.4 |
Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed | 85 | ||||
| SECTION 5.5 |
Notice of Redemption | 86 | ||||
| SECTION 5.6 |
Deposit of Redemption Price | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 5.7 |
Notes Payable on Redemption Date | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 5.8 |
Notes Redeemed in Part | 87 | ||||
| SECTION 5.9 |
Offer to Repurchase | 87 | ||||
| ARTICLE VI | ||||||
| Defaults and Remedies | ||||||
| SECTION 6.1 |
Events of Default | 89 | ||||
| SECTION 6.2 |
Acceleration | 90 | ||||
| SECTION 6.3 |
Other Remedies | 91 | ||||
| SECTION 6.4 |
Waiver of Past Defaults | 91 | ||||
| SECTION 6.5 |
Control by Majority | 91 | ||||
| SECTION 6.6 |
Limitation on Suits | 91 | ||||
| SECTION 6.7 |
Rights of Holders to Receive Payment | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 6.8 |
Collection Suit by Trustee | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 6.9 |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 6.10 |
Priorities | 92 | ||||
| SECTION 6.11 |
Undertaking for Costs | 93 | ||||
| ARTICLE VII | ||||||
| Trustee | ||||||
| SECTION 7.1 |
Duties of Trustee | 93 | ||||
| SECTION 7.2 |
Rights of Trustee | 94 | ||||
| SECTION 7.3 |
Individual Rights of Trustee | 96 | ||||
| SECTION 7.4 |
Disclaimer | 96 | ||||
| SECTION 7.5 |
Notice of Defaults | 96 | ||||
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| Page | ||||||
| SECTION 7.6 |
Compensation and Indemnity | 96 | ||||
| SECTION 7.7 |
Replacement of Trustee | 97 | ||||
| SECTION 7.8 |
Successor Trustee by Merger | 97 | ||||
| SECTION 7.9 |
Eligibility; Disqualification | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 7.10 |
Limitation on Duty of Trustee | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 7.11 |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 7.12 |
Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes | 98 | ||||
| ARTICLE VIII | ||||||
| Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance | ||||||
| SECTION 8.1 |
Discharge of Liability on Securities; Defeasance | 98 | ||||
| SECTION 8.2 |
Conditions to Defeasance | 100 | ||||
| SECTION 8.3 |
Application of Trust Money | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 8.4 |
Repayment to Issuer | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 8.5 |
Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 8.6 |
Reinstatement | 101 | ||||
| ARTICLE IX | ||||||
| Amendments | ||||||
| SECTION 9.1 |
Without Consent of Holders | 101 | ||||
| SECTION 9.2 |
With Consent of Holders | 103 | ||||
| SECTION 9.3 |
Effect of Consents and Waivers | 103 | ||||
| SECTION 9.4 |
Notation on or Exchange of Notes | 104 | ||||
| SECTION 9.5 |
Trustee To Sign Amendments | 104 | ||||
| ARTICLE X | ||||||
| Guarantees | ||||||
| SECTION 10.1 |
Guarantees | 104 | ||||
| SECTION 10.2 |
Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge | 106 | ||||
| SECTION 10.3 |
Right of Contribution | 107 | ||||
| SECTION 10.4 |
No Subrogation | 107 | ||||
| SECTION 10.5 |
Limitations on Merger | 107 | ||||
| ARTICLE XI | ||||||
| INTENTIONALLY OMITTED | ||||||
| ARTICLE XII | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | ||||||
| SECTION 12.1 |
Notices | 108 | ||||
| SECTION 12.2 |
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 110 | ||||
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| Page | ||||||
| SECTION 12.3 |
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.4 |
[Reserved] | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.5 |
Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.6 |
Days Other than Business Days | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.7 |
Governing Law | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.8 |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.9 |
No Recourse Against Others | 110 | ||||
| SECTION 12.10 |
Successors | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.11 |
Multiple Originals | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.12 |
Variable Provisions | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.13 |
Table of Contents; Headings | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.14 |
Force Majeure | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.15 |
USA Patriot Act | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.16 |
[Reserved] | 111 | ||||
| SECTION 12.17 |
Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes | 111 | ||||
| EXHIBITS | ||
| EXHIBIT A |
Form of Note | |
| EXHIBIT B |
Form of Certificate of Transfer | |
| EXHIBIT C |
Form of Certificate of Exchange |
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INDENTURE, dated as of May 28, 2013, as amended or supplemented from time to time (this “Indenture”), between COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Issuer”) and WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”).
Recitals of the Issuer
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) of the Notes (as defined herein):
ARTICLE I
Definitions and Incorporation by Reference
SECTION 1.1 Definitions.
“144A Global Note” means a global note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that shall be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
“2019 Notes” means the $1,500 million in initial aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Notes due 2019 issued by CommScope on January 14, 2011.
“2019 Notes Indenture” means the indenture, dated as of January 14, 2011, pursuant to which the 2019 Notes were issued, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, increased (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted), replaced or refunded in whole or in part from time to time.
“2019 Notes Offering Memorandum” means the offering memorandum, dated January 11, 2011, related to the 2019 Notes.
“ABL Credit Agreement” means (i) the credit agreement with respect to the asset-based revolving credit facility entered into on January 14, 2011 among the Issuer, CommScope, certain Subsidiaries of CommScope, the financial institutions named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the original lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, and (ii) whether or not the credit agreement referred to in clause (i) remains outstanding, if designated by the Issuer to be included in the definition of “ABL Credit Agreement,” one or more (A) debt facilities, indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, notes, debentures, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, (B) debt securities, indentures or other forms of debt financing (including convertible or exchangeable debt instruments or bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances), or (C) instruments or agreements evidencing any other Indebtedness, in each case, with the same or different borrowers or issuers and, in each case, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, increased, replaced or refunded in whole or in part from time to time.
“Acquisition” means the acquisition of the equity of CommScope indirectly by the Issuer pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
“Acquired Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Subsidiary of, such specified Person, and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“Additional 2019 Notes” means any additional 2019 Notes issued pursuant to the 2019 Notes Indenture.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, co-registrar or additional paying agent.
“Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable Redemption Date, the greater of:
(i) 1.0% of the then outstanding principal amount of such Note; and
(ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such Redemption Date of (1) the redemption price of the Note at June 1, 2016 as set forth in Section 5.1(a) plus (2) all required interest payments due on the Note through June 1, 2016 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the Redemption Date, and assuming that the rate of interest on the Notes for the period from the Redemption Date through June 1, 2016 will be the rate for Cash Interest), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate on the third Business Day prior to the date of the applicable notice of redemption plus 50 basis points; over (B) the then outstanding principal amount of the Note.
The Issuer shall be responsible for calculating the Applicable Premium and the Trustee shall not be responsible for calculating or verifying the calculation of the Applicable Premium.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Asset Sale” means:
(1) the sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition (whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions) of property or assets (including by way of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction) of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (each referred to in this definition as a “disposition”) or
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(2) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests (other than (i) directors’ qualifying shares or shares or interests required to be held by foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent required by applicable law and (ii) Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with Section 3.3) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) (whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions),
in each case, other than:
(a) a sale, exchange or other disposition of Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities or obsolete, damaged, unnecessary, unsuitable or worn out equipment in the ordinary course of business;
(b) the sale, conveyance, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in a manner pursuant to Section 4.1 or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;
(c) any Restricted Payment that is permitted to be made, and is made, under Section 3.4 or any Permitted Investment;
(d) any disposition of assets or issuance or sale of Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, with an aggregate Fair Market Value of less than $20.0 million;
(e) any transfer or disposition of property or assets by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to the Issuer or by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(f) the creation of any Lien permitted under this Indenture;
(g) any issuance or sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(h) the sale, lease, assignment, license or sublease of inventory, equipment, accounts receivable or other current assets held for sale in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with any financing transaction;
(i) the lease, assignment or sublease of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;
(j) a sale of accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” to a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing or in factoring or similar transactions;
(k) a transfer of accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” (or a fractional undivided interest therein) by a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing;
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(l) any exchange of assets for assets (including a combination of assets and Cash Equivalents) related to a Similar Business of comparable or greater market value or useful to the business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by the Issuer, which in the event of an exchange of assets with a Fair Market Value in excess of (1) $20.0 million shall be evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate, and (2) $40.0 million shall be set forth in a resolution approved in good faith by at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer;
(m) the grant in the ordinary course of business of any license or sub-license of patents, trademarks, know-how and any other intellectual property;
(n) the sale in a Sale/Leaseback Transaction of any property acquired after January 14, 2011 within twelve months of the acquisition of such property;
(o) the surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, release or surrender of a contract, tort or other litigation claim in the ordinary course of business; and
(p) foreclosures, condemnations or any similar action on assets not prohibited by this Indenture.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
“Board of Directors” means as to any Person, the board of directors or managers, sole member or managing member, as applicable, of such Person (or, if such Person is a partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the general partner of such Person) or any duly authorized committee thereof.
“Borrowing Base” means, as of any date, an amount equal to: (1)85% of the value of all accounts receivable owned by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date; plus (2)70% of the value of all inventory owned by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date, all calculated on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.
“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law to close in New York City, or, with respect to any payments to be made under this Indenture, the place of payment.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and
(4) 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.
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“Capitalized Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination thereof is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a lease that would at such time be required to be capitalized and reflected as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as in effect as of the Issue Date.
“Cash Contribution Amount” means the aggregate amount of cash contributions made to the capital of the Issuer and designated as a “Cash Contribution Amount” as described in the definition of “Contribution Indebtedness.”
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) U.S. Dollars, Canadian Dollars, pounds sterling, euros or the national currency of any participating member state of the European Union;
(2) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the government of the United States or any country that is a member of the European Union or any agency or instrumentality thereof in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances, in each case with maturities not exceeding one year, and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500 million, or the foreign currency equivalent thereof, and whose long-term debt is rated “A” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency);
(4) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3);
(5) commercial paper issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Issuer) rated at least “A-1” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency) and in each case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(6) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof having one of the two highest rating categories obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P (or reasonably equivalent ratings of another internationally recognized ratings agency) in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(7) Indebtedness issued by Persons (other than the Sponsor) with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P or “A-2” or higher from Moody’s in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(8) investment funds investing at least 95% of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (6) above; and
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(9) Investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s; and
(10) in the case of Investments by any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary, (x) such local currencies in those countries in which such Foreign Subsidiary transacts business from time to time in the ordinary course of business and (y) Investments of comparable tenor and credit quality to those described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (8) customarily utilized in countries in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates for short-term cash management purposes.
“Cash Interest” shall mean the interest on the Notes that is payable entirely in cash.
“Change of Control” means:
(1) the Issuer becomes aware of the acquisition by any Person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision), including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act or any successor provision), other than any of the Permitted Holders, in a single transaction or in a related series of transactions, by way of merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or purchase of Equity Interests or otherwise, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of Voting Stock of the Issuer representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer, provided that so long as the Issuer is a Subsidiary of any Permitted Parent, no Person or group shall be deemed to be or become a beneficial owner of Voting Stock of the Issuer representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer unless such Person or group shall be or become a beneficial owner of Voting Stock of such Permitted Parent representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such Permitted Parent;
(2) the sale, lease or transfer, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to a Person (other than one or more of the Permitted Holders) and any Person or group (as defined in clause (1) above), other than one or more Permitted Holders, is or becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision) of Voting Stock of the transferee Person in such sale, lease or transfer of assets representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such transferee Person, provided that so long as such transferee Person is a Subsidiary of a parent Person, no Person or group shall be deemed to be or become a beneficial owner of Voting Stock of the transferee Person in such sale, lease or transfer of assets representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such transferee Person unless such Person or group shall be or become a beneficial owner of Voting Stock of such parent Person representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such parent Person; or
(3) the Issuer ceases to own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of CommScope (except to the extent CommScope is merged into the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Indenture);
provided, however, that in no event shall a Change of Control be deemed to have occurred pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above if immediately after, and for the 90 days following, the date upon which the event occurred that would have given rise to the Change of Control, the Consolidated Total Debt Ratio of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding such date would be no greater than 3.50 to 1.00.
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“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“CommScope” means CommScope, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and not does not refer to any of its parent companies or Subsidiaries.
“Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Issuer by any Officer.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, to the extent such expense was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income (including (a) amortization of original issue discount, (b) the interest component of Capitalized Lease Obligations, and (c) net payments and receipts (if any) pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations with respect to Indebtedness and excluding amortization of deferred financing fees and (x) expensing of any bridge or other financing fees, (y) the non-cash portion of interest expense resulting from the reduction in the carrying value under purchase accounting of the Issuer’s outstanding Indebtedness and (z) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Receivables Financing);
(2) interest on Indebtedness described in Section 3.4(b)(xiii)(b) (to the extent not already included in clause (1) above); and
(3) consolidated capitalized interest of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued;
less interest income for such period;
provided that, for purposes of calculating Consolidated Interest Expense, no effect shall be given to the discount and/or premium resulting from the bifurcation of derivatives under FASB ASC 815 and related interpretations as a result of the terms of the Indebtedness to which such Consolidated Interest Expense relates.
For purposes of this definition, interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by such Person to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis; provided, however, that:
(1) any net after-tax extraordinary, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses or income or expenses (including the effect of all fees and expenses relating thereto), including, without limitation, any fees, expenses, charges or payments made under or contemplated by the Merger Agreement or otherwise related to the Transactions, shall be excluded;
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(2) the Net Income for such period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period;
(3) any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of discontinued operations shall be excluded;
(4) any net after-tax gains or losses (including the effect of all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to business dispositions (including Capital Stock of any Person) or asset dispositions or abandonments other than in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) shall be excluded;
(5) any net after-tax gains or losses (including the effect of all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness, Hedging Obligations and other derivative instruments shall be excluded;
(6) the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary of such Person, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor), shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period;
(7) solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)(1), the Net Income for such period of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary Guarantor) shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of its Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless all such restrictions with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions have been legally waived; provided that (x) the net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be included therein and (y) the Consolidated Net Income of such Person shall be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or converted into cash) by any such Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, to the extent not already included therein;
(8) any non-cash compensation expense realized from employee benefit plans or post-employment benefit plans, grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded;
(9) (a) (i) the non-cash portion of “straight-line” rent expense shall be excluded and (ii) the cash portion of “straight-line” rent expense that exceeds the amount expensed in respect of such rent expense shall be included and (b) non-cash gains, losses, income and expenses resulting from fair value accounting required by FASB ASC 815 shall be excluded;
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(10) unrealized gains and losses relating to hedging transactions and mark-to-market of Indebtedness denominated in foreign currencies resulting from the application of FASB ASC 830 shall be excluded;
(11) any (a) severance or relocation costs or expenses, (b) one-time non-cash compensation charges, (c) the costs and expenses after January 14, 2011 related to employment of terminated employees, or (d) costs or expenses realized in connection with or resulting from stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options or other rights existing on January 14, 2011 of officers, directors and employees, in each case of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall be excluded;
(12) accruals and reserves, contingent liabilities and any gains and losses on the settlement of any pre-existing contractual or non-contractual relationships as a result of the Transactions that are established or adjusted within 12 months after January 14, 2011 and that are so required to be established or adjusted in accordance with GAAP or as a result of adoption or modification of accounting policies shall be excluded;
(13) the effect of any non-cash impairment charges or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs of assets (including intangible assets, goodwill and deferred financing costs but excluding accounts receivable) or liabilities resulting from the application of GAAP (including in connection with the Transactions) and the amortization of intangibles arising from the application of GAAP (excluding any non-cash item to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenditures in any future period except to the extent such item is subsequently reversed) shall be excluded;
(14) any non-cash interest expense and non-cash interest income, in each case to the extent there is no associated cash disbursement or receipt, as the case may be, before the earlier of the maturity date of the Notes and the date on which all the Notes cease to be outstanding, shall be excluded; and
(15) any fees and expenses incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, Investment, Asset Sale, issuance or repayment of Indebtedness, issuance of Equity Interests, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Issue Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed) and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction shall be excluded.
In addition, to the extent not already included in the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of proceeds actually received from business interruption insurance and reimbursements of any expenses and charges pursuant to indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Permitted Investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the purpose of Section 3.4 only, there shall be excluded from Consolidated Net Income any dividends, repayments of loans or advances or other transfers of assets from Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to the extent such dividends, repayments or transfers increase the amount of Restricted Payments permitted under Sections 3.4(a)(C)(5) or (6).
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“Consolidated Non-cash Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate depreciation, amortization (including amortization of intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period), impairment, non-cash compensation and other non-cash expenses of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries reducing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if any non-cash charges referred to in this definition represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from EBITDA in such future period to such extent paid.
“Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio” as of any date of determination means the ratio of (1) (x) Consolidated Total Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries that is secured by a Lien as of the end of the most recent fiscal period for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur minus (y) the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents, in each case, that is held by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of such most recent fiscal period to (2) the EBITDA of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case, with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Total Indebtedness and EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio;” provided that, in the event that the Issuer shall classify Indebtedness Incurred on the date of determination as secured in part pursuant to clause (24) of the “Permitted Liens” definition and in part pursuant to one or more other clauses of such definition, as provided in the final paragraph of such definition, any calculation of Consolidated Total Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien for purposes of clause (x) above shall not include any such Indebtedness (and shall not give effect to any repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition, retirement or discharge of Indebtedness from the proceeds thereof) to the extent secured pursuant to any such other clause of such definition solely for purposes of calculating Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such date of determination.
“Consolidated Taxes” means, with respect to any Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for any period, provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including, without limitation, state franchise and similar taxes, and including an amount equal to the amount of tax distributions actually made to the holders of Capital Stock of such Person or any direct or indirect parent of such Person in respect of such period in accordance with Section 3.4(b)(xii) which shall be included as though such amounts had been paid as income taxes directly by such Person.
“Consolidated Total Debt Ratio” as of any date of determination means the ratio of (1) (x) Consolidated Total Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal period for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur minus (y) the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents, in each case, that is held by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of such most recent fiscal period to (2) the EBITDA of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case, with such pro forma adjustments to Consolidated Total Indebtedness and EBITDA as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio;” provided that solely for the purposes of Section 3.4(b)(xxi), “Consolidated Total Debt Ratio” shall not shall be calculated giving effect to subclause (1)(y) above.
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“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis, to the extent required to be recorded on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, Capitalized Lease Obligations and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments and, regardless of whether on or off balance sheet, obligations under Receivables Financings.
“Contingent Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any leases, dividends or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent:
(1) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor,
(2) to advance or supply funds:
(a) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation; or
(b) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor; or
(3) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof.
“Contribution Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate amount of cash contributions (other than Excluded Contributions) made to the capital of the Issuer after January 14, 2011, provided that:
(1) such Contribution Indebtedness shall be Indebtedness with a Stated Maturity later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes and a Weighted Average Life to Maturity longer than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Notes, and
(2) such Contribution Indebtedness (a) is Incurred within 210 days after the making of such cash contributions and (b) is so designated as Contribution Indebtedness pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate on the Incurrence date thereof.
“Corporate Trust Office” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.1 or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuer or Holders pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 12.1.
“Credit Agreements” shall mean any ABL Credit Agreement and any Term B Credit Agreement.
“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“Default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
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“Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Note” attached thereto.
“Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns, or such other depository institution hereinafter appointed by the Issuer.
“Designated Non-cash Consideration” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Issuer or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation, less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection on such Designated Non-cash Consideration.
“Designated Preferred Stock” means Preferred Stock of the Issuer or CommScope or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable (other than Excluded Equity), that is issued after the Issue Date for cash and is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are contributed to the capital of the Issuer (if issued by CommScope or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer) and excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.4(a)(C).
“Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is redeemable or exchangeable), in each case, at the option of the holder thereof or upon the happening of any event:
(1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (other than as a result of a change of control or asset sale; provided that the relevant asset sale or change of control provisions, taken as a whole, are no more favorable in any material respect to holders of such Capital Stock than the asset sale and change of control provisions applicable to the Notes and any purchase requirement triggered thereby may not become operative until compliance with the asset sale and change of control provisions applicable to the Notes (including the purchase of any Notes tendered pursuant thereto)),
(2) is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, or
(3) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part,
in each case prior to 91 days after the maturity date of the Notes; provided, however, that only the portion of Capital Stock that so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date shall be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, however, that if such Capital Stock is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Issuer or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Capital Stock shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Issuer in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability; provided, further, that any class of Capital Stock of such Person that by its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Stock shall not be deemed to be Disqualified Stock.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary or a Subsidiary of a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957(a) of the Code.
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“EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus, without duplication, to the extent the same was deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income:
(1) Consolidated Taxes; plus
(2) Consolidated Interest Expense; plus
(3) Consolidated Non-cash Charges; plus
(4) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees, termination payments and related expenses paid to the Sponsor (or any accruals relating to such fees and related expenses) during such period to the extent permitted by Section 3.8; plus
(5) any expenses or charges (other than Consolidated Non-cash Charges) related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the Incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred by this Indenture (including a refinancing thereof) (whether or not successful), including (i) such fees, expenses or charges related to (x) the offering of the Notes or (y) the Issue Date Transactions, (ii) any amendment or other modification of the Notes or other Indebtedness and (iii) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Qualified Receivables Financing; plus
(6) the amount of loss on sale of receivables and related assets to a Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing; plus
(7) the amount of any restructuring charges or reserves (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include retention, severance, systems establishment cost, excess pension charges, contract termination costs, including future lease commitments, costs related to the start up, closure, relocation or consolidation of facilities and costs to relocate employees), plus
(8) all adjustments of the nature used in connection with the calculation of “Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA” as set forth in (i) note 3 to “Summary—Summary historical and unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information” in the 2019 Notes Offering Memorandum and (ii) note 4 to “Summary—Summary historical audited and unaudited consolidated financial information” contained in the Offering Memorandum, in each case, to the extent such adjustments continue to be applicable during the period in which EBITDA is being calculated, plus
(9) any costs or expense incurred pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor or the net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity) solely to the extent that such net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)(1); plus/minus
(10) gains or losses due solely to fluctuations in currency values and the related tax effects, less, without duplication, non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding any items that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period).
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“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means any public or private sale after the Issue Date of capital stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable (other than Disqualified Stock), other than:
(1) public offerings with respect to the Issuer’s or such direct or indirect parent’s common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;
(2) issuances to any Subsidiary of the Issuer; and
(3) any such public or private sale that constitutes an Excluded Contribution or Refunding Capital Stock.
“Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“Excluded Contributions” means the net cash proceeds and Cash Equivalents received by the Issuer after the Issue Date from:
(1) contributions to its common equity capital, and
(2) the sale of Capital Stock (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer,
in each case designated as Excluded Contributions pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate executed by an Officer of the Issuer, the proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 3.4(a)(C).
“Excluded Equity” means (i)
Disqualified Stock, (ii) any Equity Interests issued or sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or any employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries (to the extent such employee stock
ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary) and (iii) any Equity Interest that has already been used or designated (x) as (or the proceeds of which have been used or designated as) a Cash
Contribution Amount, Designated Preferred Stock, Excluded Contribution or Refunding Capital Stock, or (y) to increase the amount available under
Section 3.4(b)(iv)(a) or clause (14) of the definition of “Permitted
Investments” or is proceeds of Indebtedness referred to Section 3.4(b)(xiii)(b).
“Existing Foreign Facilities” means collectively, (i) that certain Financing Agreement between San Paolo IMI S.P.A and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with aggregate outstanding commitments of $6.3 million as of January 14, 2011, (ii) that certain letter of credit facility between Credit Suisse and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with an aggregate of $6.4 million of letter of credit capacity as of January 14, 2011, (iii) that certain Credit Facility between China Construction Bank and a Subsidiary of the Issuer
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with aggregate outstanding commitments of $61.5 million as of January 14, 2011, (iv) that certain letter of credit facility between Agricultural Bank of China and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with an aggregate of $1.1 million of letter of credit capacity and (v) that certain letter of credit facility between Unicredit Group and a Subsidiary of the Issuer with an aggregate of $0.1 million of letter of credit capacity.
“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price that could be negotiated in an arm’s-length, free market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction (as determined in good faith by the senior management or the Board of Directors of the Issuer, whose determination will be conclusive for all purposes under this Indenture and the Notes.
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standard Codifications as promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, including any renumbering of such standards or any successor or replacement section or sections promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs or redeems or repays any Indebtedness (other than in the case of revolving credit borrowings or revolving advances under any Qualified Receivables Financing, in which case interest expense shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period) or issues or redeems Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated but prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence or redemption or repayment of Indebtedness, or such issuance or redemption of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock, as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period; provided that, in the event that the Issuer shall classify Indebtedness Incurred on the date of determination as Incurred in part pursuant to Section 3.3(a) and in part pursuant to one or more clauses of Section 3.3(b), as provided in the third paragraph of Section 3.3, any calculation of Fixed Charges pursuant to this definition shall not include any such Indebtedness (and shall not give effect to any repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition, retirement or discharge of Indebtedness from the proceeds thereof) to the extent Incurred pursuant to any such other clause of such definition solely for purposes of calculating Fixed Charges on such date of determination.
For purposes of making the computation referred to above, Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers (including the Transactions), consolidations and discontinued operations, in each case with respect to an operating unit of a business, and operational changes, that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has both determined to make and made after the Issue Date and during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the Calculation Date (each, for purposes of this definition, a “pro forma event”) shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers (including the Transactions), consolidations, discontinued operations and operational changes (and the change of any associated fixed charge obligations and the change in EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period. If since the beginning of such period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period shall have made or effected any Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation or discontinued operation, in each case with respect to an operating unit of a business, or operational change that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto for such period as if such Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, discontinued operation or operational change had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period.
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For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any pro forma event, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer or CommScope, as applicable. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligations applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility or a Qualified Receivables Financing computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period except as set forth in the first paragraph of this definition. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Issuer or CommScope, as applicable, may designate. Any such pro forma calculation may include, without limitation, (1) adjustments permitted by and calculated consistent with the requirements of Article 11 of Regulation S-X (regardless of whether pro forma financial information would be required to be presented thereunder), (2) adjustments calculated to give effect to any Pro Forma Cost Savings and (3) all adjustments of the nature used in connection with the calculation of “Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA” as set forth in (i) note 3 under the caption “Summary—Summary historical and unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information” in the 2019 Notes Offering Memorandum and (ii) note 4 under the caption “Summary—Summary historical audited and unaudited consolidated financial information” in the Offering Memorandum, in each case, to the extent such adjustments, without duplication, continue to be applicable to such four-quarter period.
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of:
(1) Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person for such period, and
(2) all cash dividend payments (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary not organized or existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or territory or the District of Columbia thereof and any direct or indirect Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary.
“Foreign Subsidiary Holdco” means any Domestic Subsidiary that has no material assets other than the Capital Stock of one or more “controlled foreign corporations” within the meaning of Section 957(a) of the Code.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are (except as set forth in the definition of Capitalized Lease Obligations) in effect from time to time. At any time after the Issue Date, the issuer may elect to apply IFRS accounting principles in
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lieu of GAAP and, upon any such election, references herein to GAAP shall thereafter be construed to mean IFRS (except as otherwise provided in this Indenture); provided that any such election, once made, shall be irrevocable; provided, further, any calculation or determination in this Indenture that requires the application of GAAP for periods that include fiscal quarters ended prior to the Issuer election to apply IFRS shall remain as previously calculated or determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, for purposes of this Indenture, all references to codified accounting standards specifically named herein shall be deemed to include any successor, replacement, amended or updated accounting standard under GAAP.
“Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(b) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
“Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.1 or 2.6 hereof.
“guarantee” means, as to any Person, a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other obligations.
“Guarantee” means any guarantee of the Obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes by any Person in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under:
(1) currency exchange, interest rate or commodity swap agreements, currency swap, interest rate or commodity cap agreements and currency exchange, interest rate or commodity collar agreements; and
(2) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange, interest rates or commodity prices or equity risks.
“Holder” or “Noteholder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.
“IFRS” means the International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
“Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, issue, assume, guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Subsidiary.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication:
(1) the principal and premium (if any) of any Indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, (a) in respect of borrowed money, (b) evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances (or, without duplication, reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), (c) representing the deferred and unpaid purchase price
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of any property, except (i) any such balance that constitutes a trade payable, accrued expense or similar obligation to a trade creditor, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business and (ii) any earn-out obligations until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, (d) in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations, (e) representing any Hedging Obligations, if and to the extent that any of the foregoing Indebtedness (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP or (f) under or in respect of Receivables Financings;
(2) to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation of such Person to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, on the Indebtedness of another Person (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business); and
(3) to the extent not otherwise included, Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned by such Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person); provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of: (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination, and (b) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Person;
provided that (a) Contingent Obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business and (b) obligations under or in respect of Receivables Financings shall be deemed not to constitute Indebtedness.
“Indenture” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“Independent Financial Advisor” means an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm or consultant, in each case of nationally recognized standing that is, in the good faith determination of the Issuer, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.
“Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
“Initial Notes” means the $550,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020 of the Issuer issued under this Indenture on the Issue Date.
“Initial Purchasers” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Mizuho Securities USA Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Limited.
“Interest Payment Date” means June 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing, in the case of the Initial Notes, on December 1, 2013 and ending at the Stated Maturity of the Notes.
“Interest Period” means the period commencing on and including an Interest Payment Date and ending on and including the day immediately preceding the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, with the exception that the first Interest Period shall commence on and include the Issue Date and end on and include the day immediately preceding the first scheduled Interest Payment Date
“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB-(or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency.
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“Investment Grade Securities” means:
(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash Equivalents) and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition,
(2) securities that have an Investment Grade Rating, but excluding any debt securities or instruments constituting loans or advances among the Issuer and its Subsidiaries,
(3) investments in any fund that invests at least 95.0% of its assets in investments of the type described in clauses (1) and (2) which fund may also hold immaterial amounts of cash pending investment and/or distribution, and
(4) corresponding instruments in countries other than the United States customarily utilized for high quality investments and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of loans (including guarantees), advances or capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit and advances to customers and commission, travel and similar advances to officers, employees and consultants made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities issued by any other Person and investments that are required by GAAP to be classified on the balance sheet of the Issuer in the same manner as the other investments included in this definition to the extent such transactions involve the transfer of cash or other property. If the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, or any Restricted Subsidiary issues any Equity Interests, in either case, such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Issuer, the Issuer shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or other disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Equity Interests of and all other Investments in such Restricted Subsidiary retained. In no event shall a guarantee of an operating lease of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary be deemed an Investment. For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and Section 3.4:
(1) “Investments” shall include the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of the Issuer at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary equal to an amount (if positive) equal to:
(a) the Issuer’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less
(b) the portion (proportionate to the Issuer’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and
(2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Issuer.
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The amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value (determined, in the case of any Investment made with assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, based on the Fair Market Value of the assets invested).
“Issue Date” means May 28, 2013.
“Issue Date Transactions” means the entry by the Issuer into this Indenture and the issuance of the Notes hereunder and the payment on or after the Issue Date of cash dividends or other distributions of up to $550.0 million to holders of the Issuer’s Equity Interests and other transactions, including the payment of fees and expenses, relating to any of the foregoing.
“Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.
“JV Distributions” means, at any time, 50% of the aggregate amount of all cash dividends or distributions received by the Issuer or CommScope or any of their respective Restricted Subsidiaries as a return on an Investment in a Permitted Joint Venture during the period from January 14, 2011 through the end of the fiscal quarter most recently ended immediately prior to such date for which financial statements are internally available (provided that the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are not required to reinvest such dividends or distributions in the Permitted Joint Venture).
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction); provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to constitute a Lien.
“Management Agreement” means that certain Management Agreement between the Issuer and T.C. Group V, L.L.C., as amended, restated, modified or replaced as of January 14, 2011 and as may be amended, modified or replaced to the extent such amendment, modification or replacement is not less advantageous to the Holders in any material respect than the Management Agreement as in effect as of January 14, 2011.
“Management Group” means the group consisting of the executive officers and other management personnel of CommScope on January 14, 2011 or who became officers or management personnel of CommScope or any direct or indirect parent of CommScope, as applicable, and the Subsidiaries following January 14, 2011 (other than in connection with a transaction that would otherwise be a Change of Control if such persons were not included in the definition of “Permitted Holders”), or (in each case) trusts, partnerships or limited liability companies for the benefit of any of the foregoing, or any of their heirs, executors, successors and legal representatives, who at any date beneficially own or have the right to acquire, directly or indirectly, Equity Interests of the Issuer or any Permitted Parent.
“Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 26, 2010, among CommScope, the Issuer and Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
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“Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received in respect of or upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-cash Consideration received in any Asset Sale and any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received, and including any proceeds received as a result of unwinding any related Hedging Obligations in connection with such transaction but excluding the assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness relating to the disposed assets or other consideration received in any other non-cash form), net of the direct cash costs relating to such Asset Sale and the sale or disposition of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and brokerage and sales commissions), and any relocation expenses incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements related thereto), amounts required to be applied to the repayment of principal, premium (if any) and interest on Indebtedness required (other than pursuant to Section 3.7(b)) to be paid as a result of such transaction, any costs associated with unwinding any related Hedging Obligations in connection with such transaction and any deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a reserve in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the asset disposed of in such transaction and retained by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries after such sale or other disposition thereof, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction.
“Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) attributable to such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends.
“Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.
“Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.
“Notes” means the Initial Notes, any Additional Notes and any PIK Notes, treated as a single class of securities.
“Notes Custodian” means the custodian with respect to the Global Note (as appointed by the Depositary), or any successor Person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.
“Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including, without limitation, reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances), damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness; provided that Obligations with respect to the Notes shall not include fees or indemnification in favor of the Trustee and other third parties other than the Holders of the Notes.
“Offering Memorandum” means the confidential Offering Memorandum dated May 22, 2013, used in connection with the offering of the Initial Notes.
“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Issuer, CommScope or of any other Person, as the case may be.
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“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer of the Issuer that meets the requirements set forth in this Indenture.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer.
“Original Issue Discount Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(d) to be placed on any Note issued under this Indenture.
“Pari Passu Indebtedness” means:
(1) with respect to the Issuer, the Notes and any Indebtedness that ranks pari passu in right of payment to the Notes; and
(2) with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor, its Guarantee and any Indebtedness that ranks pari passu in right of payment to such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Guarantee.
“Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream a Person who has an account with the Depositary, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear or Clearstream).
“Permanent Regulation S Global Note” means a permanent Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Temporary Regulation S Global Note upon expiration of the Restricted Period.
“Permitted Asset Swap” means the concurrent purchase and sale or exchange of Related Business Assets or a combination of Related Business Assets and cash or Cash Equivalents between the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person; provided that any cash or Cash Equivalents received must be applied in accordance with Section 3.7.
“Permitted Debt” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in the covenant described under Section 3.3.
“Permitted Holders” means each of (i) the Sponsor, (ii) the Management Group, (iii) any group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act or any successor provision) of which the Persons described in clauses (i) and (ii) are members; provided that, without giving effect to the existence of such group or any other group, the Persons described in clauses (i) and (ii), collectively, beneficially own Voting Stock representing 50% or more of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Issuer or any of its direct or indirect parent companies held by such group and (iv) any Permitted Parent. Any Person or group, together with its Affiliates, whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is made in accordance with the requirements of this Indenture will thereafter, together with its Affiliates, constitute an additional Permitted Holder. “Beneficial Ownership” has the meaning given to such term under Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor provision.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(1) any Investment in cash and Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities;
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(2) any Investment in the Issuer (including the Notes) or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) any Investment by Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer in other Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer and Investments by Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries in other Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer;
(4) any Investment by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a Person that is primarily engaged in a Similar Business if as a result of such Investment (a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, or (b) such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(5) any Investment in securities or other assets not constituting cash, Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities and received in connection with an Asset Sale made pursuant to Section 3.7 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;
(6) any Investment (x) existing on the Issue Date, (y) made pursuant to binding commitments in effect on the Issue Date and (z) that replaces, refinances, refunds, renews or extends any Investment described under either of the immediately preceding clauses (x) or (y); provided that any such Investment is in an amount that does not exceed the amount replaced, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended;
(7) advances to employees not in excess of $10.0 million outstanding at any one time in the aggregate;
(8) loans and advances to officers, directors and employees for business related travel expenses, moving and relocation expenses and other similar expenses, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(9) any Investment (x) acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable, or (b) as a result of a foreclosure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default and (y) received in compromise or resolution of (a) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer, or (b) litigation, arbitration or other disputes;
(10) Hedging Obligations permitted under Section 3.3(b)(x);
(11) any Investment by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Similar Business (other than an Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (11) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $135.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding; provided, however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (11) is made in any
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Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (2) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (11) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
(12) Investments in joint ventures of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the Issue Date in an aggregate amount, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (12) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $135.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets at the time of such Investment, at any one time outstanding; provided, that the Investments permitted pursuant to this clause (12) may be increased by the amount of JV Distributions, without duplication of dividends or distributions increasing amounts available pursuant to Section 3.4(a)(C);
(13) additional Investments by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (13) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $225.0 million and (y) 4.0% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding;
(14) Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (14) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 1.75% of Total Assets, at the time of such Investment (with the Fair Market Value of each Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), at any one time outstanding; provided that no Default or Event of Default exists at the time of any such Investment or would result therefrom;
(15) Investments the payment for which consists of Equity Interests (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as applicable; provided, however, that such Equity Interests will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C);
(16) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of intellectual property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons;
(17) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials and equipment or purchases of contract rights or licenses or leases of intellectual property, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(18) any Investment in a Receivables Subsidiary or any Investment by a Receivables Subsidiary in any other Person in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing, including Investments of funds held in accounts permitted or required by the arrangements governing such Qualified Receivables Financing or any related Indebtedness; provided, however, that any Investment in a Receivables Subsidiary is in the form of a Purchase Money Note, contribution of additional receivables or an equity interest;
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(19) Investments of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired after the Issue Date or of an entity merged into or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in a transaction that is not prohibited by Section 4.1 after the Issue Date to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation; and
(20) guarantees of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 3.3, and performance guarantees in the ordinary course of business.
