DRS/A
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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Amendment No. 1 to Confidential Submission

As confidentially submitted with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 28, 2021

Registration No. 333-          

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware

 

5940

 

46-1095540

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

5555 Darrow Road

Hudson, Ohio 44236

(330) 656-2600

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Wade Miquelon

President & Chief Executive Officer

5555 Darrow Road

Hudson, Ohio 44236

(330) 656-2600

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Howard Sobel

Gregory P. Rodgers

Jason Silvera

Drew Capurro

Latham & Watkins LLP

885 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Telephone: (212) 906-1200

Fax: (212) 751-4864

 

Ann Aber

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

5555 Darrow Road

Hudson, Ohio 44236

Telephone: (330) 656-2600

Fax: (330) 463-6773

 

William B. Brentani

David W. Azarkh

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

2475 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, California 94304

Telephone: (650) 251-5000

Fax: (650) 251-5002

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

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, please 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, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate
offering price(1)(2)

 

Amount of

registration fee(3)

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share

  $               $            

 

 

(1)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(2)

Includes the offering price of shares of common stock that may be sold if the underwriters fully exercise their option granted by the Registrant to purchase additional shares of common stock.

(3)

To be paid in connection with the initial filing of the registration statement.

 

 

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, as amended, or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. DATED JANUARY 28, 2021

                Shares

 

 

LOGO

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Common Stock

 

 

This is an initial public offering of shares of common stock of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. We are offering                 shares of our common stock, and the selling shareholders identified in this prospectus are offering                  shares of our common stock. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares by the selling shareholders.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the common stock. The initial public offering price is expected to be between $                and $                per share. We intend to apply to list our common stock on the                  under the symbol “                .”

The underwriters have an option for a period of 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of                  shares and                  shares of our common stock, respectively from us and the selling shareholders. We will not receive any proceeds from the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from the selling shareholders.

After the consummation of this offering, we expect to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the                .

Investing in our common stock involves risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 25 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of our common stock.

 

 

 

   

Price to
Public

    

Underwriting

Discounts(1)

    

Proceeds, before
expenses, to us

    

Proceeds, before
expenses, to the
selling
shareholders

 

Per Share

  $      $        $        $    

Total

  $        $        $        $    

 

  (1)

See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Delivery of the shares of common stock will be made on or about                 , 2021.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is                 , 2021.


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

About this Prospectus

     ii  

Market and Industry Data

     ii  

Basis of Presentation

     ii  

Certain Trademarks

     iv  

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

     iv  

Letter from our President and Chief Executive Officer

     vi  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

Risk Factors

     25  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     51  

Use of Proceeds

     53  

Dividend Policy

     54  

Capitalization

     55  

Dilution

     57  

Selected Consolidated Financial Data

     60  

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     64  

Business

     87  

Management

     110  

Executive Compensation

     116  

Principal and Selling Shareholders

     117  

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

     119  

Description of Capital Stock

     122  

Description of Certain Indebtedness

     128  

Shares Eligible for Future Sale

     133  

Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders of Our Common Stock

     135  

Certain ERISA Considerations

     139  

Underwriting

     140  

Legal Matters

     148  

Experts

     148  

Where You Can Find More Information

     148  

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-1  

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

You should rely only on the information included elsewhere in this prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that we have referred to you. Neither we, the Selling Shareholders nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information different from that included elsewhere in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that we have referred to you. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. Offers to sell, and solicitations of offers to buy, shares of our common stock are being made only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted.

No action is being taken in any jurisdiction outside the United States to permit a public offering of common stock or possession or distribution of this prospectus in that jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this prospectus in jurisdictions outside the United States are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restriction as to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to those jurisdictions.

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

This prospectus includes estimates regarding market and industry data that we prepared based on our management’s knowledge and experience in the markets in which we operate, together with information obtained from various sources, including publicly available information, industry reports and publications, surveys, our customers, distributors, suppliers, trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets which we believe to be reasonable.

In presenting this information, we have made certain assumptions that we believe to be reasonable based on such data and other similar sources and on our knowledge of, and our experience to date in, the markets for the products we distribute. Market share data is subject to change and may be limited by the availability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations inherent in any statistical survey of market share. In addition, customer preferences are subject to change. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such market share data. References herein to “market share” as it relates to estimates of market share, are to management’s determination of the market share of the Creative Products industry as a whole and the various categories therein in the United States, based upon internal research, which primarily consists of an annual survey of Creative Products consumers as of July 31, 2020.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

We report on the basis of a 52- or 53-week fiscal year, which ends on the Saturday closest to the last day of January. Accordingly, references herein to “fiscal year 2016” relate to the 52 weeks ended January 30, 2016, references herein to “fiscal year 2017” relate to the 52 weeks ended January 28, 2017, references herein to “fiscal year 2018” relate to the 53 weeks ended February 3, 2018, references herein to “fiscal year 2019” relate to the 52 weeks ended February 2, 2019, references herein to “fiscal year 2020” relate to the 52 weeks ended February 1, 2020 and references herein to “fiscal year 2021” relate to the 52 weeks ended January 30, 2021. The third quarter of fiscal year 2021 ended on October 31, 2020, and the third quarter of fiscal year 2020 ended on November 2, 2019, and both three-quarter periods include thirty-nine weeks. References herein to “third quarter of fiscal year 2021” relate to the thirteen weeks ended October 31, 2020, “second quarter of fiscal year 2021” relate to the thirteen weeks ended August 1, 2020, “third quarter of fiscal year 2020” relate to the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 and “second quarter of fiscal year 2020” relate to the thirteen weeks ended August 3, 2019. In this prospectus, unless otherwise noted, when we compare a metric between one period and a “prior period” we are comparing it to the analogous period from the prior fiscal year.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

As used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to:

 

   

“2012 Equity Plan” means the 2012 Stock Option Plan of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.;

 

   

“ABL Facility” means our senior secured asset based revolving credit facility originally dated October 21, 2016, which provided senior secured financing of up to $400.0 million, as further amended and restated on November 25, 2020 to provide senior secured financing of up to $500.0 million;

 

   

“BOPIS” means our buy online pick-up in store program;

 

   

the “Company,” “JOANN,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. and, unless the context otherwise requires, its consolidated subsidiaries;

 

   

“Creative Products” means Sewing, arts and crafts and select home décor;

 

   

“Credit Facilities” means our ABL Facility, First Lien Facility and Second Lien Facility, collectively;

 

   

“CRM” means customer relationship management;

 

   

“DGCL” means the Delaware General Corporation Law;

 

   

“DIY” means do-it-yourself;

 

   

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;

 

   

“First Lien Facility” means our senior secured first lien term loan facility in an initial principal amount of $725.0 million entered into on October 21, 2016, as amended by the incremental term loan facility in an initial amount of $180.0 million entered into on July 21, 2017;

 

   

“Four-Wall Cash Flow” means a location’s net sales less cost of sales and operating expenses directly attributable to that location plus depreciation also directly attributable to that location;

 

   

“GAAP” means U.S. generally accepted accounting principles;

 

   

“LGP” means investment funds affiliated with or advised by Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., which own a controlling interest in us;

 

   

“LIBOR” means the London Interbank Offered Rate;

 

   

“Second Lien Facility” means our senior secured second lien term loan facility in an initial principal amount of $225.0 million entered into on May 21, 2018;

 

   

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

 

   

“Selling Shareholders” means Green Equity Investors V, L.P., Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P. and Needle Coinvest LLC, each of which are funds affiliated with or endorsed by LGP;

 

   

“Sewing” means sewing and fabrics;

 

   

“Shareholders Agreement” means the amended and restated shareholders agreement to be effective upon the consummation of this offering, by and among LGP, certain of our directors and executive officers, certain other existing shareholders and the Company;

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

   

“SKUs” means stock keeping units; and

 

   

“Term Loan Facilities” means our First Lien Facility and our Second Lien Facility, collectively.

CERTAIN TRADEMARKS

This prospectus includes trademarks and service marks owned by us, including Jo-Ann, JOANN, Joann.com, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts and Creativebug. This prospectus also contains trademarks, trade names and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade names and service marks referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ®, or SM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, trade names and service marks. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply, a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Certain financial measures presented in this prospectus, such as Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, are not recognized under GAAP. We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as net income (loss) plus income tax provision (benefit), interest expense, net, debt related (gain) loss, other income and depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to eliminate the impact of certain non-cash items and other items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance, including costs related to strategic initiatives, COVID-19 costs, technology development expense, stock-based compensation expense, loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets, goodwill and trade name impairment, sponsor management fees, location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets and other one-time costs. We define “free cash flow” as net cash provided by operating activities less total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions. We define “total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions” as total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions.

Adjusted EBITDA

We present Adjusted EBITDA, which is not a recognized financial measure under GAAP, because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. You are encouraged to evaluate these adjustments and the reasons we consider them appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that we will not modify the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA following this offering, and any such modification may be material. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance compared to other measures, which can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. We also use Adjusted EBITDA in connection with establishing discretionary annual incentive compensation; to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies; to make budgeting decisions; to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures; and because our Credit Facilities use measures similar to Adjusted EBITDA to measure our compliance with certain covenants.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Adjusted EBITDA has its limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditure or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in our cash requirements for our working capital needs;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense and the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash requirements for replacement of assets that are being depreciated and amortized;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect non-cash compensation, which is a key element of our overall long-term compensation;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the impact of certain cash charges or cash receipts resulting from matters we do not find indicative of our ongoing operations; and

 

   

other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do.

We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using Adjusted EBITDA only as supplemental information. See “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA.

Total Capital Expenditures, Net of Landlord Contributions

We consider total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions to be a useful non-GAAP measure as it most accurately reflects our actual total cash outlay for capital expenditures to open new locations and complete remodel and relocation projects for existing locations. We define “total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions” as total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions. See “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a reconciliation of total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions to total capital expenditures.

Free Cash Flow

We present free cash flow because we believe it assists lenders, investors and analysts in evaluating our ability to maintain and generate incremental liquidity. Free cash flow should not be considered as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as a liquidity measure. Free cash flow has limitations due to the fact that it does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. For example, free cash flow does not incorporate payments made on capital lease obligations or cash payments for business investments and acquisitions. Free cash flow is not a measurement of financial performance under GAAP, may have limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation from, or as an alternative to, net income, net cash provided by operating activities or any other measure of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, we believe it is important to view free cash flow as a complement to our entire consolidated statements of cash flows. See “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dear Potential Shareholders,

On behalf of more than 27,000 team members, we are excited to bring JOANN back to the public markets for the first time since 2011. As the nation’s category leader in sewing and one of the fastest growing players in the arts and crafts category with a robust omni-channel platform, we have evolved from the founding of our single location in Cleveland, Ohio nearly 75 years ago. We love all of our customers and believe we have the privilege of serving some of the most passionate and enthusiastic people, whose generosity helps drive our culture. We are a purpose-driven company with the mission of inspiring creativity in the hearts, hands and minds of our customers and team members, and a strategy that has equipped JOANN to thrive in an industry that is currently experiencing significant acceleration due to multiple secular themes, including heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers, and increased digital engagement.

The ethos of our company was called upon and answered during the COVID-19 outbreak. Our conscious, purpose-driven strategy focuses not only on the soundness of our business, but centers upon taking great care of our team members’ safety and financial well-being as well as our customers’ safety and product needs. Further, we wanted to do our part to help stem the pandemic and hence, JOANN established the “Make to Give” program, donating free mask-making materials to any customer or institution upon request. By our current estimate, JOANN has directly donated materials for over 20 million masks as well as scrubs and other personal protective equipment and our customers have purchased, made, and in many cases donated, more than 350 million additional masks. Nothing better exemplifies the relationship JOANN has with our passionate and generous customers than the scale of this nationwide effort. Our execution would not have been possible without our team members, with whom we have deepened our loyalty during the pandemic. We have provided premium pay for all hourly team members, ensuring no team members were furloughed, and added approximately 4,000 jobs to support the growth of our business. Additionally, our suppliers are key stakeholders, and despite the pandemic, we have not lengthened payment terms to our merchandise vendor partners. “Doing Good While Doing Good” is and has always been a part of the JOANN culture and a foundation for our customer and stakeholder loyalty.

We are proud of what we have accomplished this year, all of which has been driven by a strategy we have been executing since 2016 to transform JOANN and pivot to a fully-integrated, digitally-focused provider of Creative Products. We have successfully recruited talent at every level, enhanced our value proposition with a focus on reinvigorating our assortment, strengthened our omni-channel platform, acquired new customers and further built our digital and data capabilities to better serve our customers. This transformation enabled our significant sales and profitability growth.

Today, we are reaping the fruits of these efforts and our strategy is clear moving forward. We are enhancing and refreshing our existing locations with what we believe are exceptional assortments, service and experience. We are driving digital connectivity with our customers to increase engagement and accelerate omni-channel growth. We are expanding our digital presence into new markets and categories where we see tremendous share opportunity and we believe we have a compelling competitive advantage. In addition to driving growth, we remain focused on delivering cost and operational efficiencies across all major areas. The path to where we find ourselves now has not come without its challenges. For example, our momentum was temporarily interrupted in fiscal year 2020 by the unanticipated headwind of incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports that we estimate, before mitigation, would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs. In addition, we had $1,363.5 million of total debt outstanding as of November 2, 2019, but were able to use internally generated cash flow to opportunistically retire and repay $433.8 million in principal amount in the year since then, resulting in a substantially reduced total debt balance of $929.7 million as of October 31, 2020. We also realize there will be continuous challenges, including the competitive industry in which we operate and the persistent uncertainty surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, we believe that our growth strategies, along with the transformational investments and initiatives of the last five years, strategically position us to drive further long-term value creation.

Nothing of course can be done without an extremely capable and inspired organization led by our high-performing senior leadership team with deep industry experience. At JOANN, we work every day to build and nourish what we affectionately call our “Green Culture.” To us, being “Green” is about constant and relevant renewal of the business by putting the customer first, being highly accountable and collaborative, and always serving the best interests of the business. We like to say that it isn’t about any one person being right, it’s about getting it right.

I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made over the past few years. JOANN has been one of the fastest growing specialty retailers in the United States thus far in fiscal year 2021 and I believe we have a long runway for growth ahead of us. We would love for you to come along on that journey and find your “Happy Place” as a shareholder of JOANN.

Wade Miquelon

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially “Risk Factors” beginning on page 25 of this prospectus, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” beginning on page 64 of this prospectus, and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.

 

 

LOGO

JOANN Overview

JOANN is the nation’s category leader in Sewing and one of the fastest growing players in the arts and crafts category. The Creative Products industry is a large and growing market, which according to a 2017 Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) study is in excess of $40 billion. The industry is currently experiencing a significant acceleration for product demand in response to multiple secular themes, such as heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers and increased digital engagement, of which we are a key beneficiary because we have positioned ourselves and our go-forward strategies to capitalize on increased demand for Creative Products. As a well-established and trusted brand for over 75 years, we believe we have a deep understanding of our customers, what inspires their creativity and what fuels their incredibly diverse projects. Since 2016, we have embarked on a strategy to transform JOANN, which has helped us pivot from a traditional retailer to a fully-integrated, digitally-connected provider of Creative Products.

 

 

LOGO

As the nation’s category leader in Sewing with approximately one-third market share, based on our internal research estimates of market share of the Creative Products industry that primarily consist of an annual survey of Creative Product consumers as of July 31, 2020, we believe we offer the broadest selection of products while being committed to providing the most inspiration, helpful service and education to our customers. While we continue to gain market share and solidify this leadership position in Sewing, which represented 49% of our total net sales in the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020, we have also been growing share and believe



 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

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we have further significant share opportunity in the arts and crafts category. We are well-positioned in the marketplace and have multiple competitive advantages, including our broad assortment, established omni-channel platform, multi-faceted digital interface with customers and skilled and knowledgeable team members. We offer an extensive assortment, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs online, across Creative Product categories. Over 50% of our in-store net sales cannot be directly comparison-shopped because of our strong and growing own-brand portfolio, including our copyrighted or proprietary fabric patterns and designs and factory direct relationships. We have expanded access to this broad assortment through e-commerce and digital capabilities that complement our physical network, drive customer engagement and deliver an exceptional customer experience while supporting consistently strong gross margins. Through our omni-channel platform, we serve our customers in a differentiated manner by offering several convenient fulfillment options, including BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home offerings. Our omni-channel platform operates at a large scale, having generated $423 million in net sales in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020, including $376 million in net sales in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and following $126 million, $103 million and $87 million in net sales in fiscal years 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Our data-driven digital capabilities further reinforce our relationship with our customers. Customers connect with us through our newly re-designed mobile-first website, joann.com, and our widely-used mobile application with over 11.8 million downloads. As of the end the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, we had over 69 million addressable customers in our vast database, over 16 million customers in our email database and 4.5 million customers in our SMS text database. These points of differentiation are reinforced by our knowledgeable, friendly and trusted team members, a significant number of whom are sewing and craft enthusiasts, who offer a service-oriented experience for our customers that we believe cannot be replicated by mass retailers or pure play online players.

We appeal to an expansive customer base ranging across all ages, demographics and skill levels. We serve the DIY customer, including those who make to give or donate their creations, and supply small business owners with components to create and sell their own merchandise. We estimate this group makes up approximately one-quarter of our customers and typically resells on online marketplaces such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, which have also experienced significant growth in 2020. Our customers are passionate and creative, using their hearts, hands and minds in their sewing, crafting and decorating activities. We believe our customers’ enthusiasm drives the JOANN culture, as exemplified by our “Make to Give” program. We strive to support our community of creators, and they create to support their communities by donating or gifting the items they make, which range from blankets for hospitalized children, homeless persons, and shelter pets, to masks for hospitals, schools and friends. We estimate that over 70% of JOANN customers make to give or donate their creations. Our loyal core customer base is key to our sales growth, and over the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020, our top three million customers averaged ten purchases each. Additionally, in fiscal year 2021, our new customer base has grown faster and is spending more than in prior years. Since February 1, 2020, we have acquired over eight million new customers, many who initially purchased fabric to make their own masks but have expanded their shopping behavior across our diversified merchandise categories in subsequent transactions. Customers typically purchase from JOANN with a project in mind that requires several component items. In that vein, we believe our physical footprint is an advantage, as most customers regularly want to explore what is new, see how various items and colors work together, see how a fabric drapes, feel the texture and seek help from our experienced team members.

In 2016, we accelerated our journey to transform JOANN by reinventing the in-store and digital customer experience. We recruited talent at every level of the company and across all key business areas to complement our existing expertise. This undertaking has resulted in significant enhancements to our value proposition, including reinvigorating our core merchandise assortment, refreshing our branding, developing a location refresh prototype and improving the customer experience. We improved our assortment by conducting a systematic review of all categories at a product-level and all layouts at a location-level in order to optimize sales and gross margin. We have also expanded our data-driven digital footprint, which includes our extensive digital



 

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marketing assets, CRM system, social media platforms and e-commerce capabilities. We better understand our customers through our centralized database that brings together how each customer interacts in our physical and digital properties and provides a holistic view of their behavior. We are able to utilize this data to drive engagement with our brand, create loyalty and inspire, educate and ensure we are increasing our share of customer spend through timely and relevant marketing. By using data and digital contact channels, including email and SMS digital display, and leveraging our mobile application, we are able to contact customers with personalized content and provide the convenience to shop wherever and however they choose. We believe that these core initiatives and transformational investments have driven our performance and increased customer engagement over the last several years and strategically position us to continue to create long-term value. This momentum was temporarily interrupted in fiscal year 2020 by the unanticipated headwind of incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports that we estimate, before mitigation, would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs, as these tariffs applied to a broad range our products. However, after working to partially offset their effects and having incorporated the balance of these tariffs into our cost base, we are driving strong operating profit growth across both our locations and e-commerce platform as well as achieving margin expansion.

 

 

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Our momentum through the COVID-19 pandemic has been further supported by heightened DIY customer behavior, significant increases in the number of new and current customers participating in new categories and the continued rise of online marketplaces. As a result, according to Earnest Research, we and the other two largest specialty players in the Creative Products industry have seen on average 22% growth in year-over-year sales since May 3, 2020. Over the same period, we have experienced outsized growth, gained share and enhanced our strong foundation, increasing total comparable sales by 38% since May 3, 2020 while adding over eight million new customers to our marketing database since February 1, 2020. These new customers have already driven elevated repeat purchase levels both via our locations and e-commerce platform and represent further opportunities to cross-sell and become part of our ongoing customer base. These new customers tend to be younger and more affluent than existing customers in our database, and are large consumers of our rapidly growing sewing and craft technology categories which include machines and related supplies. These trends support our business, as we estimate that a typical customer who purchases a sewing or craft technology machine will purchase an average of over $500 of our products in the year following their machine purchase and over



 

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$330 in the subsequent year. We are further encouraged by the retention of these new customers and their migration to shopping outside of the Sewing category. These new customers are regularly shopping across our other categories, with the fastest-growing cohort being new customers shopping the arts and crafts category. We believe that these underlying trends, along with our transformational investments and initiatives executed since 2016, strategically position us well to continue to drive long-term value creation.

 

 

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Recent Financial Performance

We believe our strong financial results are a reflection of our consistent and disciplined culture of innovation and reinvestment, creating a differentiated business model in the Creative Products industry. Comparing fiscal year 2020, fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2018, we achieved the following results:

 

   

net sales of $2,241.2 million, $2,324.8 million and $2,314.3 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal year 2018, net sales were $2,277.2 million;

 

   

net (loss) income of $(546.6) million, $35.3 million and $96.5 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively; and

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA of $162.6 million, $258.0 million and $261.8 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal year 2018, Adjusted EBITDA was $253.4 million.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion on the impact of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in fiscal year 2020 and “—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss).

Through improvements in merchandising, marketing, supply chain, sourcing and customer experience, we have significantly increased our more recent financial results. Our success in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 has been broad-based across our geographic regions, merchandise categories, customers and channels. Comparing the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, we achieved the following results:

 

   

increase in net sales from $1,545.6 million to $1,921.5 million, representing period-over-period growth of 24.3%, and net sales in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $2,617.1 million;

 

   

total comparable sales growth of 24.6%;

 

   

increase in gross margin from $777.0 million to $971.7 million, representing period-over-period growth of 25.1% and gross margin rate expansion of 30 basis points, with gross margin in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $1,300.0 million, and a 49.7% gross margin rate in the same time period;



 

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increase in net (loss) income from $(188.5) million to $174.0 million, and net loss in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $(184.1) million;

 

   

increase in Adjusted EBITDA from $79.6 million to $222.2 million, representing period-over-period growth of 179.1%, and Adjusted EBITDA in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $305.2 million; and

 

   

retired and repaid $433.8 million in principal amount of debt from November 2, 2019 to October 31, 2020, resulting in us having $929.7 million in principal amount of debt as of October 31, 2020.

See “—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and for a discussion of how we calculate total comparable sales growth.

Our Opportunity

The Creative Products industry is a large and growing market, which according to a 2017 Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) study is in excess of $40 billion. The industry is currently experiencing a significant acceleration in response to multiple secular themes, such as heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers, and increased digital engagement, of which we are a key beneficiary because we have positioned ourselves and our go-forward strategies to capitalize on increased demand for Creative Products. Participation includes a broad range of activities such as sewing, quilting, apparel making, crafting and home decorating. This historically stable industry has been growing over the past five years, as consumer demand in individual product categories shifts from time to time and as trends evolve. We maintain approximately one-third market share in Sewing, while being competitive as one of the fastest growing players in the more fragmented arts and crafts category.

The Creative Products industry spans a diverse set of merchandise, as customers search for a variety of supplies to support their projects. In addition, customers appreciate a specialty retail environment where they have the flexibility to leverage in-store service for instruction and inspiration and shop across channels at their convenience. As a result, the Creative Products industry is highly fragmented. However, there are a limited number of players that can meet the customers’ dynamic needs. For instance, based on our internal market research, we estimate pure play e-commerce players represent less than 10% market share of the Creative Products industry, while the remainder of the industry is covered by mass merchandisers, specialty retailers and independent retailers. We believe that we are the only specialty player that can serve customers holistically with an expansive Creative Products assortment, service-oriented experience and integrated omni-channel capabilities.

The Creative Products industry has historically demonstrated stable growth, and we aim to continue to benefit from the following sustainable tailwinds:

 

   

Heightened DIY Customer Behaviors. The industry benefits from the increasing participation in the DIY ethos across demographics. In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, DIY customer behaviors have been heightened by the following long-term trends:

 

   

Engaging Customers across Demographics. DIY activities appeal to a large and broad customer base and participation in DIY activities does not diminish as women age, creating more consistent demand throughout their lifetime. Customers across demographics choose to engage with retailers through different channels. We believe players in the Creative Products industry must have a robust omni-channel platform to attract and retain this diverse customer base.



 

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Increasing Desire for Personalization. Customers, especially Millennials and Generation Z, increasingly desire Creative Products that express their individuality and make a personal statement. Such growing demand for unique and personalized products has stimulated the demand for DIY supplies and customization services.

 

   

Growing Digital Presence and Engagement. Digital arts and crafts marketplaces, such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, are becoming increasingly popular among makers and customers who buy their finished designs. This burgeoning ecosystem creates a growing demand for Creative Product supplies. These marketplaces, combined with social media platforms, serve as a critical source for inspiration and instruction for customers. The growing presence of these platforms enables more engaged customer communities, serving as a connection point where they share their interests and creativity with a wider audience.

 

   

Accelerated Customer Participation Expected to Persist. According to our internal research, a survey published by Bloomberg and Morning Consult, and SVP Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated participation in DIY activities, as customers have taken a more proactive role in homesteading-style and home improvement projects. Since May 3, 2020, over half of Creative Products industry participants have specifically taken on a new type of creative project and the industry has grown year-over-year sales by an average of 22%. With more free time, customers have also capitalized on the opportunity to learn new skills, creating elevated demand for supplies. This newfound self-reliance has helped build DIYers’ confidence, and they are recognizing the emotional and functional benefits of making, driving continued interest far beyond the pandemic.

 

   

Consistent and Recession Resilient Customer Demand. We estimate that the Creative Products industry has experienced growth of over 4% in the last five years according to our internal research as of July 31, 2020. It offers versatile products at attainable price points that create fun, engaging and affordable activities for customers, who become habitual and dedicated to their own creative projects over time. The affordable nature of the Creative Products industry provides resilience in recessions as customers become more value conscious and self-sufficient. According to the Bloomberg and Morning Consult survey, approximately 30% of Americans participated in sewing or clothing repairs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also believe the emotional benefits customers receive from making, such as empowerment upon finishing a project, a connection with their communities through making to give or donate and improved mental health as a result of doing something they are passionate about, will continue to drive demand.



 

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We believe that Sewing, in particular, will sustain its growing momentum. According to SVP Worldwide, sewists are typically more passionate about their hobby than other enthusiasts. In addition, the number of sewists has increased significantly driven by the entrance of Millennials, having grown at a CAGR of 7.4% since 2012. As of September 2020, 65 million people in the United States can sew or participate in sewing without instruction, and over half of these participants own a sewing machine. We believe that growth in this category, like the broader Creative Products industry, has been supported by changing consumer demographics. SVP Worldwide estimates that sewists are getting younger, with 65% being 30 years old or younger with an average age decreasing from 48 in 2004 to 37 in 2020.

 

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We believe the existing and sustained growth of the sewist population will drive sales in the category. According to SVP Worldwide, the average sewist owns at least three sewing machines and plans to buy a new machine every two to five years. When customers buy sewing machines, they tend to purchase complementary consumable items, which drives potential recurring purchases. In addition, according to SVP Worldwide, 20% of consumers who purchased a sewing machine in 2020 were first time purchasers, further building upon the base of potential future demand from sewists. This population of sewists is also highly engaged in the craft and spends a significant amount of time sewing, with approximately half of U.S. sewists spending between 5 to 19 hours a week on projects. While the Sewing category was stable and growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, 92% of consumers who purchased a sewing machine in 2020 expect to sew as much as they had in the past or more in the future. We believe these tailwinds and increased engagement will sustain participation and accelerate category and Creative Products industry growth.

 

 

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Our Competitive Strengths

We believe our proven merchandising, marketing and customer experience capabilities combined with our sourcing and supply chain expertise have enabled, and will continue to support, our strong and profitable growth. Our business model has multiple competitive strengths including:

Category Leader in an Attractive Market with a Large, Growing and Wide-Ranging Customer Base

We are the nation’s category leader in Sewing with approximately one-third market share, and one of the fastest-growing players in the arts and crafts category. Based on our estimates of market share of the Creative Products industry that primarily consist of an annual survey of Creative Product consumers as of July 31, 2020, our market share in the highly fragmented arts and crafts category has grown by approximately 50 basis points over the past five years. Approximately 70% of Sewing industry shoppers rank us ahead of our competitors on availability of the products they need, selection and quality, according to our internal research. Similarly, in arts and crafts, industry customers’ ratings for our quality, selection, availability and price double once they shop our locations and e-commerce platform.

In contrast to other leisure activities, our customers’ engagement in sewing and crafting projects represents a recurring activity that is vibrant across all ages and demographics. Our core customer is an upper forties, college-educated woman with a higher-than-average household income (median household income of over $62,000) and who is a reliable enthusiast for many of our key categories. We believe our core customer’s higher discretionary income and favorable demographic trends, as the number of women aged between 45 and 79 is expected to grow faster than the overall population over the next five years according to 2017 U.S. Census data estimates, will continue to build our loyal customer base. Our appeal to Millennial and Generation Z customers has also increased. Females in the younger than 35 years old age group are the fastest growing demographic in our industry today, representing a 400 basis point increase in demographic share over the past year from 40% to 44% based on internal research. Customers of all ages, demographics and skill levels have demonstrated their enthusiasm for Creative Products by actively exchanging project ideas, tips and techniques though our online community on joann.com. With nearly four million combined followers across social media applications, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube, we are connecting with new customers and bolstering our interaction with existing customers.

Finally, we are also a go-to source for small business owners who rely on our products to create, donate or sell their own merchandise. We believe that the growth of online marketplaces, such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, is driving the expansion of our customer base, and the success of online marketplaces is directly linked to our growth, with approximately one-quarter of our customers using our products for their online marketplace-based businesses. These customers often buy in bulk and benefit from being a part of the JOANN community through access to our helpful educational content, project inspiration and our knowledgeable team members and customers. These customers span all ages and demographics and sell products through various channels such as retail stores, trade fairs, entertainment venues and online, including participating in the growing digital marketplaces.

Differentiated Value Proposition

Our customer value proposition is a critical driver of our business. The key components include:

Broad Assortment across a Wide Variety of Categories. We believe we have the most comprehensive, innovative product assortment available in our industry, especially within Sewing. This breadth of assortment across our various categories is a key competitive advantage given that our customers’ interests and projects are often widely varied and not confined solely to one activity. As of October 31, 2020, we had 857 locations, which we believe are also critical to success in the Creative Products category and a key enabler to our omni-channel



 

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growth. In an industry that requires high SKU intensity to be successful, we carry one of the industry’s broadest selections of Creative Products, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs online. We believe this dynamic is analogous to hardware and home improvement concepts, in that customers are project-focused and require all component supplies and prefer knowledgeable assistance in order to successfully complete their shopping mission. We also believe this is why we have an advantage versus solely online players in addressing a customer base that prioritizes variety, customization and customer support. We continue to improve our assortment by conducting systematic reviews of all categories at a product-level and all layouts at a location-level in order to optimize sales and gross margins. We consistently innovate with proprietary brands and products that appeal to our customers by working with our suppliers to introduce new items and styles to our assortments. As of October 31, 2020, over 50% of net sales related to items that are non-comparative or exclusive to JOANN and cannot be directly cross-shopped with our direct competitors and mass retailers. We believe that we strike a customer-focused balance between our proprietary products and the well-known national brands that our customers have also come to know and love.

 

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Unique and Inspiring Shopping Environment. We provide our customers with an engaging and exciting shopping experience that spurs inspiration and creativity. We encourage customers to interact with our merchandise, to experiment with potential designs and to see the actual product they will purchase. In many locations, we also offer differentiated in-store services such as digital printing, laser-cutting and engraving and educational programs in dedicated classrooms to further inspire and enable our customers. In select locations, our customers can rent sewing and crafting technology such as a quilting long-arm or a Glowforge laser-cutting machine. To support our growing group of seller customers, in 2018 we launched JOANN+, a digital program providing devoted service for small-to-medium sized businesses and high volume makers. With this program, our customers are able to enjoy volume discount pricing, dedicated customer service contacts and a streamlined shipping and return experience. We continue to explore a variety of other ways to engage these makers and build loyalty including through our small maker forums, maker grant programs, and showcasing across any number of our digital marketing and social media assets.

Helpful and Knowledgeable Team Members. Our team members, who we refer to as “Friendly Clever Allies,” are knowledgeable, friendly and trusted and offer a service-oriented experience for our customers. According to our internal research, JOANN leads all competitors on “knowledgeable staff” and “can get the help I need” ratings. A significant number of our team members are enthusiastic sewists and crafters themselves and bring first-hand knowledge and experience with our products which we believe are difficult to replicate. These team members live by the “No Quit” mantra, “We Got This,” and this helpful and resourceful attitude resonates with our customers. Our team members are encouraged to advise customers in creating and completing creative projects, which offers a service-focused experience that we believe allows our customers to be more informed and engaged in projects.



 

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Combining a Robust Digital Platform and Strategic Physical Network

Since early 2017, we have built a large, growing, profitable and well-connected omni-channel platform comprised of robust digital capabilities and a nationwide physical network. From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2020, we increased our omni-channel net sales by a CAGR of 20% and by 369% in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. As a result of our investments and our ability to be nimble, we doubled the number of locations with ship-to-home capabilities and were able to continue serving our customers on our established platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our physical network is critical to being able to execute on digital opportunities in the Creative Products space given its visual, tactile and project-based nature. We strive to make every customer’s trip to JOANN a trip to their “Happy Place.” We believe that the enthusiastic and highly engaged nature of our customer is why we have seen sales lifts as high as 24% in our refresh prototypes that elevate assortments, service and in-store experience. Our strong performance is also driven by our ability to engage customers through our robust omni-channel capabilities as they become cross-category repeat purchasers during their in-person trips to our locations and visits to our e-commerce platform.

Our recently upgraded e-commerce mobile first platform, driven by Salesforce Commerce Cloud, as well as our custom mobile application, provide exceptional functionality and user experience, offering premier digital navigation, speed, assortment, content, and personalization features. Our website traffic has increased by 125% through the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, with site conversion increasing by 300 basis points compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. Over that same period, our mobile application has been downloaded two million times. We currently have 11.8 million downloads of the application and more than 25% of omni-channel sales were generated through purchases made within our mobile application.

 

 

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Through our physical network, we have the ability to consistently fulfill and deliver a growing assortment of products directly to consumers, in addition to convenient services such as BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home. For the last twelve months and the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, over 70% and approximately 79% of joann.com orders, respectively, were fulfilled by our locations, either as BOPIS, curbside pick-up or ship-to-home. In addition, in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, approximately 40% of online demand sales were generated via BOPIS. Since the time that the majority of COVID-19 restrictions on in-store traffic were lifted through October 31, 2020, approximately 25% of our BOPIS program customers have



 

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made an additional purchase upon pick-up, resulting in an average increase to their orders of $28 or approximately 100%. We believe our locations, which are in close proximity to our customers, provides us a significant last-mile cost advantage. Unlike internet pure play and regional competitors, we can route e-commerce orders to a local store, significantly reducing the overall cost and time to service orders. During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, omni-channel sales accounted for 20% of our total net sales compared to 4% for fiscal year 2018.

Digital Platform and Digital Assets Enable Scalable Profitable Growth

As of October 31, 2020, our total customer database included 69 million unique customers, which represents 15% growth since the end of fiscal year 2020 and 43% growth since the end of fiscal year 2018. Within that database, we maintain an active email file of over 16 million customers, which has grown by 32% since the end of fiscal year 2020 and 76% since the end of fiscal year 2018. Customers receiving email marketing have historically been our highest value customers in terms of net sales, with the average email customer generating over 40% more in net sales as compared to our non-email customers. In 2019, we significantly upgraded our capabilities to better target and engage customers with personalized offers. We have developed a robust CRM platform creating a holistic view of customer behavior, which helps drive recurring purchases. We currently run over 40,000 product and customer journey campaigns with defined, tailored content to each individual customer based on purchase history. Due to the success of the initiative, we can identify specific database customers for more than 70% of our net sales, without the burden of a costly loyalty program. Our highly effective, performance-based marketing team leverages this information to profitably acquire new customers, drive repeat purchases and grow lifetime value across channels.

This customer engagement is reinforced by our strong presence on social media, with nearly four million total followers across social media platforms, including our fastest-growing channel, YouTube, which has increased followers by 121% for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. We further use digital education and inspiration to engage customers on new projects and inspire creative activities. We augment customer engagement through social media and our e-commerce platform by also leveraging our wholly-owned subsidiary, Creativebug, a large craft subscription learning platform with approximately 150,000 paid monthly users. Our customers have access to thousands of projects and videos that can take them from a skill-building novice to an expert sewist or maker. When a creative customer is seeking advice, education or inspiration, we are there for them.

We have multiple techniques to convert new customers into long-term, repeat customers across their current Creative Products activities and encourage them to enter new categories or advance in their existing category. We not only do this through social media and digital education, but also through proprietary and targeted journey mapping, exciting and compelling digital marketing offers, as well as leveraging multiple inspirational and educational digital assets. We believe this integrated, multi-channel approach resonates with our customers, as omni-channel represents 20% of our net sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 versus 4% for fiscal year 2018.

Strong Cash Flow Generation and Solid Balance Sheet

We have demonstrated an ability to generate significant free cash flow due to our high gross margins, controlled operating expenses, moderate working capital requirements and low annual maintenance capital expenditures. We have used a portion of our free cash flow to build a strong balance sheet by consistently reducing net leverage. We retired and repaid $433.8 million in principal amount of debt from November 2, 2019 to October 31, 2020, resulting in us having outstanding debt of $929.7 million as of October 31, 2020. In addition to deleveraging, we have continued to make a number of investments in our information technology systems which, coupled with the continued disciplined management of inventory and costs, promote additional operating efficiencies. We anticipate that these efficiencies will allow for continued investment in the business while improving our net leverage moving forward.



 

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Our operating model is highly scalable and enables capital efficient growth. For the five fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, our gross margin rate was 50.2% and selling, general and administrative expenses were held to minimal growth with a CAGR of less than 1%. Those strong operating metrics combined with low maintenance capital spending and a focus on working capital efficiencies have driven the generation of $494.9 million in net cash provided by operating activities from the beginning of fiscal year 2016 through October 31, 2020, and $265.9 million of free cash flow during the same time period. These results are sustained by a cash-generative and convenient real estate portfolio that stretches over 49 states, with 98-99+% of all locations having consistently delivered positive Four-Wall Cash Flow over the same period.

See “—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for the definition of free cash flow, and a reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities.

Proven Leadership Team and Passionate, Performance-Driven Culture

We are a purpose-driven company dedicated to inspiring the creative spirit in each of us—our customers and ourselves. Our company is led by an accomplished and experienced senior management team with significant public market experience and a proven track record in our industry. Our senior management team has an average of 18 years of retail experience, and their understanding of the intricacies of selling SKU-intensive, lower-ticket merchandise facilitates the execution of our growth strategies. Our President and CEO, Wade Miquelon, who has been with JOANN for almost five years, brings 30 years of experience including CFO and President of International for Walgreens, CFO and EVP for Tyson Foods and as CFO for Procter and Gamble’s Western European and AAI regions (ASEAN/Australasia/India). Our CFO, Matt Susz, has 30 years of experience including 24 years at JOANN, with leadership roles in accounting, financial and strategic planning, internal audit, treasury, IT and operations. Other members of the executive team bring substantial experience and skills in operations (retail and e-commerce), marketing, merchandising, product development, supply chain, legal, human resources and information technology. We have a high-performing and customer-centric culture and our team members tend to be very loyal, a loyalty born out of a true passion for the industry we operate in and the kinds of customers that we serve.

Our Growth Strategies

We believe we are well positioned to drive sustainable growth and profitability over the long term by executing on the following strategies:

Refreshing our Locations with Enhanced Customer Experience

We have successfully developed and launched a range of refresh options for our locations over the past three years. Our design process is structured and tailored to the needs of our new and existing customers to ensure all elements are appealing to them. Our options span across three core areas:

 

   

Experiential Design Elements—More engaging graphics, lighting, signage, customer work-spaces and merchandise fixtures

 

   

Content Improvements—Merchandising assortments and service offerings optimized for each location

 

   

Service Enhancements—Team member training and engagement, technology-supported management of service wait times and ease of check-out



 

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The investment for each refresh project is tailored to each location’s needs and unit economics. We have four general levels of investment and project scope tailored to what would benefit each location, with future investment expected to range from $150,000 for lightest-touch refreshes to $3 million for the relatively few but most-extensive refreshes. Refinement of our prototype location refresh program has been achieved through the 24 pilot projects completed to date.

Based on the positive outcomes and learnings from these pilots as well as additional improvements being developed, we believe we can achieve an average net sales uplift ranging from 5% to 25% from projects where we refresh an existing location. We have identified just over 50% of our existing locations that are targets over the next seven to ten years for refresh projects at varying levels of scope.

In over half of the refresh projects completed to date, we have also relocated to an improved site within the trade area. Those relocations deliver our higher end of scope for experiential design elements, as those are more efficient to provide in a new building. We also typically increase the size of the location to an average of 25,000 square feet, and therefore expand the assortment breadth we can offer the customer. We have identified 20% of our current locations that are targets for relocation that we believe will result in net sales uplifts ranging from 15% to 75% compared to the current location. We will execute on these opportunities as leases expire on the current locations over the next seven to ten years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were required to limit the presence of external contractors in most of the United States. As a result, we have been focused on scope refinement and project cost engineering of our prototype to optimize our expected return on investment. We expect to complete 10 to 15 projects over the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2022, with a more robust number of projects to be completed annually in fiscal year 2023 and beyond.

Driving Ubiquitous Customer Engagement that Offers Exceptional Experience and Accelerated Omni-Channel Growth

We have extended the JOANN brand beyond our locations and actively engage with our customers across various digital touch-points to wherever and however they choose. Our customers want options, and our robust omni-channel solutions provide a seamless e-commerce shopping experience. We have heavily invested in, and successfully built, our valuable digital assets in the past years, including our large email and SMS text databases and established social media presence. We have successfully leveraged these digital assets with our strong CRM capabilities to further accelerate our digital customer engagement. We have added more new customers to our digital databases in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 than in any prior full year. We plan to continue our customer acquisition momentum with several digital initiatives, from driving traffic to joann.com to expanding our presence in social media platforms. For example, YouTube has been a popular digital platform for our customers when they search for instructions and project inspiration. We have grown our



 

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subscriber base on YouTube by 121% over the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. Videos on our YouTube channel have been viewed nearly 48 million times in that span, or more than a 1,400% increase compared to the same time period in the prior year.

We will also continue to enhance our omni-channel shopping experience. We successfully upgraded our e-commerce platform in 2020, including improved search engine optimization and user experience, particularly on mobile devices. Today, our customers can easily shop over 245,000 SKUs available as of December 2, 2020 on our e-commerce platform with convenient fulfillment services such as BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home. We believe that a broad online product assortment is critical to customer experience as it provides the ability to complete a consolidated purchase across multiple Creative Products categories. We intend to further expand our assortment across various product categories. We plan to improve our supply chain capabilities to provide our customers with a streamlined, worry-free omni-channel shopping experience. We have launched several initiatives to actively increase our fulfillment rate and optimize the cost structure for our omni-channel service offering, which are aimed at improving customer satisfaction.

We strive to provide a seamless transition when our customers engage across our locations and digital platform. Our mobile application has various functions that improve our customers’ shopping experience, no matter where they are. For example, we have recently launched a new digital initiative, “We Got This,” where our team members can assist our customers, in-aisle at our locations, to order additional items and make bulk purchases on our mobile application. We are also adding QR codes across our locations to efficiently connect our customers to our vast digital library of projects, sources of inspiration and assortments. By scanning QR codes on their mobile devices, our customers can more easily access our digital content while they are shopping in-person.

We intend to further deepen our customer engagement with digital education and learning services, as our customers constantly search for project inspiration and instructions online. For example, we plan to continue to grow our YouTube channel to provide rich content for customers searching for quick tips and short tutorials. We also expect to expand our high quality education offering to customers who are interested in skill building and learning. We intend to offer more affordable and innovative digital creative education across multiple platforms, including Creativebug, to offer subscription-based access to thousands of arts and crafts classes.

Expanding Our Digital Presence into New Markets and Categories with Substantial Share Opportunity

Our customers can shop over 245,000 SKUs available as of December 2, 2020 on our e-commerce platform. By enhancing our central fulfillment capabilities, we intend to further broaden our assortment in product categories that offer substantial share opportunity and also improve our fulfillment rates.

We believe there is significant demand from customers outside the United States. For example, according to SVP Worldwide, approximately 77% of all sewing machine sales globally take place outside of the United States. To capture this opportunity, we intend to expand our robust e-commerce platform to multiple international countries. We receive numerous inquiries every year from international customers hoping to purchase from us, and approximately five million international visitors actively engage our website annually without any marketing initiatives. We have engaged an experienced external provider to launch multi-country international sales. They will support us in managing both the consumer-facing and back-office aspects of this initiative. We believe the breadth of our assortment, purchasing power and pricing levels will allow us to provide a strong value proposition to our customers in many other countries.



 

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We have an innovative management team that has helped develop a robust pipeline of digitally-led initiatives that we believe will strengthen and expand the JOANN brand both domestically and internationally.

 

 

LOGO

We believe digital printing is a rapidly-growing technology that provides unlimited design and color options, no minimum quantities and a much more environmentally-friendly production process. We intend to deepen our penetration in digital printing by providing our customers with easy-to-use and innovative technology that significantly enhances the current creative process. In November 2020, we re-launched Customizable Fabric as a digital printing platform through our proprietary partnership with WeaveUp, a technology company offering cutting-edge digital printing solutions for fabric and other customization tools. Customers around the world can also easily make alterations to the designs on the platform, which can be printed on a wide range of fabrics using high-quality reactive dye digital printing machines. Through our partnership with, and investment in, WeaveUp, we also expect to accelerate new product development and supply chain savings in the Sewing category.

We intend to create a more convenient experience for our sewists with innovative digital solutions. We have developed and patented a proprietary technology named Ditto that we believe could revolutionize the sewing process. The technology is expected to solve the most common pain point reported by our customers: the pinning and cutting of sewing patterns on fabric. Our research has shown that by changing the current cumbersome fabric cutting process, it is likely that sewists will increase their overall sewing activity. We expect the commercial launch of this technology to be in late calendar year 2021.

Delivering Operational Excellence and Margin Improvement

We work to build operational efficiencies to consistently improve our customer value proposition and financial operating margins. We will continue to focus on three core competencies that we have continuously refined with experience that drive sustained operational excellence.

Product Sourcing. Our most significant cost saving initiative is product sourcing. Through the leadership of our U.S.-based sourcing and product development team as well as our Shanghai sourcing office that was established in 2018, we have accelerated our ability to migrate product assortments to factory direct sourcing. This expands our ability to lower costs while delivering new and innovative products to our customers, and we estimate that we have achieved more than $60 million in cost savings through this process from fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2020. As our penetration of direct sourcing will still be below 50% of our total merchandise receipts in fiscal year 2021, there is substantial opportunity to generate additional savings through this program.

Indirect Procurement. Over the past two years, we have taken a more strategic approach, including investment in leadership and supporting talent, for our indirect procurement. This team is charged with managing supplier negotiations as well as eliminating waste and inefficiencies across approximately $250 million of annual



 

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addressable indirect spend from operating supplies to merchandise fixtures, facilities services, printing and technology costs. Through fiscal year 2022, this team will be focused on 66 separate sourcing efforts, contract negotiations and process improvement projects across nearly all of our business disciplines that represent $70 million to $80 million in current annual spend. Our goal is to generate reductions in the range of 8% to 12% of such current annual spending levels.

Supply Chain. We have a series of supply chain initiatives that we believe will support our continued e-commerce growth and reduce fulfillment costs for customer orders, while significantly reducing our supply chain costs and improving customer and team member satisfaction. Many of these initiatives will simplify and streamline processes and systems that impact the team members that serve customers in our locations. We believe this will ultimately provide more time to engage with our customers in-store, shorten customer online order fulfillment times, and reduce overall labor costs.

The Impact of COVID-19 on our Business

As a result of initial COVID-19 restrictions, approximately half of our locations were temporarily closed, either completely or to in-store traffic, from mid-March 2020 through mid-June 2020. By mid-June 2020, all locations were fully operational and open to walk-in traffic. Throughout the entirety of the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, all locations remained opened other than for temporary deep cleanings required to maintain sanitation protocols or for weather and other related hazards. Since that time, certain state and local governments continue to impose retail closure orders and capacity restrictions, impacting some of our locations. In addition, during the pandemic, we negotiated the deferral of certain cash payments with our landlords; however, the majority of these deferred payments will be remitted over the course of fiscal year 2022. Our COVID-19 related costs for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 were $48.4 million.

Further, certain trends relating to the COVID-19 pandemic have meaningfully benefited the Sewing industry, which in many cases has been deemed essential by federal, state and local authorities. Broader Creative Product sales have accelerated meaningfully as customers spend more time doing DIY activities at home, have an increased desire to learn new skills and take on projects, and engage in personal protective equipment-making activities for personal use, to sell or to share with the community. While it is difficult to estimate the sales to date that have been attributable to PPE-making with precision, we have been able to note significant changes in normal sales trends in categories that support that effort. These categories include cotton fabric, certain sewing supplies such as elastic, and sewing machines. Those favorable impacts to our sales were partially offset by mandated store closures and reduced sales in categories such as special occasion fabrics and seasonal décor and entertaining, which have been negatively impacted by broad restrictions on customer gatherings and celebrations. We estimate the net result of those impacts amounted to a one-time annualized benefit to our sales of 8% to 9% for fiscal year 2021. However, we view the significant number of new customers and increased engagement by new and current customers as a very encouraging signal for the future of our business. We also believe the rapid adoption by customers of our digital and omni-channel offerings is a highly scalable platform we can leverage to both increase sales and reduce costs in the coming years. Still, we remain cautious and vigilant to the extent that the possible sustained spread or resurgence of the pandemic, and any government response thereto, increases the uncertainty regarding future economic conditions that could impact our business in the future. For the duration of the pandemic and beyond, we remain committed to executing on a mission-driven purpose and delivering industry leading growth. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Our business is subject to continued uncertainty with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

Summary Risk Factors

We are subject to a number of risks, including risks that may prevent us from achieving our business objectives or that may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. You should



 

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carefully consider the risks discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors,” including the following risks, before investing in our common stock:

 

   

evolving U.S. trade regulations and policies, including with China and other Asian countries, have in the past and may in the future have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

our inability to respond effectively to competitive pressures, changes in the retail markets and customer expectations could result in lost market share, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

our business is subject to continued uncertainty with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

failure to attract, develop, motivate and retain qualified team members and effectively manage overall labor costs, including potential increases in minimum wages, could limit our growth and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

failure to manage inventory effectively, predict new consumer trends or effectively react to changes in consumer buying habits could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

we increasingly depend on e-commerce, and our failure to successfully manage this channel and deliver a convenient omni-channel shopping experience to our customers could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

increased costs related to the production of our merchandise or disruptions in our distribution network could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

our reliance on foreign suppliers increases our risks of not obtaining adequate, timely and cost effective merchandise, as well as risks involved in foreign operations and foreign currency translation;

 

   

the seasonality of our sales may negatively impact our operating results;

 

   

we may face risks related to our indebtedness, which included $929.7 million of outstanding debt as of October 31, 2020;

 

   

failure to adequately maintain the security of and prevent unauthorized access to our electronic and other confidential information, including customer and team member personal information, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

intentional or accidental disruptions to our information systems, including our mobile application and primary e-commerce website, or our failure to adequately support, maintain, secure and upgrade these systems could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations; and

 

   

because LGP owns a significant percentage of our common stock, it may control all major corporate decisions and its interests may conflict with your interests as an owner of our common stock and our interests.



 

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Our business also faces a number of other challenges and risks discussed throughout this prospectus. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially “Risk Factors” beginning on page 25 of this prospectus, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” beginning on page 64 of this prospectus, and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.

Our Corporate Information

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. is the issuer in this offering. Our principal operating subsidiary is Jo-Ann Stores, LLC (formerly Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.), which was previously an independent publicly traded corporation until its acquisition on March 18, 2011 by a subsidiary of Needle Holdings LLC (formerly known as Needle Holdings, Inc.), a company incorporated on December 16, 2010 by LGP for the purpose of the acquisition. On September 19, 2012, Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. was formed solely for the purpose of reorganizing the corporate structure of Needle Holdings LLC and its wholly owned subsidiary Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, and on October 16, 2012, Needle Holdings LLC became our wholly owned subsidiary. Upon consummation of this offering, assuming the sale of                  shares in this offering by LGP and             shares by us, LGP will own approximately     % of our shares of common stock. See “Principal and Selling Shareholders.”

Our principal executive office is located at 5555 Darrow Road, Hudson, Ohio 44236 and our telephone number at that address is (330) 656-2600. We maintain a website at www.joann.com. We have included our website address in this prospectus as an inactive textual reference only. The information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of, and should not be considered as being incorporated by reference into, this prospectus.



 

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THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us

                shares.

 

Common stock offered by the Selling Shareholders

                shares.

 

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering

                shares (or                 shares, if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares of common stock).

 

Option to purchase additional shares from us or the Selling Shareholders

                shares.

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $                 million, assuming an initial public offering price of $                 per share (the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus). We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.” We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Shareholders.

 

Dividend policy

As a public company we anticipate paying a quarterly dividend to holders of our common stock. Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock is limited by the agreements governing our Credit Facilities. See “Dividend Policy.”

 

        symbol

“                .”

 

Controlled company

Following this offering, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance rules of the                . See “Management—Director Independence and Controlled Company Exception.”

 

Risk factors

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 25 of this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before investing in our common stock.

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering excludes:

 

   

35,939.118 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2012 Equity Plan, as of October 31, 2020 at a weighted average exercise price of $524.80 per share; and

 

   

                 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective.



 

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Unless otherwise indicated, all information contained in this prospectus:

 

   

assumes an initial public offering price of $            per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus;

 

   

assumes the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares will not be exercised;

 

   

gives effect to a                 -for-                 stock split effected on                , 2021; and

 

   

gives effect to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws.



 

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SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA

We present below our summary consolidated statements of operations and of cash flow data for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019, and February 3, 2018, and our consolidated balance sheet data as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019. We have derived this information from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We also present our consolidated balance sheet data as of February 3, 2018. We have derived this information from our audited consolidated financial statements not included in this prospectus.

We also present below our summary consolidated statements of operations and of cash flow data for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, and our consolidated balance sheet data as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019. We have derived this information from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have prepared our unaudited consolidated financial statements on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements and have included all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments that, in our opinion, are necessary to fairly state the financial information set forth in those statements.

The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. You should read the summary consolidated financial and operating data presented below in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

   

Thirty-Nine Weeks  Ended

    Fiscal Year-Ended(a)  

(In millions)

 

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

 
    (unaudited)     (unaudited)        

Statements of consolidated income data:

         

Net sales

  $ 1,921.5     $ 1,545.6     $ 2,241.2     $ 2,324.8     $ 2,314.3  

Cost of sales

    949.8       768.6       1,135.9       1,148.3       1,130.3  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    818.2       723.0       977.4       951.4       943.4  

Depreciation and amortization

    59.8       57.3       77.5       76.0       78.8  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

    —         130.4       486.8       —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating profit (loss)

    93.7       (133.7     (436.4     149.1       161.8  

Interest expense, net

    55.0       77.6       101.9       101.1       95.4  

Debt related (gain) loss

    (152.9     —         (3.8     2.4       0.9  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

    191.6       (211.3     (534.5     45.6       65.5  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    17.6       (22.8     12.1       10.3       (31.0
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 174.0     $ (188.5   $ (546.6   $ 35.3     $ 96.5  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Consolidated statements of cash flows data:

         

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

  $ 185.8     $ (170.4   $ (33.9   $ 99.0     $ 97.7  

Net cash used for investing activities

    (28.2     (64.8     (79.5     (49.7     (50.8

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities

    (148.8     210.5       86.3       (25.1     (42.3

Balance sheets data:

         

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 33.2     $ 26.8     $ 24.4     $ 51.5     $ 27.3  

Total current assets

    799.6       877.7       719.8       710.0       642.1  

Goodwill

    162.0       513.4       162.0       643.8       643.8  

Total assets

    2,519.6       2,830.6       2,301.3       2,070.8       2,035.6  

Total current liabilities

    651.4       541.4       498.2       394.9       347.2  

Long-term debt, net

    921.6       1,337.2       1,210.2       1,106.3       1,123.0  

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

    3.5       185.6       (172.0     373.2       338.6  

Other financial and operating data:

         

Total comparable sales versus prior year(b)

    24.6     (3.3 )%      (3.6 )%      1.9     (1.4 )% 

Adjusted EBITDA(c)

  $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0     $ 261.8  

Free cash flow(d)

    160.5       (230.1     (103.4     58.0       59.2  


 

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Thirty-Nine Weeks  Ended

    Fiscal Year-Ended(a)  

(In millions)

 

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

 
    (unaudited)     (unaudited)        

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions(e)

    25.3       59.7       69.5       41.0       38.5  

Gross margin rate

    50.6     50.3     49.3     50.6     51.2

Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales(c)

    11.6     5.2     7.3     11.1     11.3

Total retail locations

    857       867       867       869       865  

Total retail location square footage

    18,823       18,963       18,963       18,956       18,870  

 

(a)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks. See “Basis of Presentation.”

(b)

Total comparable sales are defined as net sales from locations that have been open one year or more, including joann.com. Net sales are included in the total comparable sales calculation on the first day of the thirteenth month following a location’s opening. In conjunction with the expansion, downsize or relocation of a location, the net sales results from that location are excluded from the total comparable sales calculation until the first day of the first month following the one-year anniversary of that location’s expansion, downsize or relocation. Further, in a 53-week year, net sales of the first 52 weeks are compared to the comparable 52 weeks of the prior period.

(c)

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus income tax provision (benefit), interest expense, net, debt related (gain) loss, other income and depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to eliminate the impact of certain non-cash items and other items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance, including costs related to strategic initiatives, COVID-19 costs, technology development expense, stock-based compensation expense, loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets, goodwill and trade name impairment, sponsor management fees, location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets and other one-time costs. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA in the applicable table below.

We present Adjusted EBITDA, which is not a recognized financial measure under GAAP, because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. You are encouraged to evaluate these adjustments and the reasons we consider them appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that we will not modify the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA following this offering, and any such modification may be material. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance compared to other measures, which can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. We also use Adjusted EBITDA in connection with establishing discretionary annual incentive compensation; to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies; to make budgeting decisions; to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures; and because our Credit Facilities use measures similar to Adjusted EBITDA to measure our compliance with certain covenants.

Adjusted EBITDA has its limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditure or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in our cash requirements for our working capital needs;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense and the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash requirements for replacement of assets that are being depreciated and amortized;



 

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Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect non-cash compensation, which is a key element of our overall long-term compensation;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the impact of certain cash charges or cash receipts resulting from matters we do not find indicative of our ongoing operations; and

 

   

other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do.

The following is a reconciliation of our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

    Fiscal Year Ended(1)  

(In millions)

  

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,
2020

   

February 2,
2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (unaudited)     (unaudited)                     

Net income (loss)

   $ 174.0     $ (188.5   $ (546.6   $ 35.3      $ 96.5  

Income tax provision (benefit)

     17.6       (22.8     12.1       10.3        (31.0

Interest expense, net

     55.0       77.6       101.9       101.1        95.4  

Debt related (gain) loss(2)

     (152.9     —         (3.8     2.4        0.9  

Depreciation and amortization(3)

     60.2       57.7       78.0       76.2        78.6  

Strategic initiatives(4)

     4.1       7.8       9.0       7.3        3.4  

COVID-19 costs(5)

     48.4       —         —         —          —    

Technology development expense(6)

     3.6       3.7       6.4       3.9        3.5  

Stock-based compensation expense

     1.1       0.9       1.2       0.6        1.0  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

     3.6       0.4       1.0       3.2        1.4  

Goodwill and trade name impairment(7)

     —         130.4       486.8       —          —    

Sponsor management fee(8)

     0.8       3.8       5.0       5.0        5.0  

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

     5.0       6.8       9.2       6.0        4.4  

Other(9)

     1.7       1.8       2.4       6.7        2.7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0      $ 261.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

  (1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks. See “Basis of Presentation.”

  (2)

“Debt related (gain) loss” represents gains associated with debt repurchases below par and write off of unamortized fees and original issue discount associated with debt refinancings.

  (3)

“Depreciation and amortization” represents depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, amortization of favorable and unfavorable lease rights, and amortization of content costs.

  (4)

“Strategic initiatives” represents non-recurring costs, such as third-party consulting costs and one-time start-up costs, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred to execute differentiated, project-based strategic initiatives, including costs (i) to design a new prototype for locations, (ii) related to our efforts to initially evaluate and implement opportunities to offset the significant costs incurred due to the new U.S. tariffs on merchandise produced in China, (iii) to start up a new technology product that would traditionally be incurred by our vendors, (iv) to evaluate our opportunity in new potential lines of business, (v) to identify opportunities to diversify sourcing and reduce indirect costs, (vi) to analyze improved supply chain capabilities, and (vii) related to one-time legal and accounting fees associated with our planned initial public offering.

  (5)

“COVID-19 costs” represents premium pay for location team members (including cleaning and location capacity management labor), incremental seasonal clearance associated with location closures, donations for our mask making initiative and additional location cleaning supplies.

  (6)

“Technology development expense” represents one-time IT project management and implementation expenses, such as temporary labor costs, third-party consulting fees and user fees incurred during the development period of a new software application, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred for the initial implementation of unique and differentiated software applications or other technology systems across different functional operations of our business before they are in productive use.



 

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  (7)

Based on our evaluation for impairment of the carrying amount of goodwill and trade name on our balance sheet. Impairment recorded was driven predominantly by the result of negative total comparable sales and declining margins, primarily resulting from the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See Note 6 —Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

  (8)

“Sponsor management fee” represents management fees paid to our sponsor, LGP (or advisory affiliates thereof), in accordance with our management services agreement, which will terminate upon the consummation of this offering.

  (9)

“Other” represents one-time severance, certain legal, executive leadership transition and business transition expenses.

(d)

We present free cash flow because we believe it assists lenders, investors and analysts in evaluating our ability to maintain and generate incremental liquidity. Free cash flow should not be considered as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as a liquidity measure. Free cash flow has limitations due to the fact that it does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. For example, free cash flow does not incorporate payments made on capital lease obligations or cash payments for business investments and acquisitions. Free cash flow is not a measurement of financial performance under GAAP, may have limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation from, or as an alternative to, net income, net cash provided by operating activities or any other measure of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, we believe it is important to view free cash flow as a complement to our entire consolidated statements of cash flows.

The following is a reconciliation of our net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow for the periods presented:

 

    Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended     Fiscal Year-Ended(1)  

(Dollars in millions)

 

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

   

January 28,

2017

   

January 30,
2016

 
    (unaudited)     (unaudited)        

Net cash provided by operating activities

  $ 185.8     $ (170.4     $(33.9     $99.0       $97.7       $90.2       $56.1  

Less: capital expenditures

    (28.7     (64.8     (78.6     (48.4     (44.0     (30.1     (40.6

Plus: total landlord contributions

    3.4       5.1       9.1       7.4       5.5       6.7       9.3  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Free cash flow

  $ 160.5     $ (230.1   $ (103.4     $58.0       $59.2       $66.8       $24.8  

 

  (1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks. See “Basis of Presentation.”

 

(e)

We consider total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions to be a useful non-GAAP measure as it most accurately reflects our actual total cash outlay for capital expenditures to open new locations and complete remodel and relocation projects for existing locations.

The following is a reconciliation of our total capital expenditures to our total capital expenditures, net landlord contributions for the periods presented:

 

     Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended      Fiscal Year-Ended  

(In millions)

  

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,
2019

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 

Total capital expenditures

   $ 28.7      $ 64.8      $ 78.6      $ 48.4      $ 44.0  

Less: landlord contributions

     3.4        5.1        9.1        7.4        5.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions

   $ 25.3      $ 59.7      $ 69.5      $ 41.0      $ 38.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 


 

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RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, including our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks or uncertainties. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Furthermore, the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations and financial results and on the world economy as a whole may heighten the risks described below.

Risks Related to our Business

Evolving U.S. trade regulations and policies, including with China and other Asian countries, have in the past and may in the future have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our products are sourced from a wide variety of suppliers, including from suppliers overseas, particularly in China and other Asian countries. In addition, some of the products that we purchase from vendors in the United States also depend, in whole or in part, on suppliers located outside the United States. Any restrictions or tariffs imposed on products that we or our suppliers import for sale in the United States would adversely and directly impact our cost of goods sold. In addition, changes in U.S. trade regulations and policies could have an adverse impact on trade relations between the United States and certain foreign countries, which could materially and adversely affect our relationships with our international suppliers and reduce the supply of goods available to us. Further, we cannot predict the extent to which the United States will adopt changes to existing trade regulations and policies, which creates uncertainties in planning our sourcing strategies and forecasting our margins. For example, in 2018 and 2019, the United States imposed significant tariffs on various products imported from China, including certain products we source from China. The United States has also stated that further tariffs may be imposed on additional products imported from China if a trade agreement is not reached. On January 15, 2020, a “phase one” trade deal was signed between the United States and China and was accompanied by a decision from the United States to cancel a plan to increase tariffs on an additional list of products from China. However, given the limited scope of the phase one agreement, concerns over the stability of bilateral trade relations remain. In addition, the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the resulting transition in the administration has resulted in additional uncertainty regarding the future of U.S. trade relations. At this time, there is no assurance that a broader trade agreement will be successfully negotiated between the United States and China to reduce or eliminate the existing tariffs.

If additional tariffs are imposed on our products, or other retaliatory trade measures are taken, our costs could increase and we may be required to raise our prices, which could materially and adversely affect our results. For example, in fiscal year 2020, we raised our prices on certain products primarily in response to increased incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and subsequently experienced reduced demand for such products and traffic to our locations. Before mitigation, we estimate that incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in fiscal year 2020 would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs, as these tariffs applied to a broad range of our products. Primarily, as a result of the actual and threatened U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports which led to our negative total comparable sales and declining margins, we impaired our recorded goodwill by $481.8 million in fiscal year 2020. Although we have undertaken efforts, including shifting sourcing of programs where appropriate to suppliers outside of China, negotiating with domestic suppliers paying the incremental tariffs on our behalf to absorb a portion of those costs and where possible adjusting materials used to construct our products to qualify for a Harmonized Tariff Code where the Section 301 tariffs do not apply, to mitigate the negative impact of tariff-related cost increases, these efforts may be unsuccessful and/or their implementation could result in further increased costs and disruptions to our operations, further impairment charges and a loss of customers and/or suppliers. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion.

 

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Our inability to respond effectively to competitive pressures, changes in the retail markets and customer expectations could result in lost market share, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our inability to respond effectively to competitive pressures, changes in the retail markets and customer expectations could result in lost market share, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Competition is intense in the Creative Products industry. We compete with all of these players for customer attention, shopping visits, exclusive vendor relationships, leadership talent and in some cases front line employees and retail locations. In order to retain and grow our market share, we must remain competitive in the areas of product assortment, price, convenience and customer service. In addition, the retail industry in general is subject to rapid technological change, which may increase the amount of capital we spend in the future as we work to sustain and grow our technological infrastructure and digital commerce capabilities in order to remain competitive. Moreover, we ultimately compete against alternative sources of entertainment and leisure activities for our customers that are unrelated to the Creative Product industry.

We compete with select mass merchants, including Walmart, Inc. and Target Corporation, which dedicate a portion of their selling space to selling Creative Products items. We also compete with specialty retailers in the Creative Products industry, such as The Michaels Companies, Inc. and Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., as well as smaller regional and local operators. In addition to e-commerce options offered by the retailers mentioned above, we compete with companies that sell fabrics and crafts only over the internet, such as Amazon.com or its subsidiary Fabric.com. Some of our competitors may be larger, more experienced and offer additional products that we cannot offer economically. For example, some of our competitors may offer more options for free and/or expedited shipping for e-commerce sales than we offer. Some competitors have greater financial resources and technology capabilities, better access to merchandise, access to capital markets and debt financing and greater market penetration than we do.

The performance of our competitors as well as changes in their pricing and promotional policies, marketing activities, new location openings, merchandising and operational strategies could impact our sales and profitability. Additionally, as our competitors continue to offer online ordering, ship to home and pickup in-store fulfillment, there is risk that we could lose market share, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to continued uncertainty with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In an effort to mitigate the continued spread of the strain of coronavirus disease known as COVID-19, federal, state and local governments, as well as certain private entities, mandated various restrictions, including shelter-in-place orders, stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions, as well as capacity restrictions in our locations and required enhanced cleaning protocols. As a result of these restrictions, approximately half of our locations were temporarily closed, either completely or to in-store traffic, from mid-March 2020 through mid-June 2020. Since that time, certain state and local governments continue to impose retail closure orders and capacity restrictions, impacting some of our locations. In addition, during the pandemic, we negotiated the deferral of certain cash payments with our landlords; however, the majority of these deferred payments will be remitted over the course of fiscal year 2022. Our COVID-19 related costs for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 were $48.4 million. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including the risk of required capacity restrictions or closing of our locations if certain restrictions are reinstated by state and local authorities. There is no assurance that we will be deemed an essential business or otherwise receive an exemption to the restrictions. As such, we are unable to accurately predict the future impact that the pandemic will have on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional potential future impacts include those related to:

 

   

our ability to meet obligations to our business partners, including under our Credit Facilities and lease obligations;

 

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interruption and delays in our supply chain for key merchandise and operating supplies;

 

   

the failure of third parties on which we rely, including our suppliers, to meet their obligations to us, which may be caused by their own financial or operational difficulties, travel restrictions and border closures, or disruptions with sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, delivery, shipping, exports or imports;

 

   

the impact on future consumer demand for our products and services through the remainder of the pandemic or in subsequent periods;

 

   

the impact on our workforce, including limitations on travel and work locations, quarantines, implementing a smaller workforce, changes in pay and temporary leaves of absence;

 

   

increased operating costs to execute on our commitment to provide a safe operating environment in our locations, distribution centers and corporate offices;

 

   

the continued cancellation of in-person group events such as educational classes;

 

   

any additional government and regulatory restrictions that limit or close operating facilities, such as temporary closures of our locations, the limitation of operating hours and number of customers permitted to shop at one time, or restrict operations of our business partners, suppliers or customers; and

 

   

credit availability and cost due to disruptions and volatility in the financial markets.

The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business will be dependent on, among other things, the duration of quarantines and other global travel restrictions, the severity of the virus, the duration of the outbreak and the public’s response to the outbreak. Certain trends relating to the COVID-19 pandemic have positively impacted certain of our merchandise categories, such as mask-making, and consumer demand for our products and services, and while we expect our customers’ purchases for projects that were in direct response to the pandemic, such as mask-making, to decline following the pandemic, it is difficult to ascertain with precision our sales attributable to such projects and there can be no assurances that these positive trends during the COVID-19 pandemic will be sustained through the remainder of the pandemic or in subsequent periods, which could adversely impact our total comparable sales growth and results of operations. The COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of heightening other risks disclosed in this “Risk Factors” section.

Failure to attract, develop, motivate and retain qualified team members and effectively manage overall labor costs, including potential increases in minimum wages, could limit our growth and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our success depends in part upon our ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain large numbers of qualified store support center, distribution center and retail location support personnel who understand and appreciate our culture and are able to adequately represent our brand. The majority of our team members are in entry-level and part-time positions in our locations with historically high rates of turnover. In order to successfully operate our physical network, we are reliant on the ability to recruit, develop, motivate and retain significant numbers of location managers and location team members who are capable of consistently providing a high level of customer service, as demonstrated by their enthusiasm for our brand, knowledge of our merchandise and the creative projects they support. Our operations and prospects could be adversely affected if we cannot attract and retain qualified management and team members.

Our ability to meet our labor needs while controlling our costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, prevailing wage rates, rising health care and other insurance costs, uncertainty about

 

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federal health care policies, minimum wage legislation, unionization of our workers, changes in employment legislation and regulations and changing demographics. As of October 31, 2020, 1.3% of our team members were unionized, all of which work at our Hudson, Ohio distribution center. Our team members’ participation in labor unions could put us at increased risk of labor strikes and disruptions of our operations. In addition, changes in minimum wage laws and other employment laws can have a significant impact on our costs and customer experience if we fail to increase our wages competitively. In particular, in recent years, there have been significant increases in minimum wages in many jurisdictions, with more increases already anticipated in future years. As of October 31, 2020, we employed approximately 27,700 team members, approximately 80% of whom are part-time and paid at or above, but near, applicable minimum wages. Additionally, many of our salaried team members are paid at rates that could be impacted by changes to minimum pay levels for exempt roles. Any increases at the federal, state or municipal level to the minimum pay rate required to remain exempt from overtime pay may adversely affect our business or results of operations. Furthermore, market competition may create further pressure for us to increase the wages paid to our team members or the benefits packages that they receive. If we experience market-driven increases in wage rates or in benefits or if we fail to increase our wages or benefits packages competitively, our ability to attract and retain team members could suffer. Consistently low unemployment rates may increase the likelihood or impact of such market pressures. Any failure to meet our staffing needs, any material increases in team member turnover rates or any increases in overall labor and health care costs could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Failure to manage inventory effectively, predict new consumer trends or effectively react to changes in consumer buying habits could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Due to the nature of our business, we purchase much of our inventory well in advance of each selling season. Therefore, our success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing customer demands, preferences and buying habits. If we misjudge consumer preferences or demands or fail to timely and effectively react to changes in trends or overall consumer demand, we could have excess inventory that may need to be held for a long period of time, written down, sold at prices lower than expected or discarded in order to clear excess inventory at the end of a selling season. Conversely, if we underestimate consumer demand, we may experience shortages of key items and may not be able to provide products to our customers to meet their demand. Given the project and component nature of our business, these shortages could materially and adversely affect sales of other related products and even conversion of traffic to sales within our locations and on our mobile application and website. We also sometimes experience long lead times for manufacturing and delivery of our products, particularly those that we source directly from foreign suppliers, which further increases inventory carrying costs. A failure to manage our inventory effectively, including a failure to manage inventory theft or loss rates, could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, any failure to identify and act upon new Creative Products trends prior to our competitors could provide a competitive advantage to our competitors and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, our locations are generally located in strip and “big box” shopping centers, providing us with additional traffic beyond marketing efforts. Shopping center traffic may be adversely affected by, among other things, economic downturns, rising fuel costs, gasoline shortages, the closing of anchor locations, shopping center occupancy rates and mix, new shopping centers and other retail developments, perceived safety of particular shopping centers or changes in customer shopping preferences. A decline in the popularity of visiting shopping centers among our target customers could have a material and adverse effect on customer traffic and our business in general. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we, or in some cases, key anchor tenants, have experienced mandatory and elective temporary closures in certain shopping centers where our locations are. A continuing reduction in traffic to shopping centers may likely lead to a decrease in our net sales and results of operations, which could have a material and adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

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The seasonality of our sales may negatively impact our operating results.