“Permitted Joint Venture” means, with respect to any specified Person, a joint venture in any other Person engaged in a Similar Business in respect of which the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary beneficially owns at least 35% of the shares of Equity Interests of such Person.
“Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:
(1) pledges or deposits by such Person under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or U.S. government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import duties or for the payment of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(2) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s and mechanics’ Liens, in each case for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review (or which, if due and payable, are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves are being maintained, to the extent required by GAAP and such proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property or assets subject to any such Lien);
(3) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges (i) that are not yet due or payable or (ii) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings that have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property or assets subject to any such Lien and for which adequate reserves are being maintained to the extent required by GAAP;
(4) Liens in favor of issuers of performance and surety bonds or bid bonds or with respect to other regulatory requirements or letters of credit issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;
(5) minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties that were not Incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
(6) Liens Incurred to secure Obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to clauses (i), (iv), (xvii) or (xx) of the definition of “Permitted Debt”; provided that, (x) in the case of clause (iv), such Lien extends only to the assets and/or Capital Stock, the acquisition, lease, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of which is financed thereby and any income or profits thereof; and (y) in the case of clause (xx), such Lien does not extend to the property or assets (or income or profits therefrom) of any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor;
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(7) Liens existing on the Issue Date;
(8) Liens on assets of, or Equity Interests in, a Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming such a Subsidiary; provided, further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(9) Liens on assets at the time the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer acquired the assets, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer; provided, however, that such Liens are not created or Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided, further, however, that the Liens may not extend to any other assets owned by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer;
(10) Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer permitted to be Incurred in accordance with Section 3.3;
(11) Liens securing Hedging Obligations so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted to be under this Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligations;
(12) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;
(13) leases and subleases of real property that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(14) Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(15) Liens in favor of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor;
(16) Liens on accounts receivable and related assets of the type specified in the definition of “Receivables Financing” Incurred in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(17) deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure liability to insurance carriers;
(18) Liens on the Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
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(19) grants of software and other technology licenses in the ordinary course of business;
(20) judgment and attachment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default and notices of lis pendens and associated rights related to litigation being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been made;
(21) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(22) Liens Incurred to secure cash management services (and other “bank products”) owed to a lender under the Credit Agreements (or any Affiliate of such lender) in the ordinary course of business;
(23) Liens to secure any refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement (or successive refinancings, refundings, extensions, renewals or replacements) as a whole, or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and ( 24); provided, however, that (x) such new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property that secured the original Lien (plus improvements on such property), and (y) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (A) the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of the Indebtedness described under clauses (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (24) at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture, and (B) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such refinancing, refunding, extension, renewal or replacement;
(24) Liens securing Pari Passu Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3; provided that at the time of any Incurrence of such Pari Passu Indebtedness and the associated Lien and after giving pro forma effect thereto (in a manner consistent with the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio) under this clause (24), the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio shall not be greater than 2.25 to 1.00;
(25) other Liens securing obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business that do not exceed the greater of (x) $87.5 million and (y) 2.0% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence of such obligation, at any one time outstanding;
(26) Liens on the assets of a joint venture to secure Indebtedness of such joint venture Incurred pursuant to clause (xxi) of the definition of “Permitted Debt”;
(27) Liens on equipment of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer granted in the ordinary course of business to the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s client where such equipment is located;
(28) Liens created solely for the benefit of (or to secure) all of the Notes or the Guarantees;
(29) Liens on property or assets used to defease or to satisfy and discharge Indebtedness; provided that such defeasance or satisfaction and discharge is not prohibited by this Indenture;
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(30) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation and exportation of goods in the ordinary course of business;
(31) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection; (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodity brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) in favor of banking institutions arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits (including the right of setoff) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry; and
(32) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness; (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries; or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.
For purposes of determining compliance with this definition, (x) a Lien need not be Incurred solely by reference to one category of Permitted Liens described in this definition but may be Incurred under any combination of such categories (including in part under one such category and in part under any other such category), (y) in the event that a Lien (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more of such categories of Permitted Liens, the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, classify or reclassify such Lien (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this definition, and (z) in the event that a portion of Indebtedness secured by a Lien could be classified as secured in part pursuant to clause (24) above (giving effect to the Incurrence of such portion of such Indebtedness), the Issuer, in its sole discretion, may classify such portion of such Indebtedness (and any Obligations in respect thereof) as having been secured pursuant to clause (24) above and thereafter the remainder of the Indebtedness as having been secured pursuant to one or more of the other clauses of this definition.
“Permitted Parent” means (a) any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer that at the time it became a parent of the Issuer was a Permitted Holder pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of the definition thereof and such parent was not formed in connection with, or in contemplation of, a transaction (other than the Transactions) that would otherwise constitute a Change of Control, and (b) any Public Company (or Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Public Company) to the extent and until such time as any Person or group (other than a Permitted Holder) is deemed to be or become a beneficial owner of Voting Stock of such Public Company representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of such Public Company.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
“PIK Interest” means interest on the Notes, which is paid, at the Issuer’s election, by increasing the amount of the outstanding Notes or by issuing additional PIK Notes.
“Preferred Stock” means any Equity Interest with preferential right of payment of dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
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“Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(c) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions hereof.
“Pro Forma Cost Savings” means, without duplication, with respect to any period, the reductions in costs and other operating improvements or synergies that have been realized or are reasonably anticipated to be realized in good faith with respect to a pro forma event within twelve months of the date of such pro forma event and that are reasonable and factually supportable, as if all such reductions in costs and other operating improvements or synergies had been effected as of the beginning of such period, decreased by any recurring incremental expenses incurred or to be incurred during such four-quarter period in order to achieve such reduction in costs. Pro Forma Cost Savings described in the preceding sentence shall be accompanied by a certificate delivered to the Trustee from the Issuer’s chief financial officer that outlines the specific actions taken or to be taken and the net cost reductions and other operating improvements or synergies achieved or to be achieved from each such action and certifies that such cost reductions and other operating improvements or synergies meet the criteria set forth in the preceding sentence.
“Public Company” means any Person with a class or series of Voting Stock that is traded on a stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market.
“Purchase Money Note” means a promissory note of a Receivables Subsidiary evidencing a line of credit, which may be irrevocable, from the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer to a Receivables Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing, which note is intended to finance that portion of the purchase price that is not paid by cash or a contribution of equity.
“QIB” means any “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A).
“Qualified Receivables Financing” means any Receivables Financing of a Receivables Subsidiary that meets the following conditions:
(1) the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall have determined in good faith that such Qualified Receivables Financing (including financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions) is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries,
(2) all sales of accounts receivable and related assets by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Receivables Subsidiary are made at Fair Market Value (as determined in good faith by the Issuer), and
(3) the financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions thereof shall be market terms (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) and may include Standard Securitization Undertakings.
The grant of a security interest in any accounts receivable of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Receivables Subsidiary) to secure any Credit Agreement shall not be deemed a Qualified Receivables Financing.
“Rating Agency” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P and (2) if Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3 under the Exchange Act selected by the Issuer or any parent of the Issuer as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be.
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“Receivables Fees” means distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any participation interest issued or sold in connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, any Receivables Financing.
“Receivables Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or otherwise transfer to (a) a Receivables Subsidiary (in the case of a transfer by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Receivables Subsidiary), or may grant a security interest in, any accounts receivable (whether now existing or arising in the future) of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, and any assets related thereto including, without limitation, all collateral securing such accounts receivable, all contracts and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such accounts receivable, proceeds of such accounts receivable and other assets that are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with asset securitization transactions involving accounts receivable and any Hedging Obligations entered into by the Issuer or any such Subsidiary in connection with such accounts receivable.
“Receivables Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of receivables in a Qualified Receivables Financing to repurchase receivables arising as a result of a breach of a representation, warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, off-set or counterclaim of any kind as a result of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other event relating to the seller.
“Receivables Subsidiary “ means a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Qualified Receivables Financing with the Issuer in which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer makes an Investment and to which the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer transfers accounts receivable and related assets) that engages in no activities other than in connection with the financing of accounts receivable of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, all proceeds thereof and all rights (contractual or other), collateral and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities incidental or related to such business, and that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Issuer (as provided below) as a Receivables Subsidiary and:
(a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which (i) is guaranteed by the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer (excluding guarantees of obligations (other than the principal of, and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, or (iii) subjects any property or asset of the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings,
(b) with which neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms that the Issuer reasonably believes to be no less favorable to the Issuer or such Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Issuer, and
(c) to which neither the Issuer nor any other Subsidiary of the Issuer has any obligation to maintain or preserve such entity’s financial condition or cause such entity to achieve certain levels of operating results.
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Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.
“Record Date” for the interest payable on any applicable Interest Payment Date means May 15 and November 15 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Global Note” means a Temporary Regulation S Global Note or Permanent Regulation S Global Note, as applicable.
“Related Business Assets” means assets (other than cash or Cash Equivalents) used or useful in a Similar Business; provided that any assets received by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for assets transferred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary will not be deemed to be Related Business Assets if they consist of securities of a Person, unless upon receipt of the securities of such Person, such Person would become a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Replacement Assets” means (1) tangible assets that will be used or useful in a Similar Business, (2) substantially all the assets of a Similar Business or (3) a majority of the Voting Stock of any Person engaged in a Similar Business that will become, on the date of acquisition thereof, a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Period” means, in relation to the Initial Notes, the 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (A) the day on which the Initial Notes are offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and (B) the Issue Date; and, in relation to any Additional Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend, it means the comparable period of 40 consecutive days.
“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of a Person other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of such Person. Unless otherwise indicated in this Indenture, all references to Restricted Subsidiaries shall mean Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
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“Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means an arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person and the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person, other than leases between the Issuer and a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or between Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business, or any successor to the rating agency business thereof.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Issuer within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.
“Similar Business” means any business engaged in by the Issuer, CommScope or any of their respective Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and any business or other activities that are reasonably similar, ancillary, complementary or related to, or a reasonable extension, development or expansion of, the businesses in which the Issuer, CommScope and their respective Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date.
“Sponsor” means (1) T.C. Group L.L.C. and (2) one or more investment funds advised, managed or controlled by T.C. Group L.L.C. and, in each case (whether individually or as a group) Affiliates of (1) or (2) (but excluding any operating portfolio companies of the foregoing).
“Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities and guarantees of performance entered into by the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer that the Issuer has determined in good faith to be customary in a Receivables Financing including, without limitation, those relating to the servicing of the assets of a Receivables Subsidiary, it being understood that any Receivables Repurchase Obligation shall be deemed to be a Standard Securitization Undertaking.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency beyond the control of the issuer unless such contingency has occurred).
“Subordinated Indebtedness” means (a) with respect to the Issuer, any Indebtedness of the Issuer that is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, and (b) with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor that is by its terms subordinated in right of payment to its Guarantee.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (1) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock is at the time of determination owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person
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or a combination thereof, (2) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which (x) more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general and limited partnership interests, as applicable, are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, whether in the form of membership, general, special or limited partnership interests or otherwise, and (y) such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person is a controlling general partner or otherwise controls such entity and (3) any Person that is consolidated in the consolidated financial statements of the specified Person in accordance with GAAP.
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that Incurs a Guarantee of the Notes; provided that upon the release or discharge of such Person from its Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, such Person automatically ceases to be a Subsidiary Guarantor; provided further that no Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiary Holdco shall be a Subsidiary Guarantor.
“Temporary Regulation S Global Note” means a temporary Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereof bearing the Global Note Legend, the Private Placement Legend, and the Temporary Regulation S Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 903.
“Temporary Regulation S Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(e).
“Term B Credit Agreement” means (i) the credit agreement with respect to the senior secured term B credit facility entered into on the Issue Date among the Issuer, CommScope, certain Subsidiaries of CommScope, the financial institutions named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the original lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or any successor or replacement agreement or agreements or indenture or indentures or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, and (ii) whether or not the credit agreement referred to in clause (i) remains outstanding, if designated by the Issuer to be included in the definition of “Term B Credit Agreement,” one or more (A) debt facilities, indentures or commercial paper facilities providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, notes, debentures, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from lenders against such receivables) or letters of credit, (B) debt securities, indentures or other forms of debt financing (including convertible or exchangeable debt instruments or bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances), or (C) instruments or agreements evidencing any other Indebtedness, in each case, with the same or different borrowers or issuers and, in each case, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, increased, replaced or refunded in whole or in part from time to time.
“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture.
“Total Assets” means the total consolidated assets of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a pro forma basis as set forth in the definition of Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.
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“Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the borrowings under the Credit Agreements and the issuance of the 2019 Notes as in effect on January 14, 2011.
“Treasury Rate” means, as of the applicable redemption date, the yield to maturity in respect of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least three Business Days prior to the date of the applicable notice of redemption for such redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from such redemption date to June 1, 2016; provided, however, that if the period from such redemption date to June 1, 2016 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.
“Trust Officer” means any officer within the corporate trust administration department of the Trustee, with direct responsibility for performing the Trustee’s duties under this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Trustee” means Wilmington Trust, National Association until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor.
“Unrestricted Definitive Note” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means:
(1) any Subsidiary of the Issuer that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of such Person pursuant to Section 3.14; and
(2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are:
(1) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged, or
(2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America,
which, in each case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such
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depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depository receipt.
“Voting Stock” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, as the case may be, at any date, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the number of years from the date of determination to the date of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Disqualified Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment, by (2) the sum of all such payments.
“Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary” is any Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary.
“Wholly Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means a direct or indirect Subsidiary of such Person 100% of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or shares or interests required to be held by foreign nationals or other third parties to the extent required by applicable law) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person and one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
SECTION 1.2 Other Definitions.
| Term |
Defined in | |
| “actual knowledge” |
7.2(g) | |
| “Additional Notes” |
2.2 | |
| “Affiliate Transaction” |
3.8(a) | |
| “Agent Members” |
2.1(e) | |
| “AHYDO redemption date” |
5.2 | |
| “Asset Sale Offer” |
3.7(c) | |
| “Change of Control Offer” |
3.9(b) | |
| “Change of Control Payment Date” |
3.9(b) | |
| “covenant defeasance option” |
8.1 | |
| “Covenant Suspension Event” |
3.15(a) | |
| “Defaulted Interest” |
2.12 | |
| “DTC” |
2.1(b) | |
| “Event of Default” |
6.1 | |
| “Excess Proceeds” |
3.7(c) | |
| “Guarantor Obligations” |
10.1(a) | |
| “IPO” |
3.4(b)(iv) | |
| “legal defeasance option” |
8.1 | |
| “Mandatory Principal Redemption” |
5.2 | |
| “Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount” |
5.2 | |
| “Offer Amount” |
5.9(a) | |
| “Offer Period” |
5.9(a) |
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| Term |
Defined in | |
| “Offer to Repurchase” |
5.9 | |
| “Paying Agent” |
2.3 | |
| “Permitted Debt” |
3.3(b) | |
| “PIK Note” |
2.6(m) | |
| “PIK Payment” |
2.6(m) | |
| “Purchase Date” |
5.9(a) | |
| “Redemption Date” |
5.4 | |
| “Refinancing Indebtedness” |
3.3(b)(xiv) | |
| “Refunding Capital Stock” |
3.4(b)(ii) | |
| “Registrar” |
2.3 | |
| “Resale Restriction Termination Date” |
2.1(c) | |
| “Restricted Payments” |
3.4(a) | |
| “Retired Capital Stock” |
3.4(b)(ii) | |
| “Reversion Date” |
3.15 | |
| “Special Interest Payment Date” |
2.12(a) | |
| “Special Record Date” |
2.12(a) | |
| “Successor Company” |
4.1 | |
| “Successor Guarantor” |
10.5 | |
| “Suspended Covenants” |
3.15 | |
| “Suspension Period” |
3.15 |
SECTION 1.3 Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) “or” is not exclusive;
(d) “including” means including without limitation;
(e) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;
(f) (i) unsecured Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to secured Indebtedness merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured Indebtedness;
(g) references to sections of, or rules under, the Securities Act or Exchange Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;
(h) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article,” “Section” or “clause” refers to an Article, Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Indenture;
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(i) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and any other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not any particular Article, Section, clause or other subdivision; and
(j) references to “principal amount” of Notes include any increase in the principal amount of outstanding Notes (including the issuance of PIK Notes) as a result of a PIK Payment.
ARTICLE II
The Notes
SECTION 2.1 Form and Dating.
(a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, the terms of which are incorporated in and made a part hereof. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements approved as to form by the Issuer, and required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Issuer is subject or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be issuable only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof).
(b) The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes and The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), its nominees, and their respective successors, shall act as the Depositary with respect thereto. Each Global Note (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or the nominee of such Depositary, (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or held by the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions, and (iii) shall bear a Global Note Legend in substantially the following form:
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.
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(c) Except as permitted by Section 2.6(g), any Note not registered under the Securities Act shall bear the following Private Placement Legend on the face thereof:
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: SIX MONTHS] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: 40 DAYS] AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER, (B) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (D) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (C) OR (D) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM.
(d) Each Note issued hereunder shall bear an Original Issue Discount Legend in substantially the following form on the face thereof:
THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ISSUED WITH “ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1272 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED). UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE ISSUER WILL PROMPTLY MAKE AVAILABLE TO ANY HOLDER OF THIS NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (1) THE ISSUE PRICE AND ISSUE DATE OF THE NOTE, (2) THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT ON THE NOTE AND (3) THE YIELD TO MATURITY OF THE NOTE. HOLDERS SHOULD CONTACT COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC., 1100 COMMSCOPE PLACE, SE, HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, 28602, ATTN: CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
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(e) The Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE WILL NOT BE EXCHANGEABLE FOR INTERESTS IN THE PERMANENT REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE OR ANY OTHER NOTE REPRESENTING AN INTEREST IN THE NOTES REPRESENTED HEREBY WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN A LEGEND CONTAINING RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER, UNTIL THE EXPIRATION OF THE “40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 903(b)(2) OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THEN ONLY UPON CERTIFICATION IN FORM REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER THAT SUCH BENEFICIAL INTERESTS ARE OWNED EITHER BY NON-U.S. PERSONS OR U.S. PERSONS WHO PURCHASED SUCH INTERESTS IN A TRANSACTION THAT DID NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. DURING SUCH 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE MAY ONLY BE SOLD, PLEDGED OR TRANSFERRED (I) TO THE ISSUER, (II) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IN A TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (III) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH OF CASES (I) THROUGH (III) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. HOLDERS OF INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE WILL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE, IF THEN APPLICABLE.
AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN THIS TEMPORARY REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED FOR INTERESTS IN A RULE 144A GLOBAL NOTE ONLY IF (1) SUCH EXCHANGE OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH A TRANSFER OF THE NOTES IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A AND (2) THE TRANSFEROR OF THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE FIRST DELIVERS TO THE REGISTRAR A WRITTEN CERTIFICATE (IN THE FORM ATTACHED TO THIS CERTIFICATE) TO THE EFFECT THAT THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE IS BEING TRANSFERRED (A) TO A PERSON WHO THE TRANSFEROR REASONABLY BELIEVES TO BE A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A, (B) TO A PERSON WHO IS PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, AND (C) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF THE STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BENEFICIAL INTERESTS IN A RULE 144A GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A PERSON WHO TAKES DELIVERY IN THE FORM OF AN INTEREST IN THE REGULATION S GLOBAL NOTE, WHETHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD, ONLY IF THE TRANSFEROR FIRST DELIVERS TO THE REGISTRAR A WRITTEN CERTIFICATE (IN THE FORM ATTACHED TO THIS CERTIFICATE) TO THE EFFECT THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR 904 OF REGULATION S OR RULE 144 (IF AVAILABLE).
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Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, or the Trustee as its custodian and the Depositary may be treated by the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Note for all purposes whatsoever, including but not limited to notices and payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuer, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note. Any notice to be delivered to DTC (including, but not limited to, a notice of redemption) may be delivered electronically by the Trustee in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC.
SECTION 2.2 Form of Execution and Authentication. An Officer shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.
A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. The signature of the Trustee shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall authenticate (i) Initial Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount of $550,000,000, (ii) from time to time PIK Notes (as defined below) (or shall increase the principal amount of any Global Note) and (iii) subject to compliance with Section 3.3, one or more series of Notes (“Additional Notes”) for original issue after the Issue Date (such Notes to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A) in an unlimited amount, in each case upon written order of the Issuer in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, which Officer’s Certificate shall, in the case of any issuance of Additional Notes, certify that such issuance is in compliance with Section 3.3. In addition, each such Officer’s Certificate shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated, the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated, whether the securities are to be Initial Notes (including whether such Notes shall be PIK Notes or an increase to the principal amount of any Global Note as a result of a PIK Payment (as defined below)) or Additional Notes and the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding on the date of authentication, and shall further specify the amount of such Notes to be issued as Global Notes or Definitive Notes. Such Notes shall initially be in the form of one or more Global Notes, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Notes to be issued, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and (iii) shall be held by the Trustee as Notes Custodian. All Notes issued under this Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and no series of Notes shall have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter.
The Initial Notes, the PIK Notes and any Additional Notes shall be resold initially only to (A) QIBs and (B) Persons other than U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S. Such Initial Notes and Additional Notes may thereafter be transferred to among others, QIBs, purchasers in reliance on Regulation S.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer.
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SECTION 2.3 Registrar and Paying Agent. The Issuer shall maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (including any co-registrar, the “Registrar”) and (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any Holder. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. The Issuer may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar. The Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions hereof that relate to such Agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such, and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation in accordance with Section 7.6.
The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and to act as Notes Custodian with respect to the Notes.
SECTION 2.4 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and Cash Interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Issuer in making any such payment. While any such Default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by such Paying Agent to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Issuer) shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee. If the Issuer acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent.
SECTION 2.5 Lists of Holders of the Notes. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA §312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes, including the aggregate principal amount of the Notes held by each thereof.
SECTION 2.6 Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. Global Notes shall be exchanged by the Issuer for Definitive Notes, subject to any applicable laws, only (i) if the Issuer delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary for the Global Notes and the Issuer fails to appoint a successor Depositary after the date of such notice from the Depositary or (ii) upon request of the Trustee or Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal
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amount of outstanding Notes if there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. In any such case, the Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing that, upon surrender by the Participants and Indirect Participants of their interests in such Global Note, certificated Notes shall be issued to each Person DTC identifies as being the beneficial owner of the related Notes. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.10. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.6 or Section 2.7 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.6(a). However, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.6(b) or (c) below.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth in this Indenture to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with the applicable subparagraphs below:
(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, no transfer of beneficial interests in a Temporary Regulation S Global Note may be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser) unless permitted by applicable law and made in compliance with Sections 2.6(b)(ii) and (iii) below. Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.6(b)(i) unless specifically stated above.
(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.6(b)(i) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase, or (B) (1) if Definitive Notes are at such time permitted to be issued pursuant to this Indenture, a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903 under the Securities Act. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below.
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(iii) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.6(b)(ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and
(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note or the Permanent Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.
(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.6(b)(ii) above, and;
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or
(z) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this Section 2.6(b)(iv)(A), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to Section 2.6(b)(iv)(A) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to Section 2.6(b)(iv)(A).
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Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.
(i) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), if any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest
for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in
item (2)(a) thereof;
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) [Reserved];
(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof;
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Restricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.6(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Restricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(i) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.
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(ii) Beneficial Interests in Regulation S Temporary Global Note to Definitive Notes. Notwithstanding Sections 2.6(c)(i)(A) and (C) hereof, a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to (A) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (B) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(iii) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), a holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or
(z) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof,
and, in each such case set forth in this Section 2.6(c)(iii)(A), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Subject to Section 2.6(a), if any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.6(b)(ii) above, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.6(m) below, and the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(iv) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.6(c)(iv) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.
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(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.
(i) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) [Reserved];
(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, and in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note.
(ii) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or
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(z) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this Section 2.6(d)(ii)(A), if the Issuer so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.6(d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(iii) Transfer and Exchange of Unrestricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such exchange or transfer from an Unrestricted Definitive Note or a Restricted Definitive Note, as the case may be, to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to Section 2.6(d)(ii) or (d)(iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuer shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes, as the case may be, so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.6(e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.6(e).
(f) Transfer of Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
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(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including, if the Issuer so requests, a certification and/or Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act.
(g) Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if,
(A) the Registrar receives the following:
(y) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or
(z) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this Section 2.6(g)(A), if the Issuer so requests, an Opinion of Counsel of the Holder in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(h) Transfer of Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(i) [Reserved.]
(j) Temporary Regulation S Global Note.
(1) Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of the Temporary Regulation S Global Note, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Notes Custodian and registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided.
(2) During the Restricted Period, beneficial ownership interests in Temporary Regulation S Global Notes may only be sold, pledged or transferred (i) to the Issuer, (ii) in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S (other than a transaction resulting in an exchange for an interest in a Permanent Regulation S Global Note) or (iii) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States; and beneficial interests in a 144A Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in a Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, only if the transferor first delivers to the Trustee a written certificate to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S or Rule 144 (if applicable).
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(3) Within a reasonable period after expiration or termination of the Restricted Period, beneficial interests in each Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be exchanged for beneficial interests in a Permanent Regulation S Global Note upon delivery to DTC of the certification of compliance and the transfer of applicable Notes pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Simultaneously with the authentication of the corresponding Permanent Regulation S Global Note, the Trustee shall cancel the corresponding Temporary Regulation S Global Note. The aggregate principal amount of a Temporary Regulation S Global Note and a Permanent Regulation S Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers of interest as hereinafter provided.
(4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Sections 2.6, a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) of the Securities Act, except in the case of a transfer pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 903 or Rule 904.
(k) Private Placement Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by Section 2.6(k)(B), each Global Note (other than an Unrestricted Global Note) and each Restricted Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Private Placement Legend.
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraph (b)(iv), (c)(iii), (c)(iv), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii) or (e)(iii) of this Section 2.6 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(l) Global Note Legend. Each Global Note shall bear the Global Note Legend.
(m) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer pays PIK Interest (a “PIK Payment”), with respect to a Global Note, the Trustee shall increase the principal amount of such Global Note by an amount equal to the interest payable, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar, for the relevant interest period on the principal amount of such Global Note as of the relevant Record Date for such Interest Payment
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Date, to the credit of the Holders on such Record Date and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Registrar with respect to such Global Note to reflect such increase. On any Interest Payment Date on which the Issuer makes a PIK Payment be issuing Definitive Notes (a “PIK Note”), the principal amount of any such PIK Note issued to any Holder, for the relevant interest period as of the relevant Record Date for such Interest Payment Date, shall be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.
(n) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.
(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon the Issuer’s order in accordance with Section 2.2 or at the Registrar’s request.
(ii) No service charge shall be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.2, 2.10, 3.7, 3.9, 5.8 and 9.4).
(iii) The Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
(iv) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits hereof, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(v) Neither the Registrar nor the Issuer shall be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business on a Business Day 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part or (C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a Record Date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.
(vi) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuer may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuer shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
(vii) The Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2.
(viii) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted pursuant to this Section 2.6 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile or electronically.
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(ix) The Trustee and Registrar shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Participants or Indirect Participants) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
(x) Neither the Trustee, the Issuer nor any Agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.
(xi) Affiliates of the Issuer, including investment funds advised by entities affiliated with Sponsors, may acquire, hold and dispose of the Notes and exercise voting, consent and other similar rights with respect to such Notes (subject to the express restrictions contained in this Indenture).
SECTION 2.7 Replacement Notes. If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Issuer and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Issuer signed by two Officers of the Issuer, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements for replacements of Notes are met. The Holder must supply indemnity or security sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee (with respect to the Trustee) and the Issuer (with respect to the Issuer) to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, any Agent or any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer and the Trustee may charge for their fees and expenses in replacing a Note including amounts to cover any tax, assessment, fee or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.
Every replacement Note is an obligation of the Issuer.
SECTION 2.8 Outstanding Notes. The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.8 as not outstanding.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.7, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.
If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 3.1 hereof, it shall cease to be outstanding and interest on it shall cease to accrue.
Subject to Section 2.9, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer, a Subsidiary of the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note.
SECTION 2.9 Treasury Notes. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Trust Officer actually knows to be owned by the Issuer, any Subsidiary of the Issuer, or any Affiliate of the Issuer shall be considered as not outstanding. Upon request of the Trustee, the Issuer shall promptly furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Notes, if any, known by the Issuer to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons, and the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officer’s Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Notes not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.
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SECTION 2.10 Temporary Notes. Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee shall upon receipt of a Company Order authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of Definitive Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate Definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as Definitive Notes.
SECTION 2.11 Cancellation. The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of all canceled Notes in its customary manner (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act), and upon the written request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall deliver copies of such canceled Notes to the Issuer. The Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has redeemed or paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 2.12 Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest. Interest on any Note which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3.
Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not paid when the same becomes due and payable and such nonpayment continues for a period of 30 days shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such defaulted interest and (to the extent lawful) interest on such defaulted interest at the rate borne by the Notes (such defaulted interest and interest thereon herein collectively called “Defaulted Interest”) shall be paid by the Issuer, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:
(a) The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date (as defined below) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date (not less than 30 days after such notice unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee) of the proposed payment (the “Special Interest Payment Date”), and at the same time the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the Special Interest Payment Date and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer of such Special Record Date, and in the name and at the expense of the Issuer, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor to be given in the manner provided for in Section 12.1, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest
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shall be paid on the Special Interest Payment Date to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).
(b) The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Issuer to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause (b), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any such Interest Payment Date (other than an Interest Payment Date at maturity) would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, then the Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day (except if that Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, then interest shall be paid on the immediately preceding Business Day). If the maturity date of the Notes is a day that is not a Business Day, all payments to be made on such day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the maturity date. In either of such cases, no additional interest shall be payable as a result of such delay in payment.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.
SECTION 2.13 CUSIP Numbers. The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use). The Trustee shall not be responsible for the use of CUSIP numbers, and the Trustee makes no representation as to their correctness as printed on any Note or notice to Holders. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
SECTION 2.14 Record Date. The Issuer may fix any date as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action, authorized or permitted to be given or take by Holders. If not set by the Issuer prior to the first solicitation of a Holder made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 2.5 hereof) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date, only the Holders on such date (or their duly designated proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.
ARTICLE III
Covenants
SECTION 3.1 Payment of Notes. The Issuer shall promptly pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date (i) the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due and the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture or (ii) in the case of a PIK Payment, the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee the documentation necessary to increase the principal balance of the Global Notes to pay PIK Interest or to issue the PIK Notes.
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The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Issuer may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes imposed by the United States of America from principal or interest payments hereunder.
SECTION 3.2 Reports and Other Information.
(a) So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will furnish to the Trustee and Holders requesting such reports:
(1) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Issuer were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as a non-accelerated filer), annual reports of the Issuer containing substantially all of the financial information that would have been required to be contained in an annual report on Form 10-K (but only to the extent similar information is included herein), and will include (a) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” (b) audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and (c) a presentation of Adjusted EBITDA of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries consistent with the presentation thereof in the Offering Memorandum,
(2) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Issuer were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as a non-accelerated filer), quarterly reports of the Issuer containing substantially all of the financial information that would have been required to be contained in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (but only to the extent similar information is included herein), and will include (a) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” (b) unaudited quarterly financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and reviewed pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100 (or any successor provision) and (c) a presentation of Adjusted EBITDA of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries consistent with the presentation thereof in the Offering Memorandum and derived from such financial statements, and
(3) within 5 business days after the occurrence of each event that would have been required to be reported in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act (or such later time period provided for in such Form 8-K), current reports containing substantially all of the information that would be required to be filed in a Current Report on Form 8-K under the Exchange Act pursuant to Sections 1, 2 and 4, Items 5.01 and 5.02 (other than compensation information) and Item 9.01 (only to the extent relating to any of the foregoing) of Form 8-K if the Issuer had been a reporting company under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no such current report will be required to be furnished if the Issuer determines in its good faith judgment that such event is not material to Holders or the business, assets, operations, financial position or prospects of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or if the Issuer determines in its good faith judgment that such disclosure would otherwise cause material competitive harm to the business, assets, operations, financial position or prospects of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided that such non-disclosure shall be limited only to those specific provisions that would cause material competitive harm and not the occurrence of the event itself;
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provided, however, (i) in each of clauses (1), (2) and (3), the Issuer will not be required to furnish any information, certificates or reports required by (a) Section 302 or Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or related Items 307 or 308 of Regulation S-K, (b) Items 302 or 402 of Regulation S-K or (c) Item 10(e) or Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC with respect to any non-generally accepted accounting principles financial measures contained therein and (ii) such reports required by clauses (1), (2) and (3), shall not be required to contain separate financial statements contemplated by Rule 3-09, Rule 3-10 or Rule 3-16 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC; provided that annual and quarterly reports will include summary guarantor and non-guarantor information consistent with that disclosed in the Offering Memorandum.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Issuer will be deemed to have furnished such reports referred to above to the Trustee and the Holders if the Issuer, CommScope or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR (or successor) filing system and such reports are publicly available.
(c) At any time that any of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries are Unrestricted Subsidiaries and such Unrestricted Subsidiaries, either taken together or individually, constitute a Significant Subsidiary, then the quarterly and annual reports required by this Section 3.2 will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” or other comparable section, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer.
(d) The Issuer will make available such information electronically by posting such information to a secure website or distributing such information via electronic mail and, upon receipt of a request for access to such website or such information via electronic mail, shall promptly grant access to such website or distribute such information via electronic mail to any of the following:
(1) any Noteholder;
(2) any beneficial owner of the Notes that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is a beneficial owner of the Notes;
(3) any prospective investor in the Notes that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is (i) a prospective investor in the Notes and (ii) a QIB or a Non-U.S. Person; and
(4) any market maker that provides its electronic mail address to the Issuer and certifies that it is or intends to be a market maker with respect to the Notes.
Any person who requests or receives such financial information from the Issuer will be required to represent to the Issuer (to the Issuer’s reasonable good faith satisfaction) that:
(1) it is a holder of the Notes, a beneficial owner of the Notes, a prospective investor in the Notes or a market maker;
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(2) it will not use the information in violation of applicable securities laws or regulations;
(3) it will not communicate the information to any Person; and
(4) it is not a Person (which includes such Person’s Affiliates) that (i) is principally engaged in a Similar Business or (ii) derives a significant portion of its revenues from operating a Similar Business.
(e) Within 10 Business Days after furnishing to the Trustee the annual and quarterly reports required by Sections 3.2(a)(1) and (2) the Issuer would hold a conference call to discuss such reports and the results of operations for the relevant reporting period. Each notice for each conference call may be given electronically by posting to a secure website or distribution via electronic mail and shall be issued no fewer than three Business Days prior to the date of the conference call required to be held in accordance with this Section 3.2(e) and shall include the time and date of such conference call and either include all information necessary to access the call or direct holders, prospective investors, broker-dealers, securities analysts or market makers to contact the appropriate person at the Issuer to obtain such information; provided that participation in such conference call may be limited to persons that meet the requirements and make the representations set forth in this Section 3.2.
(f) In addition to the extent not satisfied by the foregoing, the Issuer shall furnish to Holders, prospective investors, broker-dealers, securities analysts and market makers, upon their request, any information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the financial statements, information and other documents required to be provided as described above, may be those of (i) CommScope or (ii) any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer so long as the Issuer or such parent, as the case may be, conducts no business operations and has no property other than cash, Cash Equivalents and the Capital Stock of CommScope; provided that if the financial information so furnished relates to CommScope or to such direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, the same is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Issuer or to such parent, on the one hand, and the information relating to CommScope and their respective Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand.
(h) Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 3.2 is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuer’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).
SECTION 3.3 Limitation on Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock.