Our business is highly seasonal, with a significant amount of sales and earnings occurring in the third and, in particular, the fourth fiscal quarters. Our inventory levels and related short-term financing needs also are seasonal, with the greatest requirements occurring during our second and third fiscal quarters as we increase our inventory in preparation for our peak selling season. Our peak selling season generally runs from September through December. Accordingly, the results of a single fiscal quarter, particularly the third and fourth fiscal quarters, should not be relied on as an indication of our annual results or future performance. In addition, any factors that impact our third and fourth fiscal quarter operating results could have a disproportionate effect on our results of operations for the entire fiscal year. If for any reason our third and fourth fiscal quarter results were substantially below expectations, our operating results for the full year would be materially and adversely affected, and we could have substantial excess inventory, including seasonal merchandise, that we would have limited time to liquidate.

We increasingly depend on e-commerce, and our failure to successfully manage this channel and deliver a convenient omni-channel shopping experience to our customers could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Expanding e-commerce is an important part of our strategy to grow our omni-channel operations and to potentially access international markets. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related stay-at-home orders, we have experienced a significant increase in e-commerce demand and consumer demand for certain products, such as those used in mask making. There can be no assurances that this increase in demand will be sustained through the remainder of the pandemic or in subsequent periods, which could adversely impact our total comparable sales growth and results of operations. Omni-channel retailing is rapidly evolving and we must keep pace with customer preferences and expectations. In addition, dependence on e-commerce and omni-channel fulfillment subjects us to certain other risks, including:

 

   

the failure to successfully implement new systems, system enhancements and internet platforms and keep pace with frequent changes to technology requirements;

 

   

the failure of our technology infrastructure or the computer systems that operate our mobile application and website, causing, among other things, application and website downtimes, telecommunications issues or other technical failures;

 

   

inefficiencies or disruptions that prevent us from efficiently and affordably delivering products to our customers;

 

   

increased competition; and

 

   

our third party service providers’ ability to protect customer data required to transact business on our digital platforms.

Our customers are increasingly using mobile devices, computers and other devices to shop online for products that we carry. Omni-channel retailing is rapidly evolving and we must keep pace with customer preferences and expectations. There are various risks associated with omni-channel retailing, including the need to keep pace with frequent technology changes, internet security risks and an increased level of competition. Failure to identify and effectively respond to changing consumer tastes, preferences and spending patterns on a timely basis could materially and adversely affect our relationship with our customers and the demand for our products.

Our failure to successfully address and respond to these risks and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect sales, increase costs, diminish our growth prospects and damage the reputation of our brand, each of which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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General economic factors may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

General economic conditions may adversely affect our business, financial performance and results of operations. Consumer demand for the products that we sell, as well as our overall cost structure, could be adversely affected by higher interest rates, higher fuel and other energy costs, inflation, deflation, recession, competitive labor markets, lack of available consumer credit, higher consumer debt levels, lack of consumer confidence in future economic conditions, changes in tax laws, overall economic slowdown and/or other economic factors. Our sales generally represent discretionary spending by our customers and thus we may be more susceptible to factors negatively affecting consumer demand than others selling less discretionary products. Lower consumer demand for our products would cause our revenues, and possibly our profitability, to decline, while a prolonged economic downturn could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to maintain or negotiate favorable lease terms.

We lease substantially all of our locations. If lower cost commercial strip shopping center locations are unavailable, whether due to large scale redevelopment of shopping centers or otherwise, we may experience difficulties entering into new leases on favorable terms. In addition, we lease substantially all of our locations generally for extended terms with a typical initial term of 10 years, and we had an average remaining term of obligation of 4.5 years as of October 31, 2020. The majority of our leases contain provisions for base rent and a small number of our leases contain provisions for base rent plus percentage rent based on sales in excess of an agreed upon minimum annual sales level. Although we have the right to terminate some of our leases under specified conditions by making specified payments, we may not be able to terminate a particular lease if or when we would like to do so, which could prevent us from closing or relocating certain underperforming locations. If we decide to close locations, we generally are required to continue paying rent and operating expenses for the balance of the lease term, or to pay to exercise rights to terminate, and the performance of any of these obligations may be expensive. When we assign or sublease vacated locations, we may remain liable on the lease obligations if the assignee or sub-lessee does not perform. Accordingly, we are subject to the risks associated with leasing locations, which can have a material and adverse effect on us.

If we are unable to renew, renegotiate or replace our leases or enter into leases for new locations on favorable terms, our growth and profitability could be harmed, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are required to make significant lease payments for our leases, which may strain our cash flow.

We depend on net cash provided by operating activities to pay our lease expenses and to fulfill our other cash needs. If our business does not generate sufficient cash provided by operating activities, and sufficient funds are not otherwise available to us from borrowings under our Credit Facilities or from other sources, we may not be able to service our operating lease expenses, grow our business, respond to competitive challenges or fund our other liquidity and capital needs, which would harm our business.

Increased costs related to the production of our merchandise or disruptions in our distribution network could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

There are various costs related to the production of our merchandise. Any increase in such costs could have a negative impact on our business. For example, fluctuations in the prices of raw materials or other costs related to the production of our merchandise could cause our product costs to increase. Increases in our merchandise costs or in the prices of the raw materials used to create our merchandise, such as cotton, petroleum or wool used in the production of fabric and other products, could result in significant cost increases for those products. In addition, significant increases in energy costs or wages used in the production of our merchandise

 

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may cause our suppliers to increase the merchandise cost to us, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Similarly, disruptions in our distribution network could negatively affect our ability to meet customer demand both in our locations and through our e-commerce business. We operate three distribution centers to support our business. The majority of our inventory is shipped directly from suppliers to our distribution centers where the inventory is then processed, sorted, picked and shipped to our locations. We rely in large part on the orderly operation of this receiving and distribution process, which depends on adherence to shipping schedules and effective management of our distribution network. If any facility is severely damaged or experiences disruptions in operations due to natural disasters or other catastrophic events, labor disagreements, information system issues, shipping problems or any other reasons, our other distribution centers would likely not be able to support the resulting additional distribution demands. In addition, we utilize a variety of fulfillment sources to deliver our e-commerce orders. We rely heavily on the orderly operations of each fulfillment source to receive and manage our inventory, process online orders and deliver directly to customers on a timely basis. Any disruptions in operations whether due to natural disasters, public health epidemics or pandemics, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, catastrophic events, receiving issues, shipping problems, transitioning between fulfillment sources, other operational problems or inefficiencies or any other reasons could have a direct material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, in addition to potentially creating a customer perception issue that could independently have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We also rely upon various means of transportation, including shipments by air, sea, rail and truck, to deliver products to our distribution centers from vendors, from our distribution centers to our locations, for direct shipments from vendors to locations and to fulfill our customers’ online orders. Any disruptions to the transportation system or increases in transportation costs, for example, due to labor shortages or capacity constraints in the transportation industry, disruptions to the national and international transportation infrastructure, strikes or slow-downs by port or transportation company employees, fuel shortages or transportation cost increases (such as increases in ocean shipping, trucking, or consumer package delivery rates; fuel costs or port fees) could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our results of operations may also be adversely affected if we are unable to secure, or are able to secure only at significantly higher costs, adequate transportation resources to meet our needs.

Our ability to meet our strategic goals depends on our ability to identify and implement improvements to our supply chain, including merchandise ordering, transportation, direct sourcing initiatives, distribution center capacity and efficiency and receipt processing, as well as the expansion of our international distribution network. If we are unable to successfully implement enhancements to our distribution systems and processes and fail to achieve the efficiencies required for us to meet our strategic goals, including by increasing our penetration of direct to factory buying relationships to reduce cost and improve product innovation, this could disrupt our supply chain, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our reliance on foreign suppliers increases our risks of not obtaining adequate, timely and cost effective merchandise, as well as risks involved in foreign operations and foreign currency translation.

We are heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, particularly manufacturers located in China and other Asian countries. For example, during fiscal year 2020, we purchased approximately 38% of our products directly from manufacturers located in foreign countries and we anticipate that this percentage may increase in coming years. In addition, many of our domestic suppliers purchase most of their products from foreign suppliers. This reliance increases the risk that we will not have adequate and timely supplies of various products due to local political, economic, social or environmental conditions (including acts of terrorism, the outbreak of war or the occurrence of a natural disaster, public health epidemic or pandemic, like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic), transportation delays (including dock strikes and other work stoppages), restrictive actions by foreign

 

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governments, or changes in U.S. laws and regulations affecting imports or domestic distribution. Reliance on foreign manufacturers also increases our exposure to trade infringement claims. In addition, as part of our global sourcing strategy, we have undertaken efforts to diversify the countries from where we source products, which exposes us to increased risks associated with sourcing products from countries where we have limited or no prior operating experience, such as risks associated with complying with unfamiliar laws and regulations (including uncertainty regarding the interpretation, application and enforceability of laws and regulations relating to contract and intellectual property rights), ensuring that our suppliers comply with fair labor practices and human rights laws, ensuring that we comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other anti-corruption laws and regulations, adapting to local cultures, standards and practices and overcoming limited personnel and lack of resources in foreign countries. Any of these risks could cause us to materially alter our business practices related to sourcing and/or impact our profitability resulting in a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If any of our suppliers have practices that are not legal or accepted in the United States, consumers may develop a negative view of us, our brand image could be damaged, and we could become the subject of boycotts by our customers and/or interest groups. Further, if our suppliers violate labor or other laws of their own country, these violations could cause disruptions or delays in their shipments of merchandise. We conduct periodic audits at various suppliers and have terminated relationships with suppliers from time to time based on the results of those audits. However, there is no guarantee that we can identify all issues from such audits and therefore we rely in part on suppliers’ representations certifying their compliance with applicable laws. If our goods are manufactured using illegal or unacceptable labor practices in these countries, or other countries from which our suppliers source the product we purchase, our ability to supply merchandise for our locations without interruption, our brand image and, consequently, our sales may be materially and adversely affected.

Additionally, reductions in the value of the U.S. dollar or revaluation of the Chinese currency, or other foreign currencies, could ultimately increase the prices that we pay for our products. Further, all of our products manufactured overseas and imported into the United States are subject to duties collected by the U.S. Customs Service. We may be subjected to additional duties, significant monetary penalties, the seizure and forfeiture of the products we are attempting to import or the loss of import privileges if we or our suppliers are found to be in violation of U.S. laws and regulations applicable to the importation of our products. If duties were to be significantly increased, it could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to achieve the expected benefits from the implementation of marketing initiatives.

We may not be able to successfully execute our marketing initiatives, such as changes in the appearance, content and distribution of our advertising, our continued focus on digital marketing (including social media, mobile applications and web tactics such as display marketing, brand partnerships and digital video), new vendor programs and improved merchandising processes, and may fail to realize the intended benefits and growth prospects associated with these initiatives. For example, we may be unable to leverage and grow our digital customer database and social media marketing due to lack of engagement or technology challenges.

Product assortment, price, convenience and customer service have a significant influence on consumers’ choices among competing products and brands. We may fail to meet assumptions underlying estimates of expected revenue growth or overall cost savings from marketing initiatives or renovations of our locations, particularly if economic conditions deteriorate. If we misjudge consumer response to our existing or future promotional activities, our business, results of operations and financial condition could suffer, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Our continued growth depends on our ability to successfully implement our strategic initiatives, which are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties.

We are in the process of implementing a location refresh initiative focused on improving the profitability of our existing locations by renovating those locations and enhancing the product offerings within those locations. This initiative has required and will continue to require significant incremental capital expenditures, and the capital required to implement the initiative across our remaining locations may be more than we expect. Additionally, the success of our location refresh initiative depends on the availability of enhanced locations, our ability to grow market share relative to our direct competitors in the same area as our refreshed locations, cost of materials or labor required to execute our refresh projects and ongoing economic viability of the areas where our refreshed locations operate, many of which are outside of our control. Further, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we delayed several of our location refresh projects and may continue to experience additional costs and delays.

We have also implemented a number of cost savings initiatives, including investing in product sourcing initiatives, talent for our indirect spend procurement function and supply chain initiatives to support our e-commerce growth. There can be no assurance that our location refresh initiative, our cost savings initiatives or any future strategic initiatives will be successful, will result in the expected benefits or will be achieved on the anticipated timeframe, or at all. If we are unable to successfully implement our strategic initiative on favorable terms or at all, or if our initiatives are unsuccessful, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Any inability to balance merchandise bearing our proprietary brands with the third-party branded merchandise we sell may have an adverse effect on our sales and gross margin.

Our proprietary branded merchandise represents a significant portion of our net sales. Our proprietary branded merchandise generally has a higher gross margin than the comparable third-party branded merchandise we offer. As a result, we may determine that it is best for us to continue to hold or increase the penetration of our proprietary brands in the future. However, carrying our proprietary brands may limit the amount of third-party branded merchandise we can carry and, therefore, there is a risk that the customers’ perception that we offer the appropriate breadth of assortment for many major brands could decline. By maintaining or increasing the amount of our proprietary branded merchandise, we are also exposed to greater risk, as we may fail to anticipate trends correctly. In addition, to the extent our proprietary brands underperform, our overall brand and reputation may be harmed. These risks, if they occur, could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Any difficulty executing or integrating an acquisition, business combination or other strategic transaction could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have made strategic acquisitions and investments in the past to help drive our growth and pursue strategic initiatives, and we intend to pursue similar opportunities in the future. Any difficulty in executing or integrating an acquisition, business combination or other strategic transaction may result in our inability to achieve anticipated benefits from these transactions in the time frame that we anticipate, or at all, which could adversely affect our business or results of operations. Such transactions may also disrupt the operation of our current activities and divert management’s attention from other business matters. In addition, our Credit Facilities place certain limited constraints on our ability to make an acquisition or enter into a business combination, and future borrowing agreements could place tighter constraints on such actions.

Loss of key senior management executives could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent on the services, abilities and experiences of our key senior management team to execute on our business and operating strategies. The loss of one or more key senior executives could hinder our

 

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ability to implement our strategic and operational plans and may have a material effect on us. If we found it necessary to replace one or more key senior executives, delays in hiring the new executive(s) or our inability to effectively integrate the newly-hired executive(s) into our business processes, controls, systems and culture may also have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our total assets include intangible assets, goodwill and substantial amounts of property and equipment. Changes in estimates or projections used to assess the fair value of these assets, the ongoing effective use of those assets in our business or operating results underlying those assets that do not fully support their value, may cause us to incur impairment charges that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our total assets include intangible assets, goodwill and substantial amounts of property and equipment. Under current accounting guidelines, we must assess, at least annually, whether the value of goodwill and other intangible assets has been impaired. For example, during fiscal year 2020 and in connection with our annual impairment assessment of goodwill and trade name impairment, we recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $481.8 million and a non-cash trade name impairment charge of $5.0 million, which were driven primarily by the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Evolving U.S. trade regulations and policies, including with China and other Asian countries, have in the past and may in the future have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations” for further discussion regarding tariffs.

We can make no assurances that we will not record any additional impairment charges in the future. Any future reduction or impairment of the value of tangible assets, goodwill, our trade name or other intangible assets will similarly result in charges against earnings, which could materially and adversely affect our reported business, financial condition and results of operations in future periods.

Failure to comply with various regulations may result in damage to our business.

Various federal and state laws govern our relationship with, and other matters pertaining to, our team members, including wage and hour laws, laws governing independent contractor classifications, requirements to provide meal and rest periods or other benefits, family leave mandates, requirements regarding working conditions and accommodations to certain employees, citizenship or work authorization and related requirements, insurance and workers’ compensation rules and anti-discrimination laws. Any claim that alleges a failure by us to comply with any of the foregoing laws and regulations may subject us to fines, penalties, injunctions, litigation and/or potential criminal violations, which could adversely affect our reputation, business, financial condition and operating results. We have been party to such lawsuits in the past, including in class action lawsuits, and may be subjected to similar suits in the future. In addition, any changes to existing employment laws or regulations or any new employment laws or regulations that are adopted may make it more difficult and costly for us to operate our business and in turn adversely affect our operating results.

Our global operations also expose us to risks and challenges associated with conducting business internationally, including with our foreign suppliers, and our results of operations may be adversely affected by our efforts to comply with U.S. laws which apply to international operations, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.S. economic sanctions laws and U.S. export control laws, as well as the laws of other countries, including laws related to product safety and consumer protection, privacy and taxation. Economic sanctions laws in the United States may prohibit us from transacting with or in certain countries and with certain individuals or companies. In the United States, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control administers and enforces laws, Executive Orders and regulations establishing certain U.S. economic and trade sanctions. As we expand our global presence, we expect our exposure to these risks and challenges to increase, such as with respect to compliance with foreign data privacy laws and tax laws.

 

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Federal, state and foreign governments have enacted or may enact laws or regulations regarding privacy and data security and the collection and use of personal information. We strive to comply with all such laws and regulations; it is possible, however, that these requirements may change, may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another, may conflict with other rules or may conflict with our practices. Further, security breaches in our information systems could result in a violation of applicable U.S., state and/or international privacy and other laws, and subject us to private litigation and governmental investigations and proceedings, any of which could result in our exposure to material civil or criminal liability. Compliance with current and future applicable U.S., state and international privacy, cybersecurity and related laws can be costly and time-consuming. Significant capital investments and other expenditures could also be required to remedy cybersecurity incidents and prevent future breaches, including costs associated with additional security technologies, personnel, experts and call centers and credit monitoring services for those whose data has been breached. Our cyber insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover such costs. These costs, which could be material, could adversely impact our results of operations in the period in which they are incurred and may not meaningfully limit the success of future attempts to breach our information technology systems. Our failure, or our vendors’ failure, to comply with the regulatory requirements concerning privacy and enhanced regulatory and litigation activity focused on privacy and data security issues could also have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, we are regularly involved in various litigation matters that arise in the ordinary course of our business, including liability claims, employment-related claims, contract disputes, claims arising under consumer protection laws and regulations and allegations that we have infringed third party intellectual property rights.

Our marketing programs, e-commerce initiatives and use of consumer information are governed by an evolving set of laws and enforcement trends and unfavorable changes in those laws or trends, or our failure to comply with existing or future laws, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The success of our marketing and e-commerce initiatives are dependent on our ability to collect, maintain, process and use data obtained through our interactions with customers online. Our use of this information is subject to evolving federal, state and foreign laws and enforcement trends. Failure to comply with existing and future laws and other legal obligations relating to privacy, data protection and customer protection, including those relating to the use of data for marketing purposes, may impede our ability to effectively engage customers via personalized marketing tactics, increase our potential monetary liability, damage our reputation and adversely affect our business and operating results. We are impacted, in particular, by the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, which became effective on January 1, 2020 and is intended to enhance privacy rights and consumer protection for residents of California. Furthermore, in November 2020, California voters passed the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020, which amends and expands the CCPA with additional data privacy compliance requirements that may adversely impact our business, and establishes a regulatory agency dedicated to enforcing these requirements. In the event that we are unable to timely comply with the new compliance demands, or new compliance regimes as a result of expanding our business, significant fines or penalties could result and could adversely affect our reputation and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As we are subject to U.S. federal, state, and local income taxation, and, to a much lesser extent, Chinese taxation, any adverse developments in applicable tax laws could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our effective tax rate could also change materially as a result of various evolving factors, including changes in income tax law resulting from the recent presidential and congressional elections in the United States.

We are subject to income taxation at the federal level and by most states and certain municipalities because of the scope of our retail operations and our corporate and financing structure. In addition, income earned by our foreign sourcing office in Shanghai is subject to Chinese taxation. In determining our income tax

 

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liability for these jurisdictions, we must monitor changes to the applicable tax laws and related regulations. While our existing corporate and financing structure have been implemented in a manner we believe is in compliance with current prevailing laws, one or more U.S. states or foreign jurisdictions could also seek to impose incremental or new taxes on us. In addition, as a result of the recent presidential and congressional elections in the United States, there could be significant changes in tax law and regulations that could result in additional federal income taxes being imposed on us. No specific tax legislation or regulations have yet been proposed and the likelihood and nature of any such legislation or regulations is uncertain. Any adverse developments in these laws or regulations, including legislative changes, judicial holdings or administrative interpretations, could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to our Reliance on Third Parties

A disruption in relationships with third parties could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We rely on third parties to support our business, including, among other things, portions of our technology development and support and certain payment processing services. If we are unable to contract with third parties having the specialized skills needed to support those strategies or integrate their products and services with our business, if we fail to properly manage those third parties, or if they fail to meet our performance standards and expectations, including with respect to data security, then our reputation, sales, and results of operations could be adversely affected. In addition, we could face increased costs or be limited in finding replacement providers or hiring and retaining team members to provide these services in-house.

Significant failures by suppliers from whom our products are sourced and the need to transition to other qualified suppliers could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business success is highly dependent on our ability to find qualified suppliers who can deliver products and services in a timely and efficient manner and in compliance with our vendor standards and all applicable laws and regulations. Many of our suppliers are small companies with limited resources that lack financial flexibility. Some of our suppliers are susceptible to cash flow issues, production difficulties, quality control issues and problems in delivering agreed-upon quantities of products or services meeting the contractual requirements, on schedule and in compliance with regulatory requirements, including those of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and state product safety laws. We may be unable, if necessary, to return products to these suppliers and obtain refunds of our purchase price or obtain reimbursement or indemnification from them if their products or services prove defective, not in compliance with contractual or regulatory requirements or in violation of third party intellectual property rights. In addition, many of our product suppliers require extensive advance notice of our requirements in order to supply products in the quantities we desire. This long lead time requires us to place orders far in advance of the time when certain products will be offered for sale, exposing us to shifts in demand. In addition, some of our suppliers may be unable to withstand a downturn in economic conditions. The inability of key suppliers to access financing, or their insolvency, could lead to their failure to deliver merchandise or services. If we are unable to procure products and services when needed, our sales and cash flows could be negatively impacted. Significant failures on the part of our key suppliers could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The products we sell are sourced from a wide variety of domestic and international vendors. Global sourcing has become an increasingly important part of our business, as we have undertaken efforts to increase the amount of product we source directly from overseas manufacturers who may be new to our supplier network. Our ability to find qualified suppliers who meet our standards and supply products in a timely and efficient manner could be a significant challenge, especially with respect to goods sourced from outside the United States. Any issues related to transitioning suppliers or delays in identifying suppliers from additional countries to execute our global sourcing strategy could materially and adversely affect our revenue and gross profit.

 

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Product recalls and/or product liability, as well as changes in product safety and other consumer protection laws, may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to regulations by a variety of federal, state and international regulatory authorities, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission. As of October 31, 2020, we were utilizing approximately 680 merchandise suppliers. Since a majority of our merchandise is manufactured in foreign countries, one or more of our vendors may not adhere to product safety requirements or our quality control standards, and we may not identify the deficiency before merchandise ships to our locations. Any issues of product safety, including but not limited to those manufactured in foreign countries, could cause us to recall some of those products. If our vendors fail to manufacture or import merchandise that adheres to our quality control standards, our reputation and brands could be damaged, potentially leading to increases in customer litigation against us. Furthermore, to the extent we are unable to replace any recalled products, we may have to reduce our merchandise offerings, resulting in a decrease in sales, especially if a recall occurs near or during a seasonal period. If our vendors are unable or unwilling to recall products failing to meet our quality standards, we may be required to recall those products at a substantial cost to us. Moreover, changes in product safety or other consumer protection laws could lead to increased costs to us for certain merchandise, or additional labor costs associated with readying merchandise for sale. Long lead times on merchandise ordering cycles increase the difficulty for us to plan and prepare for potential changes to applicable laws.

Risks Related to our Capital Structure, Indebtedness and Capital Requirements

We may face risks related to our indebtedness, which included $929.7 million of outstanding debt as of October 31, 2020.

Our indebtedness and lease obligations could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our flexibility in operating our business, expose us to interest rate risk to the extent of our variable rate debt and prevent us from meeting our obligations under the debt instruments. We had $929.7 million in debt outstanding as of October 31, 2020. We also had $159.4 million available for borrowing under our ABL Facility, before giving effect to the amendment and restatement of our ABL Facility on November 25, 2020. In addition, in July 2018, we executed an interest rate cap agreement, which, as of October 31, 2020, applied to an aggregate notional value of $682.9 million of our term debt, which is intended to mitigate interest rate risk associated with future changes in interest rates for borrowings on our term loans. Regardless of our attempts to mitigate our exposure to interest rate fluctuations through the interest rate cap agreement, we still have exposure for the uncapped amounts under the term loans, which remain subject to a variable interest rate. As a result, an increase in interest rates could result in a substantial increase in interest expense. In fiscal year 2020, our total interest expense was $101.9 million and in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, our total interest expense was $55.0 million.

Our indebtedness and lease obligations could have important consequences to us, including:

 

   

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisitions, investments and general corporate or other purposes;

 

   

limiting our ability to adjust to changing market conditions and placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that are less leveraged;

 

   

increasing our vulnerability to general economic and industry conditions;

 

   

exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as the borrowings under our Credit Facilities are at variable rates of interest;

 

   

requiring a portion of cash flow from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations, capital expenditures and future business opportunities; and

 

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making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our debt, and any failure to comply with the obligations under our debt instruments, including restrictive covenants, could result in an event of default under the agreements governing our indebtedness.

The occurrence of any one of these events could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness. In addition, we may incur additional indebtedness in the future, subject to the terms of our Credit Facilities, which could magnify the risks that we currently face.

The terms of our Credit Facilities impose operating and financial restrictions on us that may impair our ability to respond to changing barriers and economic conditions.

The agreements governing our Credit Facilities contain a number of restrictive covenants imposing significant operating and financial restrictions on us, including restrictions that may limit our ability to:

 

   

pay dividends on, repurchase, or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or make other restricted payments;

 

   

incur additional indebtedness or issue certain disqualified stock and preferred stock;

 

   

create liens;

 

   

make investments, loans and advances;

 

   

consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;

 

   

enter into certain transactions with our affiliates;

 

   

prepay certain junior indebtedness;

 

   

make certain changes to our lines of business; and

 

   

designate our subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries.

In addition, the credit agreement governing our ABL Facility requires that we maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio if excess availability is less than a specified percentage of the lesser of (i) the borrowing base and (ii) our maximum revolving commitments at any time. Our ability to meet this requirement can be affected by events beyond our control, and we may not be able to meet this ratio. A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default under our Credit Facilities and/or other agreements containing cross-default provisions, which could result in our lenders accelerating our debt by declaring amounts outstanding under our debt instruments, including accrued interest, to be immediately due and payable. If we are unable to pay those amounts, the lenders under our Credit Facilities could proceed against the collateral granted to them to the extent such collateral secures such indebtedness. We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service our indebtedness or satisfy our obligations upon an event of default, and may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

In addition, our variable rate indebtedness may use LIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the interest rate applicable to the indebtedness. LIBOR is the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. On July 27, 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced that it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. It is unclear whether new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee has proposed the Secured Overnight

 

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Financing Rate, or SOFR, as its recommended alternative to LIBOR, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing SOFR rates in April 2018. SOFR is intended to be a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. It is unknown whether SOFR or any potential alternative reference rate will attain market acceptance as replacements for LIBOR and, as such, the potential effect on our results from operations is unknown.

We may require additional capital to meet our financial obligations and support business growth, and this capital may not be available on acceptable terms or at all.

Based on our current plans and market conditions, we believe that cash flows generated from our operations and borrowing capacity under our Credit Facilities will be sufficient to satisfy our anticipated cash requirements in the ordinary course of business for the foreseeable future. However, we intend to continue to make significant investments to support our business growth and may require additional funds to respond to business challenges. Accordingly, we may need to engage in equity or debt financings in addition to our Credit Facilities to secure additional funds. If we raise additional funds through future issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing shareholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. Any debt financing we secure in the future could include restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us when we require it, our ability to continue to support our business growth and to respond to business challenges could be significantly impaired, and our business may be harmed.

We are a holding company with no operations of our own, and we depend on our subsidiaries for cash.

We are a holding company and do not have any material assets or operations other than ownership of equity interests of our subsidiaries. Our operations are conducted almost entirely through our subsidiaries, and our ability to generate cash to meet our obligations or to pay dividends, if any, is highly dependent on the earnings of, and receipt of funds from, our subsidiaries through dividends or intercompany loans. The ability of our subsidiaries to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to allow us and them to make scheduled payments on our debt obligations will depend on their future financial performance, which will be affected by a range of economic, competitive and business factors, many of which are outside of our control.

Risks Related to Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Privacy

If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Our success depends in large part on our brand image and our ability to build and maintain brand loyalty. Our company’s name, logo, domain name and our proprietary brands and our registered and unregistered trademarks are valuable assets that serve to differentiate us from our competitors. We currently rely on a combination of trademark, trade dress, patent, copyright and unfair competition laws to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. We cannot assure you that the steps taken by us to protect our proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent infringement of our trademarks and other proprietary rights by others, including imitation and misappropriation of our brand. We cannot assure you that obstacles related to securing additional intellectual property rights will not arise as we expand our products and geographic scope. The unauthorized use or misappropriation of our intellectual property could damage our brand identity and the goodwill we have created for our company, which could cause our sales to decline. We cannot guarantee that the operation of our business does not, and will not in the future, infringe or violate the rights of third parties. Litigation may be necessary to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, or to defend against third party claims. Any such litigation, regardless of merit, is inherently uncertain and could be time-consuming and result in substantial costs and

 

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diversion of our resources, causing a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we cannot protect our intellectual property rights, our brand identity and the goodwill we created for our company may diminish, causing our sales to decline. If we are found to infringe or violate the rights of a third party, we may be forced to stop offering, or to redesign, certain products or services, to pay damages or royalties, and to enter into licensing agreements, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

Most of our intellectual property has not been registered outside of the United States and we cannot always prohibit other companies from using our unregistered trademarks in foreign countries. Use of our trademarks in foreign countries by others could materially and adversely affect our identity in the United States and cause our sales to decline.

Failure to adequately maintain the security of and prevent unauthorized access to our electronic and other confidential information, including customer and team member personal information, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent upon automated information technology processes, and a large portion of our business operations is conducted electronically, increasing the risk of interception or attack that could cause loss or misuses of data, system failure or disruption of operations. As part of our normal business activities, we collect and store certain confidential information, including personal information with respect to customers and team members. We share some of this information with vendors who assist us with certain aspects of our business. Moreover, the success of our e-commerce operations depends upon the secure transmission of confidential and personal data over public networks, including the use of cashless payments. We and/or our third-party vendors, some of our competitors and other companies have in the past experienced data security breaches involving team member and customer personal and financial information, including fraudulent activity on payment cards, and we could suffer a similar attack in the future. In addition, hardware, software or applications we develop or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information security. Improper activities by unauthorized third parties, unidentified security vulnerabilities within applications or platforms we utilize, exploitation of encryption technology, new data-hacking tools and discoveries and other events or developments may result in a future compromise or breach of our networks, or those of third parties with whom we do business, payment card terminals or other payment systems. The techniques used by criminals to obtain unauthorized access to systems or sensitive data change frequently and often are not recognized until after being launched against a target, and accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures and there may be a significant delay between the initiation of an attack on our systems and our recognition of the attack. New or changing risk profiles related to data security could require that we expend significant additional resources to enhance our information security systems.

Any failure on the part of us or our vendors to maintain the security of our confidential data and our team members’ and customers’ personal information, including via the penetration of our network and the misappropriation of confidential and personal information, could result in business disruption, theft of funds and other monetary loss, weaker than expected sales, significant negative media attention, damage to our reputation, financial obligations to third parties, fines, penalties, regulatory proceedings and private litigation with potentially large costs, and also could result in deterioration in our team members’ and customers’ trust and confidence in us and other competitive disadvantages, and thus have a material and adverse impact on us. Investigations into a data breach, including how it occurred, its consequences and our responses, by state and federal agencies would possibly lead to fines, other monetary relief and/or injunctive relief that could materially increase our data security costs, adversely impact how we operate our information systems and collect and use customer information, and put us at a competitive disadvantage with other retailers. Furthermore, payment card networks with payment cards impacted by a data breach may pursue claims against us, either directly or through our acquiring banks.

 

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In addition, while we currently qualify for self-assessment of compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, a failure to maintain our PCI DSS certification could result in our inability to accept credit and debit card payments or subject us to penalties and thus could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Intentional or accidental disruptions to our information systems, including our mobile application and primary e-commerce website, or our failure to adequately support, maintain, secure and upgrade these systems could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We depend on a variety of information systems for the efficient functioning of our business and rely on continued and unimpeded access to the internet and we have in the past experienced disruptions of these information systems, resulting in disruptions to our business including the ability for customers to transact on our website and in our locations. We are heavily dependent upon our mobile application as a means of generating online and in-store sales, along with growing customer engagement and perception of our brand. Our mobile application is hosted by a third party and supported by another outside development firm. In addition, joann.com, our website platform, is operated using a software-as-a-service, or SaaS, model provided to us by an independent third party. We also rely on our order management system, which is provided by a third party, to route all of our e-commerce orders for proper fulfillment. Any failures or interruption of our mobile application, website or order management system, or incidents or failures experienced by our third party service providers, could harm our ability to serve our customers through these channels, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

In addition, we rely on our information systems to effectively process transactions, manage inventory and purchase, sell and ship goods on a timely basis. We also rely on measures designed into these systems to manage and maintain the privacy of customer, vendor and other third party data, summarize and analyze results and maintain cost-efficient operations. Intentional or accidental disruptions to our information systems or our failure to adequately support, maintain and upgrade these systems could harm sales and have a material and adverse impact on us. To the extent we have implemented and continue to implement SaaS solutions and run applications on infrastructure hosted by third parties in the future, we will be subject to increased reliance on external partners and unique risks related to change management and loss of data.

Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems could, among other things, cause information to become lost or inaccurate, cause delays or other problems for our internal operations and customers and generate negative publicity. We may experience operational problems with our information systems as a result of power outages, computer and telecommunication failures, database corruption, denial-of-service attacks, viruses and other malicious software programs, security breaches, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, acts of war and terrorist and criminal activities, employee usage errors or other causes. Cyber incidents may result in loss of sensitive data, intellectual property or funds. Techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and may not immediately produce signs of intrusion, therefore, we may be unable to implement adequate preventive measures. If our computer systems are damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to recover, fix or replace them or to increase our cyber security protections, and we may suffer interruptions in our operations in the interim, damage to our reputation, legal and financial exposure and potentially a material and adverse effect on us. In addition, such interruptions could negatively impact customer experience and customer confidence. We also rely heavily on our information technology staff. Our inability to meet staffing needs could adversely impact our technology and business initiatives and maintenance on existing systems, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to payment-related risks.

We accept payments using a variety of methods, including cash, check, credit card, debit card, gift cards and direct debit from a customer’s bank account. For existing and future payment options that we offer to our

 

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customers, we may become subject to additional regulations and compliance requirements (including obligations to implement enhanced authentication processes that could result in significant costs and reduce the ease of use of our payment options), as well as fraud. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We rely on third parties to provide certain payment processing services, including the processing of credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks and gift cards. In each case, it could disrupt our business if these companies become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us. We also are subject to payment card association operating rules, including data security rules, certification requirements and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, or if our data security systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for card-issuing banks’ costs, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, and lose our ability to accept credit and debit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers or facilitate other types of online payments and our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.

Risks Related to our Common Stock and this Offering

There is no existing market for our common stock and we do not know if one will develop to provide you with adequate liquidity. If our stock price fluctuates after this offering, you could lose a significant part of your investment.

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our common stock. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in us will lead to the development of a trading market on                 , or otherwise or how active and liquid that market may come to be. If an active trading market does not develop, you may have difficulty selling any of the common stock that you buy.

Negotiations between us, the Selling Shareholders and the underwriters will determine the initial public offering price for our common stock, which may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. Consequently, you may not be able to sell our common stock at prices equal to or greater than the price you paid in this offering. The market price of our common stock may be influenced by many factors including:

 

   

variations in our operating results compared to market expectations or any guidance given by us, or changes in our guidance or guidance practices;

 

   

changes in the preferences of our customers;

 

   

low total comparable sales growth and gross margins compared to market expectations;

 

   

delays in the planned execution of our refresh and assortment optimization projects and other key strategic initiatives;

 

   

the failure of securities analysts to cover us after this offering or changes in financial estimates by the analysts who cover us, our competitors or the retail industry in general;

 

   

economic, legal and regulatory factors unrelated to our performance;

 

   

changes in consumer spending or the economy;

 

   

increased competition or stock price performance of our competitors;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of new locations, capacity changes, strategic investments or acquisitions;

 

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actual or anticipated variations in our or our competitors’ operating results, and our competitors’ growth rates;

 

   

future sales of our common stock or the perception that such sales may occur;

 

   

changes in senior management or key personnel;

 

   

changes in laws or regulations, or new interpretations or applications of laws and regulations that are applicable to our business;

 

   

lawsuits, enforcement actions and other claims by third parties or governmental authorities;

 

   

action by institutional shareholders or other large shareholders;

 

   

events beyond our control, such as war, terrorist attacks, transportation and fuel prices, natural disasters, severe weather and widespread illness or pandemics, including developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

 

   

the other factors listed in this “Risk Factors” section.

As a result of these factors, investors in our common stock may not be able to resell their shares at or above the initial offering price. In addition, our stock price may be volatile. The stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of companies like us. Accordingly, these broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions or interest rate changes, may significantly reduce the market price of the common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In the past, following periods of market volatility, shareholders have instituted securities class action litigation. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could result in substantial costs and divert resources and our management’s attention from other business concerns, regardless of the outcome of such litigation.

Because LGP owns a significant percentage of our common stock, it may control all major corporate decisions and its interests may conflict with your interests as an owner of our common stock and our interests.

We are controlled by LGP, which currently owns     % of our common stock and will own approximately    % after the consummation of this offering. Accordingly, LGP currently controls the election of our directors and could exercise a controlling interest over our business, affairs and policies, including the appointment of our management and the entering into of business combinations or dispositions and other corporate transactions. Pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement, LGP will be entitled to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees recommended by our board of directors for election to our board of directors. So long as LGP owns, in the aggregate, (i) at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), LGP will be entitled to nominate          directors, (ii) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate         directors, (iii) less than         % but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate          directors, (iv) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate          directors, (v) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of

 

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our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate          directors and (vi) less than         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering, it will not be entitled to nominate a director. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Shareholders Agreement.” The directors LGP elects have the authority to incur additional debt, issue or repurchase stock, declare dividends and make other decisions that could be detrimental to shareholders. Even if LGP were to own or control less than a majority of our total outstanding shares of common stock, it will be able to influence the outcome of corporate actions so long as it owns a significant portion of our total outstanding shares of common stock.

LGP may have interests that are different from yours and may vote in a way with which you disagree and that may be adverse to your interests. In addition, LGP’s concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which could cause the market price of our common stock to decline or prevent our shareholders from realizing a premium over the market price for their common stock.

Additionally, LGP is in the business of making investments in companies and may from time to time acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us or supply us with goods and services. LGP may also pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. Shareholders should consider that the interests of LGP may differ from their interests in material respects.

We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the                rules and, as a result, will qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.

Following the consummation of this offering, LGP will continue to control a majority of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we expect to be a “controlled company” within the meaning of                 corporate governance standards. A company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, a group or another company is a “controlled company” within the meaning of                 rules and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements of                 , including:

 

   

the requirement that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors;

 

   

the requirement that we have a nominating/corporate governance committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities;

 

   

the requirement that we have a compensation committee that is comprised entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and

 

   

the requirement for an annual performance evaluation of the nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees.

Following this offering, we intend to rely on all of the exemptions listed above. If we do utilize the exemptions, we will not have a majority of independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees will not consist entirely of independent directors. As a result, our board of directors and those committees may have more directors who do not meet                 ’s independence standards than they would if those standards were to apply. The independence standards are intended to ensure that directors who meet those standards are free of any conflicting interest that could influence their actions as directors. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the                .

 

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Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market by our existing shareholders could cause our stock price to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. Substantially all of our existing shareholders are subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters of this offering that restrict the shareholders’ ability to transfer shares of our common stock for         days from the date of this prospectus, subject to certain exceptions. The lock-up agreements limit the number of shares of common stock that may be sold immediately following the public offering. After this offering, we will have                outstanding shares of common stock based on the number of shares outstanding as of                , 2021. Subject to limitations,                shares will become eligible for sale upon expiration of the lock-up period, as calculated and described in more detail in the section entitled “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.” In addition,                  shares issued or issuable upon exercise of options vested as of the expiration of the lock-up period will be eligible for sale at that time. Further, the representatives of the underwriters may, in their sole discretion, release all or some portion of the shares subject to the lock-up agreements at any time and for any reason. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” for more information. Sales of a substantial number of such shares upon expiration of the lock-up agreements, the perception that such sales may occur, or early release of these agreements, could have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.

Moreover, after this offering, holders of    % of our outstanding common stock will have rights, subject to certain conditions such as the         -day lock-up arrangement described above, to require us to file registration statements for the public sale of their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other shareholders. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act, except for shares held by our affiliates as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Any sales of securities by these shareholders could have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.

You will incur immediate dilution as a result of this offering.

If you purchase common stock in this offering, you will pay more for your shares than the amounts paid by existing shareholders for their shares. As a result, you will incur immediate dilution of $                 per share, representing the difference between the assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share (the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus) and our as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share after giving effect to this offering. See “Dilution.”

We may allocate the net proceeds from this offering in ways that you and other shareholders may not approve.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled “Use of Proceeds.” Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply our net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment, and the failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short- and intermediate-term, interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade instruments, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our shareholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance shareholder value, we may fail to achieve expected results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

Because our executive officers hold or may hold restricted shares or option awards that will vest upon a change of control, these officers may have interests in us that conflict with yours.

Our executive officers hold or may hold restricted shares and options to purchase shares that would automatically vest upon a change of control. As a result, these officers may view certain change of control

 

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transactions more favorably than an investor due to the vesting opportunities available to them and, as a result, may have an economic incentive to support a transaction that may not be viewed as favorable by other shareholders.

We may change our dividend policy at any time.

Although following this offering we initially expect to pay quarterly dividends to holders of our common stock, we have no obligation to pay any dividend, and our dividend policy may change at any time without notice. The declaration and amount of any future dividends is subject to the discretion of our board of directors in determining whether dividends are in the best interest of our shareholders based on our financial performance and other factors and are in compliance with all laws and agreements applicable to the declaration and payment of cash dividends by us. In addition, our ability to pay dividends on our common stock is currently limited by the covenants of our Credit Facilities and may be further restricted by the terms of any future debt or preferred securities. See “Dividend Policy” and Note 2 to our audited financial statements and Note 2 to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Future dividends may also be affected by factors that our board of directors deems relevant, including our potential future capital requirements for investments, legal risks, changes in federal and state income tax laws or corporate laws and contractual restrictions such as financial or operating covenants in our debt arrangements. As a result, there can be no assurance that we will not need to reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends on our common stock in the future, and any return on investment in our common stock may be solely dependent upon the appreciation of the price of our common stock on the open market, which may not occur.

Some provisions of our charter documents and Delaware law may have anti-takeover effects that could discourage an acquisition of us by others, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our shareholders, and may prevent attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current management.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, as well as provisions of the DGCL could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us or increase the cost of acquiring us, even if doing so would benefit our shareholders, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions include:

 

   

establishing a classified board of directors such that not all members of the board are elected at one time;

 

   

allowing the total number of directors to be determined exclusively (subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock to elect additional directors) by resolution of our board of directors and granting to our board the sole power (subject to the rights of holders of any series of preferred stock or rights granted pursuant to the shareholders’ agreement) to fill any vacancy on the board;

 

   

providing that our stockholders may remove members of our board of directors only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of our then-outstanding stock, following such time as LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, at least 50% of the voting power of our common stock;

 

   

authorizing the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock by our board of directors, without further shareholder approval, to thwart a takeover attempt;

 

   

prohibiting shareholder action by written consent (and, thus, requiring that all shareholder actions be taken at a meeting of our shareholders), if LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, at least 50% of the voting power of our common stock;

 

   

eliminating the ability of shareholders to call a special meeting of shareholders, except for LGP, so long as LGP owns, or has the right to direct the vote of, at least 50% of the voting power of our common stock;

 

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establishing advance notice requirements for nominations for election to the board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon at annual shareholder meetings; and

 

   

requiring the approval of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, to amend or repeal our certificate of incorporation or bylaws if LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, at least 50% of the voting power of our common stock.

In addition, while we have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period following the time that the shareholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

   

prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested stockholder;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

 

   

at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction provided for or through us resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who owns 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock and the affiliates and associates of such person. For purposes of this provision, “voting stock” means any class or series of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that LGP, its affiliates and any of its direct or indirect designated transferees (other than in certain market transfers and gifts) and any group of which such persons are a party do not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who qualifies as an “interested stockholder” to effect certain business combinations with us for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our board of directors in order to avoid the shareholder approval requirement if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that results in the shareholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that our shareholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests. See “Description of Capital Stock.”

These anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other shareholders to elect directors of your choosing and cause us to take corporate actions other than those you desire.

 

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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or federal district courts of the United States will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of lawsuits, which could limit our shareholders’ abilities to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, or other employees to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the amended and restated certificate of incorporation or the proposed bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware if the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction). The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will also require that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act; however, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of applicable law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. These provisions would not apply to any suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

General Risks

Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected by various litigation and regulatory proceedings.

We are subject to litigation and regulatory proceedings in the normal course of business and could become subject to additional claims in the future. These proceedings have included, and in the future may include, matters involving personnel and employment issues, workers’ compensation, personal and property injury, disputes relating to acquisitions, governmental investigations and other proceedings. Some historical and current legal proceedings and future legal proceedings may purport to be brought as class actions on behalf of similarly situated parties including with respect to employment-related matters. We cannot be certain of the ultimate outcomes of any such claims, and resolution of these types of matters against us may result in significant fines, judgments or settlements, which, if uninsured, or if the fines, judgments and settlements exceed insured levels, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Inadequacy of our insurance coverage could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We maintain third party insurance coverage against various liability risks and risks of property loss, including data security breach and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage. Potential liabilities associated with those risks or other events could exceed the coverage provided by such arrangements resulting in significant uninsured liabilities, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, or if they issue unfavorable commentary about us or our industry or downgrade our common stock, the price of our common stock could decline.

The trading market for our common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that third-party securities analysts publish about us and our industry. One or more analysts could downgrade our common stock

 

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or issue other negative commentary about us or our industry. In addition, we may be unable or slow to attract research coverage. Alternatively, if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us, we could lose visibility in the market. As a result of one or more of these factors, the trading price of our common stock could decline.

Becoming a public company will increase our compliance costs significantly and require the expansion and enhancement of a variety of financial and management control systems and infrastructure and the hiring of significant additional qualified personnel.

Prior to this offering, we have not been subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, or the other rules and regulations of the SEC, or any securities exchange relating to public companies. We are working with our legal, independent accounting and financial advisors to identify those areas in which changes should be made to our financial and management control systems to manage our growth and our obligations as a public company. These areas include financial planning and analysis, tax, corporate governance, accounting policies and procedures, internal controls, internal audit, disclosure controls and procedures and financial reporting and accounting systems. We have made, and will continue to make, significant changes in these and other areas. However, the expenses that will be required in order to adequately prepare for being a public company could be material. Compliance with the various reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies will also require considerable time and attention of management and will also require us to successfully hire and integrate a significant number of additional qualified personnel into our existing finance, legal, human resources and operations departments.

We will be exposed to risks relating to evaluations of controls required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

We are in the process of evaluating our internal controls systems to allow management to report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm to audit, our internal controls over financial reporting. We will be performing the system and process evaluation and testing (and any necessary remediation) required to comply with the management certification and, if required, the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We will be required to comply with Section 404 in full (including an auditor attestation on management’s internal controls report) in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year following our first annual report required to be filed with the SEC (subject to any change in applicable SEC rules). Furthermore, upon completion of this process, we may identify control deficiencies of varying degrees of severity under applicable SEC and PCAOB rules and regulations that require remediation. As a public company, we will be required to report, among other things, control deficiencies that constitute a “material weakness” or changes in internal controls that, or that are reasonably likely to, materially affect internal controls over financial reporting. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. A “significant deficiency” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting that is less severe than a material weakness, yet important enough to merit attention by those responsible for oversight of our financial reporting.

To comply with the requirements of being a public company, we have undertaken various actions, and may need to take additional actions, such as implementing and enhancing our internal controls and procedures and hiring additional accounting or internal audit staff. Testing and maintaining internal controls can divert our management’s attention from other matters that are important to the operation of our business. Additionally, when evaluating our internal control over financial reporting, we may identify material weaknesses that we may not be able to remediate in time to meet the applicable deadline imposed upon us for compliance with the requirements of Section 404. If we identify any material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting or are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, if we are required to make restatements of our financial statements, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy,

 

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completeness or reliability of our financial reports and the trading price of our common stock may be adversely affected, and we could become subject to sanctions or investigations by                 , the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources. In addition, if we fail to remedy any material weakness, our financial statements could be inaccurate and we could face restricted access to the capital markets.

If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, our results of operations could fall below our publicly announced guidance or the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our common stock.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. If our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from our assumptions, our results of operations may be adversely affected and could fall below our publicly announced guidance or the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of our common stock.

Natural disasters, geo-political events and other highly disruptive events could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, such as fires, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, floods and earthquakes, geo-political events, such as civil unrest in a country in which our suppliers are located or terrorist or military activities disrupting transportation, communication or utility systems or other highly disruptive events, such as nuclear accidents, public health epidemics or pandemics (such as the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak), unusual weather conditions or cyberattacks, could adversely affect our operations and financial performance. Such events could result in physical damage to or destruction or disruption of one or more of our properties (including our corporate offices, distribution centers and locations) or properties used by third parties in connection with the supply of products or services to us, the lack of an adequate workforce in parts or all of our operations, supply chain disruptions, data, utility and communications disruptions, fewer customers visiting our locations, including due to quarantines or public health crises, the inability of our customers to reach or have transportation to our locations directly affected by such events and the inability to operate our e-commerce business. In addition, these events could cause a temporary reduction in consumer sales or the ability to sell our products or could indirectly result in increases in the costs of our insurance if they result in significant loss of property or other insurable damage. These factors could also cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease or result in increased volatility in the U.S. and global financial markets and economies. Any of these developments could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “seek,” “vision,” or “should,” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include those we make regarding the following matters:

 

   

the effects of potential changes to U.S. trade regulations and policies, including tariffs, on our business;

 

   

developments involving our competitors and our industry;

 

   

potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

   

our ability to timely identify or effectively respond to consumer trends, and the potential effects of that ability on our relationship with our customers, the demand for our products and our market share;

 

   

our expectations regarding the seasonality of our business;

 

   

our ability to manage the distinct risks facing our e-commerce business and maintain a relevant omni-channel experience for our customers;

 

   

our ability to maintain or negotiate favorable lease terms;

 

   

our ability to anticipate and effectively respond to disruptions or inefficiencies in our distribution network, e-commerce fulfillment function and transportation system;

 

   

our ability to execute on our growth strategy to renovate and improve the performance of our existing locations;

 

   

our ability to execute on our cost-saving initiatives;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain a qualified management team and other team members while controlling our labor costs;

 

   

the impact of our debt and lease obligations on our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations and maintain flexibility in operating our business;

 

   

our reliance on and relationships with third party service providers;

 

   

our reliance on and relationships with foreign suppliers and their ability to supply us with adequate, timely, and cost-effective product supplies;

 

   

our ability to maintain security and prevent unauthorized access to electronic and other confidential information;

 

   

the impacts of potential disruptions to our information systems, including our websites and mobile applications;

 

   

our ability to respond to risks associated with existing and future payment options;

 

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our ability to maintain and enhance a strong brand image;

 

   

our ability to maintain adequate insurance coverage;

 

   

our status as a “controlled company” and LGP’s control of us as a public company; and

 

   

the impact of evolving governmental laws and regulations and the outcomes of legal proceedings.

The preceding list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of our forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors, including those discussed in this prospectus under the headings “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Business,” may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations and financial results and on the world economy as a whole may heighten the risks and uncertainties that affect our forward-looking statements described above. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and events in the industry in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods.

Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this prospectus.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from our sale of shares in this offering will be approximately $                 million, based on the assumed initial public offering price of $                per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, including any net proceeds from the underwriters’ exercise of the over-allotment option to purchase additional shares from us, for general corporate purposes. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, we estimate that the net proceeds to be received by us will be approximately $                 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock in this offering by the Selling Shareholders. We have agreed to pay the expenses of the Selling Shareholders related to this offering other than the underwriting discounts and commissions.

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $                , assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Each increase (decrease) of                  shares in the number of shares sold in this offering, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by approximately $                , assuming an initial public offering price of $                per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The information discussed above is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

As a public company we anticipate paying a quarterly dividend to holders of our common stock. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our business is conducted through our subsidiaries. Dividends, distributions and other payments from, and cash generated by, our subsidiaries will be our principal sources of cash to repay indebtedness, fund operations and pay dividends. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. In addition, the covenants in the agreements governing our existing indebtedness, including the Credit Facilities, significantly restrict the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or otherwise transfer assets to us, which in turn limits our ability to pay dividends on our common stock. Based on the status of the factors listed above, the anticipated size of our intended quarterly dividend, the current relationships with our operating subsidiaries and the status of our various operating and debt agreements, we believe that we have sufficient liquidity and authorization to be able to pay our intended dividend. See Note 2 to our audited and unaudited financial statements and “Description of Certain Indebtedness” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, for descriptions of restrictions on our ability to pay dividends.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our consolidated capitalization as of October 31, 2020:

 

   

on an actual basis;

 

   

on an as adjusted basis, to give effect to: (i) the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and (ii) the issuance and sale by us of                 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The information discussed below is illustrative only, and our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization following the consummation of this offering will adjust based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read the data set forth below in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Certain Indebtedness” and the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

(In millions, except per share data)

   Actual      As Adjusted(1)  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 33.2      $                    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt, including current maturities:

     

ABL Facility(2)

     217.0     

First Lien Facility

     635.4     

Second Lien Facility

     77.3     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt

     929.7     

Shareholders’ equity (deficit):

     

Preferred stock; $0.01 par value per share; no shares authorized, issued and outstanding, actual;             shares authorized and no shares issued and outstanding as adjusted

     —       

Common stock; $0.01 par value per share; 2,125,000 shares authorized, 428,765 shares issued and 406,405 shares outstanding, actual;             shares authorized,             shares issued and             shares outstanding as adjusted

     —       

Additional paid-in capital

     124.6     

Retained (deficit)

     (107.3   

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (0.5   

Treasury stock at cost; 22,360 shares outstanding actual,             shares outstanding as adjusted

     (13.3   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity

     3.5     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capitalization

   $ 933.2      $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $                per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in-capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by $                million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of                      shares in the

 

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  number of shares sold in this offering, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, additional paid-in-capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by $                 million, assuming the assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
(2)

Subsequent to October 31, 2020, we entered into an amendment and extended the maturity date and increased our borrowing capacity under the ABL Facility to up to $500.0 million.

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering excludes:

 

   

35,939.118 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2012 Equity Plan as of October 31, 2020 at a weighted average exercise price of $524.80 per share; and

 

   

                 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

DILUTION

If you purchase any of the shares offered by this prospectus, you will experience dilution to the extent of the difference between the offering price per share that you pay in this offering and our as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) per share of our common stock immediately after this offering.

Net tangible book value (deficit) is total tangible assets less total liabilities, which is not included within shareholders’ equity. Tangible assets represent total assets excluding goodwill and other intangible assets. Net tangible book value (deficit) per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value (deficit) by the aggregate number of shares of common stock outstanding.

Our net tangible book value (deficit) as of October 31, 2020 was $(537.3) million, or $(1,322.16) per share of common stock. Our as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) as of October 31, 2020 was $         million, or $         per share of common stock.

After giving further effect to our sale of shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $                per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of October 31, 2020 would have been $                million, or $                per share. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $                per share to our existing shareholders and an immediate dilution of $                per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering. Dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value (deficit) represents the difference between the price per share paid by investors in this offering and our net tangible book value per share of immediately after the offering.

The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis:

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

                       $                

Net tangible book value (deficit) per share as of October 31, 2020 before this offering

   $                                    

Increase in as adjusted net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering

     

As adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Dilution per share to new investors purchasing common stock in this offering

      $    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial offering price of $                per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value by $                , or $                per share, and the dilution per common share to new investors in this offering by $                per share, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase of                      shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase the as adjusted net tangible book value per share by $                and decrease the dilution per share to new investors by $                , assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A decrease of                      shares in the number of shares of common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would decrease the as adjusted net tangible book value per share by $                and increase the dilution per share to new investors by $                , assuming no change in the assumed initial public offering price and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

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Sales by the Selling Shareholders in this offering will reduce the number of shares held by existing shareholders to                , or approximately     % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering, which will increase the number of shares held by new investors to ,                or approximately     % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering.

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full, the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after giving effect to this offering would be $                per share, and the dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors in this offering would be $                per share.

The following table summarizes, as of October 31, 2020, on an as adjusted basis, the number of shares of common stock purchased or to be purchased from us, the total consideration paid or to be paid to us and the average price per share paid by existing shareholders or to be paid by new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $                per share, which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

    

Shares Purchased

   

Total Consideration

   

Average
Price
Per Share

 
    

Number

    

Percent

   

Amount

    

Percent

 

Existing shareholders

                            $                         $            
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

New investors

            
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Total

        100     $        100  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $                 per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors by $                 million and total consideration paid by all shareholders and average price per share paid by all shareholders by $                 million and $                 per share, respectively, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. An increase (decrease) of                  shares in the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) total consideration paid by new investors by $                 million and total consideration paid by all shareholders and average price per share paid by all shareholders by $                 million and $                 per share, respectively, assuming the assumed initial public offering price remains the same, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

Except as otherwise indicated, the above discussion and tables assume the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares in this offering. If the underwriters fully exercise their option to purchase                 additional shares of our common stock from us in this offering, the as adjusted net tangible book value per share would be $                per share and the dilution to new investors in this offering would be $                 per share. If the underwriters fully exercise their option, the number of shares held by new investors will increase to                 shares of our common stock, or approximately     % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering, including the shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders.

The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering excludes:

 

   

35,939.118 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding under the 2012 Equity Plan as of October 31, 2020 at a weighted average exercise price of $524.80 per share; and

 

   

                additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, which will become effective once the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part is declared effective.

 

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To the extent any options are granted and exercised in the future, there may be additional economic dilution to new investors.

In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our shareholders.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

We have derived the following selected consolidated statements of operations and cash flow data for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet data for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019 from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the following selected consolidated statements of operations and cash flow data for the fiscal years ended January, 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of February 3, 2018, January 28, 2017 and January 30, 2016 from our audited consolidated financial statements not included in this prospectus.

We have derived the following selected consolidated statements of operations and of cash flow data for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019 and our consolidated balance sheet data as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019 from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have prepared our unaudited consolidated financial statements on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements and have included all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments that, in our opinion are necessary to fairly state the financial information set forth in those statements.

The historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. You should read the selected consolidated financial data presented below in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

   

Thirty-Nine Weeks  Ended

    Fiscal Year Ended(a)  

(In millions, except for share data)

 

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

   

January 28,

2017

   

January 30,
2016

 

Statements of consolidated income (loss) data:

             

Net sales

  $ 1,921.5     $ 1,545.6     $ 2,241.2     $ 2,324.8     $ 2,314.3     $ 2,284.8     $ 2,358.7  

Cost of sales

    949.8       768.6       1,135.9       1,148.3       1,130.3       1,124.9       1,195.4  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    818.2       723.0       977.4       951.4       943.4       924.5       944.5  

Depreciation and amortization

    59.8       57.3       77.5       76.0       78.8       80.2       87.7  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

    —         130.4       486.8       —         —         —         —    
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating profit (loss)

    93.7       (133.7     (436.4     149.1       161.8       155.2       131.1  

Interest expense, net

    55.0       77.6       101.9       101.1       95.4       97.9       100.1  

Debt related (gain) loss

    (152.9     —         (3.8     2.4       0.9       6.8       (19.7
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other income

    —         —         —         —         —         —         (0.7

Income (loss) before income taxes

    191.6       (211.3     (534.5     45.6       65.5       50.5       51.4  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    17.6       (22.8     12.1       10.3       (31.0     18.7       18.3  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 174.0     $ (188.5   $ (546.6   $ 35.3     $ 96.5     $ 31.8     $ 33.1  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Earnings per common share:

             

Basic

                                                                                                                                    

Diluted

             

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

             

Basic

             

Diluted

             

Consolidated statements of cash flows data:

             

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

  $ 185.8     $ (170.4   $ (33.9   $ 99.0     $ 97.7     $ 90.2     $ 56.1  

 

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Thirty-Nine Weeks  Ended

    Fiscal Year Ended(a)  

(In millions, except for share data)

 

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

   

January 28,

2017

   

January 30,
2016

 

Net cash used for investing activities

    (28.2     (64.8     (79.5     (49.7     (50.8     (30.1     (39.9

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities

    (148.8     210.5       86.3       (25.1     (42.3     (125.5     (58.1
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance sheets data:

             

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 33.2       26.8     $ 24.4     $ 51.5     $ 27.3     $ 22.7     $ 88.1  

Total current assets

    799.6       877.7       719.8       710.0       642.1       605.1       646.5  

Goodwill

    162.0       513.4       162.0       643.8       643.8       640.0       640.0  

Total assets

    2,519.6       2,830.6       2,301.3       2,070.8       2,035.6       2,029.0       2,123.5  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

    651.4       541.4       498.2       394.9       347.2       312.3       296.0  

Long-term debt, net

    921.6       1,337.2       1,210.2       1,106.3       1,123.0       1,178.6       1,289.4  

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

    3.5       185.6       (172.0     373.2       338.6       241.6       208.7  

Other financial and operating data:

             

Adjusted EBITDA (b)

  $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0     $ 261.8     $ 252.9     $ 240.6  

Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales (b)

    11.6     5.2     7.3     11.1     11.3     11.1     10.2

 

(a)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks. See “Basis of Presentation.”

(b)

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus income tax provision (benefit), interest expense, net, debt related (gain) loss, other income and depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to eliminate the impact of certain non-cash items and other items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance, including costs related to strategic initiatives, COVID-19 costs, technology development expense, stock-based compensation expense, loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets, goodwill and trade name impairment, sponsor management fees, location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets and other one-time costs. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA in the applicable table below.

We present Adjusted EBITDA, which is not a recognized financial measure under GAAP, because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. You are encouraged to evaluate these adjustments and the reasons we consider them appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. There can be no assurance that we will not modify the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA following this offering, and any such modification may be material. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance compared to other measures, which can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. We also use Adjusted EBITDA in connection with establishing discretionary annual incentive compensation; to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies; to make budgeting decisions; to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures; and because our Credit Facilities use measures similar to Adjusted EBITDA to measure our compliance with certain covenants.

Adjusted EBITDA has its limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditure or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in our cash requirements for our working capital needs;

 

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Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense and the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash requirements for replacement of assets that are being depreciated and amortized;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect non-cash compensation, which is a key element of our overall long-term compensation;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the impact of certain cash charges or cash receipts resulting from matters we do not find indicative of our ongoing operations; and

 

   

other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do.

The following is a reconciliation of our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

 

   

Thirty-Nine Weeks
Ended

    Fiscal Year Ended (1)  

(In millions)

 

October
31,
2020

   

November 2,
2019

   

February 1,
2020

   

February 2,
2019

   

February 3,
2018

   

January 28,

2017

   

January 30,

2016

 

Net income (loss)

  $ 174.0     $ (188.5   $ (546.6   $ 35.3     $ 96.5     $ 31.8     $ 33.1  

Income tax provision (benefit)

    17.6       (22.8     12.1       10.3       (31.0     18.7       18.3  

Interest expense, net

    55.0       77.6       101.9       101.1       95.4       97.9       100.1  

Debt related (gain) loss (2)

    (152.9     —         (3.8     2.4       0.9       6.8       (19.7

Other income

    —         —         —         —         —         —         (0.7

Depreciation and amortization (3)

    60.2       57.7       78.0       76.2       78.6       79.3       86.2  

Strategic initiatives (4)

    4.1       7.8       9.0       7.3       3.4       0.6       1.4  

COVID-19 costs (5)

    48.4       —         —         —         —         —         —    

Technology development expense (6)

    3.6       3.7       6.4       3.9       3.5       1.1       —    

Stock-based compensation expense

    1.1       0.9       1.2       0.6       1.0       1.1       1.1  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

    3.6       0.4       1.0       3.2       1.4       2.0       6.4  

Goodwill and trade name impairment (7)

    —         130.4       486.8       —         —         —         —    

Sponsor management fee (8)

    0.8       3.8       5.0       5.0       5.0       5.0       5.0  

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

    5.0       6.8       9.2       6.0       4.4       5.5       5.7  

Other (9)

    1.7       1.8       2.4       6.7       2.7       3.1       3.7  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0     $ 261.8     $ 252.9     $ 240.6  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks. See “Basis of Presentation.”

(2)

“Debt related (gain) loss” represents gains associated with debt repurchases below par and write off of unamortized fees and original issue discount associated with debt refinancings.

(3)

“Depreciation and amortization” represents depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, amortization of favorable and unfavorable lease rights, and amortization of content costs.

(4)

“Strategic initiatives” represents non-recurring costs, such as third-party consulting costs and one-time start-up costs, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred to execute differentiated, project-based strategic initiatives, including costs (i) to design a new prototype for locations, (ii) related to our efforts to initially evaluate and implement opportunities to offset the significant costs incurred due to the new U.S. tariffs on merchandise produced in China, (iii) to start up a new technology product that would traditionally be incurred by our vendors, (iv) to evaluate our opportunity in new potential lines of business, (v) to identify opportunities to diversify sourcing and reduce indirect costs, (vi) to analyze improved supply chain capabilities, and (vii) related to one-time legal and accounting fees associated with our planned initial public offering.

(5)

“COVID-19 costs” represents premium pay for location team members (including cleaning and location capacity management labor), incremental seasonal clearance associated with location closures, donations for our mask making initiative and additional location cleaning supplies.

 

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(6)

“Technology development expense” represents one-time IT project management and implementation expenses, such as temporary labor costs, third-party consulting fees and user fees incurred during the development period of a new software application, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred for the initial implementation of unique and differentiated software applications or other technology systems across different functional operations of our business before they are in productive use.

(7)

Based on our evaluation for impairment of the carrying amount of goodwill and trade name on our balance sheet. Impairment recorded was driven predominantly by the result of negative total comparable sales and declining margins, primarily resulting from the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See Note 6—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

(8)

“Sponsor management fee” represents management fees paid to our sponsor, LGP (or advisory affiliates thereof), in accordance with our management services agreement, which will terminate upon the consummation of this offering.

(9)

“Other” represents one-time severance, certain legal, executive leadership transition and business transition expenses.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with the “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. Some of the information included in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this prospectus, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” sections of this prospectus for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.

We report on the basis of a 52- or 53-week fiscal year, which ends on the Saturday closest to the last day of January. Accordingly, references herein to references herein to “fiscal year 2018” relate to the 53 weeks ended February 3, 2018, references herein to “fiscal year 2019” relate to the 52 weeks ended February 2, 2019 and references herein to “fiscal year 2020” relate the 52 weeks ended February 1, 2020. The third quarter of fiscal year 2021 ended on October 31, 2020, and the third quarter of fiscal year 2020 ended on November 2, 2019, and both three-quarter periods include thirty-nine weeks. References herein to “third quarter of fiscal year 2021” relate to the thirteen weeks ended October 31, 2020, “second quarter of fiscal year 2021” relate to the thirteen weeks ended August 1, 2020, “third quarter of fiscal year 2020” relate to the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 and “second quarter of fiscal year 2020” relate to the thirteen weeks ended August 3, 2019.

Overview

JOANN is the nation’s category leader in Sewing and one of the fastest growing players in the arts and crafts category. The Creative Products industry is a large and growing market, which according to a 2017 Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) study is in excess of $40 billion. The industry is currently experiencing a significant acceleration for product demand in response to multiple secular themes, such as heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers and increased digital engagement, of which we are a key beneficiary because we have positioned ourselves and our go-forward strategies to capitalize on increased demand for Creative Products. As a well-established and trusted brand for over 75 years, we believe we have a deep understanding of our customers, what inspires their creativity and what fuels their incredibly diverse projects. Since 2016, we have embarked on a strategy to transform JOANN, which has helped us pivot from a traditional retailer to a fully-integrated, digitally-connected provider of Creative Products.

As the nation’s category leader in Sewing with approximately one-third market share, based on our internal research estimates of market share of the Creative Products industry that primarily consist of an annual survey of Creative Product consumers as of July 31, 2020, we believe we offer the broadest selection of products while being committed to providing the most inspiration, helpful service and education to our customers. While we continue to gain market share and solidify this leadership position in Sewing, which represented 49% of our total net sales in the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020, we have also been growing share and believe we have further significant share opportunity in the arts and crafts category. We are well-positioned in the marketplace and have multiple competitive advantages, including our broad assortment, established omni-channel platform, multi-faceted digital interface with customers and skilled and knowledgeable team members. We offer an extensive assortment, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs online, across Creative Product categories. Over 50% of our in-store net sales cannot be directly comparison-shopped because of our strong and growing own-brand portfolio, including our copyrighted or proprietary fabric patterns and designs and factory direct relationships. We have expanded access to this broad assortment through e-commerce and digital capabilities that complement our physical network, drive customer engagement and deliver an exceptional customer experience while supporting consistently strong gross margins. Through our omni-channel platform, we serve our customers in a differentiated manner by offering several

 

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convenient fulfillment options, including BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home offerings. Our omni-channel platform operates at a large scale, having generated $423 million in net sales in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020, including $376 million in net sales in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and following $126 million, $103 million and $87 million in net sales in fiscal years 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Our data-driven digital capabilities further reinforce our relationship with our customers. Customers connect with us through our newly re-designed mobile-first website, joann.com, and our widely-used mobile application with over 11.8 million downloads. As of the end the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, we had over 69 million addressable customers in our vast database, over 16 million customers in our email database and 4.5 million customers in our SMS text database. These points of differentiation are reinforced by our knowledgeable, friendly and trusted team members, a significant number of whom are sewing and craft enthusiasts, who offer a service-oriented experience for our customers that we believe cannot be replicated by mass retailers or pure play online players.

In 2016, we accelerated our journey to transform JOANN by reinventing the in-store and digital customer experience. We recruited talent at every level of the company and across all key business areas to complement our existing expertise. This undertaking has resulted in significant enhancements to our value proposition, including reinvigorating our core merchandise assortment, refreshing our branding, developing a location refresh prototype and improving the customer experience. We improved our assortment by conducting a systematic review of all categories at a product-level and all layouts at a location-level in order to optimize sales and gross margin. We have also expanded our data-driven digital footprint, which includes our extensive digital marketing assets, CRM system, social media platforms and e-commerce capabilities. We better understand our customers through our centralized database that brings together how each customer interacts in our physical and digital properties and provides a holistic view of their behavior. We are able to utilize this data to drive engagement with our brand, create loyalty and inspire, educate and ensure we are increasing our share of customer spend through timely and relevant marketing. By using data and digital contact channels, including email and SMS digital display, and leveraging our mobile application, we are able to contact customers with personalized content and provide the convenience to shop wherever and however they choose. We believe that these core initiatives and transformational investments have driven our performance and increased customer engagement over the last several years and strategically position us to continue to create long-term value. This momentum was temporarily interrupted in fiscal year 2020 by the unanticipated headwind of incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports that we estimate, before mitigation, would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs, as these tariffs applied to a broad range our products. However, after working to partially offset their effects and having incorporated the balance of these tariffs into our cost base, we are driving strong operating profit growth across both our locations and e-commerce platform as well as achieving margin expansion.

Factors Affecting Our Business

Overall economic trends. The overall economic environment and related changes in consumer behavior have a significant impact on our business. Spending by customers on our products and services is primarily discretionary, and as a result generally positive economic conditions create increased discretionary household income that promotes higher levels of spending across our business. However, the creative activities we support tend to be lower cost than other leisure activities, which could protect us to a certain degree from economic downturns. Macroeconomic factors that can affect customer spending patterns, and thereby our results of operations, include employment rates, availability of consumer credit, interest rates, tax rates and inflation, and fuel and energy costs. Macroeconomic factors can also affect our input and labor costs, notably inflation, as our financial results and ability to invest in the business are directly impacted by increases or decreases in the cost of goods and services required in our operations and initiatives. In addition to inflation, our input and labor costs are impacted by mandated costs such as minimum wages and trade policies, most significantly tariffs and duties on our products imported from foreign countries. The implementation of incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in particular has had a significant impact on our cost of goods sold, product demand and sourcing strategies. Before mitigation, we estimate that incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in fiscal year 2020 would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs, as these tariffs applied to a broad range of our products.

 

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The COVID-19 pandemic. As described below, the COVID-19 pandemic has had and is expected to continue to have a substantial impact on our business.

Consumer demand for our products and services. Our industry supports activities that are discretionary in nature and can be highly influenced by consumer trends. Our ability to achieve our desired results, including attracting new customers and growing share of spend with existing customers, depends on our ability to develop compelling product assortments and services delivered within a convenient and engaging shopping experience. Moreover, due to the nature of our business, we purchase much of our inventory well in advance of each selling season. If we misjudge consumer preferences and demand for certain products, we could be faced with excess inventories that would impact our net sales and profits.

Size and loyalty of our customer database. Our ability to effectively market to our customers is a critical component of our business success. We tier our customers based on total sales volume and frequency of purchase. For the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, 30% of our net sales were generated by our top three million customers. Our recent success is also being largely driven by new customers added to our database, as 14% of our net sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 were generated by new customers added to our database over that same time period.

Competition. The Creative Products industry includes national players and mass merchandisers that provide assortments in many of our categories albeit typically with more limited breadth, local shops that tend to feature select categories (e.g. quilting and yarn shops) and pure play e-commerce providers. We compete with all of these players for customer attention, shopping visits, exclusive vendor relationships, leadership talent and in some cases front line employees and retail locations. Our ability to be effective across all of those points of competition has a significant effect on our results of operations.

Effective development and sourcing of products. Our business success requires that we provide relevant and innovative products to our customers at competitive prices. Development of those products is dependent on effective relationships with key suppliers and in many cases internal development of new products or application of current consumer trends to existing product lines. Our ability to develop, promote and apply our exclusive brands to new products is a critical component of building competitive assortments that drive our sales. Our ability to effectively source products, including through factory direct relationships, allows us to offer assortments a competitive prices while maintaining profitable product margins.

Management of inventory and our supply chain. We offer an extensive assortment, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs through our e-commerce platforms, across Creative Product categories. The high number of SKUs required to support our business as well as the need to introduce new products and manage seasonality create complexity in our operations. We also sometimes experience long lead times for manufacture and delivery of our products, particularly those that we source directly from foreign suppliers, which further increases inventory carrying costs. The ability to effectively forecast product demand, maintain a high number of vendor relationships and order volume, replenish and allocate product and manage distribution and logistics are all critical to our success. Issues with any of these processes could result in lost sales or excess inventories which would have a negative impact on our results of operations.