(a) (1) the Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock; and (2) the Issuer will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of Preferred Stock; provided, however, that (i) the Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries) may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock and any Restricted Subsidiary may issue shares of Preferred Stock, in each case if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer for the most recently ended four full fiscal
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quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred or such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock is issued would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00, and (ii) CommScope and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) or issue shares of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, in each case if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred or such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock is issued would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00, in each of case (i) and (ii), determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been Incurred, or the Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock had been issued, as the case may be, and the application of proceeds therefrom had occurred at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
(b) The foregoing limitations will not apply to (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(i) the Incurrence by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness under (i) a Term B Credit Agreement and the guarantees thereof up to an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, the greater of (x) $1,200.0 million and (y) the maximum principal amount of Secured Indebtedness that could be incurred such that after giving effect to such incurrence the Consolidated Senior Secured Debt Ratio would be no greater than 2.25 to 1.00, in each case of this clause (i) less the aggregate amount of all permanent reductions of Indebtedness thereunder as a result of principal payments actually made with Net Cash Proceeds from Asset Sales and (ii) an ABL Credit Agreement and guarantees thereof and the issuance and creation of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances thereunder (with letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the face amount thereof) up to an aggregate amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, the greater of (x) $400 million and (y) the Borrowing Base as of the date of such Incurrence, in each case of this clause (ii) less the aggregate amount of Indebtedness under Receivables Financing incurred by a Receivables Subsidiary;
(ii) the Incurrence by the Issuer and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Notes (not including any Additional Notes, but including any PIK Notes (and any increase in the principal amount of the Notes) issued from time to time to pay PIK Interest on the Notes)) and the Guarantees thereof, as applicable;
(iii) Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the Issue Date (other than Indebtedness described in clause (i) or (ii) above), including amounts available to be drawn on the Issue Date under the Existing Foreign Facilities;
(iv) Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations and mortgage financings as purchase money obligations) Incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, Disqualified Stock issued by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and Preferred Stock issued by any Restricted Subsidiaries of the Issuer to finance all or any part of the purchase, lease, construction, installation, repair or improvement of property (real or personal), plant or equipment or other fixed or capital assets (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets) and Indebtedness arising from the conversion of the obligations of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary under or pursuant to any “synthetic lease” transactions to on balance sheet Indebtedness or the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference, including all Indebtedness Incurred and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness Incurred and Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued pursuant to this clause (iv), not to exceed the greater of (x) $75.0 million and (y) 1.75% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, at any one time outstanding;
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(v) Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries constituting reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bank guarantees issued in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, (i) letters of credit or performance or surety bonds in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits (whether current or former) or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance, or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits (whether current or former) or property, casualty or liability insurance and (ii) guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by customers in connection with the purchase of other acquisition of equipment or supplies in the ordinary course of business;
(vi) Indebtedness arising from or related to indemnification, earn-outs, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary of the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, other than guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition
(vii) Indebtedness of the Issuer to a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) such Indebtedness shall be subordinated to the Issuer’s Obligations with respect to the Notes and (y) any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (vii);
(viii) shares of Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary issued to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any Restricted Subsidiary that holds such shares of Preferred Stock of another Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such shares of Preferred Stock (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an issuance of shares of Preferred Stock not permitted by this clause (viii);
(ix) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) if a Subsidiary Guarantor Incurs such Indebtedness owing to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, such Indebtedness is unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor and (y) any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Capital Stock or any other event that results in any Restricted Subsidiary lending such Indebtedness ceasing to be a Restricted Subsidiary or any other subsequent transfer of any such Indebtedness (except to the Issuer or another Restricted Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness not permitted by this clause (ix);
(x) Hedging Obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business (and not for speculative purposes);
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(xi) obligations (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bank guarantees) in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(xii) Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer and Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference that, when aggregated with the principal amount or liquidation preference of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock then outstanding and Incurred pursuant to this clause (xii), does not exceed the greater of (x) $250.0 million and (y) 4.5% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, at any one time outstanding (it being understood that any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock Incurred pursuant to this clause (xii) shall cease to be deemed Incurred or outstanding pursuant to this clause (xii) but shall be deemed Incurred and outstanding pursuant to Section 3.3(a) from and after the first date on which the Issuer, or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, could have Incurred such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3.3(a);
(xiii) any guarantee by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries so long as the Incurrence of such Indebtedness or other obligations by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary is permitted under the terms of this Indenture;
(xiv) the Incurrence by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that serves to refund, refinance, replace, redeem, repurchase, retire or defease any Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued as permitted under Section 3.3(a) or clause (ii), (iii), this clause (xiv), (xv) or (xviii) of Section 3.3(b) or any Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued to so refund or refinance, replace, redeem, repurchase, retire or defease such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, including any additional Indebtedness Incurred or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued to pay premiums (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs and fees and expenses in connection therewith (subject to the following proviso, collectively, the “Refinancing Indebtedness”) prior to its respective maturity; provided, however, that such Refinancing Indebtedness:
(1) has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is not less than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock being refunded, refinanced, replaced, redeemed, repurchased or retired;
(2) has a Stated Maturity that is no earlier than the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being refunded, refinanced, replaced, redeemed, repurchased or retired;
(3) to the extent that such Refinancing Indebtedness refinances (i) Subordinated Indebtedness, such Refinancing Indebtedness is Subordinated Indebtedness or (ii) Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, such Refinancing Indebtedness must be Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, respectively;
(4) is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of (x) the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced plus (y) the amount of premium, defeasance costs and fees and expenses Incurred in connection with such refinancing; and
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(5) shall not include (x) to the extent applicable, Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor, or (y) Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(xv) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (i) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurred to finance an acquisition and (ii) of Persons that are acquired by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or merged into or consolidated or amalgamated with the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; provided, however, that after giving effect to such acquisition, merger, consolidation or amalgamation and the Incurrence of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, either:
(1) (A) in the case of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of Persons that are acquired by the Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries), the Issuer would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth Section 3.3(a)(i) and (B) in the case of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of Persons that are acquired by CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries, CommScope would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth Section 3.3(a)(ii); or
(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer or CommScope, as applicable, would be greater than immediately prior to such acquisition, merger, consolidation or amalgamation;
(xvi) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of its Incurrence;
(xvii) Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary supported by a letter of credit or bank guarantee issued pursuant to Credit Agreements in a principal amount not in excess of the stated amount of such letter of credit or bank guarantee;
(xviii) Contribution Indebtedness;
(xix) Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of (x) the financing of insurance premiums or (y) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;
(xx) Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries of the Issuer in an amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $175.0 million and (y) 3.25% of Total Assets at the time of such Incurrence, at any one time outstanding (it being understood that any Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (t) shall cease to be deemed Incurred or outstanding pursuant to this clause (xx) but shall be deemed Incurred and outstanding pursuant to Section 3.3(a) from and after the first date on which such Non-Guarantor Subsidiary could have Incurred such Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.3(a));
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(xxi) Indebtedness of a joint venture to the Issuer issued pursuant to this clause (xxi) or any Restricted Subsidiary (or in the case that such joint venture is a Subsidiary Guarantor, to the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor) and to the other holders of Equity Interests of such joint venture, so long as the percentage of the aggregate amount of such Indebtedness of such joint venture owed to such other holders of its Equity Interests does not exceed the percentage of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Equity Interests of such joint venture held by such holders;
(xxii) Indebtedness Incurred by a Receivables Subsidiary in a Qualified Receivables Financing that is not recourse to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary other than a Receivables Subsidiary (except for Standard Securitization Undertakings);
(xxiii) Indebtedness owed on a short-term basis to banks and other financial institutions Incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries with such banks or financial institutions that arises in connection with ordinary banking arrangements, including cash pooling arrangements, to manage cash balances of the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit, purchasing or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements and Indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protection, credit card programs, automatic clearinghouse arrangements and similar arrangements in each case in connection with deposit accounts;
(xxiv) Indebtedness consisting of Indebtedness issued by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to future, current or former officers, directors, managers, employees, consultants and independent contractors thereof or any direct or indirect parent thereof, their respective estates, heirs, family members or former spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent company of the Issuer to the extent described in Section 3.4(b)(iv);
(xxv) customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods purchased in the ordinary course of business;
(xxvi) Indebtedness incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with bankers’ acceptances, discounted bills of exchange or the discounting or factoring of receivables for credit management purposes, in each case incurred or undertaken in the ordinary course of business;
(xxvii) Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited with the Trustee to satisfy and discharge the Notes in accordance with this Indenture;
(xxviii) (i) guarantees incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of obligations to suppliers, customers, franchisees, lessors, licensees, sub-licensees and distribution partners that, in each case, are not Affiliates and (ii) Indebtedness incurred by the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of leases entered into by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business on behalf of customers for equipment to be used by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, such customers or a subcontractor in providing services to a customer and for which the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary will be reimbursed by such customer;
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(xxix) the Incurrence by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness consisting of guarantees of Indebtedness incurred by Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness guaranteed pursuant to this clause (xxix) does not at any one time outstanding exceed $50.0 million; and
(xxx) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary incurred or issued to finance or assumed in connection with an acquisition in a principal amount or liquidation preference not to exceed $100.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding together the principal amount or liquidation preference of all other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and/or Preferred Stock issued under this clause (xxx).
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.3, in the event that an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt or is entitled to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(a), the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, at the time of Incurrence, divide, classify or reclassify, or at any later time divide, classify or reclassify, such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 3.3, provided that all Indebtedness under the Credit Agreements Incurred on or prior to the Issue Date shall be deemed to have been Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(a) and the Issuer shall not be permitted to reclassify all or any portion of Indebtedness Incurred on or prior to the Issue Date pursuant to Section 3.3(a). Accrual of interest, dividends, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness (including the issuance of PIK Notes) with the same terms, the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock in the form of additional shares of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the same class, the accretion of liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock for purposes of this covenant. Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness that are otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included in the determination of such amount of Indebtedness, provided that the Incurrence of the Indebtedness represented by such guarantee or letter of credit, as the case may be, was in compliance with this Section 3.3.
For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed or first Incurred (whichever yields the lower U.S. dollar-equivalent), in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced (plus the aggregate amount of premiums (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs and fees, discounts and expenses in connection therewith).
The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.
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This Indenture will not treat (1) unsecured Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to Secured Indebtedness merely because it is unsecured or (2) Indebtedness as subordinated or junior to any other Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral.
SECTION 3.4 Limitation on Restricted Payments.
(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(i) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on account of the Issuer’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests, including any payment made in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Issuer (other than (A) dividends or distributions by the Issuer payable solely in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer; or (B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities);
(ii) purchase or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
(iii) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, or give any irrevocable notice of redemption, in each case, prior to any scheduled repayment or scheduled maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer (other than (i) the payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, acquisition or retirement of (A) Subordinated Indebtedness in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such payment, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, acquisition or retirement and (B) Indebtedness permitted under clauses (vii) and (ix) of the definition of “Permitted Debt” and (ii) the giving of an irrevocable notice of redemption with respect to the transaction described in Sections 3.4(b)(ii) or (iii)); or
(iv) make any Restricted Investment;
(all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:
(A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof;
(B) immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, (i) with respect to Restricted Payments by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries), the Issuer could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the provisions of clause (i) of Section 3.3(a) and (ii) with respect to Restricted Payments by CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries, CommScope could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the provisions of clause (ii) of Section 3.3(a); and
(C) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (including Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (i) and (viii) of Section 3.3(b), but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by Section 3.3(b)), is less than the sum of, without duplication,
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(1) 50.0% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Issuer for the period (taken as one accounting period) from January 1, 2011 to the end of the Issuer’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, in the case such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, minus 100.0% of such deficit) plus
(2) 100.0% of the aggregate net proceeds, including cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash, received by the Issuer after January 14, 2011 from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity), including such Equity Interests issued upon exercise of warrants or options, plus
(3) 100.0% of the aggregate amount of contributions to the capital of the Issuer received in cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash after January 14, 2011 (other than Excluded Equity), plus
(4) the principal amount of any Indebtedness, or the liquidation preference or maximum fixed repurchase price, as the case may be, of any Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary thereof issued after the January 14, 2011 (other than Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock issued to a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the extent such employee stock ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary)) that has been converted into or exchanged for Equity Interests in the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity), plus
(5) 100.0% of the aggregate amount received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash and the Fair Market Value of assets other than cash received by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary from:
(A) the sale or other disposition (other than to the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer) of Restricted Investments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries and from repurchases and redemptions of such Restricted Investments from the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries by any Person (other than the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) and from repayments of loans or advances that constituted Restricted Investments (other than in each case to the extent that the Restricted Investment was made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(x)),
(B) the sale (other than to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the extent such employee stock ownership plan or trust has been funded by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or to the extent that such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment)) of the Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or
(C) any distribution or dividend from an Unrestricted Subsidiary (to the extent such distribution or dividend is not already included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income), plus
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(6) in the event any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Issuer has been redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or has been merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, in each case after the Issue Date, the Fair Market Value of the Investment of the Issuer in such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation, combination or transfer (or of the assets transferred or conveyed, as applicable), after deducting any Indebtedness associated with the Unrestricted Subsidiary so designated or combined or any Indebtedness associated with the assets so transferred or conveyed (other than in each case to the extent that the designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary was made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(x) or constituted a Permitted Investment).
(b) The provisions of Section 3.4(a) shall not prohibit:
(i) the payment of any dividend or distribution or consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof or the giving of a redemption notice related thereto, if at the date of declaration or notice such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(ii)
(a) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests (“Retired Capital Stock”) of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, or Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or contributions to the equity capital of the Issuer (other than Excluded Equity) (collectively, including any such contributions, “Refunding Capital Stock”);
(b) the declaration and payment of accrued dividends on the Retired Capital Stock out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Issuer or to an employee stock ownership plan or any trust established by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) of Refunding Capital Stock; and
(c) if immediately prior to the retirement of the Retired Capital Stock, the declaration and payment of dividends thereon was permitted under Section 3.4(b)(vi) and has not been made as of such time (the “Unpaid Amount”), the declaration and payment of dividends on the Refunding Capital Stock (other than Refunding Capital Stock the proceeds of which were used to redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any other direct or indirect parent) in an aggregate amount no greater than the Unpaid Amount;
(iii) the prepayment, redemption, defeasance, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the Incurrence of, Refinancing Indebtedness thereof;
(iv) the purchase, retirement, redemption or other acquisition (or dividends to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to finance any such purchase, retirement, redemption or other acquisition) for value of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer held directly or indirectly by any future, present or former employee, officer, director manager, consultant or independent contractor of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or
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any Subsidiary of the Issuer or their estates, heirs, family members, former spouses or permitted transferees (including for all purposes of this subclause (iv), Equity Interests held by any entity whose Equity Interests are held by any such future, present or former employee, officer, director, manager, consultant or independent contractor or their estates, heirs, family members, former spouses or permitted transferees) pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or other agreement or arrangement or any stock subscription or shareholder or similar agreement; provided, however, that the aggregate amounts paid under this clause (iv) shall not exceed (x) $20.0 million in any calendar year or (y) subsequent to the consummation of an underwritten public Equity Offering of common stock of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (an “IPO”), $30.0 million in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year being permitted to be carried over for the next two succeeding calendar years up to a maximum of (1) $30.0 million in the aggregate in any calendar year or (2) subsequent to the consummation of an IPO, $40.0 million in any calendar year); provided, further, however, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed:
(a) the cash proceeds received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Excluded Equity) of the Issuer or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (to the extent contributed to the Issuer) to any future, present, or former employees, officers, directors, managers, consultants or independent contractors of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer that occurs after the Issue Date (provided that the amount of such cash proceeds utilized for any such repurchase, retirement, other acquisition or dividend will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(C)); plus
(b) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer (to the extent contributed to the Issuer) and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date; plus
(c) the amount of any cash bonuses otherwise payable to employees, officers, directors, managers, consultants or independent contractors of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer in connection with the Transactions that are foregone in return for the receipt of Equity Interests;
(d) the amount of cash proceeds described in clause (a), (b) or (c) of this clause (iv) previously used to make Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (iv); (provided that the Issuer may elect to apply all or any portion of the aggregate increase contemplated by clauses (a), (b) and (c) above in any calendar year); in addition, cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary from any future, present, or former employees, officers, directors, managers, consultants or independent contractors (or any permitted transferees thereof) of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or any direct or indirect parent company thereof), in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of the Issuer (or any direct or indirect parent company thereof) from such Persons will not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this covenant or any other provisions of this Indenture;
(v) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiaries issued or Incurred in accordance with Section 3.3;
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(vi) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock and the declaration and payment of dividends to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer issued after the Issue Date; provided, however, that (A) for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of issuance of such Designated Preferred Stock, after giving effect to such issuance (and the payment of dividends or distributions) on a pro forma basis, (i) in the case of Capital Stock of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries), the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Issuer would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00 and (ii) in the case of Capital Stock of CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of CommScope and its Restricted Subsidiaries would have been at least 2.00 to 1.00 and (B) the aggregate amount of dividends declared and paid pursuant to this clause (vi) does not exceed the net cash proceeds actually received by the Issuer from the sale (or the contribution of the net cash proceeds from the sale) of Designated Preferred Stock;
(vii) any Restricted Payments made in connection with the consummation of the Issue Date Transactions whether on or after the Issue Date, including without limitation, any dividends or distributions, payments or loans made to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to enable it to make any such payments;
(viii) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Issuer’s common stock (or the payment of dividends to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to fund the payment by any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer of dividends on such entity’s common stock) of up to 6.0% per annum of the net cash proceeds received by the Issuer from any public offering of common stock or contributed to the Issuer by any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer from any public offering of common stock (other than public offerings with respect to common stock registered on Form S-4 or S-8 and any public sale constituting an Excluded Contribution);
(ix) Restricted Payments that are made with Excluded Contributions;
(x) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $140.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Total Assets, at the time of such Restricted Payment, at any one time outstanding;
(xi) the payment, purchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to provisions similar to those described under Section 3.9 and Section 3.7; provided that, prior to such payment, purchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value, the Issuer (or a third party to the extent permitted by this Indenture) has made a Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be, with respect to the Notes as a result of such Change of Control or Asset Sale, as the case may be, and has repurchased all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn in connection with such Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer, as the case may be;
(xii) for any taxable period for which Issuer and/or any of its Subsidiaries are members of a consolidated, combined or similar tax group for U.S. federal and/or applicable state or local income tax (including consolidated, combined or similar franchise (and similar) tax imposed in lieu of income tax) purposes of which a direct or indirect parent of Issuer is the common parent
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(a “Tax Group”), Restricted Payments in amounts required for such common parent to pay the portion of any such U.S. federal, state or local income taxes (including any such franchise (and similar) taxes imposed in lieu of income taxes) (as applicable) of such Tax Group for such taxable period that are attributable to the income (or other applicable basis for taxation) of Issuer and/or its Subsidiaries; provided that (i) the amount of such dividends or other distributions for any taxable period shall not exceed the amount of such taxes that Issuer and/or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, would have paid had Issuer and/or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, been a stand-alone tax-payer (or a stand-alone group) and (ii) dividends or other distributions in respect of an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be permitted only to the extent that cash distributions were made by such Unrestricted Subsidiary to Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries for such purpose;
(xiii) the payment of dividends, other distributions or other amounts to, or the making of loans to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, in the amount required for such entity to, if applicable:
(a) pay franchise and similar taxes required to maintain any direct or indirect parent company’s corporate existence;
(b) pay amounts equal to the amounts required for any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to, and indemnities provided on behalf of officers, employees, directors, managers, consultants or independent contractors of any such direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, if applicable, and general corporate operating (including, without limitation, expenses related to auditing and other accounting matters) and overhead expenses of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, if applicable, in each case to the extent such fees, expenses, salaries, bonuses, benefits and indemnities are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries;
(c) pay, if applicable, amounts required for any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to pay interest and/or principal on Indebtedness the proceeds of which have been contributed to the Issuer (other than as Excluded Equity) and that has been guaranteed by, and is otherwise considered Indebtedness of, the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred in accordance with the covenant described under Section 3.3;
(d) pay fees and expenses incurred by any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering of such parent; and
(e) payments to the Sponsor (a) pursuant to or contemplated by the Management Agreement or (b) for any other financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including, without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, including in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, which payments are (x) made pursuant to agreements with the Sponsor described in the Offering Memorandum or (y) approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer in good faith;
(xiv) the payment of cash dividends or other distributions on the Issuer’s Capital Stock used to, or the making of loans to any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer to, fund the payment of fees and expenses owed by the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent or Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as the case may be, to Affiliates, in each case to the extent permitted by Section 3.8;
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(xv) (i) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants, (ii) payments made or expected to be made by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of withholding or similar taxes payable or expected to be payable by any future, present or former director, officer, employee, manager, consultant or independent contractor of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer (or their respective Affiliates, estates or immediate family members) in connection with the exercise of stock options or the grant, vesting or delivery of Equity Interests and (iii) loans or advances to officers, directors, employees, managers, consultants and independent contractors of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer or any Subsidiary of the Issuer in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer; provided that no cash is actually advanced pursuant to this clause (iii) other than to pay taxes due in connection with such purchase, unless immediately repaid;
(xvi) purchases of receivables pursuant to a Receivables Repurchase Obligation in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing and the payment or distribution of Receivables Fees;
(xvii) payments or distributions to satisfy dissenters’ rights, pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets that complies with the provisions of this Indenture applicable to mergers, consolidations and transfers of all or substantially all the property and assets of the Issuer;
(xviii) the distribution, as a dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents);
(xix) the payment of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares of Equity Interests in connection with any merger, consolidation, amalgamation or other business combination, or in connection with any dividend, distribution or split of or upon exercise or conversion of warrants, options or other securities exercisable or convertible into, Equity Interests of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
(xx) payment of dividends and other distributions in an amount equal to any actual reduction in cash taxes realized by the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the form of refunds or credits or from deductions when applied to offset income or gain as a direct result of (i) transaction fees and expenses or (ii) financing fees, in each case in connection with the Issue Date Transactions; and
(xxi) any Restricted Payment if, at the time of such Restricted Payment, and after giving effect thereto and the incurrence of any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Restricted Subsidiary preferred stock, the net proceeds of which are used to fund such Restricted Payment, the Consolidated Total Debt Ratio would be no greater than 4.0 to 1.0,
provided, however, that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clause (ix) of this Section 3.4(b), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.
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As of the Issue Date, all of the Issuer’s Subsidiaries will be Restricted Subsidiaries. The Issuer will not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated will be deemed to be Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments in an amount determined as set forth in the last sentence of the definition of “Investments.” Such designation will only be permitted if a Restricted Payment or Permitted Investment in such amount would be permitted at such time and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Unrestricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in this Indenture.
For purposes of this Section 3.4, if any Investment or Restricted Payment would be permitted pursuant to one or more provisions described above and/or one or more of the exceptions contained in the definition of “Permitted Investments,” the Issuer may divide and classify such Investment or Restricted Payment in any manner that complies with this covenant and may later divide and reclassify any such Investment or Restricted Payment so long as the Investment or Restricted Payment (as so divided and/or reclassified) would be permitted to be made in reliance on the applicable exception as of the date of such reclassification.
SECTION 3.5 Liens.
(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, create, Incur or suffer to exist any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any asset or property of the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor, or any income or profits there from, or assign or convey any right to receive income there from, that secures any Obligations of the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor, unless (1) in the case of Liens securing Subordinated Indebtedness, the Notes or any applicable Guarantee is secured by a Lien on such property or assets of the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor and proceeds there of that is senior in priority to such Liens; or (2) in all other cases, the Notes and the applicable Guarantee, if any, are equally and ratably secured with or prior to such Obligation with a Lien on the same assets of the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be.
(b) Section 3.5(a) will not require the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to secure the Notes if the relevant Lien consists of a Permitted Lien. Any Lien that is granted to secure the Notes or such Guarantee, if any, under Section 3.5(a) shall be automatically released and discharged at the same time as the release of the Lien (other than a release following enforcement of remedies in respect of such Lien or the Obligations secured by such Lien) that gave rise to the obligation to secure the Notes or such Guarantee, if any, under Section 3.5(a).
SECTION 3.6 Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(b) (i) pay dividends or make any other distributions to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (1) on its Capital Stock or (2) with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits; or (ii) make payments with respect to any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(c) make loans or advances to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
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(d) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
except in each case for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) contractual encumbrances or restrictions of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in effect on the Issue Date, including pursuant to the Credit Agreements and the other documents relating thereto and the 2019 Notes Indenture and the related documentation;
(ii) this Indenture, the Notes and Guarantees thereof, if any;
(iii) applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order;
(iv) any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by or merged or consolidated with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary that was in existence at the time of such acquisition (or at the time it merges with or into the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person (but, in each case, not created in contemplation thereof)), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired; provided that in connection with a merger under this Section 3.6(d)(iv), if a Person other than the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary is the Successor Company with respect to such merger, any Subsidiary of such Person, or any agreement or instrument of such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person, shall be deemed acquired or assumed, as the case may be, by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, at the time of such merger;
(v) customary encumbrances or restrictions contained in contracts or agreements for the sale of assets applicable to such assets pending consummation of such sale, including customary restrictions with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary;
(vi) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(vii) customary provisions in (x) joint venture agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business with respect to the Equity Interests subject to the joint venture and (y) operating or other similar agreements, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements entered into in connection with the entering into of such transaction, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of those agreements;
(viii) purchase money obligations for property acquired and Capitalized Lease Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice to the extent such obligations impose restrictions of the nature discussed in clause (c) above on the property so acquired;
(ix) customary provisions contained in leases, sub-leases, licenses, sublicenses, contracts and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice to the extent such obligations impose restrictions of the type described in clause (c) above on the property subject to such lease;
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(x) any encumbrance or restriction of a Receivables Subsidiary effected in connection with a Qualified Receivables Financing; provided, however, that such restrictions apply only to such Receivables Subsidiary;
(xi) other Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer that is Incurred subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to Section 3.3; provided that (i) such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument will not materially affect the Issuer’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payment on the Notes (as determined by the Issuer in good faith) or (ii) such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument taken as a whole are not materially less favorable to the Holders of the Notes than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in this Indenture, the 2019 Notes Indenture or the Credit Agreements (as determined by the Issuer in good faith);
(xii) any encumbrance or restriction contained in Secured Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3 and Section 3.5 to the extent limiting the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets securing such Indebtedness;
(xiii) any encumbrance or restriction arising or agreed to in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, (x) detract from the value of the property or assets of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or (y) materially affect the Issuer’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payment on the Notes (as determined by the Issuer in good faith);
(xiv) existing under, by reason of or with respect to Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing that Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(xv) customary provisions in joint venture agreements or arrangements and other similar agreements or arrangements relating solely to the applicable joint venture; and
(xvi) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (i) through (xv) above; provided that such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing are, in the good faith judgment of the Issuer, not materially more restrictive as a whole than the encumbrances and restrictions prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.6, (i) the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on common stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock and (ii) the subordination of loans or advances made to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Issuer or any such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances.
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SECTION 3.7 Asset Sales.
(a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, cause or make an Asset Sale, unless:
(i) the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value (as determined at the time of contractually agreeing to such Asset Sale) of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(ii) except in the case of a Permitted Asset Swap, at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents or Replacement Assets; provided, however that the amount of:
(1) any liabilities (as shown on the Issuer’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet or in the notes thereto) of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary (other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets or Equity Interests pursuant to an agreement that releases or indemnifies the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from further liability;
(2) any Notes or other obligations or other securities or assets received by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents, or by their terms are required to be satisfied for cash of Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received) within 180 days of the receipt thereof; and
(3) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Noncash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (c) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 2.25% of Total Assets, at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value);
shall each be deemed to be Cash Equivalents for the purposes of this clause (ii).
(b) Within 365 days after the Issuer’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sale, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary may apply the Net Cash Proceeds from such Asset Sale, at its option:
(i) to permanently reduce Obligations under any Secured Indebtedness and, in the case of revolving obligations thereunder, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto;
(ii) to permanently reduce Obligations under (x) other Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Issuer or, if applicable, the Subsidiary Guarantors (provided that if the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall so reduce such Obligations under such other Pari Passu Indebtedness, the Issuer will equally and ratably reduce Obligations under the Notes as provided under “Optional redemption,”
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or through open-market purchases (to the extent such purchases are at or above 100.0% of the principal amount thereof) or by making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer) to all holders to purchase at a purchase price equal to 100.0% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, the pro rata principal amount of Notes that would otherwise be redeemed) or (y) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, including the 2019 Notes, in each case, other than Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer (provided that in the case of any reduction of any revolving obligations pursuant to this clause (ii), the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary shall effect a corresponding reduction of commitments with respect thereto);
(iii) to make an Investment in any one or more businesses (provided that if such Investment is in the form of the acquisition of Capital Stock of a Person, such acquisition results in such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer), assets, or property or capital expenditures, in each case that either replaces the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale or that are used or useful in a Similar Business; or
(iv) any combination of the foregoing;
provided that the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries will be deemed to have complied with the provisions described in clause (iii) of this Section 3.7(b) if and to the extent that, within 365 days after the Asset Sale that generated the Net Cash Proceeds, the Issuer has entered into and not abandoned or rejected a binding agreement to acquire the assets or Capital Stock of a Similar Business, make an Investment in Replacement Assets or make a capital expenditure in compliance with the provision described in clause (iii) of this Section 3.7(b), and that acquisition, purchase or capital expenditure is thereafter completed within 180 days after the end of such 365-day period.
(c) Pending the final application of any such Net Cash Proceeds, the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer may temporarily reduce Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility, if any, or otherwise invest such Net Cash Proceeds in Cash Equivalents. Any Net Cash Proceeds from any Asset Sale that are not invested or applied as provided and within the time period set forth in Section 3.7(b) will be deemed to constitute “ Excess Proceeds.” When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $30.0 million, the Issuer shall make an offer (an “Asset Sale Offer”) to all Holders of Notes and, if required by the terms of any Pari Passu Indebtedness, to all holders of other Pari Passu Indebtedness containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to Asset Sales, to purchase the maximum principal amount of such Notes and Pari Passu Indebtedness, as appropriate, on a pro rata basis, that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof (or in the event such other Indebtedness was issued with original issue discount, 100.0% of the accreted value thereof), plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional interest, if any (or such lesser price, if any, as may be provided by the terms of such other Indebtedness), to the date fixed for the closing of such offer, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture. The Issuer will commence an Asset Sale Offer with respect to Excess Proceeds within ten Business Days after the date that Excess Proceeds exceed $30.0 million by mailing the notice required pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, with a copy to the Trustee or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of DTC. The Issuer may satisfy the foregoing obligations with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds from an Asset Sale by making an Asset Sale Offer with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds prior to the expiration of the application period. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and such Pari Passu Indebtedness tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Issuer may use any remaining Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and Pari Passu Indebtedness, as appropriate, surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and the Issuer or its agent shall select such Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased in the manner described below. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
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(d) The Issuer will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the purchase of the Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Indenture by virtue thereof.
(e) If more Notes are tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer than the Issuer is required to purchase, selection of such Notes for purchase will be made in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which such Notes are listed or if such Notes are not listed, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (and in such manner as complies with applicable legal requirements); provided that no Notes in an unauthorized denomination shall be redeemed in part. No Notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof).
(f) Notices of an Asset Sale Offer shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, or sent electronically, at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the purchase date to each Holder of Notes at such Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with DTC procedures. If any Note is to be purchased in part only, any notice of purchase that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof that has been or is to be purchased.
A new Note in principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of any Note purchased in part will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note. On and after the purchase date, unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the purchase price, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof purchased.
SECTION 3.8 Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction or series of transactions, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Issuer (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”) involving aggregate consideration in excess of $20.0 million, unless:
(i) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Issuer or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that could have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and
(ii) with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $50.0 million, the Issuer delivers to the Trustee a resolution adopted in good faith by the majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (a) above.
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(b) The provisions of Section 3.8(a) will not apply to the following:
(i) (a) transactions between or among the Issuer and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or an entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction) and (b) any merger or consolidation of the Issuer or any other direct parent of the Issuer, provided that such parent company shall have no material liabilities and no material assets other than cash, Cash Equivalents and the Capital Stock of the Issuer and such merger or consolidation is otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture and effected for a bona fide business purpose;
(ii) (a) Restricted Payments permitted by this Indenture and (b) Permitted Investments;
(iii) any employment agreements entered into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and the payment of reasonable and customary fees and reimbursements paid to, and indemnity and similar arrangements provided on behalf of, officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary or (to the extent relating to the business of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries) any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer;
(iv) transactions in which the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of Section 3.8(a);
(v) payments or loans (or cancellation of loans, advances or guarantees) or advances to employees or consultants or guarantees in respect thereof for bona fide business purposes in the ordinary course of business;
(vi) any agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date (other than the Management Agreement) or as thereafter amended, supplemented or replaced (so long as such amended, supplemented or replaced agreement is not more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the original agreement as in effect on the Issue Date) or any transaction or payments contemplated thereby;
(vii) the Management Agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date or as thereafter amended, supplemented or replaced (so long as such amended, supplemented or replaced agreement is not more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the Management Agreement as in effect on the Issue Date) or any transaction or payments (including reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses) contemplated thereby;
(viii) the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under the terms of any stockholders or similar agreement (including any registration rights agreement or purchase agreement related thereto) to which it is a party as of the Issue Date and any amendment thereto or similar transactions, arrangements or agreements that it may enter into thereafter; provided, however, that the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under, any future amendment to any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement or under any similar transaction, arrangement or agreement entered into after the Issue Date shall only be permitted by this clause (viii) to the extent that the terms of any such existing transaction, arrangement or agreement together with all amendments thereto, taken as a whole, or new agreement are not otherwise more disadvantageous to the Holders of the Notes in any material respect than the original transaction, arrangement or agreement as in effect on the Issue Date;
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(ix) transactions with customers, clients, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture, which are fair to the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors or the senior management of the Issuer, and are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party or (b) transactions with Unrestricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(x) any transaction effected as part of a Qualified Receivables Financing;
(xi) the sale or issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer;
(xii) payments by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor or any of its Affiliates made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities, including, without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, which payments are (x) made pursuant to agreements with the Sponsor described in the Offering Memorandum or (y) approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Issuer in good faith or a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer in good faith;
(xiii) any contribution to the capital of the Issuer (other than Disqualified Stock);
(xiv) any transaction with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that would constitute an Affiliate Transaction solely because the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary owns an Equity Interest in or otherwise controls such Person, provided that no Affiliate of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries other than the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary shall have a beneficial interest or otherwise participate in such Person;
(xv) transactions between the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any Person, a director of which is also a director of the Issuer, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of the Issuer; provided, however, that such director abstains from voting as a director of the Issuer or such direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, as the case may be, on any matter involving such other Person;
(xvi) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments permitted by Section 3.04(b)(xii);
(xvii) transactions to give effect to the Issue Date Transactions and the payment of all transaction, underwriting, commitment and other fees and expenses related to the Issue Date Transactions;
(xviii) pledges of Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(xix) the issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment arrangements, stock option and stock ownership plans or similar employee benefit plans approved by the Board of Directors of the Issuer or of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as appropriate, in good faith;
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(xx) any employment, consulting, service or termination agreement, or customary indemnification arrangements, entered into by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with current, former or future officers and employees of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and the payment of compensation to officers and employees of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including amounts paid pursuant to employee benefit plans, employee stock option or similar plans), in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(xxi) investments by Affiliates in Indebtedness or preferred Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as non-Affiliates were also offered the opportunity to invest in such Indebtedness or preferred Equity Interests, and transactions with Affiliates solely in their capacity as holders of Indebtedness or preferred Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as such transaction is with all holders of such class (and there are such non-Affiliate holders) and such Affiliates are treated no more favorably than all other holders of such class generally;
(xxii) transactions with Affiliates solely in their capacity as holders of Indebtedness or Equity Interests of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, so long as such transaction is with all holders of such class (and there are such non-Affiliate holders) and such Affiliates are treated no more favorably than all other holders of such class generally;
(xxiii) the existence of, or the performance by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of their obligations under the terms of, any customary registration rights agreement to which they are a party or become a party in the future; and
(xxiv) investments by the Sponsor in securities of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (and payment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Sponsor in connection therewith).
SECTION 3.9 Change of Control.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each Holder will have the right to require the Issuer to purchase all or any part of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date), except to the extent the Issuer has previously elected to redeem Notes pursuant to Article V.
(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control, except to the extent that the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem the Notes as described under Section 5.1, the Issuer shall deliver a notice (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee describing:
(i) that a Change of Control has occurred or, if the Change of Control Offer is being made in advance of a Change of Control, that a Change of Control is expected to occur, and that such Holder has, or upon such occurrence will have, the right to require the Issuer to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the relevant Interest Payment Date);
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(ii) the transaction or transactions that constitute, or are expected to constitute, such Change of Control;
(iii) the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is delivered) (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);
(iv) that any Note not properly tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest;
(v) that unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;
(vi) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender such Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of such Notes completed, to the Paying Agent specified in the notice at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(vii) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their tendered Notes and their election to require the Issuer to purchase such Notes, provided that the Paying Agent receives, not later than the expiration time of the Change of Control Offer, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder of the Notes, the principal amount of Notes tendered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its tendered Notes and its election to have such Notes purchased;
(viii) that if the Issuer is redeeming less than all of the Notes, the Holders of the remaining Notes will be issued new Notes and such new Notes will be equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (provided, that the unpurchased portion of the Notes must be equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof));
(ix) if such notice is delivered prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control, stating that the Change of Control Offer is conditional on the occurrence of such Change of Control; and
(x) the other instructions determined by the Issuer, consistent with this covenant, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes purchased.
(c) Holders electing to have a Note purchased shall be required to surrender the Note, with an appropriate form duly completed, to the Issuer at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days prior to the purchase date. Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Trustee or the Issuer receives not later than one Business Day prior to the purchase date, a telegram, telex facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount at maturity of the Note which was delivered for purchase by the Holder and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his selection to have such Note purchased.
(d) On the purchase date, all Notes purchased by the Issuer under this Section 3.9 shall be delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Issuer shall pay the purchase price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Holders entitled thereto. With respect to any Note purchased in part, the Issuer will issue a new Note in a principal amount equal at maturity to the unpurchased portion of the original Note in the name of the Holder upon cancellation of the original Note.
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(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.9, the Issuer will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
(f) Prior to any Change of Control Offer, the Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent contained herein to the right of the Issuer to make such offer have been complied with.
(g) The Issuer will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to this Section 3.9. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this Section 3.9, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 3.9 by virtue of such compliance.
(h) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon such Change of Control.