Investments in our locations, technology, infrastructure, team members and new business opportunities. We have made, and will continue to make, significant investments in our business and operations. We believe these investments have laid the foundation for our results of operations and continued profitable growth. Refreshing our locations, enhancing our omni-channel and other customer-facing and supporting technologies, strengthening our core business processes, adding talent while developing our current team and making investments in ventures that augment our current business are critical to sustaining a vibrant enterprise that will drive strong financial results.

Seasonality in quarterly results. Historically, our net sales and operating profits have been materially higher in our third and fourth fiscal quarters, particularly in the months of September through December,

 

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coinciding with fall and holiday selling seasons. We incur significantly higher expenses and working capital needs in April through August in order to procure inventory to support higher levels of sales activity later in the year. Our ability to generate cash flow or otherwise finance increased costs in the earlier portion of our fiscal year is critical to achieving strong net sales and operating profit in our historically busier fall and holiday seasons.

53rd week. Our fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31 (for example, fiscal year 2018 ended on February 3, 2018). Fiscal year 2018 consisted of 53 weeks and our fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2020 each consisted of 52 weeks. Fiscal years in which there are 53 weeks will see increased net sales and expenses from the additional week.

Effects of COVID-19 on Our Business

We continue to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on all facets of our business. We have taken actions to protect the safety of our team members and customers and to manage the business through the resulting fluid and challenging environment.

In late 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19 emerged and by March 11, 2020 was declared a global pandemic by The World Health Organization. Federal, state, and local governments have since implemented various restrictions, including travel restrictions, border closings, restrictions on public gatherings, quarantining of people who may have been exposed to the virus, shelter-in-place restrictions and limitations on business operations. In response to government closure orders, we were forced to close hundreds of our locations. During the second half of March 2020 and the beginning of April 2020, approximately half of our locations were closed, either completely or to in-store traffic. However, we immediately began working diligently with local and national government officials in advocating that our business and the products we sell were essential in the fight against COVID-19, and therefore exempt from shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. Over the ensuing weeks, we began to re-open many of our locations across the country. Initially, many of these locations were re-opened for curbside pick-up only via our BOPIS ordering process. At the beginning of the second quarter of fiscal year 2021, we had fewer than 30 locations fully closed and roughly 400 locations open for curbside pick-up only, and by mid-June 2020, all locations were fully operational and open to walk-in traffic. Throughout the entirety of the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, all locations remained opened other than for temporary deep cleanings required to maintain sanitation protocols or for weather and other related hazards. Since that time, certain state and local governments have continued to impose retail closure orders and capacity restrictions, impacting some of our locations. During this time, our ability to fulfill e-commerce orders via both our BOPIS and ship-to-home programs without interruption has had a significant positive impact on our financial performance. We have also experienced an increase in sales in certain merchandise categories due to the effects of the pandemic, as consumers created personal protective equipment, or PPE, such as face masks, and engaged in more DIY projects due to additional time spent at home. This increase in activity has led to significant additions to our marketing database, which has grown by over eight million customers in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. Our ability to directly market to these new customers through our robust and efficient digital channels has led to repeat purchases across a broad array of our merchandise assortments. We have also experienced declines in sales of a limited number of categories that are tied to activities that are restricted due to the pandemic such as special occasion fabrics used by customers that plan a wedding or that make their own Halloween costumes. In addition, we incurred additional supply chain expenses to ensure we were adequately stocked on key merchandise and to mitigate supply interruptions that the pandemic caused. Our COVID-19 related costs for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 were $48.4 million. Throughout the pandemic, we have worked closely with our suppliers to manage flow of inventory and prioritize our most urgently required merchandise, as in many cases our needs have varied from earlier expectations and our suppliers have often needed to react to their own challenges presented by COVID-19. While it is difficult to estimate the sales to date that have been attributable to PPE-making with precision, we have been able to note significant changes in normal sales trends in categories that support that effort. These categories include cotton fabric, certain sewing supplies such as elastic, and sewing machines. Those favorable impacts to our sales were partially offset by mandated store closures and reduced sales in categories such as special occasion fabrics and seasonal décor and entertaining,

 

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which have been negatively impacted by broad restrictions on customer gatherings and celebrations. We estimate the net result of those impacts amount to a one-time annualized benefit to our sales of 8% to 9% for fiscal year 2021. However, we view the significant number of new customers and increased engagement by new and current customers as an encouraging signal for the future of our business. We also believe the rapid adoption by customers of our digital and omni-channel offerings is a highly scalable platform that we can leverage to increase sales and reduce costs.

In response to the pandemic, we have instituted modified or reduced hours, as well as reduced occupancy limits, for all of our locations. In certain jurisdictions, our occupancy is further limited by the relevant government authority. We have also implemented, and may need to take further steps to, make adjustments to staffing levels and location configurations to reflect not only applicable restrictions and guidelines but also potential levels of consumer engagement. We are prioritizing the health and safety of our team members and customers and, to that end, we have instituted the following guidelines within all locations:

 

   

requiring all team members in our locations to perform a health screening before each shift, which includes temperature checks, and instructing team members to stay home if they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms;

 

   

putting up signs and other indicators to promote social distancing while shopping and standing in line;

 

   

implementing increased cleaning and sanitization practices throughout the location, with additional focus on high-traffic and high-touch areas such as carts, cutting counters and checkout counters;

 

   

wearing a face mask or face shield; and

 

   

conducting a pre-opening checklist in each location each day.

Our steps to manage operation of our locations during the pandemic have added costs to our business, some of which are non-recurring in nature, including, but not limited to premium pay for our hourly employees as well as incremental labor hours and supplies to maintain sanitation and social distancing protocols. These precautions may change from time to time as local conditions and applicable health mandates change, and therefore, it is possible we may be required to temporarily close locations or limit our operations. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to our Business—Our business is subject to continued uncertainty with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

How We Assess the Performance of Our Business

In assessing our performance, we consider a variety of performance and financial measures. The key GAAP measures include net sales, cost of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses and operating profit. In addition, we also review other important non-GAAP metrics such as Adjusted EBITDA and other performance indicators such as total comparable sales.

Net Sales

Net sales are derived from direct retail sales to customers in our locations and online, net of merchandise returns, discounts and coupons, and excluding sales tax. Growth in net sales is impacted by total comparable sales, new location openings, location refreshes and closures.

Total Comparable Sales

Total comparable sales are an important measure throughout the retail industry. This measure allows us to evaluate how our location base and e-commerce business are performing by measuring the change in

 

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period-over-period net sales in locations that have been open for the applicable period. We define total comparable sales as net sales for all locations that were open for at least 12 months from their grand open date and were in operation during all of both periods being compared. In addition, total comparable sales include our e-commerce sales generated via joann.com (online sales for all products) and creativebug.com (online sales of digital videos for crafting projects). There may be variations in the way in which some of our competitors and other retailers calculate comparable sales. As a result, data in this prospectus regarding our total comparable sales may not be comparable to similar data made available by other retailers.

Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as net sales less cost of sales. Cost of sales consists primarily of the direct cost of merchandise sold at our locations and through our e-commerce platforms, along with several other costs including freight expense, vendor allowances and cash discounts, inventory shrink and clearance activity. We define gross margin rate as gross margin divided by net sales.

Our calculations of gross margins may not be directly comparable to those of our competitors. Some retailers include all of the costs related to their distribution network in cost of sales, while we exclude the indirect portion from gross margin and include it within selling, general and administrative expenses, or SG&A expenses. We include distribution costs that are directly associated with the acquisition of our merchandise and delivery to our locations in cost of sales. These costs are primarily freight incurred when we receive merchandise shipments from the vendor to our distribution centers or directly to our locations and also when we ship merchandise from our distribution centers to our locations. Freight incurred to ship e-commerce orders to our customers is also included in our cost of sales. These freight costs as well as duties, including tariffs, related to import purchases and internal transfer costs are considered to be direct costs of our merchandise and, accordingly, are recognized as cost of sales when the related merchandise is sold.

Purchasing, receiving, warehousing, fulfillment of e-commerce orders (excluding shipping costs) and other costs of our distribution network (including depreciation) and location occupancy costs are considered to be period costs not directly attributable to the value of merchandise and, accordingly, are expensed as incurred as SG&A expenses.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

SG&A expenses consist of various costs related to supporting and facilitating the sale of merchandise in our locations and via our e-commerce platforms. These costs include but are not limited to location, distribution center and administrative payroll, employee benefits, stock-based compensation, occupancy, facility and operating costs for our locations, distribution centers and corporate office, advertising expenses, payment card acceptance and interchange fees, location pre-opening and closing costs and other administrative expenses.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We present Adjusted EBITDA, which is not a recognized financial measure under GAAP, because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance compared to other measures, which can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. We also use Adjusted EBITDA in connection with establishing discretionary annual incentive compensation; to supplement GAAP measures of performance in the evaluation of the effectiveness of our business strategies; to make budgeting decisions; to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures; and because our Credit Facilities use measures similar to Adjusted EBITDA to measure our compliance with certain covenants.

 

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We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus income tax provision (benefit), interest expense, net, debt related (gain) loss, other income and depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to eliminate the impact of certain non-cash items and other items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance, including costs related to strategic initiatives, COVID-19 costs, technology development expense, stock-based compensation expense, loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets, goodwill and trade name impairment, sponsor management fees, location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets and other one-time costs. The further adjustments are itemized in the table below.

Adjusted EBITDA has its limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditure or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in our cash requirements for our working capital needs;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense and the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash requirements for replacement of assets that are being depreciated and amortized;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect non-cash compensation, which is a key element of our overall long-term compensation;

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the impact of certain cash charges or cash receipts resulting from matters we do not find indicative of our ongoing operations; and

 

   

other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do.

We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using Adjusted EBITDA only as supplemental information.

The following is a reconciliation of our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

    Fiscal Year Ended(1)  

(In millions)

  

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,
2020

   

February 2,
2019

    

February 3,

2018

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 174.0     $ (188.5   $ (546.6   $ 35.3      $ 96.5  

Income tax provision (benefit)

     17.6       (22.8     12.1       10.3        (31.0

Interest expense, net

     55.0       77.6       101.9       101.1        95.4  

Debt related (gain) loss(2)

     (152.9     —         (3.8     2.4        0.9  

Depreciation and amortization(3)

     60.2       57.7       78.0       76.2        78.6  

Strategic initiatives(4)

     4.1       7.8       9.0       7.3        3.4  

COVID-19 costs(5)

     48.4       —         —         —          —    

Technology development expense(6)

     3.6       3.7       6.4       3.9        3.5  

Stock-based compensation expense

     1.1       0.9       1.2       0.6        1.0  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

     3.6       0.4       1.0       3.2        1.4  

Goodwill and trade name impairment(7)

     —         130.4       486.8       —          —    

Sponsor management fee(8)

     0.8       3.8       5.0       5.0        5.0  

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

     5.0       6.8       9.2       6.0        4.4  

Other(9)

     1.7       1.8       2.4       6.7        2.7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0      $ 261.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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  (1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks.

  (2)

“Debt related (gain) loss” represents gains associated with debt repurchases below par and write off of unamortized fees and original issue discount associated with debt refinancings.

  (3)

“Depreciation and amortization” represents depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, amortization of favorable and unfavorable lease rights, and amortization of content costs.

  (4)

“Strategic initiatives” represents non-recurring costs, such as third-party consulting costs and one-time start-up costs, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred to execute differentiated, project-based strategic initiatives, including costs (i) to design a new prototype for locations, (ii) related to our efforts to initially evaluate and implement opportunities to offset the significant costs incurred due to the new U.S. tariffs on merchandise produced in China, (iii) to start up a new technology product that would traditionally be incurred by our vendors, (iv) to evaluate our opportunity in new potential lines of business, (v) to identify opportunities to diversify sourcing and reduce indirect costs, (vi) to analyze improved supply chain capabilities, and (vii) related to one-time legal and accounting fees associated with our planned initial public offering.

  (5)

“COVID-19 costs” represents premium pay for location team members (including cleaning and location capacity management labor), incremental seasonal clearance associated with location closures, donations for our mask making initiative and additional location cleaning supplies.

  (6)

“Technology development expense” represents one-time IT project management and implementation expenses, such as temporary labor costs, third-party consulting fees and user fees incurred during the development period of a new software application, that are not part of our ongoing operations and are incurred for the initial implementation of unique and differentiated software applications or other technology systems across different functional operations of our business before they are in productive use.

  (7)

Based on our evaluation for impairment of the carrying amount of goodwill and trade name on our balance sheet. Impairment recorded was driven predominantly by the result of negative total comparable sales and declining margins, primarily resulting from the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See Note 6—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

  (8)

“Sponsor management fee” represents management fees paid to our sponsor, LGP (or advisory affiliates thereof), in accordance with our management services agreement, which will terminate upon the consummation of this offering.

  (9)

“Other” represents severance, certain legal, executive leadership transition and business transition expenses.

Results of Operations

The following tables summarize key components of our results of operations for the periods indicated. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes.

Statement of Consolidated Income Data:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

    Fiscal Year-Ended (1)  

(In millions)

  

October 31,
2020

    

November 2,
2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 

Net sales

   $ 1,921.5      $ 1,545.6     $ 2,241.2     $ 2,324.8      $ 2,314.3  

Gross margin

     971.7        777.0       1,105.3       1,176.5        1,184.0  

SG&A expenses

     818.2        723.0       977.4       951.4        943.4  

Depreciation and amortization

     59.8        57.3       77.5       76.0        78.8  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     —          130.4       486.8       —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating profit (loss)

   $ 93.7      $ (133.7   $ (436.4   $ 149.1      $ 161.8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Other Operational Data:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

    Fiscal Year-Ended (1)  

(Dollars in millions)

  

October 31,
2020

   

November 2,
2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

 

Total comparable sales vs. prior year

     24.6     (3.3 )%      (3.6 )%      1.9     (1.4 )% 

Gross margin rate

     50.6     50.3     49.3     50.6     51.2

SG&A expenses as a % of net sales

     42.6     46.8     43.6     40.9     40.8

Operating profit (loss) as a % of net sales

     4.9     (8.7 )%      (19.5 )%      6.4     7.0

Adjusted EBITDA(2)

   $ 222.2     $ 79.6     $ 162.6     $ 258.0     $ 261.8  

Adjusted EBITDA as a % of net sales

     11.6     5.2     7.3     11.1     11.3

Total retail location count at end of period

     857       867       867       869       865  

 

(1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks.

(2)

See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss).

Comparison of the 39 Weeks Ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

Net Sales

Net sales were $1,921.5 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of $375.9 million or 24.3% compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. Total comparable sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 increased 24.6% compared with a total comparable sales decrease of (3.3)% in the same period in fiscal year 2020. The total comparable sales increase resulted from a 17% increase in average transaction value driven by both a higher number of items purchased per transaction and average unit retail value, along with a 4% increase in transactions as well as increases in freight revenue on e-commerce orders and growth in subscription and other services revenue. Our total comparable sales also grew as a result of increasing customer demand in our digital and omni-channel offerings. We saw strong positive results across most products in our Sewing, arts and crafts and home décor categories.

Gross Margin

Gross margin was $971.7 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of $194.7 million or 25.1% compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. That increase was primarily driven by an increase in net sales and further supported by an increase in our gross margin rate. Gross margin rate was 50.6% for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of 30 basis points compared to the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019. Improvements in product costs obtained through our strategic sourcing efforts and optimization of our promotional discounts were partially offset by incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, which were not fully reflected in our annual gross margin rates until mid-third quarter of fiscal year 2021, and increases in theft, loss and damage of merchandise inventory, which we refer to as inventory shrink.

We also experienced increases in several costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including import costs to expedite delivery of critical merchandise, incremental clearance activity in our spring holiday businesses and cost of donated product related to our community support efforts.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

SG&A expenses were $818.2 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of $95.2 million or 13.2% compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. This increase was primarily driven by $34.6 million of incremental one-time expenses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which included maintaining protocols to ensure a safe environment for our customers and team members through intensified cleaning and stronger focus on capacity management, along with additional labor costs associated with premium pay provided from April through October to all of our essential hourly team members. In addition, we provided

 

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for increases in expected payments under our incentive compensation plans of $27.6 million which was driven by our favorable financial performance year to date compared to our expectations. Finally, we experienced higher location labor of $25.2 million along with payment card interchange fees and other variable expenses of $7.4 million due to our higher total comparable sales.

As a percentage of net sales, SG&A expenses for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 were 42.6%, a decrease of 420 basis points compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. This improvement was driven by our ability to leverage our net sales increase against expenses that have grown more slowly, even after absorbing incremental expenses to manage through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense was $59.8 million in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of $2.5 million compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. This increase was driven primarily by investments in location refresh and technology projects in fiscal year 2020.

Goodwill Impairment

There were no goodwill impairment losses recorded in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 due to no indication of impairment. We did record an impairment charge of $130.4 million in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, which were predominantly the result of negative total comparable sales and declining margins, driven primarily by the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See Note 6—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our unaudited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 was $55.0 million, a decrease of $22.6 million compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. This decrease in interest expense was due to lower average borrowings and lower interest rates as a result of decreases in LIBOR rates. The average debt level in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 was $1,122.2 million compared to $1,246.8 million in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019.

We had $929.7 million of debt outstanding (face value) as of October 31, 2020 versus $1,363.5 million as of November 2, 2019.

Debt Related Gain

During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, we repurchased $347.1 million in face value of the term loans provided pursuant to our Term Loan Facilities, at an average of 54% of par, resulting in a $152.9 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) and the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows included elsewhere in this prospectus. The term loan repurchases were executed, following a competitive market bidding process, through several open market purchases on arm’s length terms and in compliance with the terms of the underlying credit agreements. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $5.9 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized.

Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rate for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 was a 9.2% provision compared to a 10.8% (benefit) for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, the release of the valuation allowance for the deferred tax asset relating to interest expense

 

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carryover based on the income tax return filed for fiscal year 2020 was adjusted to actual, receivables were recorded for a net operating loss carryback from fiscal year 2020 and a settlement was reached during the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, with the IRS sustaining a favorable position taken on an amended tax return, resulting in an effective tax rate which is lower than the statutory rate for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. For the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, there was a permanent book-tax difference resulting from the $130.4 million non-deductible goodwill impairment recorded in the second quarter of fiscal year 2020.

Net Income (Loss)

Net income was $174.0 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, an increase of $362.5 million compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. The increase was driven by the factors described above.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA increased 179.1% to $222.2 million or 11.6% of net sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared to $79.6 million or 5.2% of sales for the same period in fiscal year 2020. Our growth in Adjusted EBITDA of $142.6 million and expansion of Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales of 641 basis points was driven primarily by growth in total comparable sales that exceeded our rate of growth in SG&A expenses, as well as improvements in our gross margin rate.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019

Net Sales

Net sales were $2,241.2 million in fiscal year 2020, a decrease of $83.6 million or 3.6% compared to fiscal year 2019. Total comparable sales also decreased by 3.6% compared with a total comparable sales increase of 1.9% in fiscal year 2019. This decrease in total comparable sales was driven by a decrease in transactions in part caused by actions taken by us in response to the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports.

Gross Margin

Gross margin was $1,105.3 million in fiscal year 2020, a decrease of $71.2 million or 6.1% compared to fiscal year 2019. That decrease was driven by both a decrease in net sales and a decrease in our gross margin rate. Gross margin rate was 49.3% or a decrease of 129 basis points compared to fiscal year 2019. Improvements in product costs obtained through our strategic sourcing efforts were more than offset by significant cost increases driven by the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. We also experienced increases in freight expenses and inventory shrink, which were partially offset by reduced clearance activity in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

SG&A expenses were $977.4 million in fiscal year 2020, an increase of $26.0 million or 2.7% compared to fiscal year 2019. This increase was driven by several factors including general inflation and wage increases of $15.7 million and the reclassification of sublease income of $7.1 million from an offset to SG&A to an increase in revenue which was done in association with the adoption of ASC842 in fiscal 2020. In addition, we experienced increases in our location occupancy costs of $6.8 million, a growth in insurance premiums and self-insured claims of $4.1 million and increases in our distribution center expenses of $4.1 million. Those factors were partially offset by a decrease in certain variable costs related to our decline in total comparable sales of $9.5 million and reduced incentive compensation during fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 of $5.8 million. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A expenses for fiscal year 2020 were 43.6%, an increase of 269 basis points compared to fiscal year 2019.

Distribution costs included within SG&A expenses amounted to $66.0 million in fiscal year 2020 and $62.0 million in fiscal year 2019. Location occupancy costs included within SG&A expenses amounted to $258.8 million in fiscal year 2020 and $252.0 million in fiscal year 2019.

 

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Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense increased $1.5 million to $77.5 million in fiscal year 2020 compared to $76.0 million in fiscal year 2019. This increase was driven primarily by investments in location refresh projects and technology.

Goodwill and Trade Name Impairment

During fiscal year 2020, goodwill and trade name impairment losses were $481.8 million and $5.0 million, respectively. The non-cash goodwill and trade name impairments were predominantly the result of negative total comparable sales and declining margins, driven primarily by the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, along with a weaker than expected peak selling season. See Note 8—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for fiscal year 2020 was $101.9 million, a $0.8 million increase from fiscal year 2019. This increase in interest expense was primarily due to higher average borrowings in fiscal year 2020 partially offset by a lower average interest rate as a result of decreases in LIBOR. Our average debt levels increased to $1,256.7 million in fiscal year 2020 compared to an average of $1,232.4 million in fiscal year 2019.

We had $1,235.5 million of debt outstanding (face value) as of February 1, 2020 versus $1,152.2 million as of February 2, 2019.

Debt Related Gain Loss

During fiscal year 2020, we repurchased $6.3 million in face value of the term loans provided pursuant to our Second Lien Facility at an average of 38% of par, resulting in a $3.8 million gain, which is included in debt related (gain) loss within the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income and the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows included elsewhere in this prospectus. The term loan repurchases were executed, following a competitive market bidding process, through several open market purchases on arm’s length terms and in compliance with the terms of the underlying credit agreements. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the debt related gain.

Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rate for fiscal year 2020 was a 2.3% provision compared to a 22.6% provision in fiscal year 2019. The change in the effective tax rate was primarily driven by a permanent book-tax difference resulting from the $481.8 million non-deductible goodwill impairment recorded during fiscal year 2020 and the recording of $27.9 million of valuation allowances related to limitations in the deductibility of interest expense. In fiscal year 2019, there were no book-tax differences relating to non-deductible goodwill impairment and no recording valuation allowances relating to the interest expense limitation. Our effective rate is subject to change based on the mix of income from different state jurisdictions, which tax at different rates, as well as the change in status or outcome of uncertain tax positions.

Net Income (Loss)

There was a net loss of $546.6 million in fiscal year 2020, as compared to net income of $35.3 million in the same period in fiscal year 2019. The decrease was driven by the factors described above.

 

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Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 37.0% to $162.6 million in fiscal year 2020 or 7.3% of sales compared to $258.0 million or 11.1% of sales in fiscal year 2019. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily due to our decline in total comparable sales and reduced gross margin rate that were driven by the incremental tariffs on Chinese imports.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 2, 2019 and 53 Weeks Ended February 3, 2018

Net Sales

Net sales were $2,324.8 million in fiscal year 2019, an increase of $10.5 million or 0.5% compared to fiscal year 2018. This increase was primarily driven by an increase in total comparable sales partially offset by only fifty-two weeks of sales in fiscal year 2019 compared to fifty-three weeks in fiscal year 2018. Total comparable sales increased by 1.9% compared with a total comparable sales decrease of 1.4% for fiscal year 2018. The increase in comparable sales was driven by an increase in average transaction value, partially offset by a decrease in transactions.

Gross Margin

Gross margin was $1,176.5 million in fiscal year 2019, a decrease of $7.5 million or 0.6% compared to fiscal year 2018. This decrease was primarily driven by the fact that our fiscal year 2018 included 53 weeks compared to 52 weeks in fiscal year 2019. Gross margin rate for fiscal year 2019 was 50.6% or a decrease of 55 basis points compared to fiscal year 2018. This decrease in gross margin rate was driven by additional product clearance activity, freight expenses and inventory shrink, partially offset by improved optimization of our promotional discounts as well as product cost savings generated by our direct sourcing initiatives compared to fiscal year 2018.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

SG&A expenses were $951.4 million in fiscal year 2019, an increase of $8.0 million or 0.8% compared to fiscal year 2018. This increase was primarily driven by the incremental expenses associated with our strategic initiatives and other one-time expenses such as legal settlements, loss on disposals and severance costs of $9.1 million, an increase in location payroll to support higher sales of $7.8 million, higher distribution center expenses to support increased receipt and shipment volume of $6.7 million, and an increase in location occupancy costs needed to support new and relocated locations in fiscal year 2019 of $3.2 million. Those factors were partially offset by the fact that we incurred 52 weeks of certain expenses in fiscal year 2019 as compared to 53 weeks in fiscal year 2018 of $10.3 million, a decrease in advertising expense associated with migrating to more cost efficient digital media of $5.0 million, and a decrease in the number of self-insured medical claims of $1.5 million. As a percentage of net sales, SG&A expenses were 40.9%, an increase of 16 basis points compared to fiscal year 2018.

Distribution costs included within SG&A expenses amounted to $62.0 million in fiscal year 2019 and $56.2 million in fiscal year 2018. Location occupancy costs included within SG&A expenses amounted to $252.0 million in fiscal year 2019 and $248.8 million in fiscal year 2018.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased $2.8 million to $76.0 million in fiscal year 2019 compared to $78.8 million in fiscal year 2018. This decrease was driven by the assets that became fully depreciated in fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2018 and exceeded depreciation on new investments.

 

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Interest Expense

Interest expense for fiscal year 2019 was $101.1 million, a $5.7 million increase from fiscal year 2018. The increase in interest expense was primarily due to higher average interest rates in fiscal year 2019 as a result of increases in LIBOR. Our average debt levels also increased to $1,232.4 million in fiscal year 2019 compared to an average of $1,218.7 million in fiscal year 2018.

We had $1,152.2 million of debt outstanding (face value) as of February 2, 2019 and $1,169.1 million as of February 3, 2018.

Debt Related (Gain) Loss

During fiscal year 2019, the Company repurchased $274.5 million in face value of the 9.75% cash interest/10.50% PIK interest Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2019, or the Holding Company Senior Notes, at par in conjunction with a refinancing of the Holding Company Senior Notes funded by proceeds from our Second Lien Facility, which resulted in $2.4 million of debt extinguishment costs that are included in debt related (gain) loss within the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) and the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Income Taxes

Our effective income tax rate for fiscal year 2019 increased to a 22.6% provision compared to a 47.3% benefit in fiscal year 2018. The increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to our recording of a tax benefit of $52.3 million for the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on our net deferred tax liability in fiscal year 2018.

Net Income

There was net income of $35.3 million in fiscal year 2019, as compared to net income of $96.5 million in the same period in fiscal year 2018, which represents a decrease of $61.2 million for the period ended. The decrease was driven by the factors described above.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 1.5% to $258.0 million in fiscal year 2019 or 11.1% of sales compared to $261.8 million or 11.3% of sales in fiscal year 2018. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA of $3.8 million or 21 basis points as a percentage of net sales was primarily driven by the fact that our fiscal year 2018 included 53 weeks compared to 52 weeks in our fiscal year 2019. We estimate that the 53rd week of fiscal year 2018 delivered an additional $37.1 million of net sales, $19.5 million of gross profit and $8.4 million of Adjusted EBITDA.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We have three principal sources of liquidity: cash generated from operations, cash and cash equivalents on hand and available borrowings under our ABL Facility. We believe that our cash and cash equivalents on hand, cash from operations and availability under our ABL Facility will be sufficient to cover our working capital, capital expenditure and debt service requirement needs for the foreseeable future. Please refer to “Description of Certain Indebtedness” for a description of the material terms of our Credit Facilities. As of February 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020, we were in compliance with all covenants under our debt facilities and notes.

Our capital requirements are primarily for capital expenditures in connection with new location openings, location remodels, investments in information technology, other infrastructure investments and working capital requirements for seasonal inventory build. These requirements fluctuate during the year and reach their highest levels during the second and third fiscal quarters as we increase our inventory in preparation for our peak selling season during the months of September through December and complete most of our capital spending projects.

 

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The following table provides a summary of our cash provided by operating, investing and financing activities:

 

     Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended     Fiscal Year-Ended (1)  

(In millions)

  

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,
2019

   

February 1,

2020

   

February 2,

2019

   

February 3,

2018

 
        

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

   $ 185.8     $ (170.4   $ (33.9   $ 99.0     $ 97.7  

Net cash used for investing activities

     (28.2     (64.8     (79.5     (49.7     (50.8

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities

     (148.8     210.5       86.3       (25.1     (42.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

   $ 8.8     $ (24.7   $ (27.1   $ 24.2     $ 4.6  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

All years include 52 weeks except for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018, which includes 53 weeks.

Net cash (used for) provided by operating activities

Comparison of the 39 Weeks Ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

Net cash provided by operating activities was $185.8 million in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared with $(170.4) million of net cash used for operating activities in the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities was primarily driven by our positive total comparable sales results, the significant improvement in working capital efficiency and the deferral of certain cash payments negotiated with our landlords and others allowed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of deferred payments will be remitted over the course of fiscal year 2022.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019

Net cash used for operating activities was $(33.9) million in fiscal year 2020 compared to $99.0 million net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal year 2019. The increase in our net cash used for operating activities in fiscal year 2020 was primarily the result of our net loss in fiscal year 2020, excluding the non-cash impact of certain income tax items and goodwill and trade name impairment charges, compared to our net income in fiscal year 2019. In addition, increases in net working capital excluding cash and equivalents in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019 impacted our net cash used for operating activities in fiscal year 2020 in large part due to increases in our average unit cost of inventory driven by the incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 2, 2019 and 53 Weeks Ended February 3, 2018

Net cash provided by operating activities was $99.0 million in fiscal year 2019 compared to $97.7 million in fiscal year 2018. Reduction in compensation related accrued expenses reduced net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal year 2018, partially offset by increases in inventory levels to support increased lead times necessitated by our direct sourcing and other merchandising initiatives in fiscal year 2019.

Net cash used for investing activities

Cash used for investing activities consists primarily of capital expenditures, the majority of which are focused on strategic initiatives including: new location openings, location remodels and refreshes and information technology investments, particularly those supporting our omni-channel platforms and other customer facing systems. We also incur capital outlays for equipment and facility management in our distribution centers, locations and corporate offices.

 

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Specifically, investment for each refresh project is tailored to each location’s needs and unit economics. We have four general levels of investment and project scope tailored to what would benefit each location, with future investment expected to range from $150,000 for lightest-touch refreshes to $3 million for the relatively few but most-extensive refreshes. Over 50% of our existing locations are refresh project targets over the next seven to ten years and we expect investments in relation to these future refresh projects to remain consistent with our capital expenditures in connection with completed refresh projects.

Historical capital expenditures are summarized as follows:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

     Fiscal Year-Ended  

(In millions)

  

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,
2019

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
        

Retail locations

   $ 17.7      $ 42.6      $ 52.1      $ 33.4      $ 32.1  

Information technology

     7.9        16.3        20.2        13.2        9.3  

Other

     3.1        5.9        6.3        1.8        2.6  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capital expenditures

   $ 28.7      $ 64.8      $ 78.6      $ 48.4      $ 44.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Landlord contributions

     3.4        5.1        9.1        7.4        5.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions

   $ 25.3      $ 59.7      $ 69.5      $ 41.0      $ 38.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Comparison of the 39 Weeks Ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions decreased by $34.4 million during the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared to the same period in the prior year. This decrease was related to specific actions taken to defer projects in an effort to preserve liquidity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, due to the need to maintain sanitation and social distancing protocols in our locations throughout the pandemic, execution of capital projects have often not been feasible.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions increased by $28.5 million in fiscal year 2020 compared to fiscal year 2019. This increase was related to a higher number of location remodel and relocation projects, as we worked to further refine our new location prototype. Growth in information technology-related investments were primarily driven by enhancements to our omni-channel platforms focused on our mobile application as well as upgrades to our warehouse management and point of sale software applications.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 2, 2019 and 53 Weeks Ended February 3, 2018

Total capital expenditures, net of landlord contributions increased by $2.5 million in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018. Project activity related to information technology development and our locations was relatively consistent year over year.

Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities

Comparison of the 39 Weeks Ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

Net cash used for financing activities was $(148.8) million during the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared with $210.5 million of net cash provided by financing activities during the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019. The change in net cash (used for) provided by financing activities was primarily the result of the repurchase of portions of the Term Loans, as well as an increase in payments on the ABL Facility.

 

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Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019

Net cash provided by financing activities was $86.3 million in fiscal year 2020 compared to $25.1 million of net cash used for financing activities in fiscal year 2019, which was primarily driven by additional borrowings on our ABL Facility that were used to fund our increases in cash used for operating and investing activities.

Comparison of the 52 Weeks Ended February 2, 2019 and 53 Weeks Ended February 3, 2018

Net cash used for financing activities was $25.1 million in fiscal year 2019 compared to $42.3 million of net cash used for financing activities in fiscal year 2018. The decrease in net cash used for financing activities in fiscal year 2019 compared to fiscal year 2018 was due to the net borrowings on our ABL Facility in fiscal year 2019 compared to the net payment on our ABL Facility in fiscal year 2018, partially offset by a greater net amount used to repurchase Holding Company Senior Notes with proceeds from our Second Lien Facility in fiscal year 2019 compared to the net amount used to repurchase 8.125% senior notes due 2019 with proceeds from our First Lien Facility in fiscal year 2018. See Note 2—Financing to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

As of February 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020, we had the ability to borrow an additional $206.2 million and $159.4 million under our ABL Facility, respectively, subject to the facility’s borrowing base calculation.

Off-Balance Sheet Transactions

Our liquidity is currently not dependent on the use of off-balance sheet transactions other than letters of credit, which are typical in a retail environment.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

The following table summarizes our future cash outflows resulting from contractual obligations and commitments as of February 1, 2020(1):

 

     Payments Due by Fiscal Year  

(In millions)

  

Total

    

2021

    

2022-2023

    

2024-2025

    

Thereafter

 
        

Standby letters of credit

   $ 20.3      $ 20.3      $ —        $ —        $ —    

Purchase commitments(2)

     31.7        12.6        13.0        6.1        —    

Operating leases

     1,058.0        221.2        366.6        239.1        231.1  

Finance leases

     4.2        1.6        2.6        —          —    

ABL Facility(3)

     173.5        —          173.5        —          —    

ABL Facility interest(3)

     1.8        1.0        0.8        —          —    

First Lien Facility(4)

     844.5        9.1        15.9        819.5        —    

First Lien Facility interest(4)

     209.6        57.0        111.8        40.8        —    

Second Lien Facility(5)

     217.5        —          —          217.5        —    

Second Lien Facility interest(5)

     104.1        24.1        48.2        31.8        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total contractual cash obligations

   $ 2,665.2      $ 346.9      $ 732.4      $ 1,354.8      $ 231.1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Amounts presented here do not reflect net repayment of $68.5 million on our ABL Facility since February 1, 2020 through December 17, 2020 as well as repayment of $209.1 million of our First Lien Facility and $140.2 million of our Second Lien Facility through open market purchases conducted from February through October of fiscal year 2021.

(2)

Purchase commitments include significant future inventory purchases as well as agreements for technology, in which minimum guaranteed payments are required.

 

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(3)

We had $173.5 million in outstanding borrowings under our ABL Facility at February 1, 2020. Under our ABL Facility, we are required to pay a commitment fee of 0.25% per year on unutilized commitments. The amounts included in ABL Facility interest were based on these annual commitment fees. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness” for further details.

(4)

The First Lien Facility, which matures October 21, 2023, is with a syndicate of lenders and is secured by substantially all of our assets excluding the ABL Facility collateral and has a second priority security interest in the ABL Facility collateral. The First Lien Facility has mandatory quarterly repayments of $2.3 million on the last business day of each January, April, July and October. Interest payments are due either monthly or quarterly on approximately the 23rd day of the month depending on the underlying LIBOR and are subject to variable interest rates. The amounts included in the First Lien Facility interest were based on the interest rate effective as of February 1, 2020. The less than one year amount of $9.1 million includes four quarters of principal payments occurring within the next fiscal year. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness” for further details.

(5)

The Second Lien Facility, which matures May 21, 2024, is with a syndicate of lenders and is secured by a second priority security interest in all of our assets, excluding the ABL Facility collateral, and has a third priority security interest in the ABL Facility collateral. The Second Lien Facility does not require quarterly principal payments. Interest payments are due either monthly or quarterly on approximately the 23rd day of the month depending on the underlying LIBOR and are subject to variable interest rates. The amounts included in the Second Lien Facility interest were based on the interest rate effective as of February 1, 2020. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness” for further details.

Seasonality and Inflation

Our business exhibits seasonality, which is typical for most retail companies. Our net sales are stronger in the second half of the year than the first half of the year. Net income is highest during the months of September through December when sales volumes provide significant operating leverage. Working capital needed to finance our operations fluctuate during the year and reach their highest levels during the second and third fiscal quarters as we increase our inventory in preparation for our peak selling season. However, the COVID-19 pandemic may have an impact to consumer behaviors and customer traffic that result in changes in the seasonal fluctuations of our business. For example, our fiscal year 2021 second and third quarter results were positively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the demand for select merchandise categories.

We believe that inflation has not had a significant effect on net sales or our earnings performance. There can be no assurance, however, that our operating results will not be affected by inflation in the future.