(i) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer will, to the extent permitted by law,
(i) accept for payment all Notes issued by it or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(ii) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and
(iii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that such Notes or portions thereof have been tendered to and purchased by the Issuer.
SECTION 3.10 Maintenance of Insurance. The Issuer shall maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Issuer, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.
SECTION 3.11 Additional Guarantors. If, after the Issue Date, any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Issuer (and non-Wholly Owned Subsidiaries if such non-Wholly Owned Subsidiaries guarantee other syndicated loans or capital markets debt securities of the Issuer) and is not a Foreign Subsidiary and that guarantees any Indebtedness of the Issuer, then the Issuer shall cause such Restricted Subsidiary, within 20 Business Days of the date that such Indebtedness has been guaranteed, to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture and guarantee payment of the Notes and all Obligations in respect of the Notes on the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture; provided, however, that no Foreign Subsidiary or Foreign Subsidiary Holdco shall guarantee any Indebtedness of the Issuer.
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Each Guarantee will be limited to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed by that Restricted Subsidiary without rendering the Guarantee, as it relates to such Restricted Subsidiary, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally. However, in a recent Florida bankruptcy case, this kind of provision was found to be ineffective to protect the guarantees.
Each Guarantee shall be released upon the terms and in accordance with Section 10.2(b).
SECTION 3.12 Compliance Certificate; Statement by Officers as to Default. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer ending after the Issue Date, an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that to the best knowledge of the signer thereof on behalf of the Issuer, the Issuer is or is not in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Issuer (through its own action or omission or through the action or omission of any Guarantor as applicable) shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which such signer may have knowledge. The individual signing any certificate given by any Person pursuant to this Section 3.12 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of such Person.
So long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days of any Officer becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default.
SECTION 3.13 [Reserved.].
SECTION 3.14 Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Subsidiary of the Issuer (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary of the Issuer but excluding the Issuer) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries owns any Equity Interests or Indebtedness of, or owns or holds any Lien on any property of, the Issuer or any other Subsidiary of the Issuer that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated; provided, however, that the Subsidiary to be so designated and its Subsidiaries do not at the time of designation have and do not thereafter Incur any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender has recourse to any of the assets of the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, further, however, that either:
(i) the Subsidiary to be so designated has total consolidated assets of $1,000 or less; or
(ii) if such Subsidiary has consolidated assets greater than $1,000, then such designation would be permitted under Section 3.4.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that immediately after giving effect to such designation:
(x) (1) if such Unrestricted Subsidiary is a Subsidiary of the Issuer (other than CommScope or any of its Subsidiaries), the Issuer could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test described under Section 3.3 and if such Unrestricted Subsidiary is a Subsidiary of CommScope, CommScope could Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth under Section 3.3, or
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(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be greater than such ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such designation, in each case on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation, and
(y) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(c) Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Issuer shall be evidenced to the Trustee by promptly filing with the Trustee a copy of the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with this Section 3.14.
SECTION 3.15 Covenant Suspension.
(a) If on any date following the Issue Date (i) the Notes have Investment Grade Ratings from both Rating Agencies, and (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture (the occurrence of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being collectively referred to as a “Covenant Suspension Event”), Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.11 and 4.1(iv) (collectively, the “Suspended Covenants”) shall no longer be applicable to such Notes.
(b) In the event that the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants under this Indenture for any period of time pursuant to Section 3.15(a) (any such period, a “Suspension Period”), and on any subsequent date (the “Reversion Date”) one or both of the Rating Agencies withdraw their Investment Grade Rating or downgrade the rating assigned to the Notes below an Investment Grade Rating, then the Issuer and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenants under this Indenture with respect to future events.
(c) Upon the occurrence of a Covenant Suspension Event, the amount of Excess Proceeds from Net Cash Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
(d) In the event of any reinstatement of the Suspended Covenants pursuant to Section 3.15(b), no failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants prior to such reinstatement will give rise to a Default or Event of Default under this Indenture with respect to any Notes; provided that (1) with respect to Restricted Payments made after any such reinstatement, the amount of Restricted Payments made shall be calculated as though Section 3.4 had been in effect prior to, but not during the Suspension Period; provided that no Subsidiaries may be designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries during the Suspension Period, and (2) all Indebtedness Incurred, or Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock issued, during the Suspension Period shall be classified to have been Incurred or issued pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(iii). In addition, for purposes of Section 3.8, all agreements and arrangements entered into by the Issuer and any Restricted Subsidiary with an Affiliate of the Issuer during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date will be deemed to have been entered into on or prior to the Acquisition Date and for purposes of Section 3.6, all contracts entered into during the Suspension Period prior to such Reversion Date that contain any of the restrictions contemplated by such Section will be deemed to have been existing on the Acquisition Date.
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(e) Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated, no Default or Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred as a result of any failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants during any Suspension Period and the Issuer and any Subsidiary of the Issuer will be permitted, without causing a Default or Event of Default or breach of any of the Suspended Covenants (notwithstanding the reinstatement thereof) under this Indenture, to honor, comply with or otherwise perform any contractual commitments or obligations entered into during a Suspension Period following a Reversion Date and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby; provided that, to the extent any such commitment or obligation results in the making of a Restricted Payment, such Restricted Payment shall be made under Section 3.4(a)(C) or Section 3.4(b) and if not permitted by any of such provisions, such Restricted Payment shall be deemed permitted under Section 3.4(a)(C) and shall be deducted for purposes of calculating the amount pursuant to such Section 3.4(a)(C) (so that the amount available under such Section 3.4(a)(C) immediately following such Restricted Payment shall be negative).
The Issuer shall provide an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee indicating the occurrence of any Covenant Suspension Event or Reversion Date. The Trustee will have no obligation to (i) independently determine or verify if such events have occurred, (ii) make any determination regarding the impact of actions taken during the Suspension Period on the Issuer’s and its Subsidiaries’ future compliance with their covenants or (iii) notify the Holders of any Covenant Suspension Event or Reversion Date.
SECTION 3.16 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Issuer covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenant that it shall not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
ARTICLE IV
Merger; Consolidation or Sale of Assets
SECTION 4.1 When the Issuer May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets.
The Issuer may not consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not the Issuer is the surviving Person), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions, to any Person unless:
(i) the Issuer is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition will have been made is a corporation or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia, or any territory thereof (the Issuer or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Company”) and, if such entity is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the Notes is a corporation organized or existing under such laws;
(ii) the Successor Company (if other than the Issuer) expressly assumes all the obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes pursuant to supplemental indentures or other documents or instruments;
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(iii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Company or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(iv) immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction, as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, either
(1) the Successor Company would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 3.3(a); or
(2) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Successor Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be equal to or greater than such ratio for the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction;
(v) if the Successor Company is other than the Issuer, each Subsidiary Guarantor, if any, unless it is the other party to the transactions described above, in which case Section 4.1(b)(i)(B) shall apply, shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes; and
(vi) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indentures (if any) comply with this Indenture.
The Successor Company (if other than the Issuer) will succeed to, and be substituted for, such Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes, and the Issuer will automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing clauses (iii) and (iv), (a) the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge into or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or part of its properties and assets to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, and (b) the Issuer may merge or consolidate with an Affiliate incorporated or organized solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing such Issuer in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby.
ARTICLE V
Redemption of Notes
SECTION 5.1 Optional Redemption.
(a) The Notes may be redeemed, in whole at any time, or in part from time to time, subject to the conditions and at the redemption prices set forth in Paragraph 7 of the form of Note set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Indenture, together with accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
(b) In connection with any redemption of Notes (including with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering), any such redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including any related Equity Offering. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the
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Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed.
(c) Unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable Redemption Date.
SECTION 5.2 Mandatory Principal Redemption. At the end of each accrual period ending on the date five years after the date of the initial issuance of the Notes (each, an “AHYDO redemption date”), the Issuer will redeem for cash a portion of each Note then outstanding equal to the Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount (such redemption, a “Mandatory Principal Redemption”). The redemption price for the portion of each Note redeemed pursuant to a Mandatory Principal Redemption will be 100% of the principal amount of such portion plus any accrued interest thereon on the date of redemption. The “Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount” with respect to an accrual period means the portion of a Note required to be redeemed to prevent such Note from being treated as an “applicable high yield discount obligation” within the meaning of Section 163(i)(1) of the Code. No partial redemption, prepayment or repurchase of the Notes prior to the AHYDO redemption date pursuant to any other provision of the Indenture will alter the Issuer’s obligation to make the Mandatory Principal Redemption with respect to any Notes that remain outstanding on any AHYDO redemption date. The Issuer is responsible for calculating the Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount. The Trustee shall not be responsible for verifying the calculation of the Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount.
SECTION 5.3 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions. If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 5.1, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 2 Business Days for Global Notes and 10 calendar days for Definitive Notes before notice of redemption is required to be mailed or caused to be mailed to Holders pursuant to Section 5.5, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth (a) the paragraph or subparagraph of such Note and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (b) the Redemption Date, (c) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (d) the redemption price. The Issuer may also include a request in such Officer’s Certificate that the Trustee give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in Section 5.5. The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee such documentation and records as shall enable the Trustee to select the Notes to be redeemed pursuant to Section 5.4.
SECTION 5.4 Selection by Trustee of Notes to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee shall select Notes for redemption on a pro rata basis or by lot unless otherwise required by law, the Depositary or applicable stock exchange requirements; provided, however, that no Notes in an unauthorized denomination shall be redeemed in part. No Notes of less than $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof can be redeemed in part (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiples of $1.00 in excess thereof). If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note in accordance with Section 5.8.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
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For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to redemption of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Note redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Note which has been or is to be redeemed.
SECTION 5.5 Notice of Redemption. The Issuer shall mail or cause to be mailed by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to a date fixed for redemption (a “Redemption Date”), to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed. The Trustee may give notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense; provided, however, that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with Article VIII.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(a) the Redemption Date,
(b) the redemption price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.7, if any,
(c) if less than all outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Notes (or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be outstanding after such partial redemption,
(d) in case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Note shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, the Holder shall receive, without charge, a new Note or Notes of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,
(e) that on the Redemption Date the redemption price (and accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.7) shall become due and payable upon each such Note, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed, and, unless the Issuer defaults in making the redemption payment, that interest on Notes called for redemption (or the portion thereof) shall cease to accrue on and after said date,
(f) the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price and accrued interest, if any,
(g) the name and address of the Paying Agent,
(h) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price,
(i) the CUSIP number, and that no representation is made as to the accuracy or correctness of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes,
(j) the Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes are to be redeemed; and
(k) any conditions to the redemption of Notes.
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At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph. Such Officer’s Certificate shall state that all conditions precedent to the delivery of such notice have been complied with.
SECTION 5.6 Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Issuer is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.4) an amount of money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all the Notes which are to be redeemed on that date.
SECTION 5.7 Notes Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the redemption price therein specified (together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of the redemption price and accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date) such Notes shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Note for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Note shall be paid by the Issuer at the redemption price, together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).
If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Notes.
If a Redemption Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders whose Notes shall be subject to redemption by the Issuer.
SECTION 5.8 Notes Redeemed in Part. Any Note which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article) shall be surrendered at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 (with, if the Issuer so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder of such Note at the expense of the Issuer, a new Note or Notes, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Note so surrendered, provided that each such new Note shall be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof).
SECTION 5.9 Offer to Repurchase. In the event that, pursuant to Section 3.7, the Issuer is required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase the Notes (an “Offer to Repurchase”), it shall follow the procedures specified below.
(a) The Offer to Repurchase shall remain open for a period of at least 20 Business Days following its commencement and not more than 30 Business Days, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Issuer shall apply all Excess Proceeds, as applicable (the “Offer Amount”) to the purchase of Notes and such Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, (in each instance, on a pro rata basis, if applicable) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes and other Indebtedness tendered in response to the Offer to Repurchase. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made pursuant to Section 3.1.
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(b) [Reserved].
(c) Upon the commencement of an Offer to Repurchase, the Issuer shall send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Offer to Repurchase, shall state:
(i) that the Offer to Repurchase is being made pursuant to this Section 5.9 and Section 3.7, and the length of time the Offer to Repurchase shall remain open;
(ii) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;
(iii) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrue interest;
(iv) that, unless the Issuer defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase shall cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;
(v) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Offer to Repurchase may elect to have Notes purchased in a minimum amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof only (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof);
(vi) that Holders electing to have Notes purchased pursuant to any Offer to Repurchase shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer, a Depositary, if appointed by the Issuer, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;
(vii) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuer, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than on the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Notes the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Notes purchased;
(viii) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and, if applicable, other Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee shall select the Notes and, if applicable, the Issuer shall select such other Pari Passu Indebtedness to be purchased or prepaid, on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of Notes and other Pari Passu Indebtedness, if any, surrendered (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Issuer so that only Notes in minimum denominations of $2,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be purchased) (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof); and
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(ix) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).
(d) On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Offer to Repurchase, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Section 5.9. The Issuer or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuer for purchase, and the Issuer shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon written request from the Issuer, shall authenticate and mail or deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Issuer to the Holder thereof. The Issuer shall publicly announce the results of the Offer to Repurchase on the Purchase Date.
ARTICLE VI
Defaults and Remedies
SECTION 6.1 Events of Default. Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:
(i) a default in any payment of interest on any Note when due continued for 30 days,
(ii) a default in the payment of principal or premium, if any, of any Note when due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required purchase, upon acceleration or otherwise,
(iii) the failure by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply for 60 days after written notice with any of its other agreements (other than a default referred to in clauses (i) or (ii) above) contained in the Notes or this Indenture,
(iv) the failure by the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary to pay any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness owing to the Issuer or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer) within any applicable grace period after final maturity or the acceleration of any such Indebtedness by the holders thereof because of a default, in each case, if the total amount of such Indebtedness unpaid or accelerated exceeds $50.0 million or its foreign currency equivalent,
(v) the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(1) commences a voluntary case;
(2) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in any voluntary case;
(3) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for any substantial part of its property; or
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(4) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;
or takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;
(vi) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(1) is for relief against the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;
(2) appoints a Custodian of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary or for any substantial part of its property; or
(3) orders the winding up or liquidation of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary;
or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days;
(vii) failure by the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary to pay final and non-appealable judgments aggregating in excess of $50.0 million or its foreign currency equivalent (net of any amounts that are covered by enforceable insurance policies issued by solvent insurance companies), which judgments are not discharged, waived or stayed for a period of 60 days and, in the event such judgment is covered by insurance, an enforcement proceeding has been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or decree that is not promptly stayed (the “judgment default provision”), or
(viii) the Guarantee, if any, of a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms thereof), or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary denies that it has any further liability under its Guarantee or gives notice to such effect, other than by reason of the termination of this Indenture or the release of any such Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture and such Default continues for 10 days.
The foregoing shall constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.
However, a default under clause (iii) of this Section 6.1 will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of outstanding Notes notify the Issuer of the default and the Issuer does not cure such default within the time specified in clause (iii) of this Section 6.1 after receipt of such notice
SECTION 6.2 Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.1(v) or (vi) above with respect to the Issuer) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of outstanding Notes by written notice to the Issuer may declare the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal and interest will be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default arising from Sections 6.1(v) or (vi) of the Issuer occurs, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all the Notes will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders.
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SECTION 6.3 Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes, this Indenture (including sums owed to the Trustee and its agents and counsel) and the Guarantees.
The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative.
SECTION 6.4 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive, rescind or cancel any declaration of an existing or past Default or Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture if such waiver, rescission or cancellation would not conflict with any judgment or decree, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes (other than such nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due as a result of such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
In the event of any Event of Default arising from Section 6.1(iv), such Event of Default and all consequences thereof (excluding, however, any resulting payment default) will be annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, if prior to the earlier of (i) a declaration of acceleration pursuant to the preceding paragraph and (ii) 20 days after such Event of Default arose, the Issuer delivers an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that (x) the Indebtedness or Guarantee that is the basis for such Event of Default has been discharged or (y) the Holders thereof have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or action (as the case may be) giving rise to such Event of Default or (z) the default that is the basis for such Event of Default has been cured.
SECTION 6.5 Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Noteholders or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Prior to taking any action under this Indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to indemnification satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.
SECTION 6.6 Limitation on Suits. In case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive
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payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, when due, no Holder may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(i) such Holder has previously given the Trustee written notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(ii) Holders of at least 25.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have requested in writing the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(iii) such Holders have offered the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it in any loss, liability or expense;
(iv) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
(v) the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
SECTION 6.7 Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 6.8 Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(i) or (ii) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.6.
SECTION 6.9 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer, its Subsidiaries or their respective creditors or properties and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders (pursuant to the written direction of Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes) in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.6. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan or reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in such proceeding.
SECTION 6.10 Priorities. The Trustee shall pay out any money or property received by it in the following order:
First: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.6;
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Second: to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and
Third: to the Issuer or, to the extent the Trustee receives any amount for any Subsidiary Guarantor, to such Subsidiary Guarantor.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section. At least 15 days before such record date, the Issuer shall mail to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.
SECTION 6.11 Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes.
ARTICLE VII
Trustee
SECTION 7.1 Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee shall not be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered the Trustee indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to the Trustee in its sole discretion against any loss, liability or expense it may incur.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default of which a Trust Officer has actual knowledge, the Trustee:
(i) undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of gross negligence or bad faith on its part, may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, as applicable. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, as the case may be (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
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(c) The Trustee shall not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) this Section 7.1(c) does not limit the effect of Section 7.1(b);
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer or Trust Officers unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.5.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer.
(e) Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(f) No provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees, if any, shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(g) Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.
(h) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee, security, prefunding or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
SECTION 7.2 Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or any other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person or Persons. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel, or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys, custodians, nominees and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of or for the supervision of any agent, custodians, nominees or attorney appointed with due care.
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(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder or under the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.
(f) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into any statement, warranty or representation, or the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or other paper or document made or in connection with this Indenture; moreover, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into (i) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (ii) the occurrence of any default, or the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Indenture or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (iii) the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Issuer, personally or by agent or attorney and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(g) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except any Default or Event of Default of which a Trust Officer shall have (x) received written notification at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture or (y) obtained “actual knowledge.” “Actual knowledge” shall mean the actual fact or statement of knowing by a Trust Officer without independent investigation with respect thereto.
(h) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(i) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(j) The Trustee may request that the Issuer deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
(k) The Trustee shall not have any duty (A) to see to any recording, filing, or depositing of this Indenture or any agreement referred to herein, or to see to the maintenance of any such recording or filing or depositing or to any rerecording, re-filing or redepositing of any thereof or (B) to see to any insurance.
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(l) The right of the Trustee to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty.
SECTION 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee. Subject to § 310 of the TIA, each of the Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, or their Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Section 7.9. In addition, the Trustee shall be permitted to engage in transactions with the Issuer; provided, however, that if the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest the Trustee must (i) eliminate such conflict within 90 days of acquiring such conflicting interest, (ii) apply to the SEC for permission to continue acting as Trustee or (iii) resign.
SECTION 7.4 Disclaimer. The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the Notes or the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Issuer in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication or for the use or application of any funds received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.
SECTION 7.5 Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs and is continuing and is actually known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder notice of the Default within 90 days after it is known to the Trustee. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interests on any Note, the Trustee may withhold notice if and so long as a committee of its Trust Officers in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the Holders.
SECTION 7.6 Compensation and Indemnity. The Issuer shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for their services as the parties shall agree in writing from time to time. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it, including, but not limited to, costs of collection, costs of preparing and reviewing reports, certificates and other documents, costs of preparation and mailing of notices to Holders and reasonable costs of counsel, in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts. The Issuer shall indemnify the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder (including Paying Agent, and Registrar), and each of their officers, directors, employees, counsel and agents, against any and all loss, liability or expense (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by it in connection with the administration of this trust and the performance of their duties hereunder and under the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture (including this Section 7.6), the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, and of defending itself against any claims (whether asserted by any Holder, the Issuer or otherwise). The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer of its obligations hereunder. The Issuer shall defend the claim and the Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Issuer need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee as a result of its own willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith.
To secure the Issuer’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Notes. The right of the Trustee to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.6 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or indebtedness of the Issuer.
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The Issuer’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section and any lien arising hereunder shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee. When the Trustee incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 6.1(v) or (vi) with respect to the Issuer, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
SECTION 7.7 Replacement of Trustee. The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Issuer. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Issuer and the Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee. The Issuer shall remove the Trustee if:
(i) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9;
(ii) the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;
(iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(iv) the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Issuer or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.6. All costs reasonably incurred in connection with any resignation or removal hereunder shall be borne by the Issuer.
If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of at least 10.0% in principal amount of the Notes may petition, at the Issuer’s expense, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9, unless the Trustee’s duty to resign is stayed, any Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Issuer’s obligations under Section 7.6 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
SECTION 7.8 Successor Trustee by Merger. If the Trustee, consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
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In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.
SECTION 7.9 Eligibility; Disqualification. The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million as set forth in its most recent filed annual report of condition.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA §310(b).
SECTION 7.10 Limitation on Duty of Trustee. The Trustee shall not have any duty to ascertain or inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms of this Indenture, the Notes and any Guarantees by the Issuer, the Restricted Subsidiaries or any other Person.
SECTION 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer. The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
SECTION 7.12 Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes. Within 60 days after each May 1, beginning with May 1, 2014, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA §313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also shall comply with TIA § 313(b). The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes shall be mailed to the Issuer and filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which any Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when any Notes are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.
ARTICLE VIII
Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance
SECTION 8.1 Discharge of Liability on Securities; Defeasance. This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect (except as to surviving rights of registration or transfer or exchange of Notes, as expressly provided for in this Indenture) as to all outstanding Notes:
(a) when (i) all the Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered ( other than Notes pursuant to Section 2.7 which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or (ii) all of the
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Notes (a) have become due and payable, (b) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or (c) if redeemable at the option of the Issuer, are to be called for redemption within one year, and the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor, if any, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in cash in U.S. Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of deposit together with irrevocable instructions from the Issuer directing the Trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(b) the Issuer and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, have paid all other sums payable under this Indenture; and
(c) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent under this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with (other than Section 8.1(a)(ii)(c) to the extent that compliance will occur solely upon passage of time).
Subject to Sections 8.1(c) and 8.2, the Issuer at any time may terminate (i) all of its obligations under the Notes and this Indenture (with respect to such Notes) and have each Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligation discharged with respect to its Guarantee, if any, and cure any then-existing Events of Default (“legal defeasance option”) or (ii) its obligations under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11 and the operation of Section 4.1 (other than Sections 4.1(i), (ii) and (vi)) and Sections 6.1(iii) (with respect to any Default under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10), 6.1(iv), 6.1(v) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vi) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only) and 6.1(vii) (“ covenant defeasance option”). The Issuer may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option. In the event that the Issuer terminates all of its obligations under the Notes and this Indenture (with respect to such Notes) by exercising its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor, if any, under its Guarantee , if any, of such Notes shall be terminated simultaneously with the termination of such obligations.
If the Issuer exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes so defeased may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. If the Issuer exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes so defeased may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(iii) (with respect to any Default by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with any of its obligations under Article III other than Sections 3.1, 3.11, 3.15), 6.1(iv), 6.1(v) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vi) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only), 6.1(vii) (with respect to Significant Subsidiaries of the Issuer only) and 6.1(viii).
Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Issuer, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Issuer terminates.
Notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b) above, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 7.6, 7.7 and in this Article VIII shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full. Thereafter, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 7.6, 8.5 and 8.6 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.
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SECTION 8.2 Conditions to Defeasance.
(a) The Issuer may exercise its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option only if:
(i) the Issuer irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee cash in U.S. Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof in an amount sufficient or U.S. Government Obligations, the principal of and the interest on which will be sufficient, or a combination thereof sufficient, to pay the principal of, and premium (if any) and interest on the applicable Notes when due at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(ii) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee a certificate from a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants expressing their opinion that the payments of principal and interest when due and without reinvestment on the deposited U.S. Government Obligations plus any deposited money without investment will provide cash at such times and in such amounts as will be sufficient to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest when due on all the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;
(iii) 91 days pass after the deposit is made and during the 91-day period no Default specified in Section 6.1(v) or (vi) with respect to the Issuer occurs which is continuing at the end of the period;
(iv) the deposit does not constitute a default under any other agreement binding on the Issuer;
(v) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the trust resulting from the deposit does not constitute, or is qualified as, a regulated investment advisor under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940;
(vi) in the case of the legal defeasance option, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (1) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (2) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;
(vii) in the case of the covenant defeasance option, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred; and
(viii) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge of the Notes to be so defeased and discharged as contemplated by this Article VIII have been complied with.
Before or after a deposit, the Issuer may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of such Notes at a future date in accordance with Article V.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Opinion of Counsel required by the clause (vi) above need not be delivered if all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (x) have become due and payable, (y) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or (z) are to be called for redemption within one year.
SECTION 8.3 Application of Trust Money. The Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article VIII. It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations through the Paying Agent and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes.
SECTION 8.4 Repayment to Issuer. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon Company Order any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in this Article VIII which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, provided that the Trustee shall not be required to liquidate any U.S. Government Obligations in order to comply with the provisions of this Section 8.4.
Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Issuer upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, and, thereafter, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Issuer for payment as general creditors.
SECTION 8.5 Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations. The Issuer shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal and interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations.
SECTION 8.6 Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Issuer and each Guarantor under this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article VIII until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII; provided, however, that, if the Issuer or the Guarantors has made any payment of interest on or principal of any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
ARTICLE IX
Amendments
SECTION 9.1 Without Consent of Holders. Notwithstanding Section 9.2 hereof, this Indenture, the Notes and Guarantees, if any, may be amended or supplemented by the Issuer, any Subsidiary Guarantor (with respect to a Guarantee or the indenture to which it is a party) and the Trustee without notice to or consent of any Holder:
(i) to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency;
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(ii) to conform the text of this Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes to the “Description of notes” in the Offering Memorandum;
(iii) to comply with Section 4.1 of this Indenture;
(iv) to provide for the assumption by a successor corporation, partnership or limited liability company of the obligations of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture and the Notes or Guarantee, as the case may be;
(v) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided, however, that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code;
(vi) to add or release Guarantees with respect to the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(vii) to secure the Notes;
(viii) to add to the covenants of the Issuer for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor;
(ix) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;
(x) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes to the extent permitted by Section 3.3 as in effect prior to such amendment, which shall have terms substantially identical in all material respects to the Initial Notes, and which shall be treated, together with any outstanding Initial Notes, as a single issue of securities;
(xi) to make any amendment to the provisions of this Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of Notes as permitted by this Indenture, including, without limitation, to facilitate the issuance and administration of the Notes; provided, however, that (i) compliance with this Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable securities law and (ii) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders to transfer Notes;
(xii) in the event that PIK Notes are issued in certificated form, to make appropriate amendments to this Indenture to reflect an appropriate minimum denomination of certificated PIK Notes and establish minimum redemption amounts for certificated PIK Notes; or
(xiii) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee, provided that the successor Trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the terms of this Indenture.
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SECTION 9.2 With Consent of Holders.
(a) This Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes) and any existing or past Default or compliance with any provisions of such documents may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes). However, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Notes held by Affiliates), no amendment may (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
(i) reduce the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;
(ii) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;
(iii) reduce the principal of or change the Stated Maturity of any Note;
(iv) reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Note or change the time at which any Note may be redeemed as described under Section 5.1;
(v) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in such Note;
(vi) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes;
(vii) make any change in the amendment provisions that require each Holder’s consent or in the waiver provisions;
(viii) make the Notes or any Guarantee, if any, subordinated in right of payment to any other obligations; or
(ix) modify the Guarantees, if any, in any manner adverse to the Holders.
(b) It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
(c) After an amendment under this Section 9.2 becomes effective, the Issuer shall (or shall cause the Trustee, at the expense of and at the request of the Issuer, to) mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure of the Issuer to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not in any way impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section 9.2.
SECTION 9.3 Effect of Consents and Waivers. A consent to an amendment or a waiver by a Holder of a Note shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of that Note or portion of the Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on the Note. After an amendment or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every
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Holder unless it makes a change described in clauses (i) through (ix) of Section 9.2(a), in which case the amendment or waiver or other action shall bind each Holder who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Notes. An amendment or waiver made pursuant to Section 9.2 shall become effective upon receipt by the Trustee of the requisite number of written consents.
The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.
SECTION 9.4 Notation on or Exchange of Notes. If an amendment changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Note regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Issuer or the Trustee so determines, the Issuer in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment.
SECTION 9.5 Trustee To Sign Amendments. The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not, in the sole determination of the Trustee, adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it. In signing any amendment, supplement or waiver pursuant to this Article IX, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 7.1 and 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by or complies with this Indenture, that all conditions precedent to such amendment required by this Indenture have been complied with and that such amendment, supplement or waiver is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions.
ARTICLE X
Guarantees
SECTION 10.1 Guarantees.
On the Issue Date, there shall be no Subsidiary Guarantors and no Restricted Subsidiary shall be required to Guarantee the Notes unless otherwise required under Section 3.11 hereof.
(a) Subject to the provisions of this Article X, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as guarantor and not as a surety, with each other Subsidiary Guarantor, to each Holder of the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the Trustee the performance and full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes (including, without limitation, interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6) (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guarantor Obligations”). Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees (to the extent lawful) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this Article X notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.
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(b) Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) presentation to, demand of, payment from and protest to the Issuer of any of the Guarantor Obligations and also waives (to the extent lawful) notice of protest for nonpayment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) notice of any default under the Notes or the Guarantor Obligations.
(c) Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Guarantee herein constitutes a Guarantee of payment when due (and not a Guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder to any security held for payment of the Guarantor Obligations.
(d) Except as set forth in Section 10.2 and Article VIII, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guarantor Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not (to the extent lawful) be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guarantor Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor herein shall not (to the extent lawful) be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Issuer or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement; (d) the release of any security held by any Holder for the Guarantor Obligations or any of them; (e) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Subsidiary Guarantor; (f) any change in the ownership of the Issuer; (g) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guarantor Obligations; or (h) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Subsidiary Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.
(e) Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that its Guarantee herein shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of all the Guarantor Obligations or such Subsidiary Guarantor is released from its Guarantee in compliance with Section 4.1, Section 10.2 and Article VIII. Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Guarantor Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Issuer or otherwise.
(f) In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder has at law or in equity against any Subsidiary Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Issuer to pay any of the Guarantor Obligations when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby promises to and shall, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Trustee or the Trustee on behalf of the Holders an amount equal to the sum of (i) the unpaid amount of such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing and (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding).
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(g) Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Subsidiary Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in this Indenture for the purposes of its Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby and (y) in the event of any such declaration of acceleration of such Guarantor Obligations, such Guarantor Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Subsidiary Guarantor for the purposes of this Guarantee.
(h) Each Subsidiary Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Section.
(i) Neither the Issuer nor the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Guarantee or any release, termination or discharge thereof and any such notation shall not be a condition to the validity of any Guarantee.
SECTION 10.2 Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge.
(a) Any term or provision of this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the maximum amount as shall, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law and not otherwise being void or voidable under any similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.
(b) A Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and each Subsidiary Guarantor and its obligations under the Guarantee and this Indenture shall be released and discharged upon:
(1) the sale, exchange, disposition or other transfer (including through merger or consolidation) of the Capital Stock (including any sale, disposition or other transfer following which the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary), or all or substantially all the assets, of the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor if such sale, disposition or other transfer is made in compliance with this Indenture;
(2) the Issuer designating such Subsidiary Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 3.4 and the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary”;
(3) in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that after the Issue Date is required to guarantee the Notes pursuant to Section 3.11, the release or discharge of the obligation by such Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer or such Restricted Subsidiary or the repayment of the Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, in each case, which resulted in the obligation to guarantee the Notes, except if a release or discharge is by or as a result of payment under such other obligation;
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(4) the Issuer’s exercise of its legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option as described under Article VIII or if the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(5) the release or discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under each Credit Agreement, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such obligation; or
(6) such Subsidiary Guarantor ceasing to be a Domestic Subsidiary.
(c) If any Subsidiary Guarantor is released from its Guarantee, any of its Subsidiaries that are Subsidiary Guarantors will be released from their Guarantees, if any.
(d) In the case of Section 10.2(b), the Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this In-denture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
(e) The release of a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guarantee and its obligations under this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.2 shall not preclude the future applications of Section 3.11 to such Person.
SECTION 10.3 Right of Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that any such Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made on the obligations under its Guarantee, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against the Issuer or any other Subsidiary Guarantor who has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. The provisions of this Section 10.3 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of each Subsidiary Guarantor to the Trustee and the Holders and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall remain liable to the Trustee and the Holders for the full amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder.
SECTION 10.4 No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment or payments made by each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder, no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Trustee or any Holder against the Issuer or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Trustee or any Holder for the payment of the Guarantor Obligations, nor shall any Subsidiary Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Issuer or any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Trustee and the Holders by the Issuer on account of the Guarantor Obligations are paid in full. If any amount shall be paid to any Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Guarantor Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Subsidiary Guarantor in trust for the Trustee and the Holders, segregated from other funds of such Subsidiary Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Subsidiary Guarantor, be turned over to the Trustee in the exact form received by such Subsidiary Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Subsidiary Guarantor to the Trustee, if required), to be applied against the Guarantor Obligations.
SECTION 10.5 Limitations on Merger. A Subsidiary Guarantor will not, and the Issuer will not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to, consolidate or merge with or into or wind up into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions to, any Person (other than in connection with the Transactions) unless:
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(1) either (a) such Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition will have been made is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof (such Subsidiary Guarantor or such Person, as the case may be, being herein called the “Successor Guarantor”); the Successor Guarantor (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) expressly assumes all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture and such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Guarantee pursuant to a supplemental indenture or (b) such sale or disposition or consolidation or merger is not in violation of Section 3.7;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the Successor Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(3) the Successor Guarantor (if other than such Guarantor) shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture.
The Successor Guarantor will succeed to, and be substituted for, such Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture and such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Guarantee, and such Subsidiary Guarantor will automatically be released and discharged from its obligations under this Indenture and such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Subsidiary Guarantor may merge or consolidate with an Affiliate of the Issuer incorporated or organized solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing such Subsidiary Guarantor in another state of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States, so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantor is not increased thereby, (2) a Subsidiary Guarantor may merge or consolidate with another Subsidiary Guarantor or the Issuer and (3) a Subsidiary Guarantor may convert into a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability corporation or trust organized or existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Subsidiary Guarantor.
ARTICLE XI
INTENTIONALLY OMITTED
ARTICLE XII
Miscellaneous
SECTION 12.1 Notices. Notices given by publication shall be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made, and notices given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed given five calendar days after mailing. Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person, by facsimile or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:
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if to the Issuer:
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
if to the Trustee:
Wilmington Trust, National Association
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: Corporate Capital Markets
The Issuer or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to the Holder at the Holder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.
Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods. If the party elects to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption or purchase) to a Holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from DTC or its designee.
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SECTION 12.2 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of Notes on the date hereof), the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee:
(i) an Officer’s Certificate in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(ii) an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
SECTION 12.3 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(i) a statement that the individual making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(iii) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual, such covenant or condition has been complied with.
In giving such Opinion of Counsel, counsel may rely as to factual matters on an Officer’s Certificate or on certificates of public officials.
SECTION 12.4 [Reserved].
SECTION 12.5 Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by, or a meeting of, Holders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.
SECTION 12.6 Days Other than Business Days. If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. If a regular Record Date is not a Business Day, the Record Date shall not be affected.
SECTION 12.7 Governing Law. This Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
SECTION 12.8 Waiver of Jury Trial. THE ISSUER, THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS, IF ANY, AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
SECTION 12.9 No Recourse Against Others. An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent or Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any
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Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Guarantees, if any, or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.
SECTION 12.10 Successors. All agreements of the Issuer and any Subsidiary Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.
SECTION 12.11 Multiple Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture.
SECTION 12.12 Variable Provisions. The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent and Registrar and Notes Custodian with respect to any Global Notes.
SECTION 12.13 Table of Contents; Headings. The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
SECTION 12.14 Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
SECTION 12.15 USA Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act the Trustee and the Trust Officers, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this agreement agree that they shall provide the Trustee and the Trust Officers with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.
SECTION 12.16 [Reserved].
SECTION 12.17 Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes. Holders of the Notes may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders of Notes with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Issuer, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA §312(c).
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Mark A. Olson | |
| Name: Mark A. Olson | ||
| Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
| WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
| By: | /s/ Joseph P. O’Donnell | |
| Name: Joseph P. O’Donnell | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
Signature Page to Indenture
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]
Global Note Legend, if applicable
Private Placement Legend, if applicable
Original Issue Discount Legend, if applicable
Temporary Regulation S Legend, if applicable
A-1
| No. [ ] | Principal Amount $[ ], as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto1 |
CUSIP NO. 2
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Note due 2020
CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the initial principal amount set forth on the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, on June 1, 2020.
Interest Payment Dates: June 1 and December 1.
Record Dates: May 15 and November 15.
Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.
| 1 | Insert in Global Notes only. |
| 2 | 144A: 20337XAA7; Reg S: U20194AA1 |
A-2
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: Mark A. Olson | ||
| Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | ||
A-3
| TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION |
||||||||
| WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||||||||
| as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Notes referred to in the Indenture. |
||||||||
| By: | ||||||||
| Authorized Signatory | Date: | |||||||
A-4
[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]
6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Note due 2020
[PIK]3
1. Interest
CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (such corporation, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above.
The Issuer shall pay interest semiannually on June 1 and December 1 of each year, with the first interest payment to be made on [December 1, 2013].4 Interest on the Notes will accrue at the rate of 6.625% per annum with respect to Cash Interest (as defined below) and 7.375% per annum with respect to any PIK Interest (as defined below). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid with respect to such Notes, or if no interest has been paid with respect to such Notes, from the date of original issuance thereof. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal at 2.0% per annum in excess of the above rate and shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at such higher rate to the extent lawful.
2. Method of Payment
By no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Issuer shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, and/or interest (and if a PIK Payment is being made, deliver the documentation necessary to increase the existing balances of the Notes or to issue PIK Notes). The Issuer shall pay interest (except Defaulted Interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the May 15 and November 15 next preceding the Interest Payment Date unless Notes are cancelled, repurchased or redeemed after the record date and before the Interest Payment Date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Issuer shall pay principal, premium, if any, and interest (other than PIK Interest) in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest (other than PIK Interest)) shall be made by the transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depositary. The Issuer shall make all payments in respect of a Definitive Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) through the Paying Agent by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof.
Subject to the issuance of PIK Notes as described herein, the Notes will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons, in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. PIK Payments will be made in denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple in excess of $1.00 thereof. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer, exchange or redemption of Notes, except in certain circumstances for any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.
| 3 | Only include in certificated PIK Notes. |
| 4 | With respect to the Initial Notes. |
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Except as provided in the immediately succeeding sentence and the definition of “Applicable Amount,” interest on the Notes shall be payable entirely in cash (“Cash Interest”). For any Interest Period after the initial Interest Period (other than the final Interest Period ending at stated maturity), if the Applicable Amount (as defined below) as determined on the Determination Date (as defined below) for such Interest Period:
(i) is equal to or exceeds 75%, but is less than 100%, of the aggregate amount of Cash Interest that would otherwise be due on the relevant interest payment date, then the Issuer may, at its option, elect to pay interest on up to 25% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Notes by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Notes or by issuing PIK Notes in a principal amount equal to such interest (“PIK Interest”), with the remainder paid in cash;
(ii) is equal to or exceeds 50%, but is less than 75%, of the aggregate amount of Cash Interest that would otherwise be due on the relevant interest payment date, then the Issuer may, at its option, elect to pay interest on up to 50% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Notes as PIK Interest, with the remainder paid in cash;
(iii) is equal to or exceeds 25%, but is less than 50%, of the aggregate amount of Cash Interest that would otherwise be due on the relevant interest payment date, then the Issuer may, at its option, elect to pay interest on up to 75% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Notes as PIK Interest, with the remainder paid in cash; or
(iv) is less than 25% of the aggregate amount of Cash Interest that would otherwise be due on the relevant interest payment date, then the Issuer may, at its option, elect to pay interest on up to 100% of the then outstanding principal amount of the Notes as PIK Interest with any remainder paid in cash.
The insufficiency or lack of funds available to the Issuer to pay Cash Interest as required by the immediately preceding paragraph shall not permit the Issuer to pay PIK Interest in respect of any Interest Period and the sole right of the Issuer to elect to pay PIK Interest shall be as (and to the extent) provided in the immediately preceding paragraph.
As used herein,
(1) “Applicable Amount” shall be the amount equal to the sum (without duplication) of,
(i) (a) the maximum amount of all dividends and distributions that, as of the applicable Determination Date, would be permitted to be paid in cash to the Issuer for the purpose of paying Cash Interest by all Restricted Subsidiaries after giving (i) pro forma effect to the payment of amounts reserved to be paid or distributed to the Issuer to pay Cash Interest on the Interest Payment Date immediately following such Determination Date and (ii) effect to all corporate, shareholder or other comparable actions required in order to make such payment, requirements of applicable law and all restrictions on the ability to make such dividends or distributions (to the extent such restrictions are permitted pursuant to Section 3.6 of the Indenture) (including, without limitation, any restrictions and limitations in the Credit Agreements, the 2019 Notes Indenture, all Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreements or the 2019 Notes Indenture) in existence on the Issue Date or any agreement that amends, modifies, renews, increases, supplements, refunds, replaces or refinances such Indebtedness), net of all taxes attributable solely to such dividend or distribution, if any, and, in each case, without regard to whether any such Restricted Subsidiary shall have any funds available to make any such dividends or distributions, less (b) $20.0 million; and
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(ii) (a) all cash and Cash Equivalents on hand at the Issuer as of such Determination Date (other than any cash and Cash Equivalents on hand at the Issuer that has been distributed to the Issuer and the distribution of which is conditioned upon such cash and Cash Equivalents being utilized for a purpose other than paying Cash Interest (including, without limitation, amounts permitted to be distributed to the Issuer solely for the purpose of paying taxes attributable to the Issuer’s consolidated Subsidiaries) as the result of restrictions on the ability to make such dividends or distributions provided such restrictions are otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 3.6 of the Indenture (including, without limitation, any restrictions and limitations in the Credit Agreements, the 2019 Notes Indenture, all Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness under the Credit Agreements or the 2019 Notes Indenture) in existence on the Issue Date or any agreement that amends, modifies, renews, increases, supplements, refunds, replaces or refinances such Indebtedness)) less (b) $10.0 million (which shall in no event be less than $0); provided that there shall be excluded from this clause (ii) any net proceeds from the Notes issued on the Issue Date and cash received by the Issuer from CommScope pending the final application of such proceeds and cash in connection with the Issue Date Transactions and any cash and Cash Equivalents on hand to be used for payment of Cash Interest on the interest payment date next succeeding such Determination Date.
If interest on the Notes with respect to an Interest Period will not be paid entirely as Cash Interest, the Applicable Amount shall be calculated by the Issuer and shall be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee five Business Days prior to the commencement of the relevant Interest Period in which it is to be applied, which Officer’s Certificate shall set forth in reasonable detail the Issuer’s determination of each component of this definition and in the case of clause (i)(a) identifying in reasonable detail the applicable restriction(s) and the maximum amount of funds that may be paid after giving effect to such restriction. To the extent the Issuer is required pursuant to the third preceding paragraph and the definition of Applicable Amount to pay Cash Interest for all or any portion of the interest due on any interest payment date, the Issuer shall and shall cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to take all such shareholder, corporate and other actions necessary or appropriate to permit the making of any such dividends or distribution (or, by virtue of the immediately following paragraph, loans or advances), provided that any such shareholder, corporate and other actions would not violate applicable law or cause a breach of any applicable contract; and
(2) “Determination Date” shall mean, with respect to each Interest Period, the fifteenth calendar day immediately prior to the first day of the relevant Interest Period.
In the event that the Issuer shall be entitled to pay PIK Interest for any Interest Period, then the Issuer shall deliver a notice to the Trustee following the Determination Date but not less than five Business Days prior to the commencement of the relevant Interest Period, which notice shall state the total amount of interest to be paid on such interest payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid as PIK Interest. The Trustee shall promptly deliver a corresponding notice to the Holders. Interest for the first Interest Period commencing on the Issue Date shall be payable entirely in Cash Interest. Interest for the final Interest Period ending at stated maturity shall be payable entirely in Cash Interest.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the payment of accrued interest in connection with any redemption or repurchase of the pursuant to Sections 3.7, 3.9 and 5.1 of the Indenture will be made solely in cash.
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If the Issuer pays a portion of the interest on the Notes as Cash Interest and a portion of the interest on the Notes as PIK Interest, such Cash Interest and PIK Interest shall be paid to holders pro rata in accordance with their interests. PIK Interest on the Notes will be payable (A) with respect to Notes represented by one or more Global Notes registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee, by increasing the principal amount of the outstanding Global Note by an amount equal to the amount of PIK Interest for the applicable Interest Period (rounded up to the nearest whole dollar) as provided in writing by the Issuer to the Trustee and (B) with respect to Notes represented by certificated Notes, by issuing PIK Notes in certificated form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount of PIK Interest for the applicable Interest Period (rounded up to the nearest whole dollar), and the Trustee will, at the written order of the Issuer, authenticate and deliver such PIK Notes in certificated form for original issuance to the Holders on the relevant Record Date, as shown by the records of the register of Holders. Following an increase in the principal amount of the outstanding Global Notes as a result of a PIK Payment, the Notes will bear interest on such increased principal amount from and after the date of such PIK Payment. Any PIK Notes issued in certificated form will be dated as of the applicable Interest Payment Date and will bear interest from and after such date. All Notes issued pursuant to a PIK Payment will mature on June 1, 2020 and will be governed by, and subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of, the Indenture and will have the same rights and benefits of the Notes issued on the Issue Date. Any certificated PIK Notes will be issued with the description “PIK” on the face of such PIK Notes.
3. Paying Agent and Registrar
Initially, Wilmington Trust, National Association, duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America and having a corporate trust office at 246 Goose Lane, Suite 105, Guilford, CT 06437 (“Trustee”), shall act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuer may appoint and change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuer or any of its domestically incorporated Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.
4. Indenture
The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of May 28, 2013 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Indenture”), between the Issuer and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the Securities Act for a statement of those terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuer. This Note is one of the 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020 referred to in the Indenture. The Notes include (i) $550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Issuer’s 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020 issued under the Indenture on May 28, 2013 (herein called “Initial Notes”), (ii) from time to time PIK Notes and (iii) if and when issued, additional 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020 of the Issuer that may be issued from time to time under the Indenture subsequent to May 28, 2013 (herein called “Additional Notes”). The Indenture contains the terms and restrictions set forth in the Indenture or made a part of the Indenture by reference to the TIA.
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5. Intentionally Omitted
6. Intentionally Omitted
7. Redemption
(a) On and after June 1, 2016, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the DTC, at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the 12-month period commencing on June 1 of the years set forth below:
| YEAR |
PERCENTAGE | |||
| 2016 |
103.313 | % | ||
| 2017 |
101.656 | % | ||
| 2018 and thereafter |
100.000 | % | ||
(b) At any time prior to June 1, 2016, the Issuer may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the DTC, at a redemption price equal to 100.0% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
(c) At any time and from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address or otherwise in accordance with the procedures of the DTC, on or prior to June 1, 2016, the Issuer may redeem in the aggregate up to 40.0% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings (1) by the Issuer or (2) any other direct or indirect parent of the Issuer, to the extent the net cash proceeds thereof are contributed to the common equity capital of the Issuer or used to purchase Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Issuer from it, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) equal to 106.625% plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date); provided, however, that at least 50.0% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes (calculated after giving effect to any issuance of Additional Notes) must remain outstanding after each such redemption; and provided, further, that such redemption shall occur within 120 days after the date on which any such Equity Offering is consummated.
(d) Any redemption of Notes may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed.
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(e) Unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable redemption date.
(f) Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 7 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Article V of the Indenture.
8. Mandatory Principal Redemption
At the end of each accrual period ending on the date five years after the date of the initial issuance of the Notes (each, an “AHYDO redemption date”), the Issuer will redeem for cash a portion of each Note then outstanding equal to the Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount. The redemption price for the portion of each Note redeemed pursuant to a Mandatory Principal Redemption will be 100% of the principal amount of such portion plus any accrued interest thereon on the date of redemption. The “Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount” with respect to an accrual period means the portion of a Note required to be redeemed to prevent such Note from being treated as an “applicable high yield discount obligation” within the meaning of Section 163(i)(1) of the Code. No partial redemption, prepayment or repurchase of the Notes prior to the AHYDO redemption date pursuant to any other provision of the Indenture will alter the Issuer’s obligation to make the Mandatory Principal Redemption with respect to any Notes that remain outstanding on any AHYDO redemption date. The Issuer is responsible for calculating the Mandatory Principal Redemption Amount.
9. Change of Control; Asset Sales
(a) If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes under Section 5.1 of the Indenture, each Holder shall have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or any part (in integral multiples of $1,000 except that no Note may be tendered in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000 (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof)) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101.0% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date) as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.
(b) In connection with any Change of Control Offer (including with the net cash proceeds of an Equity Offering), any such Change of Control Offer may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including any related Equity Offering. In addition, if such Change of Control Offer or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Issuer’s discretion, the purchase date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such purchase may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the purchase date, or by the purchase date so delayed.
(c) In the event of an Asset Sale Offer that requires the purchase of Notes pursuant to Section 3.7(c) of the Indenture, the Issuer shall be required to make an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes in accordance with Section 3.7(c) and 5.9 of the Indenture at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100.0% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the rights of Holders of record on any Record Date to receive payments of interest on the related Interest Payment Date). Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase shall receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Issuer prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Note purchased pursuant to such offer by completing the form entitled “Option of Holder To Elect Purchase” attached hereto, or transferring its interest in such Note by book-entry transfer, to the Issuer or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date.
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10. Denominations; Transfer; Exchange
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of principal amount of $2,000 and whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof (or if a PIK Payment has been made, in minimum denominations of $1.00 and any integral multiple of $1.00 in excess thereof). A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes for a period between a Record Date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.
11. Persons Deemed Owners
The registered Holder of this Note shall be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.
12. Unclaimed Money
If money for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Issuer at its request unless an abandoned property law designates another person. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Issuer and not to the Trustee for payment.
13. Discharge and Defeasance
Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Issuer at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Issuer irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations (sufficient, without reinvestment, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized certified public accounting firm) for the payment of principal, premium (if any) and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.
14. Amendment, Waiver
The Indenture and the Notes may be amended or waived as set forth in Article IX of the Indenture.
15. Defaults and Remedies
Events of Default shall be as set forth in Article VI of the Indenture.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or Holders of at least 25.0% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes then outstanding may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Issuer are Events of Default which shall result in the Notes being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.
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Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless each receives indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may with-hold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.
16. Trustee Dealings with the Issuer
Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Issuer or its Affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.
17. No Recourse Against Others
A director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Issuer or any direct or indirect parent or Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer, as such, shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture or any Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.
18. Authentication
This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.
19. Abbreviations
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (=tenants in common), TEN ENT (=tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (=joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian) and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).
20. CUSIP Numbers
Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures the Issuer has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers as printed on the Notes and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.
21. Successor Entity
When a successor entity assumes, in accordance with the Indenture, all the obligations of its predecessor under the Notes and the Indenture, and immediately before and thereafter no Default or Event of Default exists and all other conditions of the Indenture are satisfied, the predecessor entity shall be released from those obligations.
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22. Governing Law
This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
The Issuer shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge to the Holder a copy of the Indenture which has in it the text of this Note in larger type. Requests may be made to:
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
To assign this Note, fill in the form below:
I or we assign and transfer this Note to
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)
(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)
and irrevocably appoint agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him.
| Date: | Your Signature: |
| Signature Guarantee: | ||||||
| (Signature must be guaranteed) |
Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
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[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]
SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE
The initial principal amount of the Note shall be $ [ ]. The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:
| Date of Exchange |
Amount of decrease in Principal Amount of this Global Note |
Amount of increase in Principal Amount of this Global Note |
PIK Increase | Principal Amount of this Global Note following such decrease or increase |
Signature of authorized signatory of Trustee or Notes Custodian |
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, check the box:
| ¨ | ¨ | |
| 3.7 | 3.9 | |
If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, state the amount in principal amount (must be in denominations of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof): $
| Date: | Your Signature: | |||||||
| (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of the Note) |
| Signature Guarantee: | ||||
| (Signature must be guaranteed) |
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
Wilmington Trust, National Association
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: Corporate Capital Markets
Re: 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of May 28, 2013 (the “Indenture”), between CommScope Holding Company, Inc., as Issuer (the “Issuer”) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
(the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
| 1. | ¨ | Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. |
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| 2. | ¨ | Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act. | ||
| 3. | ¨ | Check and complete if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A or Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one): | ||
| (a) ¨ | such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act; | |||
| or | ||||
| (b) ¨ | or such Transfer is being effected to the Issuer or a subsidiary thereof; | |||
| or | ||||
| (c) ¨ | such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. | |||
| 4. ¨ |
Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. | |||
|
(a) ¨ |
Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture | |||
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| and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | ||||
|
(b) ¨ |
Check if Transfer is pursuant to Regulation S. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | |||
|
(c) ¨ |
Check if Transfer is pursuant to other exemption. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture. | |||
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
|
[Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Dated:
B-3
ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
| 1. | The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following: |
[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]
| (a) | ¨ | a beneficial interest in the: | ||||||
| (i) | ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||
| (ii) | ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||
| (b) | ¨ | a Restricted Definitive Note. | ||||||
| 2. | After the Transfer the Transferee will hold: | |||||||
| [CHECK ONE] | ||||||||
| (a) | ¨ | a beneficial interest in the: | ||||||
| (i) | ¨ | 144A Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||
| (ii) | ¨ | Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||
| (iii) | ¨ | Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP [ ]), or | ||||||
| (b) | ¨ | a Restricted Definitive Note; or | ||||||
| (c) | ¨ | an Unrestricted Definitive Note, | ||||||
| in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. | ||||||||
B-4
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, S.E.
Hickory, NC 28602
Facsimile: 828-324-2520
Attention: General Counsel
Wilmington Trust, National Association
246 Goose Lane, Suite 105
Guilford, CT 06437
Facsimile: 203-453-1183
Attention: Corporate Capital Markets
Re: 6.625%/7.375% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2020
(CUSIP [ ])
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of May 28, 2013 (the “Indenture”), between CommScope Holding Company, Inc., as Issuer (the “Issuer”) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
(the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
1. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note.
(a) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected
C-1
in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(c) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(d) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
2. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes.
(a) ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
(b) ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note. In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] _ 144A Global Note, _ Regulation S Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
C-2
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuer.
| [Insert Name of Transferor] | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
Dated:
C-3
Exhibit 10.17
AMENDED AND RESTATED
STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.,
THE MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS
AND
CARLYLE-COMMSCOPE HOLDINGS, L.P.
[—], 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||
| SECTION I. | DEFINITIONS |
1 | ||||
| 1.1 |
Drafting Conventions; No Construction Against Drafter |
1 | ||||
| 1.2 |
Defined Terms |
2 | ||||
| SECTION II. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
4 | ||||
| 2.1 |
Representations and Warranties of the Management Stockholders |
4 | ||||
| 2.2 |
Representations and Warranties of the Initial Carlyle Stockholder |
4 | ||||
| 2.3 |
Representations and Warranties of Company |
4 | ||||
| SECTION III. | BOARD MATTERS |
5 | ||||
| 3.1 |
Board of Directors |
5 | ||||
| 3.2 |
Committees of the Board of Directors |
6 | ||||
| 3.3 |
Proxies |
7 | ||||
| 3.4 |
Additional Management Provisions |
7 | ||||
| 3.5 |
Company |
7 | ||||
| SECTION IV. | MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
8 | ||||
| 4.1 |
Information and Access Rights |
8 | ||||
| 4.2 |
Confidentiality |
9 | ||||
| 4.3 |
Reliance |
10 | ||||
| 4.4 |
Legend on Securities |
10 | ||||
| 4.5 |
Access to Agreement; Amendment and Waiver; Actions of the Board |
11 | ||||
| 4.6 |
Notices |
12 | ||||
| 4.7 |
Counterparts |
12 | ||||
| 4.8 |
Remedies; Severability |
12 | ||||
| 4.9 |
Entire Agreement; Consent to Amendment and Restatement |
13 | ||||
| 4.10 |
Termination |
13 | ||||
| 4.11 |
Governing Law |
13 | ||||
| 4.12 |
Successors and Assigns; Beneficiaries |
13 | ||||
| 4.13 |
Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
13 | ||||
| 4.14 |
Further Assurances; Company Logo |
14 | ||||
| 4.15 |
Regulatory Matters |
14 | ||||
| 4.16 |
Inconsistent Agreements |
14 | ||||
| 4.17 |
Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement |
14 | ||||
EXHIBIT
Exhibit A: Form of Joinder Agreement
SCHEDULE
Schedule A: Management Stockholders
i
AMENDED AND RESTATED
STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of [—], 2013 by and among CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), the individuals identified on Schedule A as Management Stockholders (collectively, the “Management Stockholders”), Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. (the “Initial Carlyle Stockholder”), and any other stockholder who from time to time becomes party to this Agreement by execution of a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A (a “Joinder Agreement”). For purposes of this Agreement, a stockholder who joins this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement shall be included in the term “Management Stockholder” or “Carlyle Stockholder” as specified in the applicable Joinder Agreement.
RECITALS
A. In connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, Company entered into a Stockholders Agreement, dated January 14, 2011 (the “Original Agreement”), with certain of its stockholders as of that date, and certain stockholders subsequently became parties to the Original Agreement pursuant to the execution of Joinder Agreements.
B. Company is proposing to consummate an initial public offering of its capital stock (the “Initial Public Offering”).
C. In accordance with Section 8.3 of the Original Agreement, Company, the Investor Majority Interest (as defined in the Original Agreement) and the Management Stockholders holding at least a majority of the Shares held by the Management Stockholders desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as provided herein, effective upon the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Initial Public Offering (the “Effective Date”).
D. The Board of Directors of Company (the “Board of Directors”) has approved this amendment and restatement of the Original Agreement.
E. The parties hereto desire to agree upon the respective rights and obligations after the Effective Date with respect to the securities of Company now or hereafter outstanding and held by the parties to this Agreement and certain matters with respect to their investment in Company.
AGREEMENT
Now therefore, in consideration of the foregoing, and the mutual agreements and covenants contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
| SECTION I. | DEFINITIONS |
1.1 Drafting Conventions; No Construction Against Drafter.
(a) The headings in this Agreement are provided for convenience and do not affect its meaning. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” are to be read as if they were followed by the phrase “without limitation.” Unless specified otherwise, any reference to an agreement means that agreement as amended or supplemented, subject to any restrictions on amendment contained in such agreement. Unless specified otherwise, any reference to a statute or regulation means that statute or regulation as amended or supplemented from time to time and any corresponding provisions of successor
1
statutes or regulations. If any date specified in this Agreement as a date for taking action falls on a day that is not a business day, then that action may be taken on the next business day. Unless specified otherwise, the words “party” and “parties” refer only to a party named in this Agreement or one who joins this Agreement as a party pursuant to the terms hereof.
(b) The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent. If an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement is to be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and there is to be no presumption or burden of proof or rule of strict construction favoring or disfavoring any party because of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
1.2 Defined Terms. The following capitalized terms, as used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings set forth below.
“Affiliate” shall mean with respect to any specified Person, any other Person which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the specified Person, including any partner, officer, director or member of the specified Person and, if the specified Person is a venture capital fund, any investment fund now or hereafter managed by, or which is controlled by or is under common control with, one or more general partners of the specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct, or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Bylaws” shall mean Company’s amended and restated bylaws in effect as of the Effective Date, as amended from time to time.
“Carlyle Stockholders” means (i) the Initial Carlyle Stockholder and (ii) any Permitted Transferee or Affiliate of the Initial Carlyle Stockholder (other than a Portfolio Company) which is issued Common Stock or becomes the beneficial owner of any Common Stock or is Transferred any Common Stock by any other Person.
“Carlyle Majority Interest” shall mean, at any given time, the Carlyle Stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding Shares held at that specified time by all Carlyle Stockholders.
“Charter” shall mean Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation in effect as of the Effective Date, as amended from time to time.
“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Company, together with any shares of stock or other securities issued or issuable with respect thereto (whether by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in exchange for or in replacement or upon conversion of such shares or otherwise in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other corporate reorganization).
“CommScope” shall mean CommScope, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Company.
“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall include any successor thereto.
“Director” shall mean a member of the Board of Directors.
2
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect in the United States of America from time to time.
“Merger Agreement” shall mean the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated October 26, 2010 by and among CommScope, Company and Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Necessary Action” shall mean, with respect to a specified result, all actions (to the extent such actions are permitted by law and, in the case of any action by Company that requires a vote or other action on the part of the Board of Directors, to the extent such action is consistent with the fiduciary duties that the Board of Directors may have in such capacity) necessary or desirable to cause such result, including (i) attending meetings in person or by proxy for purposes of obtaining a quorum, (ii) voting or providing a written consent or proxy with respect to Shares, (iii) causing the adoption of resolutions and amendments to the organizational documents of Company, (iv) executing agreements and instruments and (v) making, or causing to be made, with governmental, administrative or regulatory authorities, all filings, registrations or similar actions that are required to achieve such result.
“Permitted Transferee” shall mean (i) in the case of any Stockholder that is not an individual, any Affiliate of such Stockholder, (ii) in the case of the Carlyle Stockholder, any director, officer or employee of any Affiliate of such Carlyle Stockholder, (iii) in the case of a Stockholder that is a limited partnership or limited liability company, any member or general or limited partner of such Stockholder that is the transferee of Shares pursuant to a pro rata distribution of Shares by such Stockholder to its partners or members, as applicable, that is contractually required by the terms of such Stockholder’s limited partnership or limited liability company agreement in connection with the dissolution and winding up of such Stockholder and (iv) in the case of any Management Stockholder to (A) (x) such Person’s spouse and such Person’s and his or her spouse’s respective grandparents, parents, siblings, children or descendants, whether by blood, marriage or adoption, (y) any trust of which such Person is the trustee or settler or donor and which is established solely for the benefit of any of the foregoing individuals and whose terms are not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, or (z) any partnership, whose general partner(s) and limited partner(s) (if any) consist solely of one or more Persons identified in this clause (iv)(A) or (B) upon the death of any Management Stockholder or previous Permitted Transferee of any such Person, Transfers to such Person’s or Transferee’s estate, heirs, executors or administrators or to a trust under such Person’s or Transferee’s will, or Transfers between such Person or Transferee and such Person’s or Transferee’s guardian or conservator; provided, however, that in no event shall (A) Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any “portfolio company” (as such term is customarily used among institutional investors) of any Stockholder or any entity controlled by any portfolio company of any Stockholder constitute a “Permitted Transferee”.
“Person” shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization, government (or agency or political subdivision thereof) or any other entity or group (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act).
“Public Offering” shall mean a public offering and sale of Common Stock for cash pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.
“Registration Rights Agreement” shall mean that certain Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 14, 2011 by and among Company, the Initial Carlyle Stockholder and the Management Stockholders.
3
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations thereunder.
“Shares” shall mean, at any time, (i) Common Stock and (ii) any other equity securities now or hereafter issued by Company, together with any options thereon and any other shares of stock or other securities issued or issuable with respect thereto (whether by way of a stock dividend, stock split or in exchange for or in replacement or upon conversion of such shares or otherwise in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other corporate reorganization).
“Stockholders” means the Management Stockholders and the Carlyle Stockholders.
“Transfer” means any direct or indirect transfer, donation, sale, assignment, pledge, hypothecation, grant of a security interest in or other disposal or attempted disposal of all or any portion of a security, any interest or rights in a security, or any rights under this Agreement.
“Transferee” means the recipient of a Transfer.
| SECTION II. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Management Stockholders. Each of the Management Stockholders hereby individually represents, warrants and covenants to Company and the Carlyle Stockholders as follows: (a) such Person has full legal capacity to enter into this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of such Person enforceable against such Person in accordance with its terms; and (c) the execution, delivery and performance by such Person of this Agreement does not and will not: (i) violate any laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or other jurisdiction applicable to such Person, or require such Person to obtain any approval, consent or waiver of, or to make any filing with, any Person that has not been obtained or made; or (ii) constitute a breach of or default under any material agreement to which such Person is a party.
2.2 Representations and Warranties of the Initial Carlyle Stockholder. The Initial Carlyle Stockholder hereby represents, warrants and covenants to Company and the Management Stockholders as follows: (a) the Initial Carlyle Stockholder has full limited partnership power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Initial Carlyle Stockholder enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; and (c) the execution, delivery and performance by the Initial Carlyle Stockholder of this Agreement: (i) does not and will not violate any laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or other jurisdiction applicable to such Initial Carlyle Stockholder, or require the Initial Carlyle Stockholder to obtain any approval, consent or waiver of, or to make any filing with, any Person that has not been obtained or made; and (ii) does not constitute a breach of or default under any material agreement to which the Initial Carlyle Stockholder is a party.
2.3 Representations and Warranties of Company. Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Stockholders as follows: (a) Company has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; and (c) the execution, delivery and performance by Company of this Agreement: (i) does not and will not violate any laws, rules or regulations of the United States or any state or other jurisdiction applicable to Company, or require Company to obtain any approval, consent or waiver of, or to make any filing with, any Person that has not been obtained or made; and (ii) does not and will not result in a breach of, constitute a default under, accelerate any obligation under or give rise to a right of termination of any indenture or loan or credit agreement or any other material agreement, contract, instrument, mortgage, lien, lease, permit,
4
authorization, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or arbitration award to which Company is a party or by which the property of Company is bound or affected, or result in the creation or imposition of any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance on any of the assets or properties of Company.
| SECTION III. | BOARD MATTERS |
3.1 Board of Directors. From and after the first business day after the Effective Date:
(a) Rights to Designate. Each Stockholder hereby agrees to vote, or cause to be voted, all of its Shares, at any annual or special meeting, by written consent, or otherwise, and will take all Necessary Actions within such Stockholder’s control, and Company will take all Necessary Actions within its control, to cause the authorized number of directors on the Board of Directors to be established and remain at eleven (11), or such other number approved pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and to elect or appoint or cause to be elected or appointed to the Board of Directors and cause to be continued in office:
(i) nine (9) designees of the Carlyle Stockholders constituting a Carlyle Majority Interest (the “Investor Designees”); provided, that (A) the number of Investor Designees to be designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest (on behalf of the Carlyle Stockholders) shall be reduced to six (6) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than thirty-five percent (35%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, (B) the number of Investor Designees to be designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest (on behalf of the Carlyle Stockholders) shall be reduced to four (4) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, (C) the number of Investor Designees to be designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest (on behalf of the Carlyle Stockholders) shall be reduced to two (2) Directors at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than fifteen-percent (15%) of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, and (D) the Carlyle Stockholders shall have no right to designate any members of the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 3.1(a)(i) at such time as the Carlyle Stockholders in the aggregate hold less than five percent (5%) of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock;
(ii) the senior ranking executive officer of Company and its subsidiaries, who initially, and for so long as he is Company’s Chief Executive Officer, shall be Marvin S. Edwards and, for so long as he serves as a Director, Marvin S. Edwards shall serve on the Board of Directors of CommScope;
(iii) Frank M. Drendel for so long as he is employed by CommScope pursuant to that certain Employment Agreement dated as of the January 14, 2011 between him and CommScope, and he shall serve as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board; and
(iv) each additional designee shall be filled as provided in the Charter and Bylaws.
Company shall cause the individuals designated in accordance with Section 3.1(a) to be nominated for election to the Board of Directors, shall solicit proxies in favor thereof, and at each meeting of the stockholders of Company at which directors of Company are to be elected, shall recommend that the stockholders of Company elect to the Board of Directors each such individual nominated for election at such meeting.
5
(b) Initial Investor Designees. The initial Investor Designees pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.1(a)(i) shall be Claudius E. Watts IV, Marco DeBenedetti, Stephen C. Gray, L. William Krause, Campbell R. Dyer, Peter J. Clare and [—]. Any remaining undesignated Investor Designees shall be designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest at such time as they shall determine.
(c) Removal and Replacement.
(i) Any Person or group of Persons entitled to designate a Director may remove such designee by sending a written notice to Company’s Secretary stating the name of the designee to be removed from the Board of Directors (the “Removal Notice”) and, upon receipt of such notice by Company’s Secretary, such designee shall be deemed to have resigned from the Board of Directors (and such a designee shall only be removed in such manner), and each Stockholder hereby agrees to vote, at any annual or special meeting, by written consent, or otherwise, all Shares and will take all Necessary Actions within such Stockholder’s control to effect such removal.
(ii) If at any time any Director ceases to serve on the Board of Directors (whether due to death, disability, resignation, removal or otherwise), the Person or Persons that designated or nominated such Director pursuant to Section 3.1(a) shall designate or nominate a successor to fill the vacancy created thereby on the terms and subject to the conditions of Section 3.1(a). Each Stockholder hereby agrees to vote, or cause to be voted, all of its Shares, and will take all Necessary Actions within such Stockholder’s control, and Company will take all Necessary Actions within its control, to cause the designated successor to be elected to fill such vacancy. In the event that the Carlyle Stockholders do not, pursuant to Section 3.1(a), have the right to designate an individual to fill such vacancy, then such vacancy shall be filled as provided in the Charter and the Bylaws.
(iii) In the event that the Carlyle Stockholders cease to have the right to designate an individual to serve as a Director pursuant to Section 3.1(a), (i) that number of Directors for which the Carlyle Stockholders cease to have the right to designate to serve as a Director shall resign immediately (provided that the Carlyle Majority Interest shall have the authority to select which such particular Director or Directors will resign) or each Stockholder shall take all Necessary Actions within its control to cause the removal of such individual, including voting all Shares in favor of, or executing a written consent authorizing, such removal, and (ii) the vacancy created by such resignation or removal shall be filled as provided in the Charter and the Bylaws.
(d) Expenses. Each Director shall be entitled to reimbursement from Company for his or her reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including travel) incurred in attending any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof or governing body of any subsidiary of Company or any committee thereof.
3.2 Committees of the Board of Directors. From and after the Effective Date, Company shall, and each Stockholder shall use its reasonable best efforts to, cause the Board of Directors to maintain the following committees: (a) an Audit Committee, (b) a Compensation Committee, (c) any other committee needed to comply with applicable laws and regulations and (d) any other committee as the Board of Directors shall determine in its discretion. Each committee shall be comprised of at least three members of the Board and shall have the responsibilities described below and in resolutions of the Board creating such committee. Each committee of the Board of Directors shall include at least two (2) Investor Designees (or, as applicable, such smaller number of Investor Designees as is then serving on the Board of Directors); provided that the right of any such Investor Designee to serve on a committee shall be subject to Company’s obligation to comply with any applicable independence requirements of a national securities exchange upon which Company’s Common Stock is listed to which it is then subject.
6
3.3 Proxies. Each Stockholder hereby appoints the Initial Carlyle Stockholder (or, if the Initial Carlyle Stockholder no longer owns any Shares, such other Carlyle Stockholder (so long as the Carlyle Stockholders have rights hereunder) that is, from time to time, designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest), as its proxy to vote such Stockholder’s Shares, whether at a meeting or by written consent, in accordance with such Stockholder’s agreements contained in this Agreement. The power and authority to exercise the proxy granted hereby shall be exercised if and only if the matter to be voted on has been approved by the Carlyle Majority Interest and shall be exercised on terms consistent with such approval. The proxy granted hereby is irrevocable and coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. The Initial Carlyle Stockholder (or other Carlyle Stockholder appointed as the proxy as described in this Section 3.3) agrees that such proxy shall only be voted in a manner not inconsistent with this Agreement.
3.4 Additional Management Provisions.
(a) Each Stockholder and Company agrees and acknowledges that, subject to applicable law, the Investor Designees designated by the Carlyle Majority Interest may share confidential, non-public information about Company and its subsidiaries with the Carlyle Stockholders.
(b) The Stockholders and Company hereby agree, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other agreement or at law or in equity, that, to the maximum extent permitted by law, when the Carlyle Stockholders take any action under this Agreement to give or withhold its consent, the Carlyle Stockholders shall have no duty (fiduciary or other) to consider the interests of Company or the other Stockholders and may act exclusively in its own interest and shall have only the duty to act in good faith; provided, however, that the foregoing shall in no way affect the obligations of the parties hereto to comply with the provisions of this Agreement.
(c) The provisions of this Agreement shall be controlling if any such provisions or the operation thereof conflict with the provisions of Company’s bylaws. Each of the parties covenants and agrees to take all Necessary Actions within its control to ensure that the Charter and Bylaws do not, at any time, conflict with the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) For so long as Company qualifies as a “controlled company” under the applicable listing standards then in effect, Company will elect to be a “controlled company” for purposes of such applicable listing standards, and will disclose in its annual meeting proxy statement that it is a “controlled company” and the basis for that determination. Company and the Stockholders acknowledge and agree that, as of the date of this Agreement, Company is a “controlled company.” After Company ceases to qualify as a “controlled company” under applicable listing standards then in effect, the Carlyle Stockholders acknowledge that a sufficient number of their designees will be required to qualify as “independent directors” to ensure that the Board complies with such applicable listing standards in the time periods required by the applicable listing standards then in effect, and shall discuss and use commercially reasonable efforts to agree upon appropriate changes to their designees consistent with the foregoing.
3.5 Company. Company will not give effect to any action by any Stockholder which is in contravention of this Section III.