Summarized below are key line items by quarter from our consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) and reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for further detail regarding certain of these expenses:

 

Fiscal year 2021

   First
Quarter
    Second
Quarter
    Third
Quarter
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Net sales

   $ 499.4     $ 708.0     $ 714.1  

Total comparable sales versus prior year

     (2.1 )%      53.7     25.2

Gross margin

   $ 245.8     $ 351.4     $ 374.5  

Operating (loss) profit

   $ (16.1   $ 48.2     $ 61.6  

Net (loss) income

   $ (23.6   $ 149.9     $ 47.7  

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 23.5     $ 95.1     $ 103.6  

Reconciliation of net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA:

      

Net (loss) income

   $ (23.6   $ 149.9     $ 47.7  

Income tax (benefit) provision

     (12.1     26.7       3.0  

Interest expense, net

     22.7       18.4       13.9  

Debt related gain

     (3.1     (146.8     (3.0

Depreciation and amortization

     19.9       19.7       20.6  

 

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Fiscal year 2021

   First
Quarter
     Second
Quarter
     Third
Quarter
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Strategic initiatives

     1.1        1.3        1.7  

COVID-19 costs

     10.7        21.1        16.6  

Technology development expense

     1.1        1.3        1.2  

Stock-based compensation expense

     0.4        0.4        0.3  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

     3.4        0.4        (0.2

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     —          —          —    

Sponsor management fee

     0.8        —          —    

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

     1.8        2.0        1.2  

Other

     0.4        0.7        0.6  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 23.5      $ 95.1      $ 103.6  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Fiscal year 2020

   First
Quarter
    Second
Quarter
    Third
Quarter
    Fourth
Quarter
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Net sales

   $ 515.4     $ 461.1     $ 569.1     $ 695.6  

Total comparable sales versus prior year

     (0.4 )%      (6.0 )%      (3.5 )%      (4.4 )% 

Gross margin

   $ 266.7     $ 226.4     $ 283.9     $ 328.3  

Operating profit (loss)

   $ 10.6     $ (158.4   $ 14.1     $ (302.7

Net loss

   $ (12.3   $ (167.8   $ (8.4   $ (358.1

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 38.5     $ (2.6   $ 43.7     $ 83.0  

Reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA:

        

Net loss

   $ (12.3   $ (167.8   $ (8.4   $ (358.1

Income tax (benefit) provision

     (3.2     (16.0     (3.6     34.9  

Interest expense, net

     26.1       25.4       26.1       24.3  

Debt related gain

     —         —         —         (3.8

Depreciation and amortization

     19.5       18.8       19.4       20.3  

Strategic initiatives

     4.1       1.8       1.9       1.2  

COVID-19 costs

     —         —         —         —    

Technology development expense

     1.2       1.1       1.4       2.7  

Stock-based compensation expense

     0.2       0.4       0.3       0.3  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

     —         0.1       0.3       0.6  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     —         130.4       —         356.4  

Sponsor management fee

     1.3       1.3       1.2       1.2  

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

     0.8       1.7       4.3       2.4  

Other

     0.8       0.2       0.8       0.6  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 38.5     $ (2.6   $ 43.7     $ 83.0  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Fiscal year 2019

   First
Quarter
    Second
Quarter
    Third
Quarter
    Fourth
Quarter
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Net sales

   $ 517.0     $ 490.0     $ 591.6     $ 726.2  

Total comparable sales versus prior year

     (3.4 )%      2.4     2.9     5.0

Gross margin

   $ 269.9     $ 253.0     $ 301.4     $ 352.2  

Operating profit

   $ 24.7     $ 3.0     $ 36.5     $ 84.9  

Net income (loss)

   $ 1.1     $ (19.4   $ 8.3     $ 45.3  

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 50.3     $ 27.0     $ 65.9     $ 114.8  

Reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA:

        

Net income (loss)

   $ 1.1     $ (19.4   $ 8.3     $ 45.3  

Income tax provision (benefit)

     0.2       (5.6     2.0       13.7  

Interest expense, net

     23.4       25.6       26.2       25.9  

Debt related loss

     —         2.4       —         —    

Depreciation and amortization

     19.3       18.5       19.0       19.4  

Strategic initiatives

     0.3       0.9       2.5       3.6  

COVID-19 costs

     —         —         —         —    

Technology development expense

     0.6       0.9       1.2       1.2  

Stock-based compensation expense

     0.1       0.3       —         0.2  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed and operating lease assets

     1.2       0.4       —         1.6  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     —         —         —         —    

Sponsor management fee

     1.3       1.2       1.3       1.2  

Location pre-opening and closing costs excluding loss on disposal of fixed assets

     1.8       1.6       1.2       1.4  

Other

     1.0       0.2       4.2       1.3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 50.3     $ 27.0     $ 65.9     $ 114.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

We strive to report our financial results in a clear and understandable manner. We follow GAAP in preparing our consolidated financial statements. These principles require us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and on other assumptions that we believe to be relevant under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ from these estimates under different assumptions and/or conditions. We continually evaluate the information used to make these estimates as our business and the economic environment change. The use of estimates is pervasive throughout our financial statements. The accounting policies that involve estimates or assumptions that are material due to levels of subjectivity and judgment necessary to account for highly uncertain matters or are susceptible to change and we consider most critical are as follows:

Inventory Valuation

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost determined on a weighted average basis. Inventory valuation methods require certain management estimates and judgments, the most significant of which involves estimates of net realizable value on product designated for clearance, which affects the ending inventory valuation at cost, as well as the gross margin reported for the year.

We estimate our reserve for clearance product based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, quantities of slow-moving or carryover seasonal merchandise on hand, historical recovery statistics and future merchandising plans. The accuracy of our estimates can be affected by many factors, some of which are beyond

 

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our control, including changes in economic conditions and consumer buying trends. The corresponding reduction to gross margin is recorded in the period the decision is made. We do not believe that the assumptions used in our estimate will change significantly based on prior experience.

Our accrual for inventory shrink is estimated as a percent of sales. The percent used in the determination of the accrual is based on actual historical inventory shrink results of our locations. This estimated percent is applied to sales of our locations for the periods following each location’s most recent physical inventory. In addition, we analyze our accrual using actual results as physical inventory counts are taken and reconciled to the general ledger. Substantially all of our location physical inventory counts are taken in the first three quarters of each year. A majority of locations that have been open one year or longer are physically inventoried once a year.

Impairment of Long-Lived and Operating Lease Assets

We evaluate recoverability of long-lived and operating lease assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable (for example, when a location’s performance falls below minimum company standards). In the fourth quarter of each fiscal year or earlier if indicators of impairment exist, we review the performance of individual locations. Underperforming locations are selected for further evaluation of the recoverability of the location’s net asset values. If the evaluation, done on an undiscounted cash flow basis, indicates that a location’s net asset value may not be recoverable, the potential impairment is measured as the excess of carrying value over the fair value of the impaired asset. We estimate fair value based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate that is considered to be commensurate with the risk inherent in our current business model. Additional factors are taken into consideration, such as local market conditions and operating environment.

Impairment losses recorded for underperforming locations, underutilized assets and other facilities were $0.2 million in fiscal year 2020, $0.4 million in fiscal year 2019 and $1.1 million in fiscal year 2018. If different assumptions were made or different market conditions were present, any estimated potential impairment amounts could have varied from recorded amounts.

Goodwill and Other Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets of acquired entities. The goodwill carried on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at February 1, 2020 was the resulting value of the March 2011 merger of $640.0 million, less impairment charges of $481.8 million recorded during fiscal year 2020, and $3.8 million as a result of the acquisition of Creativebug in April 2017. We test goodwill and intangible assets for impairment annually, as of the first day of the fourth quarter, and more frequently if circumstances indicate that impairment may exist.

We assess the carrying value of goodwill at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is the operating segment, or a business unit one level below that operating segment, for which discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. As of February 1, 2020, we had two reporting units, Jo-Ann and Creativebug.

Using the quantitative assessment, our impairment testing compares the fair value of the reporting units to their current carrying value. We determine our estimated fair value based on valuation techniques including an income based approach and a market comparable approach. An income based approach utilizes discounted cash flows for the determination of the estimated fair value. This process requires significant judgments, including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts. A market comparable approach indicates the value of a business by comparing it to publicly traded companies in a similar line of business. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the net assets assigned to that reporting unit, goodwill is not considered impaired. In fiscal year 2020, we completed two quantitative goodwill impairment tests for the Jo-Ann reporting unit and concluded that goodwill impairment existed in the aggregate amount of

 

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$481.8 million. Based on a quantitative assessment, we determined that no goodwill impairment existed for the Jo-Ann reporting unit in fiscal year 2019.

In accordance with ASC Topic 350, our indefinite lived intangible assets not subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment on an annual basis and more frequently if circumstances indicate that impairment may exist. In fiscal year 2020, we completed two quantitative impairment tests for the Jo-Ann trade name and concluded that impairment existed in the amount of $5.0 million. We performed the valuation utilizing a relief from royalty method to estimate the fair value of this asset. This method included an evaluation of the appropriate royalty rate as well as a review of the industry and market environment. No quantitative assessment of the joann.com domain name was performed in fiscal year 2020, as we concluded based on qualitative assessments that it was not more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the Jo-Ann.com domain name unit did not exceed its carrying value. Based on quantitative assessments, the Company determined there was no impairment related to our Jo-Ann trade name or joann.com domain name for fiscal year 2019.

See Note 8—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are estimated for federal and each state jurisdiction in which we operate. This approach involves assessing the current tax exposure together with temporary differences which result from differing treatment of items for tax and book purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are established based on these assessments. Deferred tax assets are evaluated for recoverability based on estimated future taxable income. To the extent that recovery is deemed unlikely, a valuation allowance is recorded. Our valuation allowance was $30.7 million and $1.4 million as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, respectively. Many years of data have been incorporated into the determination of tax reserves and our estimates have historically proven to be reasonable.

Stock-Based Compensation

The fair value of stock-based awards to employees is recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards. The fair value of the stock-based awards is determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Determining the fair value of options at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating the expected life that stock options will be outstanding prior to exercise and the associated volatility. The absence of an active market for our common stock prior to this offering has also required our board of directors to determine the fair value of our common stock for purposes of granting stock options.

The risk-free interest rate is an estimated average interest rate based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon notes with terms consistent with the expected term of the awards. As we are privately held, there is no observable market for our common stock. Therefore, stock price volatility was calculated using the historical stock price volatility of comparable companies over the expected life of the options granted. We have not recently declared or paid any cash dividends and had not planned to pay cash dividends at the date of grants. Consequently, it used an expected dividend yield of zero. Expected life represents the period that our stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The expected life assumptions are determined based on the vesting terms, exercise terms, and contractual lives of the options. We account for forfeiture of non-vested options as they occur. Changes in the assumptions can materially affect the estimate of fair value of stock-based compensation and consequently, the related amount recognized on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). See Note 10—Stock-Based Compensation to our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for further details.

Following the listing of our common stock on      , it will not be necessary to determine the fair value of our common stock, as our shares will be traded in the public market.

 

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Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies to our audited financial statements and unaudited—Stock-Based Compensation financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for information regarding recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are indirectly exposed to foreign currency fluctuations on merchandise that is sourced internationally and directly exposed to the impact of interest rate changes on our outstanding borrowings under our First Lien Facility, Second Lien Facility and ABL Facility.

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

We believe foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations do not contain significant market risk due to the nature of our relationships with our international vendors. All merchandise contracts are denominated in U.S. dollars and are subject to negotiation prior to our commitment for purchases. As a result, there is not a direct correlation between merchandise prices and fluctuations in the exchange rate. We sourced approximately 38% of our purchases internationally in fiscal year 2020. Given our increase in foreign sourcing from prior years, a weakening of the U.S. dollar could result in significantly higher product costs. Our international purchases are concentrated in China and other Asian countries.

Interest Rate Risk

In the normal course of business we employ established policies and procedures to manage our exposure to changes in interest rates. We utilize derivative financial instruments to reduce our exposure to market risks from increases in interest rates on our variable rate indebtedness. We currently have hedging arrangements in the form of an interest rate cap agreement, which has an October 2021 termination date, in place to mitigate the impact of higher interest rates. As of February 1, 2020, the interest rate cap agreement hedged $703.5 million of principal under our Term Loans.

 

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BUSINESS

JOANN Overview

JOANN is the nation’s category leader in Sewing and one of the fastest growing players in the arts and crafts category. The Creative Products industry is a large and growing market, which according to a 2017 Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) study is in excess of $40 billion. The industry is currently experiencing a significant acceleration for product demand in response to multiple secular themes, such as heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers and increased digital engagement, of which we are a key beneficiary because we have positioned ourselves and our go-forward strategies to capitalize on increased demand for Creative Products. As a well-established and trusted brand for over 75 years, we believe we have a deep understanding of our customers, what inspires their creativity and what fuels their incredibly diverse projects. Since 2016, we have embarked on a strategy to transform JOANN, which has helped us pivot from a traditional retailer to a fully-integrated, digitally-connected provider of Creative Products.

 

 

LOGO

As the nation’s category leader in Sewing with approximately one-third market share, based on our internal research estimates of market share of the Creative Products industry that primarily consist of an annual survey of Creative Product consumers as of July 31, 2020, we believe we offer the broadest selection of products while being committed to providing the most inspiration, helpful service and education to our customers. While we continue to gain market share and solidify this leadership position in Sewing, which represented 49% of our total net sales in the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020, we have also been growing share and believe we have further significant share opportunity in the arts and crafts category. We are well-positioned in the marketplace and have multiple competitive advantages, including our broad assortment, established omni-channel platform, multi-faceted digital interface with customers and skilled and knowledgeable team members. We offer an extensive assortment, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs online, across Creative Product categories. Over 50% of our in-store net sales cannot be directly comparison-shopped because of our strong and growing own-brand portfolio, including our copyrighted or proprietary fabric patterns and designs and factory direct relationships. We have expanded access to this broad assortment through e-commerce and digital capabilities that complement our physical network, drive customer engagement and deliver an exceptional customer experience while supporting consistently strong gross margins. Through our omni-channel platform, we serve our customers in a differentiated manner by offering several convenient fulfillment options, including BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home offerings. Our omni-channel platform operates at a large scale, having generated $423 million in net sales in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020, including $376 million in net sales in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and following $126 million, $103 million and $87 million in net sales in fiscal years 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Our data-driven digital capabilities further reinforce our relationship with our customers. Customers connect with us through our newly re-designed mobile-first website, joann.com, and our widely-used mobile application with over 11.8 million downloads. As of the end the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, we had over 69 million addressable customers in our vast database, over 16 million customers in our email database and 4.5 million customers in our SMS text database. These points of differentiation are reinforced by our knowledgeable, friendly and trusted team members, a significant number of whom are sewing and craft enthusiasts, who offer a service-oriented experience for our customers that we believe cannot be replicated by mass retailers or pure play online players.

 

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We appeal to an expansive customer base ranging across all ages, demographics and skill levels. We serve the DIY customer, including those who make to give or donate their creations, and supply small business owners with components to create and sell their own merchandise. We estimate this group makes up approximately one-quarter of our customers and typically resells on online marketplaces such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, which have also experienced significant growth in 2020. Our customers are passionate and creative, using their hearts, hands and minds in their sewing, crafting and decorating activities. We believe our customers’ enthusiasm drives the JOANN culture, as exemplified by our “Make to Give” program. We strive to support our community of creators, and they create to support their communities by donating or gifting the items they make, which range from blankets for hospitalized children, homeless persons, and shelter pets, to masks for hospitals, schools and friends. We estimate that over 70% of JOANN customers make to give or donate their creations. Our loyal core customer base is key to our sales growth, and over the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020, our top three million customers averaged ten purchases each. Additionally, in fiscal year 2021, our new customer base has grown faster and is spending more than in prior years. Since February 1, 2020, we have acquired over eight million new customers, many who initially purchased fabric to make their own masks but have expanded their shopping behavior across our diversified merchandise categories in subsequent transactions. Customers typically purchase from JOANN with a project in mind that requires several component items. In that vein, we believe our physical footprint is an advantage, as most customers regularly want to explore what is new, see how various items and colors work together, see how a fabric drapes, feel the texture and seek help from our experienced team members.

In 2016, we accelerated our journey to transform JOANN by reinventing the in-store and digital customer experience. We recruited talent at every level of the company and across all key business areas to complement our existing expertise. This undertaking has resulted in significant enhancements to our value proposition, including reinvigorating our core merchandise assortment, refreshing our branding, developing a location refresh prototype and improving the customer experience. We improved our assortment by conducting a systematic review of all categories at a product-level and all layouts at a location-level in order to optimize sales and gross margin. We have also expanded our data-driven digital footprint, which includes our extensive digital marketing assets, CRM system, social media platforms and e-commerce capabilities. We better understand our customers through our centralized database that brings together how each customer interacts in our physical and digital properties and provides a holistic view of their behavior. We are able to utilize this data to drive engagement with our brand, create loyalty and inspire, educate and ensure we are increasing our share of customer spend through timely and relevant marketing. By using data and digital contact channels, including email and SMS digital display, and leveraging our mobile application, we are able to contact customers with personalized content and provide the convenience to shop wherever and however they choose. We believe that these core initiatives and transformational investments have driven our performance and increased customer engagement over the last several years and strategically position us to continue to create long-term value. This momentum was temporarily interrupted in fiscal year 2020 by the unanticipated headwind of incremental U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports that we estimate, before mitigation, would have amounted to $75 million of additional annual costs, as these tariffs applied to a broad range our products. However, after working to partially offset their effects and having incorporated the balance of these tariffs into our cost base, we are driving strong operating profit growth across both our locations and e-commerce platform as well as achieving margin expansion.

 

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LOGO

Our momentum through the COVID-19 pandemic has been further supported by heightened DIY customer behavior, significant increases in the number of new and current customers participating in new categories and the continued rise of online marketplaces. As a result, according to Earnest Research, we and the other two largest specialty players in the Creative Products industry have seen on average 22% growth in year-over-year sales since May 3, 2020. Over the same period, we have experienced outsized growth, gained share and enhanced our strong foundation, increasing total comparable sales by 38% since May 3, 2020 while adding over eight million new customers to our marketing database since February 1, 2020. These new customers have already driven elevated repeat purchase levels both via our locations and e-commerce platform and represent further opportunities to cross-sell and become part of our ongoing customer base. These new customers tend to be younger and more affluent than existing customers in our database, and are large consumers of our rapidly growing sewing and craft technology categories which include machines and related supplies. These trends support our business, as we estimate that a typical customer who purchases a sewing or craft technology machine will purchase an average of over $500 of our products in the year following their machine purchase and over $330 in the subsequent year. We are further encouraged by the retention of these new customers and their migration to shopping outside of the Sewing category. These new customers are regularly shopping across our other categories, with the fastest-growing cohort being new customers shopping the arts and crafts category. We believe that these underlying trends, along with our transformational investments and initiatives executed since 2016, strategically position us well to continue to drive long-term value creation.

 

 

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Recent Financial Performance

We believe our strong financial results are a reflection of our consistent and disciplined culture of innovation and reinvestment, creating a differentiated business model in the Creative Products industry. Comparing fiscal year 2020, fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2018, we achieved the following results:

 

   

net sales of $2,241.2 million, $2,324.8 million and $2,314.3 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal year 2018, net sales were $2,277.2 million;

 

   

net (loss) income of $(546.6) million, $35.3 million and $96.5 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively; and

 

   

Adjusted EBITDA of $162.6 million, $258.0 million and $261.8 million in fiscal year 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal year 2018, Adjusted EBITDA was $253.4 million.

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion on the impact of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports in fiscal year 2020 and “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss).

Through improvements in merchandising, marketing, supply chain, sourcing and customer experience, we have significantly increased our more recent financial results. Our success in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 has been broad-based across our geographic regions, merchandise categories, customers and channels. Comparing the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, we achieved the following results:

 

   

increase in net sales from $1,545.6 million to $1,921.5 million, representing period-over-period growth of 24.3%, and net sales in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $2,617.1 million;

 

   

total comparable sales growth of 24.6%;

 

   

increase in gross margin from $777.0 million to $971.7 million, representing period-over-period growth of 25.1% and gross margin rate expansion of 30 basis points, with gross margin in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $1,300.0 million, and a 49.7% gross margin rate in the same time period;

 

   

increase in net (loss) income from $(188.5) million to $174.0 million, and net loss in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $(184.1) million;

 

   

increase in Adjusted EBITDA from $79.6 million to $222.2 million, representing period-over-period growth of 179.1%, and Adjusted EBITDA in the twelve months ended October 31, 2020 of $305.2 million; and

 

   

retired and repaid $433.8 million in principal amount of debt from November 2, 2019 to October 31, 2020, resulting in us having $929.7 million in principal amount of debt as of October 31, 2020.

See “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and for a discussion of how we calculate total comparable sales growth.

Our Opportunity

The Creative Products industry is a large and growing market, which according to a 2017 Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) study is in excess of $40 billion. The industry is currently experiencing a

 

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significant acceleration in response to multiple secular themes, such as heightened DIY customer behavior, amplified participation from both new and existing customers, and increased digital engagement, of which we are a key beneficiary because we have positioned ourselves and our go-forward strategies to capitalize on increased demand for Creative Products. Participation includes a broad range of activities such as sewing, quilting, apparel making, crafting and home decorating. This historically stable industry has been growing over the past five years, as consumer demand in individual product categories shifts from time to time and as trends evolve. We maintain approximately one-third market share in Sewing, while being competitive as one of the fastest growing players in the more fragmented arts and crafts category.

The Creative Products industry spans a diverse set of merchandise, as customers search for a variety of supplies to support their projects. In addition, customers appreciate a specialty retail environment where they have the flexibility to leverage in-store service for instruction and inspiration and shop across channels at their convenience. As a result, the Creative Products industry is highly fragmented. However, there are a limited number of players that can meet the customers’ dynamic needs. For instance, based on our internal market research, we estimate pure play e-commerce players represent less than 10% market share of the Creative Products industry, while the remainder of the industry is covered by mass merchandisers, specialty retailers and independent retailers. We believe that we are the only specialty player that can serve customers holistically with an expansive Creative Products assortment, service-oriented experience and integrated omni-channel capabilities.

The Creative Products industry has historically demonstrated stable growth, and we aim to continue to benefit from the following sustainable tailwinds:

 

   

Heightened DIY Customer Behaviors. The industry benefits from the increasing participation in the DIY ethos across demographics. In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, DIY customer behaviors have been heightened by the following long-term trends:

 

   

Engaging Customers across Demographics. DIY activities appeal to a large and broad customer base and participation in DIY activities does not diminish as women age, creating more consistent demand throughout their lifetime. Customers across demographics choose to engage with retailers through different channels. We believe players in the Creative Products industry must have a robust omni-channel platform to attract and retain this diverse customer base.

 

 

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Increasing Desire for Personalization. Customers, especially Millennials and Generation Z, increasingly desire Creative Products that express their individuality and make a personal statement. Such growing demand for unique and personalized products has stimulated the demand for DIY supplies and customization services.

 

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Growing Digital Presence and Engagement. Digital arts and crafts marketplaces, such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, are becoming increasingly popular among makers and customers who buy their finished designs. This burgeoning ecosystem creates a growing demand for Creative Product supplies. These marketplaces, combined with social media platforms, serve as a critical source for inspiration and instruction for customers. The growing presence of these platforms enables more engaged customer communities, serving as a connection point where they share their interests and creativity with a wider audience.

 

   

Accelerated Customer Participation Expected to Persist. According to our internal research, a survey published by Bloomberg and Morning Consult, and SVP Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated participation in DIY activities, as customers have taken a more proactive role in homesteading-style and home improvement projects. Since May 3, 2020, over half of Creative Products industry participants have specifically taken on a new type of creative project and the industry has grown year-over-year sales by an average of 22%. With more free time, customers have also capitalized on the opportunity to learn new skills, creating elevated demand for supplies. This newfound self-reliance has helped build DIYers’ confidence, and they are recognizing the emotional and functional benefits of making, driving continued interest far beyond the pandemic.

 

   

Consistent and Recession Resilient Customer Demand. We estimate that the Creative Products industry has experienced growth of over 4% in the last five years according to our internal research as of July 31, 2020. It offers versatile products at attainable price points that create fun, engaging and affordable activities for customers, who become habitual and dedicated to their own creative projects over time. The affordable nature of the Creative Products industry provides resilience in recessions as customers become more value conscious and self-sufficient. According to the Bloomberg and Morning Consult survey, approximately 30% of Americans participated in sewing or clothing repairs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also believe the emotional benefits customers receive from making, such as empowerment upon finishing a project, a connection with their communities through making to give or donate and improved mental health as a result of doing something they are passionate about, will continue to drive demand.

We believe that Sewing, in particular, will sustain its growing momentum. According to SVP Worldwide, sewists are typically more passionate about their hobby than other enthusiasts. In addition, the number of sewists has increased significantly driven by the entrance of Millennials, having grown at a CAGR of 7.4% since 2012. As of September 2020, 65 million people in the United States can sew or participate in sewing without instruction, and over half of these participants own a sewing machine. We believe that growth in this category, like the broader Creative Products industry, has been supported by changing consumer demographics.

 

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SVP Worldwide estimates that sewists are getting younger, with 65% being 30 years old or younger with an average age decreasing from 48 in 2004 to 37 in 2020.

 

 

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We believe the existing and sustained growth of the sewist population will drive sales in the category. According to SVP Worldwide, the average sewist owns at least three sewing machines and plans to buy a new machine every two to five years. When customers buy sewing machines, they tend to purchase complementary consumable items, which drives potential recurring purchases. In addition, according to SVP Worldwide, 20% of consumers who purchased a sewing machine in 2020 were first time purchasers, further building upon the base of potential future demand from sewists. This population of sewists is also highly engaged in the craft and spends a significant amount of time sewing, with approximately half of U.S. sewists spending between 5 to 19 hours a week on projects. While the Sewing category was stable and growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, 92% of consumers who purchased a sewing machine in 2020 expect to sew as much as they had in the past or more in the future. We believe these tailwinds and increased engagement will sustain participation and accelerate category and Creative Products industry growth.

 

 

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Our Competitive Strengths

We believe our proven merchandising, marketing and customer experience capabilities combined with our sourcing and supply chain expertise have enabled, and will continue to support, our strong and profitable growth. Our business model has multiple competitive strengths including:

Category Leader in an Attractive Market with a Large, Growing and Wide-Ranging Customer Base

We are the nation’s category leader in Sewing with approximately one-third market share, and one of the fastest-growing players in the arts and crafts category. Based on our estimates of market share of the Creative

 

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Products industry that primarily consist of an annual survey of Creative Product consumers as of July 31, 2020, our market share in the highly fragmented arts and crafts category has grown by approximately 50 basis points over the past five years. Approximately 70% of Sewing industry shoppers rank us ahead of our competitors on availability of the products they need, selection and quality, according to our internal research. Similarly, in arts and crafts, industry customers’ ratings for our quality, selection, availability and price double once they shop our locations and e-commerce platform.

In contrast to other leisure activities, our customers’ engagement in sewing and crafting projects represents a recurring activity that is vibrant across all ages and demographics. Our core customer is an upper forties, college-educated woman with a higher-than-average household income (median household income of over $62,000) and who is a reliable enthusiast for many of our key categories. We believe our core customer’s higher discretionary income and favorable demographic trends, as the number of women aged between 45 and 79 is expected to grow faster than the overall population over the next five years according to 2017 U.S. Census data estimates, will continue to build our loyal customer base. Our appeal to Millennial and Generation Z customers has also increased. Females in the younger than 35 years old age group are the fastest growing demographic in our industry today, representing a 400 basis point increase in demographic share over the past year from 40% to 44% based on internal research. Customers of all ages, demographics and skill levels have demonstrated their enthusiasm for Creative Products by actively exchanging project ideas, tips and techniques though our online community on joann.com. With nearly four million combined followers across social media applications, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube, we are connecting with new customers and bolstering our interaction with existing customers.

Finally, we are also a go-to source for small business owners who rely on our products to create, donate or sell their own merchandise. We believe that the growth of online marketplaces, such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify and other platforms, is driving the expansion of our customer base, and the success of online marketplaces is directly linked to our growth, with approximately one-quarter of our customers using our products for their online marketplace-based businesses. These customers often buy in bulk and benefit from being a part of the JOANN community through access to our helpful educational content, project inspiration and our knowledgeable team members and customers. These customers span all ages and demographics and sell products through various channels such as retail stores, trade fairs, entertainment venues and online, including participating in the growing digital marketplaces.

Differentiated Value Proposition

Our customer value proposition is a critical driver of our business. The key components include:

Broad Assortment across a Wide Variety of Categories. We believe we have the most comprehensive, innovative product assortment available in our industry, especially within Sewing. This breadth of assortment across our various categories is a key competitive advantage given that our customers’ interests and projects are often widely varied and not confined solely to one activity. As of October 31, 2020, we had 857 locations, which we believe are also critical to success in the Creative Products category and a key enabler to our omni-channel growth. In an industry that requires high SKU intensity to be successful, we carry one of the industry’s broadest selections of Creative Products, which at its peak, averages more than 95,000 SKUs in stores and over 245,000 SKUs online. We believe this dynamic is analogous to hardware and home improvement concepts, in that customers are project-focused and require all component supplies and prefer knowledgeable assistance in order to successfully complete their shopping mission. We also believe this is why we have an advantage versus solely online players in addressing a customer base that prioritizes variety, customization and customer support. We continue to improve our assortment by conducting systematic reviews of all categories at a product-level and all layouts at a location-level in order to optimize sales and gross margins. We consistently innovate with proprietary brands and products that appeal to our customers by working with our suppliers to introduce new items and styles to our assortments. As of October 31, 2020, over 50% of net sales related to items that are non-comparative or exclusive to JOANN and cannot be directly cross-shopped with our

 

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direct competitors and mass retailers. We believe that we strike a customer-focused balance between our proprietary products and the well-known national brands that our customers have also come to know and love.

 

 

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Unique and Inspiring Shopping Environment. We provide our customers with an engaging and exciting shopping experience that spurs inspiration and creativity. We encourage customers to interact with our merchandise, to experiment with potential designs and to see the actual product they will purchase. In many locations, we also offer differentiated in-store services such as digital printing, laser-cutting and engraving and educational programs in dedicated classrooms to further inspire and enable our customers. In select locations, our customers can rent sewing and crafting technology such as a quilting long-arm or a Glowforge laser-cutting machine. To support our growing group of seller customers, in 2018 we launched JOANN+, a digital program providing devoted service for small-to-medium sized businesses and high volume makers. With this program, our customers are able to enjoy volume discount pricing, dedicated customer service contacts and a streamlined shipping and return experience. We continue to explore a variety of other ways to engage these makers and build loyalty including through our small maker forums, maker grant programs, and showcasing across any number of our digital marketing and social media assets.

Helpful and Knowledgeable Team Members. Our team members, who we refer to as “Friendly Clever Allies,” are knowledgeable, friendly and trusted and offer a service-oriented experience for our customers. According to our internal research, JOANN leads all competitors on “knowledgeable staff” and “can get the help I need” ratings. A significant number of our team members are enthusiastic sewists and crafters themselves and bring first-hand knowledge and experience with our products which we believe are difficult to replicate. These team members live by the “No Quit” mantra, “We Got This,” and this helpful and resourceful attitude resonates with our customers. Our team members are encouraged to advise customers in creating and completing creative projects, which offers a service-focused experience that we believe allows our customers to be more informed and engaged in projects.

Combining a Robust Digital Platform and Strategic Physical Network

Since early 2017, we have built a large, growing, profitable and well-connected omni-channel platform comprised of robust digital capabilities and a nationwide physical network. From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2020, we increased our omni-channel net sales by a CAGR of 20% and by 369% in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. As a result of our investments and our ability to be nimble, we doubled the number of locations with ship-to-home capabilities and were able to continue serving our customers on our established platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our physical network is critical to being able to execute on digital opportunities in the Creative Products space given its visual, tactile and project-based nature. We strive to make every customer’s trip to JOANN a trip to their “Happy Place.” We believe that the enthusiastic and highly engaged nature of our customer is why we have seen sales lifts as high as 24% in our refresh prototypes that elevate assortments, service and in-store experience. Our strong performance is also driven by our ability to engage customers through our robust omni-channel capabilities as they become cross-category repeat purchasers during their in-person trips to our locations and visits to our e-commerce platform.

 

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Our recently upgraded e-commerce mobile first platform, driven by Salesforce Commerce Cloud, as well as our custom mobile application, provide exceptional functionality and user experience, offering premier digital navigation, speed, assortment, content, and personalization features. Our website traffic has increased by 125% through the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, with site conversion increasing by 300 basis points compared to the same period in fiscal year 2020. Over that same period, our mobile application has been downloaded two million times. We currently have 11.8 million downloads of the application and more than 25% of omni-channel sales were generated through purchases made within our mobile application.

 

 

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Through our physical network, we have the ability to consistently fulfill and deliver a growing assortment of products directly to consumers, in addition to convenient services such as BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home. For the last twelve months and the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, over 70% and approximately 79% of joann.com orders, respectively, were fulfilled by our locations, either as BOPIS, curbside pick-up or ship-to-home. In addition, in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, approximately 40% of online demand sales were generated via BOPIS. Since the time that the majority of COVID-19 restrictions on in-store traffic were lifted through October 31, 2020, approximately 25% of our BOPIS program customers have made an additional purchase upon pick-up, resulting in an average increase to their orders of $28 or approximately 100%. We believe our locations, which are in close proximity to our customers, provides us a significant last-mile cost advantage. Unlike internet pure play and regional competitors, we can route e-commerce orders to a local store, significantly reducing the overall cost and time to service orders. During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, omni-channel sales accounted for 20% of our total net sales compared to 4% for fiscal year 2018.

Digital Platform and Digital Assets Enable Scalable Profitable Growth

As of October 31, 2020, our total customer database included 69 million unique customers, which represents 15% growth since the end of fiscal year 2020 and 43% growth since the end of fiscal year 2018. Within that database, we maintain an active email file of over 16 million customers, which has grown by 32% since the end of fiscal year 2020 and 76% since the end of fiscal year 2018. Customers receiving email marketing have historically been our highest value customers in terms of net sales, with the average email customer generating over 40% more in net sales as compared to our non-email customers. In 2019, we significantly upgraded our capabilities to better target and engage customers with personalized offers. We have developed a robust CRM platform creating a holistic view of customer behavior, which helps drive recurring purchases. We currently run over 40,000 product and customer journey campaigns with defined, tailored content to each individual customer based on purchase history. Due to the success of the initiative, we can identify specific

 

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database customers for more than 70% of our net sales, without the burden of a costly loyalty program. Our highly effective, performance-based marketing team leverages this information to profitably acquire new customers, drive repeat purchases and grow lifetime value across channels.

This customer engagement is reinforced by our strong presence on social media, with nearly four million total followers across social media platforms, including our fastest-growing channel, YouTube, which has increased followers by 121% for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. We further use digital education and inspiration to engage customers on new projects and inspire creative activities. We augment customer engagement through social media and our e-commerce platform by also leveraging our wholly-owned subsidiary, Creativebug, a large craft subscription learning platform with approximately 150,000 paid monthly users. Our customers have access to thousands of projects and videos that can take them from a skill-building novice to an expert sewist or maker. When a creative customer is seeking advice, education or inspiration, we are there for them.

We have multiple techniques to convert new customers into long-term, repeat customers across their current Creative Products activities and encourage them to enter new categories or advance in their existing category. We not only do this through social media and digital education, but also through proprietary and targeted journey mapping, exciting and compelling digital marketing offers, as well as leveraging multiple inspirational and educational digital assets. We believe this integrated, multi-channel approach resonates with our customers, as omni-channel represents 20% of our net sales for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 versus 4% for fiscal year 2018.

Strong Cash Flow Generation and Solid Balance Sheet

We have demonstrated an ability to generate significant free cash flow due to our high gross margins, controlled operating expenses, moderate working capital requirements and low annual maintenance capital expenditures. We have used a portion of our free cash flow to build a strong balance sheet by consistently reducing net leverage. We retired and repaid $433.8 million in principal amount of debt from November 2, 2019 to October 31, 2020, resulting in us having outstanding debt of $929.7 million as of October 31, 2020. In addition to deleveraging, we have continued to make a number of investments in our information technology systems which, coupled with the continued disciplined management of inventory and costs, promote additional operating efficiencies. We anticipate that these efficiencies will allow for continued investment in the business while improving our net leverage moving forward.

Our operating model is highly scalable and enables capital efficient growth. For the five fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, our gross margin rate was 50.2% and selling, general and administrative expenses were held to minimal growth with a CAGR of less than 1%. Those strong operating metrics combined with low maintenance capital spending and a focus on working capital efficiencies have driven the generation of $494.9 million in net cash provided by operating activities from the beginning of fiscal year 2016 through October 31, 2020, and $265.9 million of free cash flow during the same time period. These results are sustained by a cash-generative and convenient real estate portfolio that stretches over 49 states, with 98-99+% of all locations having consistently delivered positive Four-Wall Cash Flow over the same period.

See “Prospectus Summary—Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data” for definitions of Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, and reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) and of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities.

Proven Leadership Team and Passionate, Performance-Driven Culture

We are a purpose-driven company dedicated to inspiring the creative spirit in each of us—our customers and ourselves. Our company is led by an accomplished and experienced senior management team with significant public market experience and a proven track record in our industry. Our senior management team has an average of 18 years of retail experience, and their understanding of the intricacies of selling SKU-intensive, lower-ticket merchandise facilitates the execution of our growth strategies. Our President and CEO, Wade Miquelon, who has been with JOANN for almost five years, brings 30 years of experience including CFO and

 

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President of International for Walgreens, CFO and EVP for Tyson Foods and as CFO for Procter and Gamble’s Western European and AAI regions (ASEAN/Australasia/India). Our CFO, Matt Susz, has 30 years of experience including 24 years at JOANN, with leadership roles in accounting, financial and strategic planning, internal audit, treasury, IT and operations. Other members of the executive team bring substantial experience and skills in operations (retail and e-commerce), marketing, merchandising, product development, supply chain, legal, human resources and information technology. We have a high-performing and customer-centric culture and our team members tend to be very loyal, a loyalty born out of a true passion for the industry we operate in and the kinds of customers that we serve.

Our Growth Strategies

We believe we are well positioned to drive sustainable growth and profitability over the long term by executing on the following strategies:

Refreshing our Locations with Enhanced Customer Experience

We have successfully developed and launched a range of refresh options for our locations over the past three years. Our design process is structured and tailored to the needs of our new and existing customers to ensure all elements are appealing to them. Our options span across three core areas:

 

   

Experiential Design Elements—More engaging graphics, lighting, signage, customer work-spaces and merchandise fixtures

 

   

Content Improvements—Merchandising assortments and service offerings optimized for each location

 

   

Service Enhancements—Team member training and engagement, technology-supported management of service wait times and ease of check-out

 

 

LOGO

The investment for each refresh project is tailored to each location’s needs and unit economics. We have four general levels of investment and project scope tailored to what would benefit each location, with future investment expected to range from $150,000 for lightest-touch refreshes to $3 million for the relatively few but most-extensive refreshes. Refinement of our prototype location refresh program has been achieved through the 24 pilot projects completed to date.

Based on the positive outcomes and learnings from these pilots as well as additional improvements being developed, we believe we can achieve an average net sales uplift ranging from 5% to 25% from projects where we refresh an existing location. We have identified just over 50% of our existing locations that are targets over the next seven to ten years for refresh projects at varying levels of scope.

 

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In over half of the refresh projects completed to date, we have also relocated to an improved site within the trade area. Those relocations deliver our higher end of scope for experiential design elements, as those are more efficient to provide in a new building. We also typically increase the size of the location to an average of 25,000 square feet, and therefore expand the assortment breadth we can offer the customer. We have identified 20% of our current locations that are targets for relocation that we believe will result in net sales uplifts ranging from 15% to 75% compared to the current location. We will execute on these opportunities as leases expire on the current locations over the next seven to ten years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were required to limit the presence of external contractors in most of the United States. As a result, we have been focused on scope refinement and project cost engineering of our prototype to optimize our expected return on investment. We expect to complete 10 to 15 projects over the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2022, with a more robust number of projects to be completed annually in fiscal year 2023 and beyond.

Driving Ubiquitous Customer Engagement that Offers Exceptional Experience and Accelerated Omni-Channel Growth

We have extended the JOANN brand beyond our locations and actively engage with our customers across various digital touch-points to wherever and however they choose. Our customers want options, and our robust omni-channel solutions provide a seamless e-commerce shopping experience. We have heavily invested in, and successfully built, our valuable digital assets in the past years, including our large email and SMS text databases and established social media presence. We have successfully leveraged these digital assets with our strong CRM capabilities to further accelerate our digital customer engagement. We have added more new customers to our digital databases in the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 than in any prior full year. We plan to continue our customer acquisition momentum with several digital initiatives, from driving traffic to joann.com to expanding our presence in social media platforms. For example, YouTube has been a popular digital platform for our customers when they search for instructions and project inspiration. We have grown our subscriber base on YouTube by 121% over the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020. Videos on our YouTube channel have been viewed nearly 48 million times in that span, or more than a 1,400% increase compared to the same time period in the prior year.

We will also continue to enhance our omni-channel shopping experience. We successfully upgraded our e-commerce platform in 2020, including improved search engine optimization and user experience, particularly on mobile devices. Today, our customers can easily shop over 245,000 SKUs available as of December 2, 2020 on our e-commerce platform with convenient fulfillment services such as BOPIS, curbside pick-up and ship-to-home. We believe that a broad online product assortment is critical to customer experience as it provides the ability to complete a consolidated purchase across multiple Creative Products categories. We intend to further expand our assortment across various product categories. We plan to improve our supply chain capabilities to provide our customers with a streamlined, worry-free omni-channel shopping experience. We have launched several initiatives to actively increase our fulfillment rate and optimize the cost structure for our omni-channel service offering, which are aimed at improving customer satisfaction.

We strive to provide a seamless transition when our customers engage across our locations and digital platform. Our mobile application has various functions that improve our customers’ shopping experience, no matter where they are. For example, we have recently launched a new digital initiative, “We Got This,” where our team members can assist our customers, in-aisle at our locations, to order additional items and make bulk purchases on our mobile application. We are also adding QR codes across our locations to efficiently connect our customers to our vast digital library of projects, sources of inspiration and assortments. By scanning QR codes on their mobile devices, our customers can more easily access our digital content while they are shopping in-person.

We intend to further deepen our customer engagement with digital education and learning services, as our customers constantly search for project inspiration and instructions online. For example, we plan to continue to grow our YouTube channel to provide rich content for customers searching for quick tips and short tutorials.

 

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We also expect to expand our high quality education offering to customers who are interested in skill building and learning. We intend to offer more affordable and innovative digital creative education across multiple platforms, including Creativebug, to offer subscription-based access to thousands of arts and crafts classes.

Expanding Our Digital Presence into New Markets and Categories with Substantial Share Opportunity

Our customers can shop over 245,000 SKUs available as of December 2, 2020 on our e-commerce platform. By enhancing our central fulfillment capabilities, we intend to further broaden our assortment in product categories that offer substantial share opportunity and also improve our fulfillment rates.

We believe there is significant demand from customers outside the United States. For example, according to SVP Worldwide, approximately 77% of all sewing machine sales globally take place outside of the United States. To capture this opportunity, we intend to expand our robust e-commerce platform to multiple international countries. We receive numerous inquiries every year from international customers hoping to purchase from us, and approximately five million international visitors actively engage our website annually, without any marketing initiatives. We have engaged an experienced external provider to launch multi-country international sales. They will support us in managing both the consumer-facing and back-office aspects of this initiative. We believe the breadth of our assortment, purchasing power and pricing levels will allow us to provide a strong value proposition to our customers in many other countries.

We have an innovative management team that has helped develop a robust pipeline of digitally-led initiatives that we believe will strengthen and expand the JOANN brand both domestically and internationally.

 

 

LOGO

We believe digital printing is a rapidly-growing technology that provides unlimited design and color options, no minimum quantities and a much more environmentally-friendly production process. We intend to deepen our penetration in digital printing by providing our customers with easy-to-use and innovative technology that significantly enhances the current creative process. In November 2020, we re-launched Customizable Fabric as a digital printing platform through our proprietary partnership with WeaveUp, a technology company offering cutting-edge digital printing solutions for fabric and other customization tools. Customers around the world can also easily make alterations to the designs on the platform, which can be printed on a wide range of fabrics using high-quality reactive dye digital printing machines. Through our partnership with, and investment in, WeaveUp, we also expect to accelerate new product development and supply chain savings in the Sewing category.

We intend to create a more convenient experience for our sewists with innovative digital solutions. We have developed and patented a proprietary technology named Ditto that we believe could revolutionize the sewing process. The technology is expected to solve the most common pain point reported by our customers: the pinning and cutting of sewing patterns on fabric. Our research has shown that by changing the current cumbersome fabric cutting process, it is likely that sewists will increase their overall sewing activity. We expect the commercial launch of this technology to be in late calendar year 2021.

 

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Delivering Operational Excellence and Margin Improvement

We work to build operational efficiencies to consistently improve our customer value proposition and financial operating margins. We will continue to focus on three core competencies that we have continuously refined with experience that drive sustained operational excellence.

Product Sourcing. Our most significant cost saving initiative is product sourcing. Through the leadership of our U.S.-based sourcing and product development team as well as our Shanghai sourcing office that was established in 2018, we have accelerated our ability to migrate product assortments to factory direct sourcing. This expands our ability to lower costs while delivering new and innovative products to our customers, and we estimate that we have achieved more than $60 million in cost savings through this process from fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2020. As our penetration of direct sourcing will still be below 50% of our total merchandise receipts in fiscal year 2021, there is substantial opportunity to generate additional savings through this program.

Indirect Procurement. Over the past two years, we have taken a more strategic approach, including investment in leadership and supporting talent, for our indirect procurement. This team is charged with managing supplier negotiations as well as eliminating waste and inefficiencies across approximately $250 million of annual addressable indirect spend from operating supplies to merchandise fixtures, facilities services, printing and technology costs. Through fiscal year 2022, this team will be focused on 66 separate sourcing efforts, contract negotiations and process improvement projects across nearly all of our business disciplines that represent $70 million to $80 million in current annual spend. Our goal is to generate reductions in the range of 8% to 12% of such current annual spending levels.

Supply Chain. We have a series of supply chain initiatives that we believe will support our continued e-commerce growth and reduce fulfillment costs for customer orders, while significantly reducing our supply chain costs and improving customer and team member satisfaction. Many of these initiatives will simplify and streamline processes and systems that impact the team members that serve customers in our locations. We believe this will ultimately provide more time to engage with our customers in-store, shorten customer online order fulfillment times, and reduce overall labor costs.

Merchandising

Sewing

49% of our total net sales were within the Sewing category in the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020. We offer a broad and comprehensive assortment of Sewing products in all of our locations and online. These Sewing products offer our customers a combination of unique designs and fashionable trends at competitive prices. We are organized in the following categories for the convenience of the sewing enthusiast as well as those that utilize fabric for other crafting projects:

 

   

cotton fabrics used in the construction of quilts as well as craft and seasonal projects;

 

   

warm fabrications, such as fleece and flannel fabrics in both prints and solids, used for the construction of loungewear, blankets and craft projects;

 

   

home decorating and utility fabrics and accessories used in home-related projects, such as window treatments, bed coverings, pillows and indoor and outdoor furniture coverings;

 

   

fashion and sportswear fabrics used primarily in the construction of garments for the customer seeking a unique, on-trend look;

 

   

special occasion fabrics used to construct evening wear, bridal and special event attire;

 

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a wide array of sewing construction supplies, including cutting implements, threads, zippers, trims, tapes, pins, elastic and buttons, as well as the patterns necessary for most sewing projects; and

 

   

seasonally themed and licensed fabric designs, including professional and collegiate sports teams and pop culture licensed prints, on a variety of fabrications to support a wide range of uses.

Arts and Crafts, Home Décor and Other

The remainder of our total net sales in the last twelve months ended October 31, 2020 were within arts and crafts, home décor and other categories. We offer a broad assortment of merchandise for creative enthusiasts to support their arts and crafts as well as home decorating needs. We offer the following product assortments both in our locations as well as online:

 

   

yarn and yarn accessories, as well as needlecraft kits and supplies;

 

   

paper crafting components, such as craft cutting machines, albums, paper, stickers, stamps and books used in the popular home-based activities of scrapbooking and card making;

 

   

craft materials, including items used for stenciling, jewelry making, decorative painting, wall décor, food crafting and kids crafts;

 

   

fine art materials, including items such as pastels, water colors, oil paints, acrylics, easels, brushes, paper, canvas as well as pencils and paper used for sketching;

 

   

sewing machines, craft technology, lighting, irons, organizers and other products that support multiple creative endeavors. Some of our locations also offer a wider selection of sewing machines through leased departments operated by a third party;

 

   

artificial floral products, including flowers, artificial plants, finished floral wreaths and a broad selection of accessories essential for floral arranging and wreath making;

 

   

seasonal décor and entertaining products themed for all key holidays and portions of the year;

 

   

home décor accessories, including baskets, candles and accent collections designed to complement our home décor fashions;

 

   

ready-made frames and, in several of our larger locations, full service custom framing departments;

 

   

a comprehensive assortment of books and magazines to provide inspiration for our customers; and

 

   

other, including non-merchandise services.

Marketing

Our marketing efforts are key to the ongoing success and growth of our brand. We engage a diverse customer base ranging across ages, demographics, interests and skill levels, from the novice to the experienced sewist and maker. Our primary focus with these efforts is to deepen the relationship with our customers, with a long-term focus of creating loyalty and helping our customers find their “Happy Place” at JOANN.

We leverage our proprietary customer database to provide relevant and timely communications to customers through multiple digital channels (email, SMS text, mobile application push notifications, and display marketing), and to our most engaged customers via a robust direct mail program. This allows us to efficiently and

 

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effectively reach our target customers on a regular basis throughout the year. We rely primarily on digital marketing tactics to drive customer acquisition, including online display and search marketing, social media and affiliate marketing programs. Our retention marketing programs leverage a robust CRM platform and database that provides us a detailed view of customer behavior, combining sales in our locations with online and social media activity. Through this database, we can personalize our digital marketing, email, SMS text, and direct mail campaigns to ensure we are providing the most relevant content to our customer at all times.

Customers can interact with our brand whenever and however they want. Customers connect with us through our newly re-designed mobile-first website, joann.com, and our widely-used mobile application with over 11.8 million downloads. As of the end the third quarter of fiscal year 2021, we had over 69 million addressable customers in our vast database, over 16 million customers in our email database and 4.5 million customers in our very large SMS text database. As of December 2, 2020, our customers can shop over 245,000 SKUs available on our e-commerce platform. Customers have the ability to shop their local location online, with convenient omni-channel services available like BOPIS or curbside pickup. Customers can also choose to order direct to home, with extended aisle offerings across all major product categories. For customers seeking to purchase in greater quantities, we offer low pricing for bulk purchases through our JOANN+ service on joann.com. Those looking for inspiration and education can access thousands of projects in multiple ways and formats, including our digital platforms that offer thousands of project ideas, from novice to expert level, and include convenient shopping lists for each project. Customers seeking video tutorials can access free content both through joann.com and on the JOANN YouTube channel, where we post additional “how-to” videos. Finally, customers looking to build more advanced skills can gain access to Creativebug, our wholly owned subsidiary, which offers hundreds of longer form video tutorials from experts in the industry via a subscription. Our Creativebug website offers an extensive array of online arts and crafts instructional videos allowing customers to learn how to paint, draw, sew, quilt, knit, crochet, and much more, while capturing the intimate experience of learning from top designers and artists.

We interact with our customers in multiple ways digitally, through online communities, social media platforms and on joann.com. Our highly active social networks are playing an increasingly significant role in our marketing, public relations and customer engagement. We utilize Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and affiliate marketing partners as engagement tools to inspire, educate, promote sales, introduce new products, share customer stories and engage in communication, including customer service support and idea sharing. We also have established relationships with key crafting and sewing influencers who help promote our brand, projects, and product offerings. Through our digital and social communities, we have launched key initiatives further connecting our diverse customers, including:

 

   

our “Make to Give” campaign for calendar year 2020 focused on making and donating cotton masks and scrubs to support our communities and front line health care workers, through which we estimate that we have directly donated materials for over 20 million masks, scrubs and other personal protective equipment and our customers have purchased, made, and in many cases donated, more than 350 million additional masks as of October 31, 2020; and

 

   

the launch of our two inaugural campaigns designed to give back to those in need: (i) the “Minority Creative Grant” that we established in August 2020, awarding minority makers a series of grants totaling $100,000 to support them in growing their businesses, and (ii) the “Handmade Hero’s Award” of $100,000 that we established in November 2020, awarding and giving back to those who have made to donate to their own communities throughout the year.

We also encourage our customers to share their projects with others, and they can easily do so by utilizing the hashtag “#handmadewithjoann.” Through this hashtag, content is not only shared in the social platform posted on, but also flows through our mobile application and on joann.com for others to comment on and be inspired.

 

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As we further build our brand, we continually explore and test strategic partnerships. These partnerships can range from co-branding products and services to building entirely new offerings for customers. For example, we partner with Girls Scouts of America and 4-H. At the core of each of these partnerships, we seek to connect with and build a longer term relationship with younger and upcoming makers and those who share our common passion to help others, further generating awareness of the social value of our brand.

Purchasing

We generally have multiple domestic and international sources of supply available for each category of products we sell. During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, we sourced approximately 63% of our purchases from domestic suppliers with the remaining approximately 37% of our products coming directly from manufacturers located in foreign countries, of which just over half were sourced from China. To further support our direct sourcing strategic initiative, we opened our foreign sourcing office in Shanghai, China in 2018. We continue to diversify our internationally sourced products by expanding in several other countries, including Pakistan, India and South Korea. The focus on supplier diversification has allowed us to partially offset the negative impact of the U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. Because of the increase in foreign sourcing, we need to order these products further in advance than would be the case if the products were sourced domestically, which in turn requires us to have a longer in-transit time for our merchandise and higher safety stock levels in our distribution centers and locations. Our domestic suppliers also source internationally many of the products they sell to us.

Although we have very few long-term purchase commitments with any of our suppliers, we strive to maintain continuity with them. All purchases are executed centrally through our store support center, allowing location managers and team members to focus on customer service and enabling us to negotiate volume discounts, control product mix and ensure quality. As of October 31, 2020, our top supplier represented approximately 10% of our total annual purchase volume and the top 10 suppliers represented approximately 27% of our total annual purchase volume. As of October 31, 2020, we were utilizing approximately 680 merchandise suppliers, with the top 110 representing approximately 80% of our purchasing volume.

Logistics

We operate three distribution centers in Hudson, Ohio, Visalia, California and Opelika, Alabama, all of which ship merchandise to our locations on a weekly basis. The distribution centers also ship select products ordered by customers through joann.com directly to their homes. As of October 31, 2020, approximately 89% of the products in our locations are shipped through our distribution center network, with the remaining 11% of our purchases shipped directly from our suppliers to our locations. As of October 31, 2020, approximately 38% of our locations are supplied from the Hudson distribution center, 32% from the Visalia distribution center and 30% from the Opelika distribution center.

We transport product from our distribution centers to our locations utilizing contract carriers. Merchandise is shipped directly from our distribution centers to our locations using dedicated core carriers for approximately 95% of our locations. For the remainder of our locations, we transport product using less than truckload carriers or through a regional “hub” where product is cross-docked for local delivery. We do not own either the regional hub or the local delivery vehicles.

Location Operations

Site Selection

We believe that our locations are integral to our success. New and relocated sites are selected through a coordinated effort of our executive, real estate, finance and operations management teams. In evaluating the desirability of a potential location, we consider both market demographics and site-specific criteria. Market criteria we consider important include, but are not limited to, our existing location sales performance in that

 

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immediate market (if we have an existing location), distance to other JOANN locations, competitive presence, total population, number of households, median household income, percentage of home ownership versus rental and historical and projected population growth. Site-specific criteria we consider important include, but are not limited to, size of the location, rental terms, size of the shopping center, co-tenants, traffic patterns, availability of convenient parking and ease of entry from the major roadways framing the location.

Opening or Remodeling Locations

Our location refresh program employs standard operating procedures to efficiently open new locations or remodel or relocate existing locations. We have developed processes to optimize inventory assortments and marketing programs for locations that we open or remodel, which are under regular review to uncover opportunities to improve performance and consistency of execution. We generally look to execute location projects in the period from February through October to maximize sales and to minimize disruption to operations during our fourth quarter peak selling season. See “Prospectus Summary—Our Growth Strategies—Refreshing our Locations with Enhanced Customer Experience.”

Location Management

Each location generally has a manager and an assistant manager. The remainder of staff is a combination of full-time and part-time team members based on each location’s individual sales volume. Managers generally are compensated with a base salary plus a bonus, which is tied to individual location and overall company performance.

We strive to promote our managers from within our assistant manager ranks as a result of high performance and completion of our internal management training program. Many of our team members, including managers, started as our customers and are enthusiasts within the Creative Products community. We believe this continuity serves to solidify long-standing relationships between us and our customers, and aid in our ability to provide exceptional service. When we relocate in the same market, we generally retain its team members to staff the new location. Each location is under the supervision of a district manager who reports to a regional vice president.

 

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We have geographic coverage for our retail locations across the United States that we believe provide sufficient scale to efficiently leverage our e-commerce business, national marketing programs and logistics networks. The following table shows the number of retail locations by state on October 31, 2020:

 

    

Total

 

Alabama

     7  

Alaska

     5  

Arizona

     18  

Arkansas

     6  

California

     84  

Colorado

     16  

Connecticut

     10  

Delaware

     2  

Florida

     49  

Georgia

     20  

Idaho

     8  

Illinois

     36  

Indiana

     27  

Iowa

     13  

Kansas

     8  

Kentucky

     11  

Louisiana

     8  

Maine

     5  

Maryland

     18  

Massachusetts

     24  

Michigan

     43  

Minnesota

     23  

Mississippi

     6  

Missouri

     15  

Montana

     7  
    

Total

 

Nebraska

     4  

Nevada

     5  

New Hampshire

     9  

New Jersey

     12  

New Mexico

     5  

New York

     36  

North Carolina

     16  

North Dakota

     4  

Ohio

     49  

Oklahoma

     7  

Oregon

     25  

Pennsylvania

     44  

Rhode Island

     1  

South Carolina

     8  

South Dakota

     3  

Tennessee

     15  

Texas

     43  

Utah

     14  

Vermont

     4  

Virginia

     22  

Washington

     30  

West Virginia

     4  

Wisconsin

     25  

Wyoming

     3  
  

 

 

 

Total

     857  
  

 

 

 
 

 

The following table reflects the number of retail locations opened, relocated and closed during each of the past five fiscal years and the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 (square footage in thousands):

 

Fiscal Year

 

New

 

Closed

  

In Operation at
Period End

  

Expanded or
Relocated

  

Total Square
Footage at
Period End
(in thousands)

2016   6   (7)    847    12    18,624
2017   16   (4)    859    8    18,807
2018   11   (5)    865    3    18,870
2019   7   (3)    869    10    18,956
2020     (2)    867    10    18,963
Q1-Q3 2021     (10)    857    6    18,823

Our new location opening costs depend on the building type, location size and general construction and labor costs in the geographic area. Our relocation and remodel projects range in scope and cost based on the specific needs and sales potential of the location being refreshed as well as the size of the location, condition of the building and regional differences in construction costs. Components of cost for these projects include leasehold improvements (net of landlord financial contribution), furniture, fixtures and equipment, inventory (net of vendor support) and pre-opening labor and facilities expenses incurred during the project.

 

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Competitive Landscape

We are the nation’s category leader in Sewing and one of the fastest growing players in the arts and crafts category, serving customers in their pursuit of apparel and craft sewing, crafting, home decorating and other creative endeavors. We compete with select mass merchants, including Walmart, Inc. and Target Corporation, which dedicate a portion of their selling space to selling Creative Products items. We also compete with specialty retailers in the Creative Products industry, such as The Michaels Companies, Inc. and Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., as well as smaller regional and local operators.

In addition to e-commerce options offered by the retailers mentioned above, we compete with companies that sell fabrics and crafts only over the internet, such as Amazon.com or its subsidiary Fabric.com. We estimate pure play e-commerce players represent less than 10% market share of the Creative Products industry. We believe that we are the only specialty player that can serve customers holistically with an expansive Creative Products assortment, service-oriented experience and integrated omni-channel capabilities.

We believe our ability to compete effectively in our industry is primarily on the basis of product assortment, price, convenience and customer service. We believe that the combination of our robust product assortments supported by knowledgeable and customer-focused team members and a strong omni-channel service offering provides us with a competitive advantage.

Information Technology

Our point-of-sale systems and e-commerce platform record the sale of product at the item level. These transactions are collected and transmitted to our financial, merchandising, omni-channel fulfillment and reporting systems throughout the day. Information obtained from item-level transaction data enables us to identify important trends, provide customers and team members with updated inventory information, ensure our products are reliably replenished as sold, eliminate less profitable items, and optimize product margins through analysis of our advertising, pricing and promotions.

Our locations are equipped with broadband communication that is made available to customers so that our mobile e-commerce assets are able to augment our in-store customer service. The broadband service is also used within the location to enhance the checkout experience and internal location communications.

Our financial, merchandise and retail systems leverage enterprise software, complemented by other technology solutions for specific business processes where those other solutions are a better fit for our requirements. Those solutions include our portfolio of software for merchandise planning and replenishment as well as our recently upgraded human resource systems.

Team Members

As of October 31, 2020, we had approximately 27,700 full and part-time team members, of whom approximately 26,000 worked in our retail locations. The number of part-time team members is substantially higher during our peak selling season of September through December to support higher merchandising and customer service requirements. We believe our turnover is below average for retailers, primarily because many of our team members are themselves Creative Products enthusiasts. Our ability to offer flexible scheduling is also important in attracting and retaining team members, since approximately 80% of our team members work part-time.

The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, or the union, currently represents team members who work in our Hudson, Ohio distribution center. As of October 31, 2020, 1.3% of our team members were unionized. Our current contract with the union expires on May 5, 2023 and relations with the union are good. Otherwise, none of our team members are unionized.

 

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Trademarks

We do business under trademarks for “Jo-Ann,” “JOANN,” “Joann.com,” “Jo-Ann Fabrics,” “Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores,” “Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts,” “Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts” and “Creativebug,” as well as under numerous trademarks relating to our private label products and marketing programs. We believe that our trademarks provide significant value to our business.

Government Regulation

Various aspects of our operations are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations, any of which may change from time-to-time. Laws and regulations affecting our business may change, sometimes frequently and significantly, as a result of political, economic, social or other events. Some of the federal, state or local laws and regulations that affect us include but are not limited to:

 

   

consumer product safety, product liability, truth-in-advertising or consumer protection laws;

 

   

labor and employment laws, including wage and hour laws;

 

   

tax laws or interpretations thereof, including collection of state sales tax on e-commerce sales;

 

   

data protection and privacy laws and regulations;

 

   

environmental laws and regulations;

 

   

trade, anti-bribery, customs or import and export laws and regulations, including collection of tariffs on product imports; and

 

   

intellectual property laws.

Continued compliance with such laws and regulations could prove to be costly and impact various aspects of our business. For example, increases in minimum wages or changes in wage and hour laws could limit our growth and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, with the trend in health and safety regulations becoming more restrictive, such as certain physical and electronic accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, it is possible that the costs of compliance with such laws and regulations will continue to increase. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Failure to attract, develop, motivate and retain qualified team members and effectively manage overall labor costs, including potential increases in minimum wages, could limit our growth and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Business—Failure to comply with various regulations may result in damage to our business.”

Properties

Our store support center, one of our distribution centers and one retail location are located in a 1.4 million square foot facility on approximately 129 acres in Hudson, Ohio. Our building is sitting on 35 acres with an additional 94 acres of land surrounding the facility. We own both the facility and the real estate. The distribution center occupies 1.0 million square feet and the remainder is used as our store support center and a retail location. We also own a distribution center that is approximately 700,000 square feet situated on a 105-acre site that is located in Opelika, Alabama. We lease and operate a distribution center that is approximately 630,000 square feet located on an 80-acre site in Visalia, California. The initial term of the lease expires in October 2026 with renewal options for up to an additional 40 years.

 

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The majority of our remaining properties that we occupy are leased retail location facilities, located primarily in high-traffic shopping centers. All leases are operating leases and generally have initial terms of 10 years with renewal options for up to 20 years. Certain leases contain escalation clauses and contingent rents based on a percent of net sales in excess of defined minimums. During fiscal year 2020, we incurred $262.7 million of occupancy costs, including common area maintenance, taxes and insurance for locations.

As of October 31, 2020, the current terms of our leases (including retail locations not yet open), assuming we exercise all lease renewal options, were as follows:

 

Fiscal Year Lease Terms Expire

   Number of
Retail

Location
Leases
 

Month-to-month

     6  

2021

     8  

2022

     20  

2023

     24  

2024

     29  

2025

     31  

Thereafter

     741  
  

 

 

 

Total

     859  
  

 

 

 

Legal Proceedings

We are involved in various litigation matters in the ordinary course of our business. We are not currently involved in any litigation that we expect, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Seasonality

While we support the creative enthusiast throughout the entire year, our business does exhibit a high degree of seasonality with our fall and winter holiday seasons demonstrating stronger sales volume relative to the balance of the year. Due to the project-oriented and gift giving nature of our customers, many of their purchases will be in advance of the holiday or event for which they are purchasing supplies from us. Therefore, our peak selling season generally runs from September through December.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth information about our executive officers and directors, including their ages as of October 31, 2020. With respect to our directors, each biography contains information regarding the person’s service as a director, business experience, director positions held currently or at any time during the past five years, information regarding involvement in certain legal or administrative proceedings and the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that caused our board of directors to determine that the person should serve as a director of our Company.

 

Name

  

Age

    

Position

Executive Officers

     

Wade Miquelon

     56      President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Matt Susz

     52      Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Janet Duliga

     54      Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer

Christopher DiTullio

     48      Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer

Robert Will

     43      Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer

Directors

     

Lily Chang

     55      Director

Jonathan Sokoloff

     63      Director

Darrell Webb

     62      Director

John Yoon

     37      Director

Wade Miquelon, 56, was appointed as our President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors in February 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Miquelon served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer beginning April 2016 and as our interim President and Chief Executive Officer from October 2018 to February 2019. Previously, Mr. Miquelon served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Walgreens Botts Alliance, Inc., or The Walgreen Company, beginning in 2009, and later took on the additional responsibility as President, International, beginning in 2012. Prior to his tenure at The Walgreen Company, Mr. Miquelon served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Tyson Foods, Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Miquelon spent fifteen years as an executive at The Procter and Gamble Company and was based in Europe, Asia and the United States. In 2018, without admitting or denying any of the allegations, Mr. Miquelon consented to the issuance of an SEC order relating to his tenure at The Walgreen Company providing that he cease and desist from committing or causing any violation or future violations of Section 17(a)(2) of the Securities Act and pay a civil monetary penalty of $160,000. The suit was brought against The Walgreen Company and certain of its executives, including Mr. Miquelon. The order related to actions taken prior to 2015 and did not bar Mr. Miquelon from serving as an officer or director of a public company. Mr. Miquelon currently is a board member of Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. and a trustee of National 4-H Council. He previously served on the boards of Alliance Boots, Lyric Opera and Chicago Shedd Aquarium. Mr. Miquelon was selected to our board of directors because of, among other things, his extensive knowledge and experience with our business and his role as our chief executive officer.

Matt Susz, 52, was appointed as our Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in February 2019. He previously served as our Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer since April 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Susz served as our Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer from 2011 to 2018. Since joining the Company in 1996, Mr. Susz has served in various roles of increasing responsibility in our finance, information technology and operations departments. Prior to joining the Company in 1996, Mr. Susz worked at Arthur Andersen LLP in the audit practice. Mr. Susz currently serves on the board of directors of Weaveup, Inc., which is an affiliate of the Company, and the board of directors of the United Way of Summit and Medina Counties.

Janet Duliga, 54, was appointed as our Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer in February 2016. During her tenure with the Company, she completed her dissertation in organizational learning in 2018 at

 

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University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Duliga leads our human resources function, and directly oversees our legal, corporate communications, field asset protection and diversity and inclusion functions. Prior to joining the Company, she held an executive role at Sunglass Hut, a global division of international eyewear and optical health company, Luxottica, from 2010 to 2016. Previously, she worked in the human resources department at Pacific Sunwear from 2007 to 2010, The Wet Seal from 2001 to 2003, and Nordstrom, Inc. from 1999 to 2001. She began her career in the employment practice group of Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton.

Christopher DiTullio, 48, has served as our Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer since October 2019. His responsibilities cover all aspects in which our customer interacts with our brand, including field leadership and all aspects of location operations, development and in-store experience; omni-channel operations and customer care; marketing and brand organizations, inclusive of creative, digital marketing, digital experience, customer relationship management and customer insights and analytics. Mr. DiTullio joined the Company in 2005 and since that time has held various leadership roles in inventory management, marketing, e-commerce and omni-channel. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. DiTullio held roles in operations and inventory management with JC Penney, Homeplace, Inc. and Cole Vision. Additionally, Mr. DiTullio recently completed a six year term on the board of Association for Creative Industries (the craft and hobby industry association, formerly Craft & Hobby Association).

Robert Will, 43, was appointed as our Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer in October 2019. In this role, Mr. Will is responsible for leading the product merchandising strategy, execution, and profitability across both the brick and mortar and e-commerce channels. Mr. Will has served as the executive sponsor of our e-commerce business since April 2019, and business development efforts including our investments in Creativebug and Glowforge. Mr. Will joined the Company in September 2016 and spent his first three years as Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager of the craft category. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Will spent six years at The Sports Authority with roles including Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager of Team and Winter Sports and Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager of their hardgoods business. Before that, Mr. Will held a variety of merchandising and planning roles of increasing responsibility in apparel, footwear, and hardgoods at Macy’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Lily Chang, 55, has served as a member of our board since May 2018. Ms. Chang is Chief Portfolio Services Officer of LGP, which she joined in 2004. In her role, she leads LGP’s collaborative efforts with portfolio company management teams. From 2003 to 2004, she worked at Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation in strategy and planning roles. Prior to Nissan, Ms. Chang was a partner with eCompanies Venture Group, a venture capital firm. In addition, Ms. Chang has held finance and management positions with The Walt Disney Company and Procter & Gamble. We believe Ms. Chang is qualified to serve as a director due to her particular knowledge and experience in accounting and finance, supply chains, strategic planning, and leadership of complex organizations and retail businesses.

Jonathan Sokoloff, 63, has served as a member of our board since March 2011. Mr. Sokoloff is currently a Managing Partner of LGP, which he joined in 1990. Before joining LGP, he was a Managing Director in investment banking at Drexel Burnham Lambert. Mr. Sokoloff also serves on the board of directors of Advantage Solutions, Inc., The Container Store Group, Inc., Jetro Cash & Carry, Shake Shack Inc., and Union Square Hospitality Group, LLC. He previously served on various board of directors, including Whole Foods Market, Inc. and BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. Mr. Sokoloff serves as a trustee of Williams College and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He is also a board member of the Melanoma Research Alliance. Mr. Sokoloff was selected to our board of directors because he possesses particular knowledge and experience in accounting, finance and capital structure, strategic planning processes and board practice of other major corporations.

Darrell Webb, 62, served as our Chairman of the board from July 2006 through October 2014 and continues to serve as a member of the Board. From July 2006 to August 2011, Mr. Webb also served as Chief Executive Officer of our Company. From July 2006 to January 2010, Mr. Webb also served as our President. Previously, he was President of Fred Meyer Stores, a division of The Kroger Company, from 2002 until 2006,

 

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and President of Kroger’s quality food center division from 1999 to 2002. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Webb served as Chairman of the board and Chief Executive Officer of The Sports Authority, Inc., and from 2014 to September 2016, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Guitar Center Inc. Mr. Webb also served on the board of directors of Les Schwab Tires from January 2017 to November 2020. Mr. Webb was selected to our board of directors because of, among other things, his extensive knowledge and background in retail, including with the Company.

John Yoon, 37, has served as a member of our board since March 2011. Mr. Yoon is a Partner of LGP, which he joined in 2007. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Yoon worked at Credit Suisse in Los Angeles as an analyst in the investment banking department. Mr. Yoon also serves on the board of directors of Aspen Dental Management, Inc. and the North American Partners in Anesthesia. Mr. Yoon was selected to our board of directors because of, among other things, his particular knowledge and experience in accounting, finance and capital structure, strategic planning and leadership of complex organizations, retail businesses and board practices of other corporations.

Composition of the Board of Directors after this Offering

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of the board of directors. Our board of directors will consist of                directors.

Pursuant to the Shareholders Agreement, LGP will be entitled to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees recommended by our board of directors for election to our board of directors. So long as LGP owns, in the aggregate, (i) at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), LGP will be entitled to nominate                  directors, (ii) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate                  directors, (iii) less than         % but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate                  directors, (iv) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate                  directors, (v) less than         %, but at least         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering (including any shares that may be sold pursuant to the exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares), it will be entitled to nominate                  directors and (vi) less than         % of the total outstanding shares of our common stock owned by it immediately following the consummation of this offering, it will not be entitled to nominate a director. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Shareholders Agreement.”

LGP has been deemed to have nominated                      for election to our board of directors.

In accordance with our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the Shareholders Agreement, each of which will be in effect upon the closing of this offering, our board of directors will be divided into three classes with staggered three year terms. At each annual meeting of shareholders after the initial classification, the successors to the directors whose terms will then expire will be elected to serve from the time of election and qualification until the third annual meeting following their election. Our directors will be divided among three classes as follows:

 

   

the Class I directors will be                and                , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2022;

 

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the Class II directors will be                and                , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2023; and

 

   

the Class III directors will be                and                , and their terms will expire at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2024.

Any increase or decrease in the number of directors will be distributed among the three classes so that, as nearly as possible, each class will consist of one-third of the directors. This classification of our board of directors may have the effect of delaying or preventing changes in control of our Company.

Pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, directors nominated by LGP may only be removed at the request of LGP in accordance with the bylaws of the Company then in effect. In all other cases and at any other time, directors may only be removed for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of our common stock.

Director Independence and Controlled Company Exception

Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that                and                are independent directors under the rules of the                .

After the consummation of this offering, LGP will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. As a result, we will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the                corporate governance standards. Under these rules, a “controlled company” may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including the requirements:

 

   

that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors;

 

   

that our board of directors have a nominating and corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities;

 

   

that our board of directors have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and

 

   

for an annual performance evaluation of the nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee.

For at least a period following this offering, we intend to utilize all of these exemptions. As a result, we will not have a majority of independent directors, our nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee will not consist entirely of independent directors and such committees will not be subject to annual performance evaluations. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Common Stock and this Offering—We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the rules of                 and, as a result, will qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.” In the event that we cease to be a “controlled company” and our ordinary shares continue to be listed on                 , we will be required to comply with these provisions within the applicable transaction periods.

Leadership Structure of the Board of Directors

Our board of directors will combine the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. These positions will be held by Wade Miquelon, as our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at the

 

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consummation of this offering. The board of directors has determined that combining these positions will serve the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The board of directors believes that the Company’s Chief Executive Officer is best situated to serve as Chairman because he is the director most familiar with the Company’s business and industry, and most capable of effectively identifying strategic priorities and leading the consideration and execution of strategy. The board of directors believes that the combined position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer promotes the development of policy and plans, and facilitates information flow between management and the board of directors, which is essential to effective governance.

Committees of the Board of Directors

Upon consummation of this offering, our board of directors will have the following committees: the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee. From time to time, our board of directors may also establish any other committees that it deems necessary or desirable.