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| SECTION IV. | MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
4.1 Information and Access Rights.
(a) Available Financial Information. Upon written request, Company will deliver, or will cause to be delivered, to each Carlyle Stockholder (until such time as such Carlyle Stockholder shall cease to own any Shares):
(i) as soon as available after the end of each month and in any event within 30 days thereafter, a consolidated balance sheet of Company and its subsidiaries as of the end of such month and consolidated statements of operations, income, cash flows, retained earnings and stockholders’ equity of Company and its subsidiaries, for each month and for the current fiscal year of Company to date, prepared in accordance with GAAP (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of notes thereto), together with a comparison of such statements to the corresponding periods of the prior fiscal year and to Company’s business plan then in effect and approved by the Board of Directors;
(ii) an annual budget, a business plan and financial forecasts for Company for the fiscal year of Company (the “Annual Budget”), no later than three (3) business days after the approval thereof by the Board of Directors (but no later than March 31 of such fiscal year), in such manner and form as approved by the Board of Directors, which shall include at least a projection of income and a projected cash flow statement for each fiscal quarter in such fiscal year and a projected balance sheet as of the end of each fiscal quarter in such fiscal year, in each case prepared in reasonable detail, with appropriate presentation and discussion of the principal assumptions upon which such budgets and projections are based, which shall be accompanied by the statement of the chief executive officer or chief financial officer or equivalent officer of Company to the effect that such budget and projections are based on reasonable and good faith estimates and assumptions made by the management of Company for the respective periods covered thereby; it being recognized by such holders that such budgets and projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or periods covered by them may differ from the projected results. Any material changes in such Annual Budget shall be delivered to the Carlyle Stockholders as promptly as practicable after such changes have been approved by the Board of Directors;
(iii) as soon as available after the end of each fiscal year of Company, and in any event within 90 days thereafter, (A) the annual financial statements required to be filed by Company pursuant to the Exchange Act or (B) a consolidated balance sheet of Company and its subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year, and consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of Company and its subsidiaries for such year, prepared in accordance with GAAP and setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and accompanied by the opinion of independent public accountants of recognized national standing selected by Company, and a Company-prepared comparison to Company’s Annual Budget for such year as approved by the Board of Directors (the “Annual Financial Statements”); and
(iv) as soon as available after the end of the first, second and third quarterly accounting periods in each fiscal year of Company, and in any event within 45 days thereafter, (A) the quarterly financial statements required to be filed by Company pursuant to the Exchange Act or (B) a consolidated balance sheet of Company and its subsidiaries as of the end of each such quarterly period, and consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of Company and its subsidiaries for such period and for the current fiscal year to date, prepared in
8
accordance with GAAP (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of notes thereto) and setting forth in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods of the previous fiscal year and to Company’s Annual Budget then in effect as approved by the Board of Directors, all of the information to be provided pursuant to this Section 4.1(a)(iv) in reasonable detail and certified by the principal financial or accounting officer of Company.
In addition to the foregoing, the Company covenants and agrees to provide periodic updates to each Carlyle Stockholder during the course of the preparation of the Annual Budget and to keep the Carlyle Stockholders reasonably informed as to its progress, status and the budgeted items set forth therein. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.1(a), Company’s obligations thereunder shall be deemed satisfied to the extent that such information is provided by (A) providing the financial statements of any wholly-owned subsidiary of Company to the extent such financial statements reflect the entirety of the operations of the business or (B) in the case of Section 4.1(a)(iii) and Section 4.1(a)(iv), filing such financial statements of Company or any wholly-owned subsidiary of Company whose financial statements satisfy the requirements of clause (A), as applicable, with the Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR or in such other manner as makes them publicly available. Company’s obligation to furnish the materials described in Section 4.1(a)(i), Section 4.1(a)(iii) and Section 4.1(a)(iv), shall be satisfied so long as it transmits such materials to the requesting Carlyle Stockholders within the time periods specified therein, notwithstanding that such materials may actually be received after the expiration of such periods.
(b) Other Information. Company covenants and agrees to deliver to each Carlyle Stockholder, upon written request, until such time as such Carlyle Stockholder shall cease to own any Shares, with reasonable promptness, such other information and data (including such information and reports made available to any lender of Company or any of its subsidiaries under any credit agreement or otherwise) with respect to Company and each of its subsidiaries as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any such Carlyle Stockholder. Each such Carlyle Stockholder, until such time as such Carlyle Stockholder shall cease to own any Shares, shall have access to such other information concerning Company’s business or financial condition and Company’s management as may be reasonably requested, including such information as may be necessary to comply with regulatory, tax or other governmental filings.
(c) Access. Company shall, and shall cause its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, auditors and other agents to (a) afford the Carlyle Stockholders and their officers, employees, auditors and other agents, during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice, at all reasonable times to Company’s and its subsidiaries’ officers, employees, auditors, legal counsel, properties, offices, plants and other facilities and to all books and records, and (b) afford the Carlyle Stockholders and their officers, employees, auditors and other agents the opportunity to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of Company and its subsidiaries with their respective officers from time to time as each such Carlyle Stockholder may reasonably request, in each case, until such time as such Carlyle Stockholder shall cease to own any Shares.
4.2 Confidentiality. Each Stockholder agrees that it will keep confidential and will not disclose, divulge or use for any purpose, other than to monitor its investment in Company and its subsidiaries, any confidential information obtained from Company, unless such confidential information (a) is known or becomes known to the public in general (other than as a result of a breach of any confidentiality obligation by such Stockholder or its affiliates), (b) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Stockholder without use of Company’s confidential information or (c) is or has been made known or disclosed to such Stockholder by a third party (other than an Affiliate of such Stockholder) without a breach of any confidentiality obligations such third party may have to Company that is known to such Stockholder; provided, that, a Stockholder may disclose confidential information (i)
9
to its attorneys, accountants, consultants and other professional advisors to the extent necessary to obtain their services in connection with monitoring its investment in Company, (ii) to any prospective purchaser of any Shares from such Stockholder as long as such prospective purchaser agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Section 4.2 as if a Stockholder, (iii) to any Affiliate, partner, member, limited partners, prospective partners or related investment fund of such Stockholder and their respective directors, employees, consultants and representatives, in each case in the ordinary course of business (provided that the recipients of such Confidential Information are subject to a customary confidentiality and non-disclosure obligation), (iv) as may be reasonably determined by such Stockholder to be necessary in connection with such Stockholder’s enforcement of its rights in connection with this Agreement or its investment in Company and its subsidiaries, or (v) as may otherwise be required by law or legal, judicial or regulatory process, provided that such Stockholder takes reasonable steps to minimize the extent of any required disclosure described in this clause (v); and provided, further, that the acts and omissions of any Person to whom such Stockholder may disclose confidential information pursuant to clauses (i) through (iii) of the preceding proviso shall be attributable to such Stockholder for purposes of determining such Stockholder’s compliance with this Section 4.2.
4.3 Reliance. Each covenant and agreement made by a party in this Agreement or in any certificate, instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement is material, shall be deemed to have been relied upon by the other parties and shall remain operative and in full force and effect after the Effective Date regardless of any investigation. This Agreement shall not be construed so as to confer any right or benefit upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
4.4 Legend on Securities. All certificates representing Shares issued to or acquired by any of the Stockholders prior to the Effective Date were endorsed as follows:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO A STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF JANUARY 14, 2011, AS SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE AMENDED, RESTATED OR MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS THEREOF AND ANY TRANSFEREE OF THESE SECURITIES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF SUCH AGREEMENT. COPIES OF THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT ARE MAINTAINED WITH THE CORPORATE RECORDS OF THE ISSUER AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE ISSUER. THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO (I) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR (II) AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION THEREUNDER OR UNDER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
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In addition to any other legend on the certificates representing Shares held by Stockholders that Company may deem advisable under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, substantially the following legend must be typed on each certificate evidencing any of the Shares issued or acquired on or after the Effective Date and held at any time by any of the Stockholders, and the shares represented by such certificates shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this Agreement:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO AN AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF [—], 2013, AS SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE AMENDED, RESTATED OR MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME, AND ANY TRANSFEREE OF THESE SECURITIES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF SUCH AGREEMENT. COPIES OF THE FOREGOING AGREEMENT ARE MAINTAINED WITH THE CORPORATE RECORDS OF THE ISSUER AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE ISSUER. A COPY OF SUCH AGREEMENT SHALL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE ISSUER TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST. THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO (I) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR (II) AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION THEREUNDER OR UNDER APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
4.5 Access to Agreement; Amendment and Waiver; Actions of the Board. For so long as this Agreement shall be in effect, this Agreement shall be made available for inspection by any Stockholder at the principal executive offices of Company. Any party may waive in writing any provision hereof intended for its benefit, provided, that, in the case of any waiver by Company, such waiver is consented to in writing by the Carlyle Majority Interest. The holders of a majority of the Shares held by the Management Stockholders may waive or amend any provision of this Agreement applicable to the Management Stockholders with the consent of the Carlyle Majority Interest; provided, however, that if a waiver or amendment (or portion thereof) would (or would reasonably be expected to) materially and adversely alter the rights or obligations of any Management Stockholder in a manner materially different from or disproportionate to the Management Stockholders granting such consent, then such waiver or amendment (or portion thereof) shall require the consent of such Management Stockholder whose rights or obligations would be so materially and adversely altered. No failure or delay on the part of any party in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to any party at law or in equity or otherwise. This Agreement may be amended with the prior written consent of the Carlyle Majority Interest; provided, that any amendment (or portion thereof) that would (or would reasonably be expected to) materially and adversely alter the rights or obligations of the Management Stockholders relative to the Carlyle Stockholders shall require the express written consent of Management Stockholders holding at least a majority of the Shares held by the Management Stockholders; provided, further, that if an amendment (or portion thereof) would (or would reasonably be expected to) materially and adversely alter the rights or obligations of any Management Stockholder in a manner materially different from or disproportionate to the Management Stockholders granting such consent, then such amendment (or portion thereof) shall require the consent of such Management Stockholder whose rights or obligations would be so materially and adversely altered. Any consent given as provided in the preceding sentence shall be binding on all parties. Further, at any time hereafter, Permitted Transferees or other Persons acquiring Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof may be made parties hereto by Company and treated as “Management Stockholders” and “Stockholders” for all purposes hereunder by executing a counterpart signature page in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto, which signature page shall be attached to this Agreement and become a part hereof without any further action of any other party hereto and Schedule A may be amended at any time by Company to add such Person as a party hereto.
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4.6 Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and mailed (by first class registered or certified mail, postage prepaid), sent by express overnight courier service, or delivered to the applicable party at the respective address indicated below:
If to Company:
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, SE
Hickory, NC 28602
Attn: General Counsel
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice):
Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P.
c/o The Carlyle Group
128 South Tryon Street, Suite 1550
Charlotte, NC 28202
Attn: Campbell R. Dyer
If to the Carlyle Stockholders:
Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P.
c/o The Carlyle Group
128 South Tryon Street, Suite 1550
Charlotte, NC 28202
Attn: Campbell R. Dyer
If to any Management Stockholder or any Transferee:
At such Person’s address for notice as set forth in the books and records of Company, or, as to each of the foregoing, at such other address as shall be designated by a party in a written notice to other parties complying as to delivery with the terms of this Section 4.6. All such notices, requests, demands and other communications shall, when mailed, telegraphed or sent, respectively, be effective (i) two days after being deposited in the mail or (ii) one day after being deposited with the express overnight courier service, respectively, addressed as aforesaid.
4.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, and delivered via facsimile, .pdf or other electronic transmission, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
4.8 Remedies; Severability. It is specifically understood and agreed that any breach of the provisions of this Agreement by any party will result in irreparable injury to the other parties, that the remedy at law alone will be an inadequate remedy for such breach, and that, in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies which they may have, such other parties may enforce their respective rights by actions for specific performance or injunctive relief (to the extent permitted at law or in equity). If any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement, or the application thereof in any circumstances, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein are not to be in any way impaired thereby, it being intended that all of the rights and privileges of the parties be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
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4.9 Entire Agreement; Consent to Amendment and Restatement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement as to the subject matter hereof and, together with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Charter, intended to be complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to that subject matter, and supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings among the parties hereto with regard to such subject matter, including the Original Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Stockholder, by execution of this Agreement, hereby consents to the amendments to (and the amendment and restatement of) the Original Agreement as set forth herein.
4.10 Termination. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the election of the Carlyle Majority Interest or (ii) such date as the Carlyle Stockholders, in the aggregate, cease to hold any Shares.
4.11 Governing Law. This Agreement is to be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to its principles or rules of conflict of laws to the extent such principles or rules are not mandatorily applicable by statute and would require or permit the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.
4.12 Successors and Assigns; Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and the respective successors and assigns of the parties as contemplated herein and any other Transferee of Common Stock, and shall also apply to any Common Stock acquired by the Stockholders after the date hereof; provided, that, except in connection with a Transfer made to a Permitted Transferee (i) neither this Agreement nor any right arising under this Agreement may be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the Carlyle Majority Interest, and any attempted assignment, without such consent, will be null and void and (ii) provided that the applicable Transfer is pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from registration thereunder (including transactions under Rule 144, or a successor thereto, promulgated under the Securities Act), the Transferee shall not be bound by any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Any successor to Company by way of merger or otherwise must specifically agree to be bound by the terms hereof as a condition of such succession.
4.13 Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.
(a) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Wilmington, Delaware to resolve all disputes, claims or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other agreement executed and delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or the negotiation, breach, validity, termination or performance hereof and thereof or the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and agrees that it will not bring any such action in any court other than the federal or state courts located in Wilmington, Delaware. Each party further irrevocably waives any objection to proceeding in such courts based upon lack of personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue in such courts and further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to make a claim that such courts are an inconvenient forum. Each of the parties hereto hereby consents to service of process by registered mail at the address to which notices are to be given as provided in Section 4.6. Each of the parties hereto agrees that its or his submission to jurisdiction and its or his consent to service of process by mail is made for the express benefit of the other parties hereto. The choice of forum set forth in this Section shall not be deemed to preclude the enforcement of any judgment of a Delaware federal or state court, or the taking of any action under this Agreement to enforce such a judgment, in any other appropriate jurisdiction.
(b) EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY ANY OF THEM AGAINST THE
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OTHER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENTS EXECUTED AND DELIVERED PURSUANT TO OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE NEGOTIATION, BREACH, VALIDITY, TERMINATION OR PERFORMANCE HEREOF AND THEREOF OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY. FURTHER, (I) NO PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL SEEK A JURY TRIAL IN ANY SUCH ACTION AND (II) NO PARTY WILL SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE ANY SUCH ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL HAS BEEN WAIVED WITH ANY OTHER ACTION IN WHICH A JURY TRIAL CANNOT BE OR HAS NOT BEEN WAIVED. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT OR INSTRUMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS SET FORTH ABOVE IN THIS SECTION 4.13. NO PARTY HAS IN ANY WAY AGREED WITH OR REPRESENTED TO ANY OTHER PARTY THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION WILL NOT BE FULLY ENFORCED IN ALL INSTANCES.
4.14 Further Assurances; Company Logo. At any time or from time to time after the Effective Date, the parties hereto agree to cooperate with each other, and at the request of any other party, to execute and deliver any further instruments or documents and to take all such further action as any other party may reasonably request in order to evidence or effectuate the provisions of this Agreement and to otherwise carry out the intent of the parties hereunder. Company hereby grants the Carlyle Stockholders and their respective Affiliates permission to use Company’s and its subsidiaries’ name and logo in marketing materials.
4.15 Regulatory Matters. Company shall and shall cause its subsidiaries to keep the Carlyle Stockholders informed, on a current basis, of any events, discussions, notices or changes with respect to any criminal or regulatory investigation or action involving Company or any of its subsidiaries, so that the Carlyle Stockholders and their respective Affiliates will have the opportunity to take appropriate steps to avoid or mitigate any regulatory consequences to them that might arise from such investigation or action.
4.16 Inconsistent Agreements. Neither Company nor any Stockholder shall enter into any agreement or side letter with, or grant any proxy to, any Stockholder, Company or any other Person (whether or not such proxy, agreements or side letters are with other Stockholders, holders of Common Shares that are not parties to this Agreement or otherwise) that conflicts with the provisions of this Agreement or which would obligate such Person to breach any provision of this Agreement.
4.17 Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement. Upon effectiveness of the registration statement relating to the Initial Public Offering, the Original Agreement shall thereupon be deemed to be amended and restated as hereinabove set forth as fully and with the same effect as if the amendments and restatements made hereby were originally set forth in the Original Agreement, but such amendments and restatements shall not operate so as to render invalid or improper any action heretofore taken under the Original Agreement. However, to the extent such Initial Public Offering is not consummated within 60 days following the effectiveness of the registration statement relating thereto, the provisions of this Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement shall be without any force or effect and the Original Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without regard to any amendments or restatements made hereby.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties are signing this Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| CommScope Holding Company, Inc. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Marvin S. Edwards | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]
| MANAGEMENT STOCKHOLDERS: | ||
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL FAMILY TRUST | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL GST EXEMPT MARITAL TRUST | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL GST NON-EXEMPT MARITAL TRUST | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – TWO-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – THREE-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – FOUR-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
[Add additional signatories, as applicable.]
[Signature page to Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement]
| INITIAL CARLYLE STOCKHOLDER: | ||
| CARLYLE-COMMSCOPE HOLDINGS, L.P. | ||
| By: | TC Group CommScope Holdings, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | General Partner | |
| By: | TC Group, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | Managing Member | |
| By: | TCG Holdings, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | Managing Member | |
| By: |
| |
| Name: | Daniel A. D’Aniello | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
[Signature page to Stockholders Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Joinder Agreement
The undersigned hereby agrees, effective as of the date hereof, to become a party to the Stockholders Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of [—], 2013, by and among CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (formerly known as Cedar I Holding Company, Inc.) and the other parties thereto and for all purposes of the Agreement, the undersigned shall be included within the term [”Management Stockholder”/”Carlyle Stockholder”] (as defined in the Agreement). The undersigned further confirms that the representations and warranties contained in Section II of the Agreement are true and correct as to the undersigned as of the date hereof. The address to which notices may be sent to the undersigned is as follows:
| Notice Address: |
| |
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
|
| [NAME OF UNDERSIGNED] |
SCHEDULE A
Management Stockholders
Management Stockholders
Frank Drendel
Jearld Leonhardt
Marvin Edwards, Jr.
Randall W. Crenshaw
Frank B. Wyatt, II
Phillip M. Armstrong
Mark A. Olson
Kap Kim
James Wright
Stanley Catey
Bennett Cardwell
Farid Firouzbakht
Morgan Kurk
William (Jerry) Garrett
Dan Hartnett
John Baker
Matthew Melester
George Brooks
Marilyn B. Drendel Family Trust
Marilyn B. Drendel GST Exempt Marital Trust
Marilyn B. Drendel GSTNon-Exempt Marital Trust
Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Two-Year GRAT
Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Three-Year GRAT
Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Four-Year GRAT
Paul Bell
Jearld L. Leonhardt, as Trustee under the Grantor Retained Annuity Trust dated December 21, 2012, Jearld L. Leonhardt, Grantor
Wendell C. Spruill
Richard A. Huey
Michael McFarland
Brian Pengra
Exhibit 10.27
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
2013 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
2013 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
| ARTICLE 1 |
PURPOSE |
4 | ||||
| 1.1 |
General |
4 | ||||
| ARTICLE 2 |
DEFINITIONS |
4 | ||||
| 2.1 |
Definitions |
4 | ||||
| ARTICLE 3 |
EFFECTIVE TERM OF PLAN |
9 | ||||
| 3.1 |
Effective Date |
9 | ||||
| 3.2 |
Term of Plan |
9 | ||||
| ARTICLE 4 |
ADMINISTRATION |
10 | ||||
| 4.1 |
Committee |
10 | ||||
| 4.2 |
Actions and Interpretations by the Committee |
10 | ||||
| 4.3 |
Authority of Committee |
10 | ||||
| 4.4 |
Delegation |
11 | ||||
| 4.5 |
Indemnification |
11 | ||||
| ARTICLE 5 |
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN |
12 | ||||
| 5.1 |
Number of Shares |
12 | ||||
| 5.2 |
Share Counting |
12 | ||||
| 5.3 |
Stock Distributed |
13 | ||||
| ARTICLE 6 |
ELIGIBILITY |
13 | ||||
| 6.1 |
General |
13 | ||||
| ARTICLE 7 |
STOCK OPTIONS |
13 | ||||
| 7.1 |
General |
13 | ||||
| 7.2 |
Incentive Stock Options |
14 | ||||
| ARTICLE 8 |
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS |
14 | ||||
| 8.1 |
Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights |
14 | ||||
| ARTICLE 9 |
RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS |
15 | ||||
| 9.1 |
Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units |
15 | ||||
| 9.2 |
Issuance and Restrictions |
15 | ||||
| 9.3 |
Dividends on Restricted Stock |
15 | ||||
| 9.4 |
Forfeiture |
15 | ||||
| 9.5 |
Delivery of Restricted Stock |
16 | ||||
| ARTICLE 10 |
PERFORMANCE AWARDS |
16 | ||||
| 10.1 |
Grant of Performance Awards |
16 | ||||
| 10.2 |
Performance Goals |
16 | ||||
| ARTICLE 11 |
DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS |
16 | ||||
| 11.1 |
Grant of Dividend Equivalents |
16 | ||||
| ARTICLE 12 |
STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS |
17 | ||||
| 12.1 |
Grant of Stock or Other Stock-Based Awards |
17 | ||||
| ARTICLE 13 |
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS |
17 | ||||
| 13.1 |
Award Certificates |
17 | ||||
| 13.2 |
Form of Payment of Awards |
17 | ||||
| 13.3 |
Limits on Transfer |
17 | ||||
| 13.4 |
Beneficiaries |
17 | ||||
| 13.5 |
Stock Trading Restrictions |
17 | ||||
| 13.6 |
Acceleration upon Death or Disability |
18 | ||||
| 13.7 |
Effect of a Change in Control |
18 | ||||
| 13.8 |
Acceleration for Any Other Reason |
19 | ||||
| 13.9 |
Forfeiture Events |
19 | ||||
| 13.10 |
Substitute Awards |
20 | ||||
| ARTICLE 14 |
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE |
20 | ||||
| 14.1 |
Mandatory Adjustments |
20 | ||||
| 14.2 |
Discretionary Adjustments |
20 | ||||
| 14.3 |
General |
21 | ||||
| ARTICLE 15 |
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION |
21 | ||||
| 15.1 |
Amendment, Modification and Termination |
21 | ||||
| 15.2 |
Awards Previously Granted |
21 | ||||
| 15.3 |
Compliance Amendments |
22 | ||||
| ARTICLE 16 |
GENERAL PROVISIONS |
22 | ||||
| 16.1 |
Rights of Participants |
22 | ||||
| 16.2 |
Withholding |
22 | ||||
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| 16.3 |
Special Provisions Related to Section 409A of the Code |
23 | ||||
| 16.4 |
Unfunded Status of Awards |
24 | ||||
| 16.5 |
Relationship to Other Benefits |
24 | ||||
| 16.6 |
Expenses |
25 | ||||
| 16.7 |
Titles and Headings |
25 | ||||
| 16.8 |
Gender and Number |
25 | ||||
| 16.9 |
Fractional Shares |
25 | ||||
| 16.10 |
Government and Other Regulations |
25 | ||||
| 16.11 |
Governing Law |
25 | ||||
| 16.12 |
Severability |
25 | ||||
| 16.13 |
No Limitations on Rights of Company |
26 | ||||
- 3 -
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
2013 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE
1.1. GENERAL. The purpose of the CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the success, and enhance the value, of CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (the “Company”), by linking the personal interests of employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company or any Affiliate (as defined below) to those of Company stockholders and by providing such persons with an incentive for outstanding performance. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of employees, officers, directors and consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent. Accordingly, the Plan permits the grant of incentive awards from time to time to selected employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS
2.1. DEFINITIONS. When a word or phrase appears in this Plan with the initial letter capitalized, and the word or phrase does not commence a sentence, the word or phrase shall generally be given the meaning ascribed to it in this Section or in Section 1.1 unless a clearly different meaning is required by the context. The following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliate” means (i) any Subsidiary or Parent, or (ii) an entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company, as determined by the Committee.
(b) “Award” means an award of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Performance Awards, Other Stock-Based Awards, or any other right or interest relating to Stock or cash, granted to a Participant under the Plan.
(c) “Award Certificate” means a written document, in such form as the Committee prescribes from time to time, setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award. Award Certificates may be in the form of individual award agreements or certificates or a program document describing the terms and provisions of an Award or series of Awards under the Plan. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Certificates, and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by a Participant.
(d) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the 1934 Act.
(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “Cause” as a reason for a Participant’s termination of employment shall have the meaning assigned such term in the employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement, if any, between such Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that if there is no such employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined,
and unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Certificate, “Cause” shall mean any of the following acts by the Participant, as determined by the Committee: (i) the commission of any act by the Participant constituting financial dishonesty against the Company or any of its Affiliates (which act would be chargeable as a crime under applicable law); (ii) the Participant’s engaging in any other act of dishonesty, fraud, intentional misrepresentation, moral turpitude, illegality or harassment which would: (A) materially adversely affect the business or the reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates with their respective then-current or prospective customers, suppliers, lenders and/or other third parties with whom such entity does or might do business; or (B) expose the Company or any of its Affiliates to a risk of civil or criminal legal damages, liabilities or penalties; (iii) the willful and repeated failure by the Participant to follow the lawful directives of the Board or the Participant’s supervisor; (iv) any material misconduct, material violation of the Company’s written policies, or willful and deliberate non-performance of duty by the Participant in connection with the business affairs of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (v) the Participant’s material breach of any employment, severance, non-competition, non-solicitation, confidential information, or restrictive covenant agreement (including any Ownership of Work Product Acknowledgement), or similar agreement, with the Company or an Affiliate. The determination of the Committee as to the existence of “Cause” shall be conclusive on the Participant and the Company.
(g) “Change in Control” means and includes the occurrence of any one of the following events but shall specifically exclude a Public Offering:
(i) during any consecutive 12-month period, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board, provided that any person becoming a director after the beginning of such 12-month period and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors (“Election Contest”) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board (“Proxy Contest”), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election Contest or Proxy Contest, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; or
(ii) any Person, other than a Principal Stockholder or an Underwriter, becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of either (A) 35% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (“Company Common Stock”) or (B) securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors (the “Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (ii), the following acquisitions of Company Common Stock or Company Voting Securities shall not constitute a Change in Control: (w) an acquisition directly (or indirectly through Underwriters) from the Company, (x) an acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary, (y) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, or (z) an acquisition pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in subsection (iii) below); or
(iii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or a Subsidiary (a “Reorganization”), or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all
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of the Company’s assets (a “Sale”) or the acquisition of assets or stock of another corporation or other entity (an “Acquisition”), unless immediately following such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition: (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or stock either directly or through one or more subsidiaries, the “Surviving Entity”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and the outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, and (B) no person (other than (x) the Company or any Subsidiary, (y) the Surviving Entity or its ultimate parent entity, or (z) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by any of the foregoing) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the total common stock or 35% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Entity, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Entity were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (any Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”); or
(iv) approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
(h) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. For purposes of this Plan, references to sections of the Code shall be deemed to include references to any applicable regulations thereunder and any successor or similar provision.
(i) “Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 4.
(j) “Company” means CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor corporation.
(k) “Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee, officer, consultant or director of the Company or any Affiliate, as applicable; provided, however, that for purposes of an Incentive Stock Option “Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an employee of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, as applicable, pursuant to applicable tax regulations. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the following cases: (i) a Participant transfers employment between the Company and an Affiliate or between Affiliates, or (ii) in the discretion of the Committee as specified at or prior to such occurrence, in the case of a spin-off, sale or disposition of the Participant’s employer from the Company or any Affiliate, or (iii) any leave of absence authorized in writing by the Company prior to its commencement; provided, however, that for purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed 90 days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so
- 6 -
guaranteed, on the 91st day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonstatutory Stock Option. Whether military, government or other service or other leave of absence shall constitute a termination of Continuous Service shall be determined in each case by the Committee at its discretion, and any determination by the Committee shall be final and conclusive; provided, however, that for purposes of any Award that is subject to Code Section 409A, the determination of a leave of absence must comply with the requirements of a “bona fide leave of absence” as provided in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(h).
(l) “Deferred Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to receive Shares (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if the Committee so provides) at a future time as determined by the Committee, or as determined by the Participant within guidelines established by the Committee in the case of voluntary deferral elections.
(m) “Disability” of a Participant means that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. If the determination of Disability relates to an Incentive Stock Option, Disability means Permanent and Total Disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. In the event of a dispute, the determination of whether a Participant is Disabled will be made by the Committee and may be supported by the advice of a physician competent in the area to which such Disability relates.
(n) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right granted with respect to an Award pursuant to Article 11.
(o) “Effective Date” has the meaning assigned such term in Section 3.1.
(p) “Eligible Participant” means an employee, officer, consultant or director of the Company or any Affiliate.
(q) “Exchange” means any national securities exchange on which the Stock may from time to time be listed or traded.
(r) “Fair Market Value,” on any date, means (i) if the Stock is listed on an Exchange, the closing sales price on such Exchange on such date or, in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, or (ii) if the Stock is not listed on an Exchange, the mean between the bid and offered prices as quoted by the applicable interdealer quotation system for such date, provided that if the Stock is not quoted on an interdealer quotation system or it is determined that the fair market value is not properly reflected by such quotations, Fair Market Value will be determined by such other method as the Committee determines in good faith to be reasonable and in compliance with Code Section 409A.
(s) “Full-Value Award” means an Award other than in the form of an Option or SAR, and which is settled by the issuance of Stock (or at the discretion of the Committee, settled in cash valued by reference to Stock value).
(t) “Good Reason” (or a similar term denoting constructive termination) has the meaning, if any, assigned such term in the employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement, if any, between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however,
- 7 -
that if there is no such employment, consulting, severance or similar agreement in which such term is defined, “Good Reason” shall have the meaning, if any, given such term in the applicable Award Certificate. If not defined in either such document, the term “Good Reason” as used herein shall not apply to a particular Award.
(u) “Grant Date” of an Award means the first date on which all necessary corporate action has been taken to approve the grant of the Award as provided in the Plan, or such later date as is determined and specified as part of that authorization process. Notice of the grant shall be provided to the grantee within a reasonable time after the Grant Date.
(v) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to be an incentive stock option and meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
(w) “Independent Directors” means those members of the Board who qualify at any given time as an “independent” director under the applicable rules of each Exchange on which the Shares are listed, and as a “non-employee” director under Rule 16b-3 of the 1934 Act.
(x) “Non-Employee Director” means a director of the Company who is not a common law employee of the Company or an Affiliate.
(y) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
(z) “Option” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 7 of the Plan to purchase Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
(aa) “Other Stock-Based Award” means a right, granted to a Participant under Article 12, that relates to or is valued by reference to Stock or other Awards relating to Stock.
(bb) “Parent” means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity which owns or beneficially owns a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power of the Company. Notwithstanding the above, with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, Parent shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(cc) “Participant” means an Eligible Participant who has been granted an Award under the Plan; provided that in the case of the death of a Participant, the term “Participant” refers to a beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 13.4 or the legal guardian or other legal representative acting in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the Participant under applicable state law and court supervision.
(dd) “Performance Award” means any award granted under the Plan pursuant to Article 10.
(ee) “Person” means any individual, entity or group, within the meaning of Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934 Act and as used in Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act.
(ff) “Plan” means the CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.
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(gg) “Principal Stockholder” means Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. (the “LP”), a Delaware limited partnership, or any subsidiary or parent thereof, or any entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the LP.
(hh) “Public Offering” means a public offering of any class or series of the Company’s equity securities pursuant to a registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.
(ii) “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted to a Participant under Article 9 that is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.
(jj) “Restricted Stock Unit” means the right granted to a Participant under Article 9 to receive shares of Stock (or the equivalent value in cash or other property if the Committee so provides) in the future, which right is subject to certain restrictions and to risk of forfeiture.
(kk) “Shares” means shares of the Company’s Stock. If there has been an adjustment or substitution with respect to the Shares (whether or not pursuant to Article 14), the term “Shares” shall also include any shares of stock or other securities that are substituted for Shares or into which Shares are adjusted.
(ll) “Specified Employee” has the meaning given such term in Code Section 409A and the final regulations thereunder.
(mm) “Stock” means the $0.01 par value common stock of the Company and such other securities of the Company as may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Article 14.
(nn) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted to a Participant under Article 8 to receive a payment equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date of exercise of the SAR over the base price of the SAR, all as determined pursuant to Article 8.
(oo) “Subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company. Notwithstanding the above, with respect to an Incentive Stock Option, Subsidiary shall have the meaning set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code.
(pp) “Underwriter” means a broker, underwriter or financial institution that acquires such shares as part of a firm commitment or similar underwriting or distribution process pursuant to which the subject shares of stock are being held for further distribution.
(qq) “1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
(rr) “1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE 3
EFFECTIVE TERM OF PLAN
3.1. EFFECTIVE DATE. Subject to the approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders within 12 months after the Plan’s adoption by the Board, the Plan will become effective on the date that it is adopted by the Board (the “Effective Date”).
- 9 -
3.2. TERMINATION OF PLAN. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, the Plan shall continue in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date or, if the stockholders approve an amendment to the Plan that increases the number of Shares subject to the Plan, the tenth anniversary of the date of such approval. The termination of the Plan on such date shall not affect the validity of any Award outstanding on the date of termination, which shall continue to be governed by the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan.
ARTICLE 4
ADMINISTRATION
4.1. COMMITTEE. The Plan shall be administered by a Committee appointed by the Board (which Committee shall consist of at least two directors) or, at the discretion of the Board from time to time, the Plan may be administered by the Board. Any director appointed to serve on the Committee who is not an Independent Director shall abstain from participating in any decision to make or administer Awards that are made to Eligible Participants who at the time of consideration for such Award are persons subject to the short-swing profit rules of Section 16 of the 1934 Act. However, the mere fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Independent Director or shall fail to abstain from such action shall not invalidate any Award made by the Committee which Award is otherwise validly made under the Plan. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by, and may be changed at any time and from time to time in the discretion of, the Board. Unless and until changed by the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board is designated as the Committee to administer the Plan. The Board may reserve to itself any or all of the authority and responsibility of the Committee under the Plan or may act as administrator of the Plan for any and all purposes. To the extent the Board has reserved any authority and responsibility or during any time that the Board is acting as administrator of the Plan, it shall have all the powers and protections of the Committee hereunder, and any reference herein to the Committee (other than in this Section 4.1) shall include the Board. To the extent any action of the Board under the Plan conflicts with actions taken by the Committee, the actions of the Board shall control.
4.2. ACTION AND INTERPRETATIONS BY THE COMMITTEE. For purposes of administering the Plan, the Committee may from time to time adopt rules, regulations, guidelines and procedures for carrying out the provisions and purposes of the Plan and make such other determinations, not inconsistent with the Plan, as the Committee may deem appropriate. The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent it deems necessary to carry out the intent of the Plan. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted under the Plan, any Award Certificate and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties and shall be given the maximum deference permitted by applicable law. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate, the Company’s or an Affiliate’s independent certified public accountants, Company counsel or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Committee will be liable for any good faith determination, act or omission in connection with the Plan or any Award.
4.3. AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. Except as provided in Section 4.1 hereof, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
(a) grant Awards;
(b) designate Participants;
- 10 -
(c) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;
(d) determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares or dollar amount to which an Award will relate;
(e) determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan;
(f) prescribe the form of each Award Certificate, which need not be identical for each Participant;
(g) decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;
(h) establish, adopt or revise any rules, regulations, guidelines or procedures as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
(i) make all other decisions and determinations that may be required under the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
(j) amend the Plan or any Award Certificate as provided herein; and
(k) adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of the United States or any non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the Company or any Affiliate may operate, in order to assure the viability of the benefits of Awards granted to participants located in the United States or such other jurisdictions and to further the objectives of the Plan.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, grants of Awards to Non-Employee Directors hereunder shall (i) be subject to the applicable award limits set forth in Section 5.1 hereof, and (ii) be made only in accordance with the terms, conditions and parameters of a plan, program or policy for the compensation of Non-Employee Directors as in effect from time to time that is approved and administered by the Board or the Committee. The Committee may not make other discretionary grants hereunder to Non-Employee Directors.
4.4. DELEGATION. The Committee may, by resolution, expressly delegate to a special committee, consisting of one or more directors who may but need not be officers of the Company, the authority, within specified parameters as to the number and terms of Awards, to (i) designate officers and/or employees of the Company or any of its Affiliates to be recipients of Awards under the Plan, and (ii) to determine the number of such Awards to be received by any such Participants; provided, however, that such delegation of duties and responsibilities to an officer of the Company may not be made with respect to the grant of Awards to eligible participants who are subject to Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act at the Grant Date. The acts of such delegates shall be treated hereunder as acts of the Committee and such delegates shall report regularly to the Committee regarding the delegated duties and responsibilities and any Awards so granted.
4.5. INDEMNIFICATION. Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, or an officer of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with this Article 4 shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under the Plan and against and
- 11 -
from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf, unless such loss, cost, liability, or expense is a result of his or her own willful misconduct or except as expressly provided by statute. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, or Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended from time to time, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
ARTICLE 5
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
5.1. NUMBER OF SHARES. Subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 5.2 and Section 14.1, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be [ ]. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be [ ].
5.2. SHARE COUNTING. Shares covered by an Award shall be subtracted from the Plan share reserve as of the Grant Date, but shall be added back to the Plan share reserve in accordance with this Section 5.2.
(a) To the extent that an Award is canceled, terminates, expires, is forfeited or lapses for any reason, any unissued or forfeited Shares originally subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.
(b) Shares subject to Awards settled in cash will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.
(c) Shares withheld or repurchased from an Award or delivered by a Participant to satisfy minimum tax withholding requirements will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.
(d) If the exercise price of an Option is satisfied in whole or in part by delivering Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or attestation), the number of Shares so tendered (by delivery or attestation) shall be added to the Plan share reserve and will be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.
(e) To the extent that the full number of Shares subject to an Option or SAR is not issued upon exercise of the Option or SAR for any reason, including by reason of net-settlement of the Award, the unissued Shares originally subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to other Awards granted under the Plan.
(f) To the extent that the full number of Shares subject to an Award other than an Option or SAR is not issued for any reason, including by reason of failure to achieve maximum performance goals, the unissued Shares originally subject to the Award will be added back to the Plan share reserve and again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan.
- 12 -
(g) Substitute Awards granted pursuant to Section 13.10 of the Plan shall not count against the Shares otherwise available for issuance under the Plan under Section 5.1.
(h) Subject to applicable Exchange requirements, shares available under a stockholder-approved plan of a company acquired by the Company (as appropriately adjusted to Shares to reflect the transaction) may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Awards granted to individuals who were not employees of the Company or its Affiliates immediately before such transaction and will not count against the maximum share limitation specified in Section 5.1.
5.3. STOCK DISTRIBUTED. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open market.
ARTICLE 6
ELIGIBILITY
6.1. GENERAL. Awards may be granted only to Eligible Participants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Eligible Participants who are employees of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary as defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code. Eligible Participants who are service providers to an Affiliate may be granted Options or SARs under this Plan only if the Affiliate qualifies as an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E) of the final regulations under Code Section 409A.
ARTICLE 7
STOCK OPTIONS
7.1. GENERAL. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(a) EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price per Share under an Option shall be determined by the Committee, provided that the exercise price for any Option (other than an Option issued as a substitute Award pursuant to Section 13.10) shall not be less than the Fair Market Value as of the Grant Date.
(b) PROHIBITION ON REPRICING. Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of stockholders of the Company: (i) the exercise price of an Option may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option may not be cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price of the original Option, or otherwise, and (iii) the Company may not repurchase an Option for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option is lower than the exercise price per share of the Option
(c) TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, subject to Section 7.1(e). The Committee shall also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised or vested.
(d) PAYMENT. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, and the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. As determined by the Committee at or after the Grant Date, payment of the exercise price of an Option may be made in, in whole or in part, in the form of (i) cash or cash equivalents, (ii) delivery (by either actual delivery or attestation) of
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previously-acquired Shares based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is exercised, (iii) withholding of Shares from the Option based on the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is exercised, (iv) broker-assisted market sales, or (iv) any other “cashless exercise” arrangement.
(e) EXERCISE TERM. Except for Nonstatutory Options granted to Participants outside the United States, no Option granted under the Plan shall be exercisable for more than ten years from the Grant Date.
(f) NO DEFERRAL FEATURE. No Option shall provide for any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise or disposition of the Option.
(g) NO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. No Option shall provide for Dividend Equivalents.
7.2. INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. The terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan must comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. Without limiting the foregoing, any Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who at the Grant Date owns more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company must have an exercise price per Share of not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date and an Option term of not more than five years. If all of the requirements of Section 422 of the Code (including the above) are not met, the Option shall automatically become a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
ARTICLE 8
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
8.1. GRANT OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. The Committee is authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
(a) RIGHT TO PAYMENT. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Participant has the right to receive, for each Share with respect to which the SAR is being exercised, the excess, if any, of:
(1) The Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise; over
(2) The base price of the SAR as determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Certificate, which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on the Grant Date.
(b) PROHIBITION ON REPRICING. Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of stockholders of the Company: (i) the base price of a SAR may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) a SAR may not be cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise or base price that is less than the base price of the original SAR, or otherwise, and (iii) the Company may not repurchase a SAR for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR is lower than the base price per share of the SAR.
(c) TIME AND CONDITIONS OF EXERCISE. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part. Except for SARs granted to Participants outside the United States, no SAR shall be exercisable for more than ten years from the Grant Date.
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(d) NO DEFERRAL FEATURE. No SAR shall provide for any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise or disposition of the SAR.
(e) NO DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. No SAR shall provide for Dividend Equivalents.
(f) OTHER TERMS. All SARs shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate. Subject to the limitations of this Article 8, the terms, methods of exercise, methods of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement (e.g., cash, Shares or other property), and any other terms and conditions of the SAR shall be determined by the Committee at the time of the grant and shall be reflected in the Award Certificate.
ARTICLE 9
RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS
AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS
9.1. GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units to Participants in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. An Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate setting forth the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to the Award.
9.2. ISSUANCE AND RESTRICTIONS. Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, for example, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such installments, upon the satisfaction of performance goals or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units until such time as Shares of Stock are paid in settlement of such Awards.
9.3 DIVIDENDS ON RESTRICTED STOCK. In the case of Restricted Stock, the Committee may provide that ordinary cash dividends declared on the Shares before they are vested (i) will be forfeited, (ii) will be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested (subject to Share availability under Section 5.1 hereof), or (iii) in the case of Restricted Stock that is not subject to performance-based vesting, will be paid or distributed to the Participant as accrued (in which case, such dividends must be paid or distributed no later than the 15th day of the 3rd month following the later of (A) the calendar year in which the corresponding dividends were paid to stockholders, or (B) the first calendar year in which the Participant’s right to such dividends is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture).
9.4. FORFEITURE. Subject to the terms of the Award Certificate and except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of Continuous Service during the applicable restriction period or upon failure to satisfy a performance goal during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited.
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9.5. DELIVERY OF RESTRICTED STOCK. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be delivered to the Participant at the Grant Date either by book-entry registration or by delivering to the Participant, or a custodian or escrow agent (including, without limitation, the Company or one or more of its employees) designated by the Committee, a stock certificate or certificates registered in the name of the Participant. If physical certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, such certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.
ARTICLE 10
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
10.1. GRANT OF PERFORMANCE AWARDS. The Committee is authorized to grant any Award under this Plan, including cash-based Awards, with performance-based vesting criteria, on such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Any such Awards with performance-based vesting criteria are referred to herein as Performance Awards. The Committee shall have the complete discretion to determine the number of Performance Awards granted to each Participant and to designate the provisions of such Performance Awards as provided in Section 4.3. All Performance Awards shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate or a written program established by the Committee, pursuant to which Performance Awards are awarded under the Plan under uniform terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in such written program.
10.2. PERFORMANCE GOALS. The Committee may establish performance goals for Performance Awards which may be based on any criteria selected by the Committee. Such performance goals may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or in terms of objectives that relate to the performance of the Participant, an Affiliate or a division, region, department or function within the Company or an Affiliate. If the Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company or the manner in which the Company or an Affiliate conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render performance goals to be unsuitable, the Committee may modify such performance goals in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate. If a Participant is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit or function during a performance period, the Committee may determine that the performance goals or performance period are no longer appropriate and may (i) adjust, change or eliminate the performance goals or the applicable performance period as it deems appropriate to make such goals and period comparable to the initial goals and period, or (ii) make a cash payment to the participant in an amount determined by the Committee, which for Options or SARs may include payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the underlying stock, as of the date of such promotion, demotion or transfer, over the exercise or base price of the Award.
ARTICLE 11
DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS
11.1. GRANT OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents with respect to Full-Value Awards granted hereunder, subject to such terms and conditions as may be selected by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents shall entitle the Participant to receive payments equal to ordinary cash dividends or distributions with respect to all or a portion of the number of Shares subject to a Full-Value Award, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents (i) will be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested, or (ii) except in the case of Performance Awards, will be paid or distributed to the Participant as accrued (in which case, such Dividend Equivalents must be paid or distributed no later than the 15th day of the 3rd month following the later of (A) the calendar year in which the corresponding dividends were paid to stockholders, or (B) the first calendar year in which the Participant’s right to such Dividends Equivalents is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture).
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ARTICLE 12
STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS
12.1. GRANT OF STOCK OR OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Participants such other Awards that are payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including without limitation Shares awarded purely as a “bonus” and not subject to any restrictions or conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued by reference to book value per Share (or net asset value per Share) or the value of securities of or the performance of specified Parents or Subsidiaries. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards.
ARTICLE 13
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
13.1. AWARD CERTIFICATES. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Certificate. Each Award Certificate shall include such provisions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as may be specified by the Committee.
13.2. FORM OF PAYMENT FOR AWARDS. At the discretion of the Committee, payment of Awards may be made in cash, Stock, a combination of cash and Stock, or any other form of property as the Committee shall determine. In addition, payment of Awards may include such terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, as the Committee deems appropriate, including, in the case of Awards paid in the form of Stock, restrictions on transfer and forfeiture provisions. Further, payment of Awards may be made in the form of a lump sum, or in installments, as determined by the Committee.
13.3. LIMITS ON TRANSFER. No right or interest of a Participant in any unexercised or restricted Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or an Affiliate, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or an Affiliate. No unexercised or restricted Award shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; provided, however, that the Committee may (but need not) permit other transfers (other than transfers for value) where the Committee concludes that such transferability (i) does not result in accelerated taxation, (ii) does not cause any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option to fail to be described in Code Section 422(b), and (iii) is otherwise appropriate and desirable, taking into account any factors deemed relevant, including without limitation, state or federal tax or securities laws applicable to transferable Awards.
13.4. BENEFICIARIES. Notwithstanding Section 13.3, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Certificate applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Certificate otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, any payment due to the Participant shall be made to the Participant’s estate. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant, in the manner provided by the Company, at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.
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13.5. STOCK TRADING RESTRICTIONS. All Stock issuable under the Plan is subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal or state securities laws, rules and regulations and the rules of any Exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Stock certificate or issue instructions to the transfer agent to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock.
13.6. ACCELERATION UPON DEATH OR DISABILITY. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document governing an Award, upon the termination of a person’s Continuous Service by reason of death or Disability:
(i) each of that Participant’s outstanding Options and SARs, or the portions of such outstanding Options and SARs, as applicable, that are solely subject to time-based vesting requirements shall become vested and fully exercisable as of the date of termination;
(ii) each of that Participant’s other outstanding Awards, or the portions of such other outstanding Awards, as applicable, that are solely subject to time-based vesting restrictions shall become vested, and such restrictions shall lapse as of the date of termination; and
(iii) each of that Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards, or the portions of such outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards, as applicable, that are solely subject to performance-vesting requirements or restrictions (the “Performance-Vesting Awards”) shall be prorated by multiplying the number of shares or units underlying such Performance-Vesting Award by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed from the commencement of the applicable performance period through the date of termination, and the denominator of which is the number of days in such performance period (each a “Prorated Portion”). The Prorated Portion shall not expire on account of the Participant’s termination and shall remain eligible to vest based upon actual performance over the applicable performance period, as provided in the Award Certificate or other special Plan document governing the Award. The remainder of each Performance-Vesting Award (the non-Prorated Portion) shall be forfeited and canceled as of the date of termination.
To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.
13.7. EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL. The provisions of this Section 13.7 shall apply in the case of a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in the Award Certificate or any special Plan document or separate agreement with a Participant governing an Award.
(a) Awards Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity. With respect to Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with a Change in Control: if within two years after the effective date of the Change in Control, a Participant’s employment is terminated without Cause or the Participant resigns for Good Reason, then (i) all of that Participant’s outstanding Options, SARs and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) all time-based vesting restrictions on his or her outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the payout level under all of that Participant’s performance-based Awards that were outstanding immediately prior to effective time of the Change in Control shall be determined and deemed to have been earned as of the date of termination based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the
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“target” level if the date of termination occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target (measured as of the end of the calendar quarter immediately preceding the date of termination), if the date of termination occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, there shall be a prorata payout to such Participant within sixty (60) days following the date of termination of employment (unless a later date is required by Section 16.3 hereof), based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the date of termination of employment. With regard to each Award, a Participant shall not be considered to have resigned for Good Reason unless either (i) the Award Certificate includes such provision or (ii) the Participant is party to an employment, severance or similar agreement with the Company or an Affiliate that includes provisions in which the Participant is permitted to resign for Good Reason. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.
(b) Awards not Assumed or Substituted by Surviving Entity. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, and except with respect to any Awards assumed by the Surviving Entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted in connection with the Change in Control in a manner approved by the Committee or the Board: (i) outstanding Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, (ii) time-based vesting restrictions on outstanding Awards shall lapse, and (iii) the target payout opportunities attainable under outstanding performance-based Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned as of the effective date of the Change in Control based upon (A) an assumed achievement of all relevant performance goals at the “target” level if the Change in Control occurs during the first half of the applicable performance period, or (B) the actual level of achievement of all relevant performance goals against target measured as of the date of the Change in Control, if the Change in Control occurs during the second half of the applicable performance period, and, in either such case, subject to Section 16.3, there shall be a prorata payout to Participants within sixty (60) days following the Change in Control (unless a later date is required by Section 16.3 hereof), based upon the length of time within the performance period that has elapsed prior to the Change in Control. Any Awards shall thereafter continue or lapse in accordance with the other provisions of the Plan and the Award Certificate. To the extent that this provision causes Incentive Stock Options to exceed the dollar limitation set forth in Code Section 422(d), the excess Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.
13.8. ACCELERATION FOR ANY OTHER REASON. Regardless of whether an event has occurred as described in Section 13.6 or 13.7 above, the Committee may in its sole discretion at any time determine that all or a portion of a Participant’s Options, SARs, and other Awards in the nature of rights that may be exercised shall become fully or partially exercisable, that all or a part of the time-based vesting restrictions on all or a portion of the outstanding Awards shall lapse, and/or that any performance-based criteria with respect to any Awards shall be deemed to be wholly or partially satisfied, in each case, as of such date as the Committee may, in its sole discretion, declare. The Committee may discriminate among Participants and among Awards granted to a Participant in exercising its discretion pursuant to this Section 13.8. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan, including this Section 13.8, the Committee may not accelerate the payment of any Award if such acceleration would violate Section 409A(a)(3) of the Code.
13.9. FORFEITURE EVENTS. Awards under the Plan shall be subject to any compensation recoupment policy that the Company may adopt from time to time that is applicable by its terms to the Participant. In addition, the Committee may specify in an Award Certificate that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or
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recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, (i) termination of employment for cause, (ii) violation of material Company or Affiliate policies, (iii) breach of noncompetition, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, (iv) other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company or any Affiliate, or (v) a later determination that the vesting of, or amount realized from, a Performance Award was based on materially inaccurate financial statements or any other materially inaccurate performance metric criteria, whether or not the Participant caused or contributed to such material inaccuracy.
13.10. SUBSTITUTE AWARDS. The Committee may grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for stock and stock-based awards held by employees of another entity who become employees of the Company or an Affiliate as a result of a merger or consolidation of the former employing entity with the Company or an Affiliate or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of property or stock of the former employing corporation. The Committee may direct that the substitute awards be granted on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances.
ARTICLE 14
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
14.1. MANDATORY ADJUSTMENTS. In the event of a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders that causes the per-share value of the Stock to change (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering, or large nonrecurring cash dividend), the Committee shall make such adjustments to the Plan and Awards as it deems necessary, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights immediately resulting from such transaction. Action by the Committee may include: (i) adjustment of the number and kind of shares that may be delivered under the Plan; (ii) adjustment of the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) adjustment of the exercise price of outstanding Awards or the measure to be used to determine the amount of the benefit payable on an Award; and (iv) any other adjustments that the Committee determines to be equitable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee shall not make any adjustments to outstanding Options or SARs that would constitute a modification or substitution of the stock right under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v) that would be treated as the grant of a new stock right or change in the form of payment for purposes of Code Section 409A. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event of a subdivision of the outstanding Stock (stock-split), a declaration of a dividend payable in Shares, or a combination or consolidation of the outstanding Stock into a lesser number of Shares, the authorization limits under Section 5.1 shall automatically be adjusted proportionately, and the Shares then subject to each Award shall automatically, without the necessity for any additional action by the Committee, be adjusted proportionately without any change in the aggregate purchase price therefor.
14.2 DISCRETIONARY ADJUSTMENTS. Upon the occurrence or in anticipation of any corporate event or transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any merger, reorganization, recapitalization, combination or exchange of shares, or any transaction described in Section 14.1), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide (i) that Awards will be settled in cash rather than Stock, (ii) that Awards will become immediately vested and non-forfeitable and exercisable (in whole or in part) and will expire after a designated period of time to the extent not then exercised, (iii) that Awards will be assumed by another party to a transaction or otherwise be equitably converted or substituted in connection with such transaction, (iv) that outstanding Awards may be settled by payment in cash or cash equivalents equal to the excess of the fair market value of the underlying Stock, as of a specified date associated with the transaction (or the per-shares transaction price), over the exercise or base price of the Award, (v) that performance targets and performance periods for Performance Awards will be modified, or (vi) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee’s determination need not be uniform and may be different for different Participants whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.
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14.3 GENERAL. Any discretionary adjustments made pursuant to this Article 14 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 15.2. To the extent that any adjustments made pursuant to this Article 14 cause Incentive Stock Options to cease to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, such Options shall be deemed to be Nonstatutory Stock Options.
ARTICLE 15
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION
15.1. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION. The Board or the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend, modify or terminate the Plan without stockholder approval; provided, however, that if an amendment to the Plan would, in the reasonable opinion of the Board or the Committee, would constitute a material change requiring stockholder approval under applicable laws, policies or regulations or the applicable listing or other requirements of an Exchange, then such amendment shall be subject to stockholder approval; and provided, further, that the Board or Committee may condition any other amendment or modification on the approval of stockholders of the Company for any reason, including by reason of such approval being necessary or deemed advisable (i) to comply with the listing or other requirements of an Exchange, or (ii) to satisfy any other tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations. Except for any mandatory adjustments to the Plan and Awards contemplated by Section 14.1, without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company, the Plan may not be amended to permit: (i) the exercise price or base price of an Option or SAR to be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option or SAR to be cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price or base price of the original Option or SAR, or otherwise, or (iii) the Company to repurchase an Option or SAR for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option or SAR is lower than the exercise price or base price per share of the Option or SAR.
15.2. AWARDS PREVIOUSLY GRANTED. At any time and from time to time, the Committee may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award without approval of the Participant; provided, however:
(a) Subject to the terms of the applicable Award Certificate, such amendment, modification or termination shall not, without the Participant’s consent, reduce or diminish the value of such Award determined as if the Award had been exercised, vested, cashed in or otherwise settled on the date of such amendment or termination (with the per-share value of an Option or SAR for this purpose being calculated as the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value as of the date of such amendment or termination over the exercise or base price of such Award);
(b) The original term of an Option or SAR may not be extended without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company;
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Article 14, without the prior approval of the stockholders of the Company: (i) the exercise price or base price of an Option or SAR may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, (ii) an Option or SAR may not be cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise or base price that is less than the exercise price or base price of the original Option or SAR, or otherwise, and (iii) the Company may not repurchase an Option or SAR for value (in cash or otherwise) from a Participant if the current Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option or SAR is lower than the exercise price or base price per share of the Option or SAR; and
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(d) No termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Participant affected thereby. An outstanding Award shall not be deemed to be “adversely affected” by a Plan amendment if such amendment would not reduce or diminish the value of such Award determined as if the Award had been exercised, vested, cashed in or otherwise settled on the date of such amendment (with the per-share value of an Option or SAR for this purpose being calculated as the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value as of the date of such amendment over the exercise or base price of such Award).
15.3. COMPLIANCE AMENDMENTS. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, the Board may amend the Plan or an Award Certificate, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming the Plan or Award Certificate to any present or future law relating to plans of this or similar nature (including, but not limited to, Section 409A of the Code), and to the administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any amendment made pursuant to this Section 15.3 to any Award granted under the Plan without further consideration or action.
ARTICLE 16
GENERAL PROVISIONS
16.1. RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS.
(a) No Participant or any Eligible Participant shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan. Neither the Company, its Affiliates nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants or Eligible Participants uniformly, and determinations made under the Plan may be made by the Committee selectively among Eligible Participants who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards (whether or not such Eligible Participants are similarly situated).
(b) Nothing in the Plan, any Award Certificate or any other document or statement made with respect to the Plan, shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Participant’s employment or status as an officer, or any Participant’s service as a director, at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue as an employee, officer, or director of the Company or any Affiliate, whether for the duration of a Participant’s Award or otherwise.
(c) Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company or any Affiliate and, accordingly, subject to Article 15, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(d) No Award gives a Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until Shares are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.
16.2. WITHHOLDING. The Company or any Affiliate shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or such Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any exercise, lapse of restriction or other taxable event arising as a result of the Plan. The obligations of the Company under the Plan will be conditioned on such payment or arrangements and the Company or such Affiliate will, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to
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deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time the Award is granted or thereafter, any such withholding requirement may be satisfied, in whole or in part, by withholding from the Award Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the minimum amount (and not any greater amount) required to be withheld for tax purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Committee establishes. All such elections shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
16.3. SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATED TO SECTION 409A OF THE CODE.
(a) General. It is intended that the payments and benefits provided under the Plan and any Award shall either be exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The Plan and all Award Certificates shall be construed in a manner that effects such intent. Nevertheless, the tax treatment of the benefits provided under the Plan or any Award is not warranted or guaranteed. Neither the Company, its Affiliates nor their respective directors, officers, employees or advisers (other than in his or her capacity as a Participant) shall be held liable for any taxes, interest, penalties or other monetary amounts owed by any Participant or other taxpayer as a result of the Plan or any Award.
(b) Definitional Restrictions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that would constitute non-exempt “deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code (“Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation”) would otherwise be payable or distributable, or a different form of payment (e.g., lump sum or installment) of such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation would be effected, under the Plan or any Award Certificate by reason of the occurrence of a Change in Control, or the Participant’s Disability or separation from service, such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation will not be payable or distributable to the Participant, and/or such different form of payment will not be effected, by reason of such circumstance unless the circumstances giving rise to such Change in Control, Disability or separation from service meet any description or definition of “change in control event”, “disability” or “separation from service”, as the case may be, in Section 409A of the Code and applicable regulations (without giving effect to any elective provisions that may be available under such definition). This provision does not affect the dollar amount or prohibit the vesting of any Award upon a Change in Control, Disability or separation from service, however defined. If this provision prevents the payment or distribution of any amount or benefit, or the application of a different form of payment of any amount or benefit, such payment or distribution shall be made at the time and in the form that would have applied absent the non-409A-conforming event.
(c) Allocation among Possible Exemptions. If any one or more Awards granted under the Plan to a Participant could qualify for any separation pay exemption described in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(9), but such Awards in the aggregate exceed the dollar limit permitted for the separation pay exemptions, the Company (acting through the CEO or the Committee, in the case of executive officers and directors, or the Head of Human Resources, in the case of Participants other than executive officers and directors) shall determine which Awards or portions thereof will be subject to such exemptions.
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(d) Six-Month Delay in Certain Circumstances. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or in any Award Certificate to the contrary, if any amount or benefit that would constitute Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation would otherwise be payable or distributable under this Plan or any Award Certificate by reason of a Participant’s separation from service during a period in which the Participant is a Specified Employee, then, subject to any permissible acceleration of payment by the Committee under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ii) (domestic relations order), (j)(4)(iii) (conflicts of interest), or (j)(4)(vi) (payment of employment taxes):
(i) the amount of such Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation that would otherwise be payable during the six-month period immediately following the Participant’s separation from service will be accumulated through and paid or provided on the first day of the seventh month following the Participant’s separation from service (or, if the Participant dies during such period, within 30 days after the Participant’s death) (in either case, the “Required Delay Period”); and
(ii) the normal payment or distribution schedule for any remaining payments or distributions will resume at the end of the Required Delay Period.
(e) Installment Payments. If, pursuant to an Award, a Participant is entitled to a series of installment payments, such Participant’s right to the series of installment payments shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not to a single payment. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “series of installment payments” has the meaning provided in Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) (or any successor thereto).
(f) Timing of Release of Claims. Whenever an Award conditions a payment or benefit on the Participant’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, such release must be executed and all revocation periods shall have expired within 60 days after the date of termination of the Participant’s employment; failing which such payment or benefit shall be forfeited. If such payment or benefit is exempt from Section 409A of the Code, the Company may elect to make or commence payment at any time during such 60-day period. If such payment or benefit constitutes Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation, then, subject to subsection (d) above, (i) if such 60-day period begins and ends in a single calendar year, the Company may make or commence payment at any time during such period at its discretion, and (ii) if such 60-day period begins in one calendar year and ends in the next calendar year, the payment shall be made or commence during the second such calendar year (or any later date specified for such payment under the applicable Award), even if such signing and non-revocation of the release occur during the first such calendar year included within such 60-day period. In other words, a Participant is not permitted to influence the calendar year of payment based on the timing of signing the release.
(g) Permitted Acceleration. The Company shall have the sole authority to make any accelerated distribution permissible under Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4) to Participants of deferred amounts, provided that such distribution(s) meets the requirements of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(j)(4).
16.4. UNFUNDED STATUS OF AWARDS. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Certificate shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the creation of grantor trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver Shares or payments in lieu of Shares or with respect to Awards. This Plan is not intended to be subject to ERISA.
16.5. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER BENEFITS. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate unless provided otherwise in such
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other plan. Nothing contained in the Plan will prevent the Company from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
16.6. EXPENSES. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.
16.7. TITLES AND HEADINGS. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
16.8. GENDER AND NUMBER. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.
16.9. FRACTIONAL SHARES. No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down.
16.10. GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATIONS.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, no Participant who acquires Shares pursuant to the Plan may, during any period of time that such Participant is an affiliate of the Company (within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1933 Act), sell such Shares, unless such offer and sale is made (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, which is current and includes the Shares to be sold, or (ii) pursuant to an appropriate exemption from the registration requirement of the 1933 Act, such as that set forth in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if at any time the Committee shall determine that the registration, listing or qualification of the Shares covered by an Award upon any Exchange or under any foreign, federal, state or local law or practice, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of such Award or the purchase or receipt of Shares thereunder, no Shares may be purchased, delivered or received pursuant to such Award unless and until such registration, listing, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any condition not acceptable to the Committee. Any Participant receiving or purchasing Shares pursuant to an Award shall make such representations and agreements and furnish such information as the Committee may request to assure compliance with the foregoing or any other applicable legal requirements. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificate or certificates for Shares under the Plan prior to the Committee’s determination that all related requirements have been fulfilled. The Company shall in no event be obligated to register any securities pursuant to the 1933 Act or applicable state or foreign law or to take any other action in order to cause the issuance and delivery of such certificates to comply with any such law, regulation or requirement.
16.11. GOVERNING LAW. To the extent not governed by federal law, the Plan and all Award Certificates shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
16.12. SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision of this Plan is found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable under any applicable law, such invalidity or unenforceability will not be
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construed as rendering any other provisions contained herein as invalid or unenforceable, and all such other provisions will be given full force and effect to the same extent as though the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained herein.
16.13. NO LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS OF COMPANY. The grant of any Award shall not in any way affect the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassification or changes in its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets. The Plan shall not restrict the authority of the Company, for proper corporate purposes, to draft or assume awards, other than under the Plan, to or with respect to any person. If the Committee so directs, the Company may issue or transfer Shares to an Affiliate, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may specify, upon the condition or understanding that the Affiliate will transfer such Shares to a Participant in accordance with the terms of an Award granted to such Participant and specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.
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The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the CommScope Holding Company, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan as adopted by the Board on [ ], 2013 and by the stockholders on [ ], 2013.
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: |
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| Its: |
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Exhibit 10.28
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN
COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC.
ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
ESTABLISHMENT OF PLAN
1.1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to enhance the Company’s ability to attract, motivate, reward and retain employees, to strengthen their commitment to the success of the Company and to align their interests with those of the Company’s stockholders by providing additional compensation to designated employees of the Company based on the achievement of performance objectives. To this end, the Plan provides for the payment of annual cash incentive awards to eligible employees of the Company, the payment of which will be based on the achievement of one or more Performance Objectives during a Plan Year. The Plan shall remain in effect for successive Plan Years unless and until terminated by the Committee pursuant to Article 6. Unless otherwise specified by the Committee or the CEO, as applicable, the Performance Objectives include Company Performance Objectives and Individual Performance Objectives. Company Performance Objectives are designed to focus on overall corporate or business unit financial or operational results that drive stockholder value. Individual Performance Objectives are intended to measure individual goals and competencies and to motivate and reward outstanding individual performance.
1.2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Plan was approved by the Committee on [ ], 2013, to be effective as of [ ].
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS
2.1. DEFINITIONS. The following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this Plan, unless the context in which they are used clearly indicates that some other meaning is intended.
(a) “Affiliate” means (i) any Subsidiary or Parent, or (ii) an entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company, as determined by the Committee.
(b) “Annual Incentive Award” means the cash incentive award payable to a Participant under this Plan calculated by reference to the achievement of applicable Performance Objectives, as determined in accordance with Article 5.
(c) “Base Salary” means a Participant’s annual base salary actually paid by the Company and received by the Participant during the applicable performance period, based on salary earnings before reductions for such items as contributions under Section 401(k) of the Code. Base Salary does not include (i) Annual Incentive Awards under the Plan, (ii) long-term incentive awards, (iii) signing bonuses or any similar bonuses, (iv) cash payments received pursuant to the Company’s [Retirement Savings Plan], (v) imputed income from such programs as executive life insurance, or (vi) nonrecurring earnings such as moving expenses.
(d) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the 1934 Act.
(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
(g) “Change in Control” means and includes the occurrence of any one of the following events but shall specifically exclude a Public Offering:
(i) during any consecutive 12-month period, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board, provided that any person becoming a director after the beginning of such 12-month period and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors (“Election Contest”) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board (“Proxy Contest”), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any Election Contest or Proxy Contest, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; or
(ii) any Person, other than a Principal Stockholder or an Underwriter, becomes a Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of either (A) 35% or more of the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (“Company Common Stock”) or (B) securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of directors (the “Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (ii), the following acquisitions of Company Common Stock or Company Voting Securities shall not constitute a Change in Control: (w) an acquisition directly (or indirectly from Underwriters) from the Company, (x) an acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary, (y) an acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, or (z) an acquisition pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in subsection (iii) below); or
(iii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or a Subsidiary (a “Reorganization”), or the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (a “Sale”) or the acquisition of assets or stock of another corporation or other entity (an “Acquisition”), unless immediately following such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition: (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or stock either directly or through one or more subsidiaries, the “Surviving Entity”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition, of the outstanding Company Common Stock and the outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, and (B) no person (other
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than (x) the Company or any Subsidiary, (y) the Surviving Entity or its ultimate parent entity, or (z) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by any of the foregoing) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the total common stock or 35% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Entity, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Surviving Entity were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition (any Reorganization, Sale or Acquisition which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”); or
(iv) approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
(h) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(i) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.
(j) “Company” means CommScope Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor corporation
(k) “Company Performance Objectives” means the Company Performance Objectives established by the Committee or the CEO, as applicable, for a Plan Year, as provided in Article 5.
(l) “Disability” shall mean permanent disability, as provided in the Company’s long-term disability plan.
(m) “Effective Date” means [ ], 2013.
(n) “Individual Performance Objectives” means the Individual Performance Objectives established for a Participant by the Committee or the CEO, as applicable, for a Plan Year, as provided in Article 5.
(o) “Parent” means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity which owns or beneficially owns a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power of the Company.
(p) “Participant” means a person who, as an employee of the Company or any Affiliate, has been granted an Annual Incentive Award opportunity under the Plan; provided that in the case of the death of a Participant, the term “Participant” refers to a beneficiary designated by the Participant or the legal guardian or other legal representative acting in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the Participant under applicable state law and court supervision.
(q) “Performance Objectives” means collectively, with respect to a Participant, any Company Performance Objectives and Individual Performance Objectives applicable to the Participant, as provided in Article 5.
(r) “Person” means any individual, entity or group, within the meaning of Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934 Act and as used in Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act.
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(s) “Plan” means this CommScope Holding Company, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.
(t) “Plan Year” means January 1 to December 31 of each year.
(u) “Principal Stockholder” means Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P. (the “LP”), a Delaware limited partnership, or any subsidiary or parent thereof, or any entity that directly or through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the LP.
(v) “Public Offering” means a public offering of any class or series of the Company’s equity securities pursuant to a registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.
(w) “Retirement” shall mean (i) retirement at or after age 55 and the completion of 10 years of service with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) retirement at or after age 65 or (iii) early retirement with the prior written approval of the Company.
(x) “Section 16 Officer” means a Participant who, as of the beginning of the applicable performance period, is an officer subject to Section 16 of the 1934 Act.
(y) “Subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company.
(z) “Target Award” has the meaning described in Section 5.2.
(aa) “Underwriter” means a broker, underwriter or financial institution that acquires such shares as part of a firm commitment or similar underwriting or distribution process pursuant to which the subject shares of stock are being held for further distribution.
(bb) “1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
(cc) “1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE 3
ADMINISTRATION
3.1. COMMITTEE. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee.
3.2. AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. The Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
(a) designate Participants for each Plan Year (by individual or employee class);
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(b) establish and review Individual Performance Objectives and weightings for different Individual Performance Objectives for each Plan Year;
(c) establish and review Company Performance Objectives and weightings for different Company Performance Objectives for each Plan Year;
(d) establish Target Awards for Participants for each Plan Year;
(e) determine whether and to what extent Performance Objectives were achieved for each Plan Year;
(f) increase or decrease the Annual Incentive Award otherwise payable to any Participant resulting from the achievement of Company Performance Objectives and Individual Performance Objectives in any Plan Year, based on such objective or subjective factors as the Committee shall deem relevant;
(g) establish, adopt or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer this Plan;
(h) make all other decisions and determinations that may be required under this Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer this Plan;
(i) amend this Plan as provided herein; and
(j) delegate to the CEO any authority or responsibility to administer the Plan with respect to Participants who are not Section 16 Officers.
3.3. DECISIONS BINDING. The interpretation of this Plan by, and all decisions and determinations by, the Committee or the CEO, as applicable, with respect to this Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
ARTICLE 4
ELIGIBILITY
4.1. DESIGNATION OF PARTICIPANTS. Before the 90th day of each Plan Year, the Committee shall review and approve (individually, in the case of Section 16 Officers, or by group, in the case of other Participants) the Participants and their Target Awards for that Plan Year. Inclusion as a Participant in the Plan in any Plan Year does not guarantee that such Participant will receive any amount in payment of an Annual Incentive Award.
4.2. PARTIAL YEAR PARTICIPATION. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers) (i) if a Participant begins employment or is promoted to an eligible position after the beginning of a Plan Year but before October 1 of such Plan Year, such Participant will be eligible to receive an Annual Incentive Award for such Plan Year, which will be prorated based on the number of days such person participated in the Plan during the Plan Year; and (ii) if a Participant begins employment or is promoted to an eligible position after October 1 of a Plan Year, the Participant will not be eligible to receive an Annual Incentive Award for such Plan Year. If a Participant takes a leave of absence during the Plan Year for any reason, the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers) in their discretion, may determine whether such employee may participate in this Plan and the terms of such participation, if any.
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4.3. CHANGE IN ELIGIBLE POSITION. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers), if a Participant changes from one eligible position to another during a Plan Year, the Participant’s Annual Incentive Award for such Plan Year will be prorated based on the number of days such person participated in the Plan during the Plan year in each respective position and shall be determined with respect to the Target Award and Performance Objectives relevant to such respective positions.
4.4. DEMOTIONS; TERMINATIONS. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers) if a Participant resigns, is terminated, or is demoted to a non-eligible position during the Plan Year, the Participant’s Plan participation shall end at that time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Participant’s death or Disability, the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers) in their discretion, may determine whether such employee may participate in this Plan and if so, the terms of such participation pursuant to Section 5.6 hereof.
ARTICLE 5
OPERATION OF THE PLAN
5.1. PLAN STRUCTURE. Subject to the terms and conditions described herein, each Participant shall be eligible to receive an Annual Incentive Award for the Plan Year if certain Performance Objectives are met or exceeded by the Company and, if applicable, the Participant. Each Plan Year, Performance Objectives and their respective weightings and Target Awards shall be established as provided in Sections 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 hereof.
5.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TARGET AWARDS. Each Participant shall have a target award, reflected as a specified amount or a percentage of his or her Base Salary, that will be awarded to the Participant for the designated Plan Year if the established Performance Objectives are achieved at the target level (the “Target Award”). Before the 90th day of each Plan Year, (i) the Committee shall approve the Target Award for each Participant that is a Section 16 Officer, (ii) the CEO shall approve the Target Award for all Participants other than Section 16 Officers, and (iii) the Committee shall approve the aggregate cost of Target Awards for all Participants other than Section 16 Officers. Each Participant’s Target Award percentage will be communicated in writing to the Participant upon such Participant’s initial participation in the Plan, and shall remain in effect until any change thereto is communicated to the Participant in writing. The actual Annual Incentive Award to a Participant may be greater or less than his or her Target Award, depending on the level of achievement of applicable Performance Objectives and such other objective or subjective factors as the Committee with respect to Section 16 Officers or the CEO with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers, as applicable, shall deem relevant.
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5.3. COMPANY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. Before the 90th day of each Plan Year, (i) the Committee shall approve Company Performance Objectives for that Plan Year for the Section 16 Officers, and (ii) the CEO shall approve Company Performance Objectives for that Plan Year for other Participants. The Company Performance Objectives will be communicated in writing to the Participants. In establishing Company Performance Objectives, the Committee or the CEO, as applicable, may take into account such factors as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, prior year results, planned business results, anticipated business trends, performance relative to peer companies and macroeconomic conditions.
5.4. INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. Before the 90th day of each Plan Year, (i) the Committee shall approve any Individual Performance Objectives for that Plan Year for the Section 16 Officers, and (ii) the CEO shall approve Individual Performance Objectives for that Plan Year for other Participants. Any such Individual Performance Objectives will be communicated in writing to the Participants. In addition, whether or not written Individual Performance Objectives are established for a Plan Year, the Committee with respect to Section 16 Officers or the CEO with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers, as applicable, reserves the right to increase or decrease a Participant’s Annual Incentive Award based on a subjective assessment of the Participant’s overall performance during the Plan Year.
5.5. PAYOUT FORM AND TIMING. Annual Incentive Awards will be paid in a lump sum in cash as soon as administratively practicable after the Committee or the CEO (in the case of Participants that are not Section 16 Officers) determines whether and to what extent Performance Objectives were achieved, but no later than March 15 following the end of the Plan Year for which the Annual Incentive Awards, if any, were earned; provided that any Annual Incentive Award which is properly deferred by a Participant under a deferred compensation plan or arrangement adopted or approved by the Company shall be paid pursuant to the terms and conditions of such deferral.
5.6. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Unless otherwise determined by (i) the Committee in its discretion or (ii) the CEO in his or her discretion with respect to a Participant who is not a Section 16 Officer, and subject to any contrary provision in an individual employment, key position, severance or similar agreement with a Participant, a Participant must be actively employed and in good standing or on approved leave of absence as of the date of payment in order to be eligible to receive an Annual Incentive Award for such Plan Year, and a Participant whose employment terminates for any reason prior to the date of payment shall forfeit his or her right to receive an Annual Incentive Award for such Plan Year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to Section 4.4, the Committee or the CEO (with respect to individuals who are not Section 16 Officers) may determine, in their discretion and on a case-by-case basis, that a Participant whose employment is terminated on account of death, Disability or Retirement shall remain eligible to receive a portion of his or her Annual Incentive Award, based on actual achievement of applicable Performance Objectives and prorated based on the number of days that the Participant was actively employed and performed services during the applicable performance period. Any amounts paid on behalf of a deceased Participant will be paid to the Participant’s beneficiary.
5.7. CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event a Change in Control occurs during a Plan Year, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, a pro rata portion of the Target Award amounts for that Plan Year (based on the number of days in the Plan Year preceding the Change in Control, divided by 365) shall be deemed earned, notwithstanding the level of achievement of Performance Objectives. Such prorata Target Awards shall be paid to Participants no later than thirty (30) days after the effective date of the Change in Control and, unless other determined by the Company in its sole discretion, such payments shall be in full satisfaction of any awards under the Plan for such Plan Year and no additional amounts shall be payable to Participants under the Plan with respect to such Plan Year.
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ARTICLE 6
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION
6.1. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION. The Committee may, at any time and from time to time, amend, modify or terminate this Plan. The Committee may condition any amendment or modification on the approval of stockholders of the Company if such approval is necessary or deemed advisable with respect to tax, securities or other applicable laws, policies or regulations.
6.2. TERMINATION DURING PLAN YEAR. Termination or amendment of this Plan during a Plan Year may be retroactive to the beginning of the Plan Year, at the discretion of the Committee. If a Change in Control occurs, no amendment or termination may adversely affect amounts payable to a Participant without the consent of the Participant.
ARTICLE 7
GENERAL PROVISIONS
7.1. NO RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE. No employee shall have any right to be selected to participate in this Plan.
7.2. NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT. Nothing in this Plan shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Participant’s employment at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate.
7.3. WITHHOLDING. The Company or any Affiliate shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan.
7.4. FUNDING. Benefits payable under this Plan to a Participant or to a beneficiary will be paid by the Company from its general assets. The Company is not required to segregate on its books or otherwise establish any funding procedure for any amount to be used for the payment of benefits under this Plan. The Company may, however, in its sole discretion, set funds aside in investments to meet its anticipated obligations under this Plan. Any such action or set-aside may not be deemed to create a trust of any kind between the Company and any Participant or beneficiary or to constitute the funding of any Plan benefits. Consequently, any person entitled to a payment under this Plan will have no rights greater than the rights of any other unsecured creditor of the Company.
7.5. EXPENSES. The expenses of administering this Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
7.6. TITLES AND HEADINGS. The titles and headings of the Sections in this Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of this Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
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7.7. GENDER AND NUMBER. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine; the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.
7.8. GOVERNING LAW. To the extent not governed by federal law, this Plan shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
7.9. COMPENSATION RECOUPMENT POLICY. Annual Incentive Awards granted under this Plan shall be subject to any compensation recoupment policy that the Company may adopt from time to time that is applicable by its terms to the recipient of such award.
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The foregoing is hereby acknowledged as being the CommScope Holding Company, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan as adopted by the Committee on [ ], 2013, to be effective as of [ ], 2013.
| COMMSCOPE HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: |
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| Its: | ||
10
Exhibit 10.33
EXECUTION VERSION
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
CARLYLE-COMMSCOPE HOLDINGS, L.P.
AND
EACH OTHER PERSON EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT AS A “ROLLOVER INVESTOR”
DATED AS OF JANUARY 14, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||||
| 1. |
DEMAND REGISTRATIONS |
1 | ||||||
| 1.1. |
Requests for Registration |
1 | ||||||
| 1.2. |
Demand Notice |
2 | ||||||
| 1.3. |
Demand Registration Expenses |
2 | ||||||
| 1.4. |
Short-Form Registrations |
2 | ||||||
| 1.5. |
Priority on Demand Registrations |
2 | ||||||
| 1.6. |
Restrictions on Demand Registrations |
2 | ||||||
| 1.7. |
Selection of Underwriters |
3 | ||||||
| 1.8. |
Other Registration Rights |
3 | ||||||
| 2. |
PIGGYBACK REGISTRATIONS |
3 | ||||||
| 2.1. |
Right to Piggyback |
3 | ||||||
| 2.2. |
Piggyback Expenses |
3 | ||||||
| 2.3. |
Priority on Primary Registrations |
3 | ||||||
| 2.4. |
Priority on Secondary Registrations |
3 | ||||||
| 3. |
REGISTRATION AND COORDINATION GENERALLY |
4 | ||||||
| 3.1. |
Registration Procedures |
4 | ||||||
| 3.2. |
Registration Expenses |
7 | ||||||
| 3.3. |
Participation in Underwritten Offerings |
7 | ||||||
| 3.4. |
Company Holdback |
8 | ||||||
| 3.5. |
Current Public Information |
9 | ||||||
| 3.6. |
Shelf Take-Downs |
9 | ||||||
| 4. |
INDEMNIFICATION |
10 | ||||||
| 4.1. |
Indemnification by the Company |
10 | ||||||
| 4.2. |
Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities |
10 | ||||||
| 4.3. |
Procedure |
11 | ||||||
| 4.4. |
Entry of Judgment; Settlement |
11 | ||||||
| 4.5. |
Contribution |
11 | ||||||
| 4.6. |
Other Rights |
12 | ||||||
| 5. |
DEFINITIONS |
12 | ||||||
| 6. |
MISCELLANEOUS |
13 | ||||||
| 6.1. |
No Inconsistent Agreements; Foreign Registration |
13 | ||||||
| 6.2. |
Adjustments Affecting Registrable Securities |
13 | ||||||
| 6.3. |
Remedies |
14 | ||||||
| 6.4. |
Amendment and Waiver |
14 | ||||||
| 6.5. |
Successors and Assigns; Transferees |
14 | ||||||
| 6.6. |
Severability |
15 | ||||||
| 6.7. |
Counterparts |
15 | ||||||
| 6.8. |
Descriptive Headings |
15 | ||||||
| 6.9. |
Notices |
15 | ||||||
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| 6.10. |
Delivery by Facsimile |
16 | ||||||
| 6.11. |
Governing Law |
16 | ||||||
| 6.12. |
Exercise of Rights and Remedies |
16 | ||||||
| 6.13. |
Aggregation of Registrable Securities |
16 | ||||||
| EXHIBIT A |
Form of Joinder Agreement |
|||||||
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of January 14, 2011 (the “Effective Date”) by and among:
| (i) | CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (formerly known as Cedar I Holding Company, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Company”); |
| (ii) | each Person executing this Agreement and listed as a Sponsor on the signature pages hereto (each, a “Sponsor,” and collectively, the “Sponsors”); |
| (iii) | each Person executing this Agreement and listed as a Rollover Investor on the signature pages hereto or who joins this Agreement as a “Rollover Investor” pursuant to a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A (the “Rollover Investors”); and |
| (iv) | such other Persons, if any, that from time to time become parties hereto pursuant to the terms hereof or who joins this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A (together with the Sponsors and the Rollover Investors, the “Stockholders”), |
RECITALS
1. As of the Closing (as defined in that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 26, 2010 by and among the Company, Cedar I Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and CommScope, Inc., a Delaware corporation), the Company will have the authority to issue that number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), set forth in its certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time.
2. The Company, the Sponsors and the Rollover Investors have entered into a stockholders agreement dated as of the date hereof (as in effect from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”).
3. The parties hereto desire for the Company to provide the registration rights set out in this Agreement. Unless otherwise noted herein, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set forth in Section 5.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:
| 1. | DEMAND REGISTRATIONS. |
1.1. Requests for Registration. At any time prior to the Initial Public Offering, for so long as the Sponsors own, in the aggregate, more than 50% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock, a Sponsor may initiate the registration of Registrable Securities in an Initial Public Offering. Subject to the other provisions of this Section 1, a Sponsor may (on behalf of itself and any Affiliate of it included in the term Sponsor) initiate, after the Initial Public Offering, an unlimited number of registrations of all or part of their Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or any similar or successor long-form registration (“Long-Form Registrations”) and, if available, an unlimited number of registrations of all or part of their Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar or successor short-form registration (“Short-Form Registrations”); provided that the aggregate proposed gross offering price of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered in any Demand Registration must equal at least $10,000,000 in the case of any Long Form Registration and at least $1,000,000 or include all remaining Registrable Securities held by the Sponsors in the case of any Short Form Registration.
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1.2. Demand Notice. All requests for Demand Registrations shall be made by giving written notice to the Company (a “Demand Notice”). Each Demand Notice shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities requested to be registered. Within ten (10) days after receipt of any such Demand Notice, the Company will give written notice of such requested registration to all other holders of Registrable Securities and, subject to Section 1.5, will include in such registration (and in all related registrations and qualifications under blue sky laws or in compliance with other registration requirements and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests from the applicable holders of Registrable Securities for inclusion therein within fifteen (15) days after the delivery of the Company’s notice.
1.3. Demand Registration Expenses. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration initiated as a Demand Registration, whether or not it has become effective.
1.4. Short-Form Registrations. Demand Registrations will be Short-Form Registrations whenever the Company is permitted to use any applicable short-form (unless the managing underwriter(s) of such offering requests the Company to use a Long-Form Registration in order to sell all of the Registrable Securities requested to be sold). After the Company has become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to make Short-Form Registrations available for the sale of Registrable Securities.
1.5. Priority on Demand Registrations. The Company shall not include in any Demand Registration any securities which are not Registrable Securities, other than securities of the Company to be offered by the Company (the “Company Offered Securities”), without the prior written consent of the Sponsors. If a Demand Registration is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter(s) advises the Company in writing that in its opinion the number of Registrable Securities and, if permitted hereunder, other securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number of Registrable Securities and other securities, if any, which can be sold therein without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering, then the Company shall include in such registration, prior to the inclusion of any securities that are not Registrable Securities, other than Company Offered Securities, the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering that, in the opinion of such underwriter(s), can be sold without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering, pro rata among the respective holders thereof on the basis of the number of Registrable Securities and Company Offered Securities owned or to be issued by each such holder, and only then securities that are not Registrable Securities if the managing underwriter(s) has advised that such securities may be included.
1.6. Restrictions on Demand Registrations. The Company will not be obligated to commence a Public Offering upon a Demand Registration for (i) one hundred eighty (180) days after the closing of the Initial Public Offering and (ii) ninety (90) days after the closing of any other Public Offering, in each case, except to the extent that the managing underwriter(s) agrees to a shorter lock-up period. The Company may postpone for up to thirty (30) days (from the date of the request) the filing or the effectiveness of a registration statement for a Demand Registration if and so long as the Company determines that such Demand Registration would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on any proposal or plan by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to engage in any acquisition of assets (other
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than in the ordinary course of business) or any merger, consolidation, tender offer, registration or issuance of securities, financing or other material transaction; provided, that in such event, the Company will pay all Registration Expenses in connection with such registration. The Company may not postpone a Demand Registration more than two (2) times in any twelve (12)-month period.
1.7. Selection of Underwriters. For so long as the Sponsors own, in the aggregate, more than 50% of the issued an outstanding Common Stock, the Sponsors shall have the right to select the underwriter or underwriters to administer the Initial Public Offering resulting from a Demand Registration. After the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsors shall have the right to select the underwriter or underwriters to administer the offering for a Demand Registration.
1.8. Other Registration Rights. The Company represents and warrants that it is not a party to, or otherwise subject to, any other agreement granting registration rights to any other Person with respect to any securities of the Company, other than this Agreement. Except as provided in this Agreement, the Company shall not grant to any Persons the right to request the Company to register any equity securities of the Company, or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for such securities, without the approval of the Sponsors.
| 2. | PIGGYBACK REGISTRATIONS. |
2.1. Right to Piggyback. Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its equity securities under the Securities Act, including any registration pursuant to Section 1.1 above (other in connection with registration on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor or similar form) and the registration form to be used may be used for the registration of Registrable Securities (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company will give prompt written notice to all holders of Registrable Securities of its intention to effect such a registration and, subject to Sections 2.3 and 2.4 below, will include in such registration all Registrable Securities held by any Stockholder with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within fifteen (15) days after the delivery of the Company’s notice. Each such Company notice shall specify the approximate number of Company equity securities to be registered and the anticipated per share price range for such offering.
2.2. Piggyback Expenses. The Registration Expenses of the holders of Registrable Securities will be paid by the Company in all Piggyback Registrations, whether or not any such registration becomes effective.
2.3. Priority on Primary Registrations. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten primary registration on behalf of the Company and the managing underwriter(s) advises the Company in writing (with a copy to each applicable party hereto requesting registration of Registrable Securities) that in its opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability of such offering, the Company will include in such registration: (a) first, the securities the Company proposes to sell, (b) second, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration, pro rata among the applicable holders of such Registrable Securities on the basis of the number of shares owned by each such holder, and (c) third, other securities requested to be included in such registration.
2.4. Priority on Secondary Registrations. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten secondary registration on behalf of holders of Company securities (other than the holders of Registrable Securities), and the managing underwriter(s) advises the Company in writing that in its opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering, the Company will include in such registration: (a) first, the securities requested to be included therein by the applicable holders
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requesting registration and the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration, pro rata among the holders of such securities and Registrable Securities on the basis of the number of shares owned by each such holder, and (b) second, other such securities requested to be included in such registration.
| 3. | REGISTRATION AND COORDINATION GENERALLY. |
3.1. Registration Procedures. Whenever the holders of Registrable Securities have requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will use its best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof and pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as reasonably practicable:
(a) prepare and (within sixty (60) days after the end of the period within which requests for inclusion in such registration may be given to the Company) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and thereafter use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective (provided that before filing a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company will furnish to the counsel selected by the Sponsors for any registration in which any of the Sponsors participates copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents will be subject to review by such counsel);
(b) prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary (i) to keep such registration statement effective (A) for at least ninety (90) days (subject to extension pursuant to Section 3.3(b)) or until the holder or holders of Registrable Securities have completed the distribution described in the registration statement relating to such distribution, whichever occurs first or, if such registration statement relates to an underwritten offering, such longer period as in the opinion of counsel for the underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer, or (B) in the case of a Shelf Registration, until the earlier of (I) the date on which all Registrable Securities have been sold under the Shelf Registration or otherwise no longer qualify as Registrable Securities, (II) when all such Registrable Securities can be sold in any ninety (90)-day period under Securities Act Rule 144, and (III) the latest date allowed by applicable law, and (ii) to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement until such time as all of such securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement;
(c) furnish to each seller of Registrable Securities such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) and such other documents as such seller may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;
(d) use its best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any seller reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the
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Registrable Securities owned by such seller (provided that the Company will not be required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subsection, (ii) subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any such jurisdiction or (iii) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction);
(e) promptly notify each seller of such Registrable Securities, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, upon discovery that, or upon the discovery of the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, and, at the request of any such seller, the Company will prepare and furnish to such seller a reasonable number of copies of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the prospective purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made;
(f) cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
(g) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;
(h) enter into such customary agreements (including underwriting agreements in customary form) and perform the Company’s obligations thereunder and take all such other actions as the Sponsors or the underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (which might include effecting a stock split or a combination of shares);
(i) make available for inspection by any seller of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such seller or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement, and to cooperate and participate as reasonably requested by any such seller in road show presentations, in the preparation of the registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included therein, and other activities as such seller may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;
(j) otherwise use its best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than eighteen (18) months after the effective date of the registration statement, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder;
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(k) in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any securities included in such registration statement for sale in any jurisdiction, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts promptly to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(l) obtain one or more comfort letters, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) addressed to the Stockholders participating in such offering, signed by the Company’s independent public accountants in the then-current customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered from time to time by comfort letters as the Sponsors may reasonably request;
(m) provide a legal opinion of the Company’s outside counsel, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement and addressed to the underwriters), with respect to the registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included therein (including the preliminary prospectus) and such other documents relating thereto in the then-current customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered from time to time by legal opinions of such nature (in a form reasonably acceptable to the Sponsors);
(n) cooperate with the sellers of Registrable Securities covered by the registration statement and the managing underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing securities to be sold under the registration statement, and enable such securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriter(s), if any, or such holders may request;
(o) notify counsel for the sellers of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement and the managing underwriter(s), immediately, and confirm the notice in writing (i) when the registration statement, or any post-effective amendment to the registration statement, shall have become effective, or any supplement to the prospectus or any amendment prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Securities and Exchange Commission, (iii) of any request of the Securities and Exchange Commission to amend the registration statement or amend or supplement the prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the Securities and Exchange Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the registration statement for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the institution or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes;
(p) use its reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus;
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(q) if requested by the managing underwriter(s) or any holder of Registrable Securities covered by the registration statement, promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the managing underwriter(s) or such holder reasonably requests to be included therein, including, without limitation, with respect to the number of Registrable Securities being sold by such holder to such underwriter or agent, the purchase price being paid therefor by such underwriter or agent and with respect to any other terms of the underwritten offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after being notified of the matters incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; and
(r) cooperate with each seller of Registrable Securities and each underwriter or agent participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information relating to the sale or registration of such securities regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.
3.2. Registration Expenses.
(a) All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement, including, without limitation, all registration, qualification and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws, printing expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and all independent certified public accountants, underwriters (excluding discounts and commissions) and other Persons retained by the Company (all such expenses being herein called “Registration Expenses”), will be paid by the Company in respect of each Demand Registration and each Piggyback Registration, whether or not it has become effective, including that the Company will pay its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit or quarterly review, the expense of any liability insurance and the expenses and fees for listing the securities to be registered on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed.
(b) In connection with each Demand Registration and each Piggyback Registration, whether or not it has become effective, the Company will pay, and reimburse the holders of Registrable Securities covered by such registration for the payment of, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel selected by the Sponsors, and such expenses shall be considered Registration Expenses hereunder.
3.3. Participation in Underwritten Offerings.
(a) No Person may participate in any registration hereunder which is underwritten unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis
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provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Person or Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements (including, without limitation, pursuant to the terms of any over-allotment or “green shoe” option requested by the managing underwriter(s), provided that no holder of Registrable Securities will be required to sell more than the number of Registrable Securities that such holder has requested the Company to include in any registration) and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
(b) Each Person that is participating in any registration hereunder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3.1(e) above, such Person will forthwith discontinue the disposition of its Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement until such Person’s receipt of the copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus as contemplated by such Section 3.1(e). In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the applicable time period mentioned in Section 3.1(b) during which a Registration Statement is to remain effective shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to this paragraph to and including the date when each seller of a Registrable Security covered by such registration statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3.1(e).
3.4. Company Holdback.
(a) The Company shall not effect any public sale or distribution of its equity securities, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities, during (a) with respect to the Initial Public Offering, the one hundred eighty (180)-day period beginning on the effective date of such Initial Public Offering (except for the exercise of any over-allotment or “green shoe” option requested by the managing underwriter(s)), (b) with respect to any other underwritten Demand Registration or any underwritten Piggyback Registration in which Registrable Securities are included, the seven (7) days prior to and the ninety (90)-day period beginning on the effective date of such registration, and (c) upon notice from the Sponsors that such Sponsors intend to effect an underwritten distribution of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration (upon receipt of which, the Company will promptly notify all other holders of Registrable Securities of the date of the commencement of such distribution), the seven (7) days prior to and the ninety (90)-day period beginning on the date of the commencement of such distribution, in each case except as part of such underwritten registration or pursuant to registrations on Form S-4 or Form S-8, and in each case unless the managing underwriter(s) otherwise agrees. In addition, if during the last seventeen (17) days of the applicable restricted period described above, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or if, before the applicable restricted period expires, the Company announces that the Company will release earnings results during the sixteen (16)-day time period beginning on such restricted period’s last day, unless otherwise waived by the managing underwriter(s), then the foregoing restrictions will continue to apply until the expiration of the eighteen (18)-day time period beginning on the earnings release issuance or on the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(b) Each Stockholder agrees, if requested by the Company and the managing underwriter of Registrable Securities in connection with any underwritten
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public offering of the Company and if the Company’s executive officers and directors so agree, not to directly or indirectly offer, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of or otherwise dispose of or transfer any equity securities of the Company (or any other security the value of which is derived by reference to the equity securities of the Company) held by it for (a) one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of the relevant registration statement filed under the Securities Act in connection with the Company’s initial public offering of Registrable Securities, or (b) ninety (90) days following the effective date of the relevant registration statement in connection with any other public offering of Registrable Securities, as such underwriter shall specify reasonably and in good faith. In addition, if during the last seventeen (17) days of the applicable restricted period described above, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or if, before the applicable restricted period expires, the Company announces that the Company will release earnings results during the sixteen (16)-day time period beginning on such restricted period’s last day, unless otherwise waived by the managing underwriter(s), then the foregoing restrictions will continue to apply until the expiration of the eighteen (18)-day time period beginning on the earnings release issuance or on the occurrence of the material news or material event. Each Holder agrees, if requested by the Company and the managing underwriter, to execute a separate letter reflecting the agreement set forth in this Section 3.4(b).
3.5. Current Public Information. At all times after the Company has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the requirements of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to timely file all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and will take such further action as any holder or holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required to enable such holders to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144.
3.6. Shelf Take-Downs. At any time that a Shelf Registration is effective, if any of the Sponsors delivers a notice to the Company (a “Take-Down Notice”) stating that it intends to effect an offering of all or part of its Registrable Securities included by it on the Shelf Registration, whether such offering is underwritten or non-underwritten (provided that such underwritten offering is for more than $2,000,000) (a “Shelf Offering”) and stating the number of the Registrable Securities to be included in the Shelf Offering, then, the Company shall amend or supplement the Shelf Registration as may be necessary in order to enable such Registrable Securities to be distributed pursuant to the Shelf Offering (taking into account the inclusion of Registrable Securities by any other Stockholders pursuant to this Section 3.6). In connection with any Shelf Offering:
(a) the Company shall deliver the Take-Down Notice to all other Rollover Investors included on such Shelf Registration and permit each such Rollover Investor to include its Registrable Securities included on the Shelf Registration in the Shelf Offering if such Rollover Investor notifies the Sponsors and the Company within three (3) days after delivery of the Take-Down Notice to such Stockholder; and
(b) in the event that the managing underwriter(s), if any, advises the Company in writing that in its opinion the number of Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Offering exceeds the number of Registrable Securities which can be sold therein without adversely affecting the marketability of the offering, such managing underwriter(s), if any, may limit the number of shares which would otherwise be included in such Shelf Offering in the same manner as is described in Section 1.5.
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| 4. | INDEMNIFICATION |
4.1. Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each holder of Registrable Securities and, as applicable, its officers, directors, trustees, employees, stockholders, holders of beneficial interests, members, and general and limited partners (collectively, such holder’s “Indemnitees”) and each Person who controls such holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, to which such holder or any such Indemnitee may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in any registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, together with any documents incorporated therein by reference or, (b) any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Company will reimburse such holder and each of its Indemnitees for any legal or any other expenses, including any amounts paid in any settlement effected with the consent of the Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, liability, action or proceeding; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability (or action or proceeding in respect thereof) or expense arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission, made in such registration statement, any such prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information prepared and furnished to the Company by such holder expressly for use therein. In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company will indemnify such underwriters, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the holders of Registrable Securities.
4.2. Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. In connection with any registration statement in which a holder of Registrable Securities is participating, each such holder will furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such registration statement or prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its Indemnitees against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company or any such Indemnitee may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or in any application, together with any documents incorporated therein by reference or (b) any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in such registration statement, any such prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information prepared and furnished to the Company by such holder expressly for use therein, and such holder will reimburse the Company and each such Indemnitee for any legal or any other expenses including any amounts paid in any settlement effected with the consent of such holder, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, liability, action or proceeding; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify
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will be individual (and not joint and several) to each holder and will be limited to the net amount of proceeds received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement, less any other amounts paid by such holder in respect of such untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission.
4.3. Procedure. Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder will (a) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided, however, that the failure of any indemnified party to give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is actually prejudiced by such failure to give such notice), and (b) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party will not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent will not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim will not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim.
4.4. Entry of Judgment; Settlement. The indemnifying party shall not, except with the approval of each indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to each indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation without any payment or consideration provided by such indemnified party.
4.5. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is, other than expressly pursuant to its terms, unavailable to or is insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under the provisions above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (a) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other hand from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registered offering of securities as to which indemnity is sought or (b) if the allocation provided by clause (a) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits referred to in clause (a) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other hand in connection with the statement or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) to the Company bear to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) to the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the sellers of Registrable Securities and any other sellers participating in the registration statement on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged statement or omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the sellers of Registrable Securities or other sellers participating in the registration statement and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
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The Company and the sellers of Registrable Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the sellers of Registrable Securities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4, no seller of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the net proceeds received by such Seller from the sale of Registrable Securities covered by the registration statement filed pursuant hereto, less any other amounts paid by such holder in respect of such untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
4.6. Other Rights. The indemnification and contribution by any such party provided for under this Agreement shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution which any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract and will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made or omitted by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and will survive the transfer of securities.
| 5. | DEFINITIONS. |
“Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, (a) any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall be deemed an Affiliate of any of the Stockholders (and vice versa), and (b) if such specified Person is a private equity investment fund, any other private equity investment fund the primary investment advisor to which is the primary investment advisor to such specified Person or an Affiliate thereof.
“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Demand Registrations” shall mean Long-Form Registrations and Short-Form Registrations requested pursuant to Section 1.1.
“Discriminate” shall mean, with respect to a specified Person, to change the rights of such specified Person as compared to other applicable Persons in a manner that is, or is reasonably expected to be, materially and adversely different than the changes to the rights of the other applicable Persons.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force.
“Initial Public Offering” shall mean the initial underwritten Public Offering registered on Form S-1 (or any successor form under the Securities Act).
“Person” shall mean any individual, partnership, corporation, company, association, trust, joint venture, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, entity or division, or any government, governmental department or agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Public Offering” shall mean a public offering and sale of Common Stock for cash pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.
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“Registrable Securities” shall mean (a) any share of Common Stock owned by any Stockholder as of the Effective Date or thereafter acquired (other than through the exercise of options), and (b) any common equity securities issued or issuable directly or indirectly with respect to any of the foregoing securities referred to in clause (a) by way of stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization. As to any particular shares constituting Registrable Securities, such shares will cease to be Registrable Securities when they have been (x) effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the registration statement covering them, or (y) sold to the public pursuant to Securities Act Rule 144 or sold in a block sale to a financial institution in the ordinary course of its trading business, in each case in compliance with this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person will be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person has the right to acquire directly or indirectly such Registrable Securities (upon conversion or exercise in connection with a transfer of securities or otherwise, but disregarding any restrictions or limitations upon the exercise of such right), whether or not such acquisition has actually been effected.
“Rule 144” shall mean Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as Rule 144 may be amended from time to time, or any similar successor rule that may be issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules promulgated thereunder, in each case as amended from time to time.
“Securities and Exchange Commission” includes any governmental body or agency succeeding to the functions thereof.
“Shelf Registration” shall mean the filing of a Short-Form Registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect).
“Stock” shall mean the capital stock of the Company. For clarification purposes, as of the Effective Date, the Common Stock constitutes all of the Company’s issued and outstanding capital stock.
“Transfer” shall mean any sale, pledge, assignment, encumbrance or other transfer or disposition of any Registrable Securities (or any voting or economic interest therein) to any other Person, whether directly, indirectly, voluntarily, involuntarily, by operation of law, pursuant to judicial process or otherwise.
| 6. | MISCELLANEOUS. |
6.1. No Inconsistent Agreements; Foreign Registration. The Company will not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement. In the event the Board and the Sponsors approve a public offering or a sale of the Common Stock of the Company (or other securities representing, or exercisable for or convertible into, shares of common stock) pursuant to the securities laws of a country other than the United States of America, the Board shall have the power to amend this Agreement in such manner as it shall deem reasonably necessary to ensure that the provisions of this Agreement will apply in as close to the same manner as possible under such foreign securities laws, and to otherwise preserve and give effect to the rights of the parties hereto.
6.2. Adjustments Affecting Registrable Securities. The Company will not take any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to its securities which would materially and adversely affect the
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ability of the holders of Registrable Securities to include such Registrable Securities in a registration undertaken pursuant to this Agreement (including, without limitation, effecting a stock split or a combination of shares). If the holders of Registrable Securities create a new holding company (“Holdco”), the result of which is that the stockholders of the Company immediately before such event become all the stockholders of Holdco, then in each instance the provisions of this Agreement will, in addition to applying to the Company, also apply to Holdco in the same manner as if Holdco were substituted for the Company throughout this Agreement.
6.3. Remedies. The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that, in addition to any other rights and remedies at law or in equity existing in its favor, any party shall be entitled to specific performance and/or other injunctive relief from any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
6.4. Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may be amended, modified, extended, terminated or waived (an “Amendment”), and the provisions hereof may be waived, only by an agreement in writing signed by the Company and the Sponsors; provided, that the admission of new parties pursuant to the terms of Section 6.5 shall not constitute an Amendment of this Agreement for purposes of this Section 6.4 and provided further, that no Amendment shall be effective without the consent of the Rollover Investors holding at least a majority of the shares held by the Rollover Investors if such Amendment Discriminates against the Rollover Investors as compared to the Sponsors.
Each such Amendment shall be binding upon each party hereto and each Stockholder subject hereto. In addition, each party hereto and each Stockholder subject hereto may waive any right hereunder, as to itself, by an instrument in writing signed by such party or Stockholder. The failure of any party to enforce any provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms. To the extent the Amendment of any Section of this Agreement would require a specific consent pursuant to this Section 6.4, any Amendment to the definitions used in such Section as applied to such Section shall also require the same specified consent.
This Agreement reflects the amendment approved by the holders of a majority of the Common Stock to change the name of the Company from Cedar I Holding Company, Inc. to CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
6.5. Successors and Assigns; Transferees. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Registrable Securities shall continue to be Registrable Securities after any Transfer (except if such securities were effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with the registration statement covering them). Any transferee receiving shares of Registrable Securities in a Transfer effected in compliance with the terms of the Stockholders Agreement shall become a Stockholder party to this Agreement and subject to the terms and conditions of, and be entitled to enforce, this Agreement to the same extent, and in the same capacity, as the Person that Transfers such shares to such transferee; provided, that only a transferee of a Sponsor who acquires more than 50% of the Registrable Securities held by the Sponsors will be deemed to be the “Sponsor” for purposes of this Agreement. If the Sponsors Transfers more than 50% of its Registrable Securities but continues to own Registrable Securities, it shall have the same rights and obligations as a Rollover Investor under this Agreement. Prior to the Transfer of any Registrable Securities to any transferee, and as a condition thereto, each Stockholder effecting such Transfer shall cause such transferee to deliver to the Company its written agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
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6.6. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or the effectiveness or validity of any provision in any other jurisdiction, and this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.
6.7. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts (including by means of facsimile or electronic transmission in portable document format (pdf)), each of which shall be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
6.8. Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement.
6.9. Notices. Any notices and other communications required or permitted in this Agreement shall be effective if in writing and (a) delivered personally, (b) sent by facsimile, or (c) sent by overnight courier, in each case, addressed as follows:
If to the Company, to:
CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
1100 CommScope Place, SE
Hickory, North Carolina 28602
Attn: General Counsel
Facsimile: (828) 431-2520
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Alston & Bird LLP
Bank of America Plaza
101 South Tryon Street, Suite 4000
Charlotte, North Carolina 28280-4000
Attention: C. Mark Kelly, Esq.
Facsimile: (704) 444-1675
If to the Sponsors, to:
Carlyle-CommScope Holdings, L.P.
c/o The Carlyle Group
128 South Tryon Street Suite 1550
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Attention: Campbell R. Dyer
Facsimile: (704) 632-0299
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with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Alston & Bird LLP
Bank of America Plaza
101 South Tryon Street, Suite 4000
Charlotte, North Carolina 28280-4000
Attention: C. Mark Kelly, Esq.
Facsimile: (704) 444-1675
If to any other Stockholder, to it at the address set forth on Schedule I, or if not set forth thereon, in the records of the Company.
Notice to the holder of record of any shares of capital stock shall be deemed to be notice to the holder of such shares for all purposes hereof.
Unless otherwise specified herein, such notices or other communications shall be deemed effective (x) on the date received, if personally delivered, (y) on the date received if delivered by facsimile on a business day, or if not delivered on a business day, on the first business day thereafter and (z) two (2) business days after being sent by overnight courier. Each of the parties hereto shall be entitled to specify a different address by giving notice as aforesaid to each of the other parties hereto.
6.10. Delivery by Facsimile. This Agreement and any signed agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or contemplated hereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and delivered by means of a facsimile machine, shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile machine to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine as a defense to the formation of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.
6.11. Governing Law. This Agreement and all claims arising out of or based upon this Agreement or relating to the subject matter hereof shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic substantive laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to any choice or conflict of laws provision or rule that would cause the application of the domestic substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.
6.12. Exercise of Rights and Remedies. No delay of or omission in the exercise of any right, power or remedy accruing to any party as a result of any breach or default by any other party under this Agreement shall impair any such right, power or remedy, nor shall it be construed as a waiver of or acquiescence in any such breach or default, or of any similar breach or default occurring later; nor shall any such delay, omission nor waiver of any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default occurring before or after that waiver.
6.13. Aggregation of Registrable Securities. All Registrable Securities held by a Stockholder, its Affiliates, and other Person(s) included within the definition of such Stockholder shall be aggregated together for purposes of determining the availability of any rights or incurrence of any obligations under this Agreement. The Stockholders may allocate to any Person included within the definition of such
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Stockholder the ability to exercise any rights and/or the incurrence of any obligations under this Agreement in any manner that such Stockholder sees fit, provided, that, to the extent applicable, no Person included within the definition of such Stockholder may exercise any right granted hereunder without the approval of such Person(s) holding at least a majority of the Registrable Securities deemed to be held by such Stockholder as of the date on which such action is to be taken or such right is to be exercised. For the avoidance of doubt, the control by any Person of any Registrable Security deemed to be held by a Stockholder confers no right hereunder other than those granted to such Stockholder.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement on the day and year first above written.
| CEDAR I HOLDING COMPANY, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Claudius E. Watts IV | |
| Name: | Claudius E. Watts IV | |
| Title: | President | |
[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]
| SPONSOR: | ||
| CARLYLE-COMMSCOPE HOLDINGS, L.P. | ||
| By: | TC Group CommScope Holdings, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | General Partner | |
| By: | TC Group, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | Managing Member | |
| By: | TCG Holdings, L.L.C. | |
| Its: | Managing Member | |
| By: | /s/ Daniel A. D’Aniello | |
| Name: | Daniel A. D’Aniello | |
| Title: | Managing Director | |
[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]
| ROLLOVER INVESTORS: | ||
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL FAMILY TRUST | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL GST EXEMPT | ||
| MARITAL TRUST | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MARILYN B. DRENDEL GST NON-EXEMPT | ||
| MARITAL TRUST | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – TWO-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – THREE-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
| MATTHEW C. DRENDEL REVOCABLE TRUST DATED FEBRUARY 24, 2010 – FOUR-YEAR GRAT | ||
| By: | /s/ Frank M. Drendel | |
| Name: | Frank M. Drendel | |
| Title: | Trustee | |
[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Schedule I
Additional Notice Information
| Marilyn B. Drendel Family Trust* |
| Marilyn B. Drendel GST Exempt Marital Trust* |
| Marilyn B. Drendel GSTNon-Exempt Marital Trust* |
| Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Two-Year GRAT* |
| Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Three-Year GRAT* |
| Matthew C. Drendel Revocable Trust Dated February 24, 2010 – Four-Year GRAT* |
| * | To the Notice Address for Mr. Drendel as provided in his Joinder Agreement |
Exhibit A
Joinder Agreement to Registration Rights Agreement
The undersigned hereby agrees, effective as of the date hereof, to be a party to the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated as of [—], 2011 by and among CommScope Holding Company, Inc. (formerly known as Cedar I Holding Company, Inc.) and the other parties thereto and for all purposes of the Agreement, the undersigned shall be included with the term [“Rollover Investor”/“Sponsor”] (as defined in the Agreement). The address to which notices may be sent to the undersigned is as follows:
| Notice Address: |
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| [NAME OF UNDERSIGNED] |