Audit Committee. Upon consummation of this offering, we expect to have an audit committee consisting of                , as chair and                . Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act requires us to have one independent audit committee member upon the listing of our common stock, a majority of independent directors on our audit committee within 90 days of the effective date of this registration statement and an audit committee composed entirely of independent directors within one year of the effective date of this registration statement.                  qualifies as our “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of regulations adopted by the SEC. The audit committee appoints and reviews the qualifications and independence of our independent registered public accounting firm, prepares compensation committee reports to be included in proxy statements filed under SEC rules and reviews the scope of audit and non-audit assignments and related fees, the results of the annual audit, accounting principles used in financial reporting, internal auditing procedures, the adequacy of our internal control procedures, the quality and integrity of our financial statements and investigations into matters related to audit functions. The audit committee is also responsible for overseeing risk management on behalf of our board of directors. See “—Risk Oversight.”

Compensation Committee. Upon consummation of this offering, we expect to have a compensation committee consisting of                , as chair and                . The principal responsibilities of the compensation committee are to review and approve matters involving executive and director compensation, recommend changes in employee benefit programs, authorize equity and other incentive arrangements, prepare compensation committee reports to be included in proxy statements filed under SEC rules and authorize our Company to enter into employment and other employee related agreements.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Upon the consummation of this offering, we expect to have a nominating and corporate governance committee consisting of                , as chair and                . The nominating and corporate governance committee assists our board of directors in identifying individuals qualified to become board members, consistent with criteria approved by our board of directors and in accordance with the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, makes recommendations for nominees for committees, oversees the evaluation of the board of directors and management and develops, recommends to the board of directors and reviews our corporate governance principles.

Risk Oversight

Our board of directors has extensive involvement in the oversight of risk management related to us and our business and accomplishes this oversight primarily through the audit committee. To that end, our audit committee will meet quarterly with our Chief Financial Officer and our independent auditors where it will receive regular updates regarding our management’s assessment of risk exposures including liquidity, credit and operational risks and the process in place to monitor such risks and review results of operations, financial reporting and assessments of internal controls over financial reporting.

 

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Code of Ethics

Prior to the consummation of this offering, we intend to adopt a code of ethics applicable to all of our directors, officers (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer) and team members. Our code of ethics will be available on our website at www.joann.com under Investor Relations. Our code of ethics will be a “code of ethics” as defined in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K. In the event that we amend or waive certain provisions of our code of ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer that requires disclosure under applicable SEC rules, we intend to disclose the same on our website.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

None of our executive officers serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. No interlocking relationship exists between any member of our compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) and any executive, member of the board of directors or member of the compensation committee (or other committee performing equivalent functions) and of any other company. We are party to certain transactions with LGP and affiliates thereof as described in “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.”

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

At the time of the filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, we have not determined who will be our named executive officers other than Wade Miquelon, our President, Chief Executive Officer, and Matt Susz, our Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. We are currently in the process of determining the remainder of our executive officers who will be included as a named executive officer for purposes of this prospectus.

We will identify our other named executive officers and include the relevant disclosures relating to their compensation, including their employment arrangements and descriptions of our equity incentive plans and awards to be granted thereunder in subsequent amendments to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement.

 

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of December 15, 2020, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of common stock offered in this offering for:

 

   

each person or entity who is known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of our common stock;

 

   

each of our directors, director nominees and named executive officers;

 

   

all of our directors, director nominees and executive officers as a group; and

 

   

each of the Selling Shareholders.

Information with respect to beneficial ownership has been furnished to us by each director, director nominee, executive officer or shareholder listed in the table below, as the case may be. The amounts and percentages of our common stock beneficially owned are reported on the basis of rules of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under these rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares “voting power,” which includes the power to vote or direct the voting of such security, or “investment power,” which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days after December 15, 2020. More than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities.

Percentage of beneficial ownership prior to this offering is based on                shares of common stock outstanding as of December 15, 2020. Percentage of beneficial ownership after this offering is based on                shares of common stock outstanding (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) after giving effect to the sale by us of the shares of common stock offered hereby. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by an individual or entity and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options, warrants or other rights held by such person that are currently exercisable or that will become exercisable or will otherwise vest within 60 days of December 15, 2020 are considered outstanding, although these shares are not considered outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. For a discussion of our stock split, see “Prospectus Summary—The Offering” and “Description of Capital Stock.”

 

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Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to their shares of common stock, except to the extent authority is shared by spouses under applicable law. Unless otherwise indicated below, the address for each person or entity listed below is c/o Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc., 5555 Darrow Road, Hudson, Ohio, 44236.

 

                         

Shares Beneficially Owned After this Offering

 
   Shares Beneficially
Owned Prior to
this Offering
     Shares to
be sold
in this
Offering
     Assuming the
Underwriters’
Option is Not
Exercised
     Assuming the
Underwriters’

Option is Exercised
in Full
 

Name of Beneficial Owner

  

Number
of Shares

    

Percentage

    

Number
of Shares

    

Number
of Shares

    

Percentage

    

Number
of Shares

    

Percentage

 

5% and Selling Shareholders

                    

Entities affiliated with Leonard Green & Partners, L.P.(1)

                                                                                                                       

Directors, Director Nominees and Named Executive Officers

                    

Lily Chang

                    

Christopher DiTullio

                    

Janet Duliga

                    

Wade Miquelon

                    

Jonathan Sokoloff

                    

Matt Susz

                    

Darrell Webb

                    

Robert Will

                    

John Yoon

                    

All directors, director nominees and executive officers as a group (         persons)

                    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

*

Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of our outstanding common stock.

(1)

Voting and investment power with respect to the shares of our common stock held by Green Equity Investors V, L.P., Green Equity Investors Side V, L.P., and Needle Coinvest LLC, or collectively, Green V, is shared. Messrs. Sokoloff and Yoon may also be deemed to share voting and investment power with respect to such shares due to their positions with affiliates of Green V, and each disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. Each of the foregoing entities’ and individuals’ address is c/o Leonard Green & Partners, L.P., 11111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, California 90025.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The following is a description of transactions to which we were a party since January 29, 2017 in which the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $120,000, and in which any of our executive officers, directors or holders of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, or an affiliate or immediate family member thereof, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

Shareholders Agreement

On October 16, 2012, the Company, LGP, certain of our directors and executive officers and certain other shareholders entered into a shareholders agreement. The shareholders agreement contains, among other things, certain restrictions on the ability of LGP and our other shareholders to freely transfer shares of our stock, a right of first refusal to the Company and LGP for other shareholders’ shares, a repurchase right for the Company for certain shares held by management shareholders and drag-along and tag-along rights in connection with certain transfers of shares by LGP. It also provides that each party to the shareholders agreement agrees to vote all of their shares to elect the initial individuals designated to serve on our board. The shareholders agreement also provides for piggyback registration rights as described below. At the consummation of this offering, the provisions of the shareholders agreement (subject to the survival of certain obligations, such as those relating to registration rights described below) will terminate.

Upon the closing of this offering, we will amend and restate the existing shareholders agreement to eliminate certain provisions (but maintain those related to the registration rights, which are described below) and to provide specific board rights and obligations. Following this offering, the Shareholders Agreement will include provisions pursuant to which we will grant LGP and certain other shareholders (or such permitted transferee or affiliate) the right to cause us, in certain instances, at our expense, to file registration statements under the Securities Act covering resales of our common stock held by such shareholders (or such permitted transferee or affiliate) or to piggyback on such registration statements in certain circumstances. These shares will represent approximately      % of our common stock after this offering, or     % if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full. These shares also may be sold under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, depending on their holding period and subject to restrictions in the case of shares held by persons deemed to be our affiliates. The Shareholders Agreement will also require us to indemnify LGP (or such permitted transferee or affiliate) and its affiliates in connection with any registrations of our securities. In addition, the Shareholders Agreement will provide that LGP is entitled to designate individuals to be included in the slate of nominees recommended by our board of directors for election to our board of directors, so as to ensure that the composition of our board of directors and its committees complies with the provisions of the Shareholders Agreement related to the composition of our board of directors and its committees, which are discussed under “Management—Composition of the Board of Directors after this Offering” and “Management—Committees of the Board of Directors.”

Management Services Agreement

On March 18, 2011, and in connection with the acquisition of the Company by LGP, Jo-Ann Stores, LLC (formerly Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.) entered into a management services agreement with the advisory affiliate of LGP, pursuant to which LGP agreed to provide certain management and financial services. In each of fiscal year 2018, fiscal year 2019 and fiscal year 2020, we paid $5.0 million in fees and out of pocket expenses to LGP under the management services agreement. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, starting in April 2020, the management fee payable to LGP was forgiven until the end of calendar year 2020. During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, we paid $0.8 million in fees and out of pocket expenses to LGP under the management services agreement. The management services agreement with LGP will terminate without any termination payment automatically upon the closing of this offering, subject to the survival of certain obligations, including as to indemnification.

 

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Indemnification Agreements

Our amended and restated bylaws, as will be in effect prior to the closing of this offering, provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to certain exceptions contained in our amended and restated bylaws. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as will be in effect prior to the closing of this offering, will provide that our directors will not be liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty.

Prior to the closing of this offering, we will enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors. The indemnification agreements will provide the indemnitees with contractual rights to indemnification, and expense advancement and reimbursement, to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL, subject to certain exceptions contained in those agreements.

There is no pending litigation or proceeding naming any of our directors or officers for which indemnification is being sought, and we are not aware of any pending litigation that may result in claims for indemnification by any director or executive officer.

Our Policy Regarding Related Party Transactions

Our board of directors recognizes the fact that transactions with related persons present a heightened risk of conflicts of interests or improper valuation (or the perception thereof). In connection with this offering, our board of directors intends to adopt a written policy on transactions with related persons that is in conformity with the requirements for issuers having publicly held common stock that is listed on the                . Under such policy:

 

   

any related person transaction, and any material amendment or modification to a related person transaction, must be reviewed and approved or ratified by a committee of the board of directors composed solely of independent directors who are disinterested or by the disinterested members of the board of directors; and

 

   

any employment relationship or transaction involving an executive officer and any related compensation must be approved by the compensation committee of the board of directors or recommended by the compensation committee to the board of directors for its approval.

In connection with the review and approval or ratification of a related person transaction:

 

   

management must disclose to the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, the name of the related person and the basis on which the person is a related person, the material terms of the related person transaction, including the approximate dollar value of the amount involved in the transaction and all the material facts as to the related person’s direct or indirect interest in, or relationship to, the related person transaction;

 

   

management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction complies with the terms of our agreements governing our material outstanding indebtedness that limit or restrict our ability to enter into a related person transaction;

 

   

management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction will be required to be disclosed in our applicable filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, and related rules, and, to the extent required to be disclosed, management must ensure that the related person transaction is disclosed in accordance with such Acts and related rules; and

 

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management must advise the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, as to whether the related person transaction constitutes a “personal loan” for purposes of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

In addition, the related person transaction policy will provide that the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, in connection with any approval or ratification of a related person transaction involving a non-employee director or director nominee, should consider whether such transaction would compromise the director or director nominee’s status as an “independent,” or “outside” director, as applicable, under the rules and regulations of the SEC,                  and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following descriptions of our capital stock and provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

General

Our authorized capital stock following this offering consists of                shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and                shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. Unless the board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form. We urge you to read our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws.

Common Stock

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes a total of                shares of common stock. Upon the consummation of this offering, we expect that                shares of common stock, or                shares of common stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares from us or the Selling Shareholders in full, will be issued and outstanding.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders and do not have cumulative voting rights. An election of directors by our shareholders shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the shareholders entitled to vote on the election. Holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately any dividends as may be declared by our board of directors, subject to any preferential dividend rights of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive proportionately our net assets available for distribution to shareholders after the payment in full of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of any outstanding preferred stock. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There will be no sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Preferred Stock

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes a total of                shares of preferred stock. Upon the closing of this offering, we will have no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

Under the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized to direct us to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more series without shareholder approval. Our board of directors has the discretion to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, of each series of preferred stock.

The purpose of authorizing our board of directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a shareholder vote on specific issuances. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions, future financings and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or could discourage a third party from seeking to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock. We have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock.

 

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Dividends

The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by the board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equal the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, capital is less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets.

Declaration and payment of any dividend will be subject to the discretion of our board of directors. The time and amount of dividends will depend upon our financial condition, operations, cash requirements and availability, debt repayment obligations, capital expenditure needs, restrictions in our debt instruments, industry trends, the provisions of Delaware law affecting the payment of distributions to shareholders and any other factors our board of directors may consider relevant.

Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our ability to pay dividends will be limited by covenants in our existing indebtedness and may be limited by the agreements governing other indebtedness that we or our subsidiaries incur in the future. See “Description of Certain Indebtedness.” In addition, because we are a holding company and have no direct operations, we will only be able to pay dividends from funds we receive from our subsidiaries.

Authorized but Unissued Shares

The authorized but unissued shares of our common stock and our preferred stock are available for future issuance without shareholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of                 . These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

Shareholders Agreement

Upon the closing of this offering, we will amend and restate the existing shareholders agreement and enter into the Shareholders Agreement pursuant to which LGP will have specified board representation rights, governance rights and other rights. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Shareholders Agreement.”

Registration Rights

Upon the closing of this offering, the holders of                shares of our common stock, including certain Selling Shareholders, or their transferees, will be entitled to various rights with respect to the registration of these shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming fully tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration, except for shares purchased by affiliates. Shares covered by a registration statement will be eligible for sale in the public market upon the expiration or release from the terms of the lock-up agreement. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Shareholders Agreement” elsewhere in this prospectus.

Exclusive Venue

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any

 

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action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine will have to be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware if the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction). The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and proposed bylaws will also require that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act; however, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and investors cannot waive compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of applicable law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. These provisions would not apply to any suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

Conflicts of Interest

Delaware law permits corporations to adopt provisions renouncing any interest or expectancy in certain opportunities that are presented to the corporation or its officers, directors or shareholders. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Delaware law, renounce any interest or expectancy that we have in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, specified business opportunities that are from time to time presented to our officers, directors or shareholders or their respective affiliates, other than those officers, directors, shareholders or affiliates who are our or our subsidiaries’ employees. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of LGP or any of their affiliates or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates will have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in a corporate opportunity in the same or similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (ii) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates. In addition, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in the event that LGP or any non-employee director acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself or himself or its or his affiliates or for us or our affiliates, such person will have no duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and they may take any such opportunity for themselves or offer it to another person or entity. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not renounce our interest in any business opportunity that is expressly offered to a non-employee director solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no business opportunity will be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for us unless we would be permitted, to undertake the opportunity under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have sufficient financial resources to undertake the opportunity and the opportunity would be in line with our business.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their shareholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our shareholders, through shareholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the

 

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law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions or derived an improper personal benefit from his or her actions as a director.

Our amended and restated bylaws provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.

The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

We currently are party to indemnification agreements with certain of our directors and officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law

Certain provisions of Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer or discourage another party from acquiring control of us. We expect that these provisions, which are summarized below, will discourage coercive takeover practices or inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors, which we believe may result in an improvement of the terms of any such acquisition in favor of our shareholders. However, they also give our board of directors the power to discourage acquisitions that some shareholders may favor.

Classified Board of Directors

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes, with each class serving three-year staggered terms. As a result, approximately one-third of our directors are expected to be elected each year. Pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, directors designated by LGP may only be removed with or without cause by the request of LGP. In all other cases, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that directors may only be removed from our board of directors for cause by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of voting stock, following such time as when LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, 50% or more of the voting power of our common stock. Prior to that time, any individual director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the confirmed voting power of our common stock. See “Management—Committees of the Board of Directors.” These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control of us or our management.

Requirements for Advance Notification of Shareholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, after the date on which LGP and their affiliates cease to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 50% in voting power of our stock entitled to

 

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vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of the shareholders may be called only by the chairman of the board, a resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of the majority of the directors then in office and not by our shareholders or any other person or persons. Our amended and restated bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. In addition, any shareholder who wishes to bring business before an annual meeting or nominate directors must comply with the advance notice requirements set forth in our amended and restated bylaws. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers or changes in control of us or our management.

Shareholder Action by Written Consent

Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is 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 of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation prohibits shareholder action by written consent (and, thus, requires that all shareholder actions be taken at a meeting of our shareholders), if LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, 50% or more of the voting power of our common stock.

Approval for Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further provides that the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock, voting as a single class, will be required to amend certain provisions of our amended and certificate of incorporation, including provisions relating to the size of the board, removal of directors, special meetings, actions by written consent and cumulative voting, if LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, 50% or more of the voting power of our common stock. The affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock, voting as a single class, will be required to amend or repeal our bylaws, if LGP ceases to own, or no longer has the right to direct the vote of, 50% or more of the voting power of our common stock, although our bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of our board of directors.

Business Combinations

We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL; however, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains similar provisions providing that we may not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested shareholder” for a three-year period following the time that the shareholder became an interested shareholder, unless:

 

   

prior to such time, our board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder;

 

   

upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding certain shares; or

 

   

at or subsequent to that time, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and by the affirmative vote of holders of at least two-thirds of our outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested shareholder.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset, or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested shareholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested shareholder” is a

 

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person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. For purposes of this section only, “voting stock” has the meaning given to it in Section 203 of the DGCL.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested shareholder” to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring us to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the shareholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which shareholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that LGP and their affiliates, and any of their respective direct or indirect transferees and any group as to which such persons are a party, do not constitute “interested shareholders” for purposes of this provision.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock will be                .

Stock Exchange Listing

We intend to apply to list our common stock on                 under the symbol “                .”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INDEBTEDNESS

On October 21, 2016, Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, or the Borrower, entered into a senior secured first lien term loan facility, which was amended on July 21, 2017, or the First Lien Facility. On May 21, 2018, the Borrower entered into a senior secured second lien term loan facility, or the Second Lien Facility, and, together with the First Lien Facility, the Term Loan Facilities. On November 25, 2020, the Borrower entered into an amendment to the senior secured asset based revolving credit facility originally dated October 21, 2016, and the amendment together with the original 2016 revolving credit facility, the ABL Facility. The Borrower entered into the ABL Facility and Term Loan Facilities to refinance our prior credit facilities and notes. Borrowings under the ABL Facility are also used to finance or refinance working capital and capital expenditures and for general corporate purposes.

ABL Facility

General

On November 25, 2020, the Borrower and certain of our subsidiaries (as well as Needle Holdings LLC (or Holdings)), as guarantors, entered into the ABL Facility with the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacities, the ABL Agent). The ABL Facility is scheduled to mature on the earliest of (i) November 25, 2025, (ii) the date that is 91 days inside the maturity date of the First Lien Facility if the First Lien Facility has not been refinanced (or, if refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such First Lien Facility to the extent the First Lien Facility (or such other debt instrument) has not been retired in fully by such date) and (iii) 91 days inside the maturity date of the Second Lien Facility if the Second Lien Facility has not been refinanced (or, if refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such Second Lien Facility to the extent the Second Lien Facility (or such other debt instrument) has not been retired in fully by such date). There is no scheduled amortization under the ABL Facility.

The ABL Facility provides for revolving borrowings of up to $500.0 million subject to borrowing base availability. The borrowing base is equal to the sum (subject to certain reserves and adjustments) of (i) 90% of eligible credit card receivables, (ii) the net recovery percentage of eligible letter of credit inventory multiplied by 90% multiplied by the cost of eligible letter, (iii) the net recovery percentage of eligible inventory multiplied by 90% to 92.5% (based on seasonality) of the cost of eligible inventory, net of inventory reserves attributable to eligible inventory, (iv) the net recovery percentage of eligible in-transit inventory multiplied by 90% to 92.5% (based on seasonality) of the cost of eligible in-transit inventory, net of in-transit inventory reserves attributable to eligible in-transit inventory, minus (v) the then amount of all availability reserves. Subject to the borrowing base availability, the ABL Facility also includes a letter of credit subfacility of up to $125.0 million and a swing line subfacility for same-day borrowings of up to $30.0 million. Borrowings under the ABL Facility are subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including absence of default and accuracy of representations and warranties.

 

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Interest

Borrowings under the ABL Facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at our option, either (i) adjusted LIBOR (which shall not be less than 0.75%) plus the applicable rate or (ii) base rate (determined by reference to the highest of (a) the prime rate published by Bank of America, N.A., (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.5% and (c) one-month LIBOR plus 1.00%) plus the applicable rate. The applicable rates under the ABL Facility are subject to step-ups and step-downs based on the Borrower’s average daily availability for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter in accordance with the following schedule (with the interest rate through the first full fiscal quarter after November 25, 2020, set at Pricing Level II):

 

Pricing Level

  

Average Daily Availability

  

LIBOR
Rate
Loans

   

Base Rate

 
I    Greater than or equal to 66.67% of line cap      1.75     0.75
II    Less than 66.67% of line cap but greater than or equal to 33.33% of line cap      2.00     1.00
III    Less than 33.33% of line cap      2.25     1.25

Optional and Mandatory Prepayments; Cash Dominion

At our option, the ABL Facility may be prepaid at any time without a premium or penalty with notice to the ABL Agent. We may also terminate or permanently reduce the unused commitments under the ABL Facility, with notice to the ABL Agent. Such termination or reduction must be in a minimum aggregate amount of $1.0 million or in whole multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof. In addition, we are not permitted to terminate or reduce the commitments if such termination or reduction (and any concurrent prepayments) would cause the total outstanding amount to exceed the amount of the ABL Facility. To the extent the borrowings under the ABL Facility at any time exceed the lesser of (i) the revolving credit commitment in effect at such time and (ii) the borrowing base at such time, we are required to prepay the borrowings under the ABL Facility in the amount of such excess.

We will be required to sweep substantially all cash receipts from the sale of inventory, collection of receivables and dispositions of the ABL Priority Collateral (defined below) into certain concentration accounts under the dominion and control of the administrative agent under the ABL Facility and all such cash will be used to repay outstanding borrowings under the ABL Facility (i) during the existence of certain specified events of default or (ii) when we fail to maintain availability of at least the greater of $35.0 million and 10.0% of the line cap for five consecutive business days.

Guarantee and Collateral

Obligations in respect of the ABL Facility are guaranteed by Holdings and each of the Borrower’s material existing, newly acquired or created wholly-owned domestic restricted subsidiaries. Obligations under the ABL Facility, as well as obligations to the ABL Facility lenders and their affiliates under certain secured cash management agreements and secured hedge agreements, are secured by a first priority lien on the Borrower’s and the guarantors’ accounts receivable, inventory, deposit accounts, securities accounts, commodities accounts, cash and cash equivalents, and chattel paper, documents, instruments, general intangibles (excluding intellectual property), books, records, proceeds and supporting obligations relating to the foregoing, collectively, the ABL Priority Collateral; and a third priority lien on the Borrower’s and the guarantors’ and their wholly-owned subsidiaries’ capital stock (which will be limited, in the case of any foreign subsidiaries, to 65% of the voting stock and 100% of the non-voting stock of any first-tier foreign subsidiaries); and the Borrower’s and the guarantors’ intercompany debt and certain other “fixed assets” other than the ABL Priority Collateral, collectively, the Term Loan Priority Collateral.

 

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Covenants and Other Matters

The ABL Facility requires that we comply with a number of covenants, as well as certain financial tests. If we fail to maintain availability of at least the greater of $35.0 million and 10% of the line cap, the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of the most recently completed period of four consecutive fiscal quarters must be 1.00 to 1.00 or higher until our availability is at least the greater of $35.0 million and 10% of the line cap for 20 consecutive days. The covenants also limit, in certain circumstances, our ability to take a variety of actions, including:

 

   

pay dividends on, repurchase, or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or make other restricted payments;

 

   

incur additional indebtedness or issue certain disqualified stock and preferred stock;

 

   

create liens;

 

   

make investments, loans and advances;

 

   

consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;

 

   

enter into certain transactions with our affiliates;

 

   

prepay certain junior indebtedness;

 

   

make certain changes to our lines of business; and

 

   

designate our subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries.

The Borrower’s future compliance with its financial covenants and tests under the ABL Facility will depend on its ability to maintain sufficient liquidity, generate earnings and manage its assets effectively. The ABL Facility also has various non-financial covenants, both requiring the Borrower and the guarantors to refrain from taking certain future actions (as described above) and requiring the Borrower and the guarantors to take certain actions, such as keeping in good standing its corporate existence, maintaining insurance and providing the bank lending group with financial information on a timely basis. The ABL Facility also contains certain customary representations and warranties and events of default, including, among other things, payment defaults, breach of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, cross-defaults to certain indebtedness, certain events of bankruptcy, certain events under ERISA, material judgments, actual or asserted failure of any material guaranty or security document supporting the ABL Facility to be in full force and effect and change of control. If such an event of default occurs, the administrative agent under the ABL Facility would be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the ABL Facility and all actions permitted to be taken by a secured creditor.

Term Loan Facilities

General

On October 21, 2016, the Borrower, and certain of our subsidiaries (as well as Holdings), as guarantors, entered into the First Lien Facility, with the lenders party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacities, the First Lien Agent). The initial First Lien Facility provided for term loans of up to $725.0 million, or the Initial First Lien Loan. On July 21, 2017, the Borrower, and certain of our subsidiaries, as guarantors, entered into an incremental amendment, which provided for an additional $180.0 million of term loans (collectively with the Initial First Lien Loan, the First Lien Loan). The First Lien Loan amortizes in nominal quarterly installments equal to 0.25% of the original aggregate principal amount of the First Lien Loan and matures on October 21, 2023.

 

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On May 21, 2018, the Borrower, and certain of our subsidiaries (as well as Holdings), as guarantors, entered into the Second Lien Facility, with the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacities, the Second Lien Agent). The Second Lien Facility provides for term loans of $225.0 million, or the Second Lien Loan and, together with the First Lien Loan, the Term Loans. The Second Lien Loan does not amortize and matures on May 21, 2024.

As mentioned above, the Term Loan Facilities permit the Borrower to add one or more incremental term loans up to $100.0 million (shared between the First Lien Facility and the Second Lien Facility) plus additional amounts subject to our compliance, with respect to the First Lien Facility, with a secured net leverage ratio test, and with respect to the Second Lien Facility, with a total net leverage ratio test.

Interest

The Term Loans Facilities bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at the Borrower’s option, either (i) adjusted LIBOR (subject to a LIBOR floor of 1.00%) plus the applicable rate or (ii) base rate (determined by reference to, (x) with respect to the First Lien Facility, the highest of (a) the prime rate published by Bank of America, N.A., (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.5% and (c) one-month LIBOR plus 1% and (y) with respect to the Second Lien Facility, the highest of (a) the prime rate published by Bank of America, N.A., (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.5%, (c) one-month LIBOR plus 1% and 2%) plus the applicable rate. The applicable rate under the First Lien Facility is 5.00% for LIBOR loans and 4.00% for base rate loans. The applicable rate under the Second Lien Facility is 9.25% for LIBOR loans and 8.25% for base rate loans.

Optional and Mandatory Prepayments

At our option, the First Lien Loan may be prepaid at any time, in whole or in part, with notice to the First Lien Agent. A prepayment premium applied to certain prepayments of the First Lien Loan until October 21, 2017, and no longer applies.

At our option, the Second Lien Loan may be prepaid at any time (but subject to the restrictions contained in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), in whole or in part, with notice to the Second Lien Agent. A prepayment premium applied to certain prepayments of the Second Lien Loan until May 21, 2020, and no longer applies.

In addition, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, the Borrower is permitted to offer its lenders to repurchase loans held by them under the Term Loan Facilities at a discount.

Under certain circumstances and subject to certain exceptions, the Term Loan Facilities will be subject to mandatory prepayments in the amount equal to: (x) 100% of the net cash proceeds of certain assets sales and issuances or incurrence of non-permitted indebtedness and (y) 50% of annual excess cash flow for any fiscal year, such percentage to decrease to 25% and 0% depending on the attainment of certain secured net leverage ratio targets.

Guarantee and Collateral

The Borrower’s obligations in respect of the Term Loan Facilities are guaranteed by Holdings and each of the Borrower’s material existing and newly acquired or created wholly-owned domestic restricted subsidiaries. The Borrower’s obligations under the Term Loan Facilities are secured by a first priority lien on the Term Loan Priority Collateral and a second priority lien on the ABL Priority Collateral. As between the First Lien Facility and the Second Lien Facility, liens securing the Second Lien Loan are junior and subordinated to the liens securing the First Lien Facility.

 

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Covenants and Other Matters

The Term Loan Facilities have various non-financial covenants, customary representations and warranties, events of defaults and remedies, similar to those described in respect of the ABL Facility above. There are no financial maintenance covenants in the Term Loan Facilities.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

The sale of a substantial amount of our common stock in the public market after this offering could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock. Furthermore, over    % of our common stock outstanding prior to the consummation of this offering will be subject to the contractual and legal restrictions on resale described below. The sale of a substantial amount of common stock in the public market after these restrictions lapse, or the expectation that such a sale may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

Upon consummation of this offering, we expect to have outstanding an aggregate of                shares of our common stock, assuming no exercise of outstanding options and assuming that the underwriters have not exercised their option to purchase additional shares. All of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act by persons other than “affiliates,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Generally, the balance of our outstanding shares of common stock are “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and the sale of those shares will be subject to the limitations and restrictions that are described below. Shares of our common stock that are not restricted securities and are purchased by our affiliates will be “control securities” under Rule 144. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if registered under the Securities Act or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act. These rules are summarized below. Control securities may be sold in the public market subject to the restrictions set forth in Rule 144, other than the holding period requirement.

Upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements described below                  days after the date of this prospectus, and subject to the provisions of Rule 144, an additional                shares will be available for sale in the public market. The sale of these restricted securities is subject, in the case of shares held by affiliates, to the volume restrictions contained in Rule 144.

Lock-up Agreements

In connection with this offering, we and the Selling Shareholders, our executive officers and directors and our other existing security holders have agreed with the underwriters not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for                 days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of the representatives, subject to certain limited exceptions. This lock-up provision applies to common stock and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with common stock. It also applies to common stock owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, beginning 90 days after the consummation of this offering, a person who is an affiliate, and who has beneficially owned our common stock for at least six months, is entitled to sell in any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:

 

   

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately                million shares immediately after consummation of this offering; or

 

   

the average weekly trading volume in our common stock on the                during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale.

Sales by our affiliates under Rule 144 are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. An “affiliate” is a person that directly,

 

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or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with an issuer.

Under Rule 144, a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, would be entitled to sell those shares subject only to availability of current public information about us, and after beneficially owning such shares for at least twelve months, would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of shares without restriction. To the extent that our affiliates sell their common stock, other than pursuant to Rule 144 or a registration statement, the purchaser’s holding period for the purpose of effecting a sale under Rule 144 commences on the date of transfer from the affiliate.

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us in reliance on Rule 701 in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of this offering, or who purchased shares from us after that date upon the exercise of options granted before that date, are eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance upon Rule 144. If such person is not an affiliate, such sale may be made subject only to the manner of sale provisions of Rule 144. If such a person is an affiliate, such sale may be made under Rule 144 without compliance with the holding period requirement, but subject to the other Rule 144 restrictions described above. However, substantially all Rule 701 shares are subject to lock-up agreements as described above and will become eligible for sale in compliance with Rule 144 only upon the expiration of the restrictions set forth in those agreements.

Stock Plans

We intend to file a registration statement or statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act covering shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our new omnibus incentive plan and pursuant to all outstanding option grants made prior to this offering. These registration statements are expected to be filed as soon as practicable after the closing date of this offering. Shares issued upon the exercise of stock options after the effective date of the applicable Form S-8 registration statement will be eligible for resale in the public market without restriction, subject to Rule 144 limitations applicable to affiliates and the lock-up agreements described above.

Registration Rights

Following this offering, some of our shareholders will, under some circumstances, have the right to require us to register their shares for future sale. See “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions—Shareholders Agreement.”

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK

The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock issued or sold pursuant to this offering, but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all potential tax effects. The effects of other U.S. federal tax laws, such as estate and gift tax laws, and any applicable state, local or non-U.S. tax laws are not discussed. This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, in each case in effect as of the date hereof. These authorities may change or be subject to differing interpretations. Any such change or differing interpretation may be applied retroactively in a manner that could adversely affect a Non-U.S. Holder. We have not sought and will not seek any rulings from the IRS regarding the matters discussed below. There can be no assurance the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position to that discussed below regarding the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock.

This discussion is limited to Non-U.S. Holders that hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all U.S. federal income tax consequences relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder’s particular circumstances, including the impact of the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income and the alternative minimum tax. In addition, it does not address consequences relevant to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules, including, without limitation:

 

   

U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;

 

   

persons holding our common stock as part of a hedge, straddle or other risk reduction strategy or as part of a conversion transaction or other integrated investment;

 

   

banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions;

 

   

brokers, dealers or traders in securities;

 

   

“controlled foreign corporations,” “passive foreign investment companies,” and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

 

   

partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);

 

   

tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations;

 

   

persons deemed to sell our common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;

 

   

persons who hold or receive our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation;

 

   

tax-qualified retirement plans;

 

   

“qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds; and

 

   

persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to our common stock being taken into account in an applicable financial statement.

 

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If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Accordingly, partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to them.

THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARISING UNDER THE U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-U.S. TAXING JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Definition of a Non-U.S. Holder

For purposes of this discussion, a “Non-U.S. Holder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is neither a “U.S. person” nor an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. person is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and the control of one or more “United States persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), or (2) has a valid election in effect to be treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Distributions

If we make distributions of cash or property on our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and first be applied against and reduce a Non-U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as capital gain and will be treated as described below under “—Sale or Other Taxable Disposition.”

Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty, provided the Non-U.S. Holder furnishes a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable documentation) certifying qualification for the lower treaty rate). A Non-U.S. Holder that does not timely furnish the required documentation, but that qualifies for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding their entitlement to benefits under any applicable income tax treaty.

If dividends paid to a Non-U.S. Holder are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S.

 

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Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable), the Non-U.S. Holder will be exempt from the U.S. federal withholding tax described above. To claim the exemption, the Non-U.S. Holder must furnish to the applicable withholding agent a valid IRS Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States.

Any such effectively connected dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected dividends, as adjusted for certain items. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

Sale or Other Taxable Disposition

A Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock unless:

 

   

the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the Non-U.S. Holder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable);

 

   

the Non-U.S. Holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition and certain other requirements are met; or

 

   

our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest, or USRPI, by reason of our status as a U.S. real property holding corporation, or USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular rates. A Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation also may be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on such effectively connected gain, as adjusted for certain items.

A Non-U.S. Holder described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on gain realized upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of the Non-U.S. Holder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.

With respect to the third bullet point above, we believe we currently are not, and do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC. Because the determination of whether we are a USRPHC depends, however, on the fair market value of our USRPIs relative to the fair market value of our non-U.S. real property interests and our other business assets, there can be no assurance we currently are not a USRPHC or will not become one in the future. Even if we are or were to become a USRPHC, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock by a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if our common stock is “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and such Non-U.S. Holder owned, actually and constructively, 5% or less of our common stock throughout the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition or the Non-U.S. Holder’s holding period.

Non-U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding potentially applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.

 

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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments of dividends on our common stock to a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to backup withholding if the applicable withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know the holder is a United States person and the holder certifies its non-U.S. status, such as by furnishing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. However, information returns are required to be filed with the IRS in connection with any distributions on our common stock paid to the Non-U.S. Holder, regardless of whether such distributions constitute dividends or whether any tax was actually withheld. In addition, proceeds of the sale or other taxable disposition of our common stock within the United States or conducted through certain U.S.-related brokers generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting if the applicable withholding agent receives the certification described above and does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that such holder is a United States person or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Proceeds of a disposition of our common stock conducted through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker generally will not be subject to backup withholding or information reporting.

Copies of information returns that are filed with the IRS may also be made available under the provisions of an applicable treaty or agreement to the tax authorities of the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides or is established.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Additional Withholding Tax on Payments Made to Foreign Accounts

Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA) on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on, or (subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below) gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code), unless (1) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (2) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (3) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in (1) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain “specified United States persons” or “United States owned foreign entities” (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.

Under the applicable Treasury Regulations and administrative guidance, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our common stock. While withholding under FATCA would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of stock, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate FATCA withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued.

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our common stock.

 

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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase of shares of common stock by (i) “employee benefit plans” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that are subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) plans, collective investment trusts, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any other U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other laws or regulations that are substantially similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and (iii) entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement described in clauses (i) and (ii), pursuant to ERISA or otherwise (each of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) referred to hereunder as a “Plan”).

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans which are subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (“Covered Plans”) from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition of shares of common stock by a Covered Plan with respect to which the issuer, selling shareholder or an underwriter is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption.

Plans that are governmental plans, certain church plans and non-U.S. plans may not be subject to the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, they may nevertheless be subject to Similar Laws. Fiduciaries of any such plans should consult with their counsel before acquiring any of our common stock. The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries, or other persons considering purchasing common stock on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the purchase and holding of common stock. Neither this discussion nor anything provided in this prospectus is, or is intended to be, investment advice directed at any potential Plan purchasers, or at Plan purchasers generally, and such purchasers of any shares of common stock should consult with and rely on their own counsel and advisers as to whether an investment in the common stock is suitable for the Plan.

 

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UNDERWRITING

                and                 are acting as representatives of each of the underwriters named below. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement among us, the Selling Shareholders and the underwriters, we and the Selling Shareholders have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each of the underwriters has agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us and the Selling Shareholders, the number of shares of common stock set forth opposite its name below.

 

                        Underwriter   

Number

of Shares

 

                     

                       

                     

  

                     

  

                     

  
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase all of the shares sold under the underwriting agreement if any of these shares are purchased. If an underwriter defaults, the underwriting agreement provides that the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.

We and the Selling Shareholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel, including the validity of the shares, and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, such as the receipt by the underwriters of officer’s certificates and legal opinions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.

Commissions and Discounts

The representatives have advised us and the Selling Shareholders that the underwriters propose initially to offer the shares to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $                per share. After the initial offering, the public offering price, concession or any other term of the offering may be changed.

The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds, before expenses, to us and the Selling Shareholders. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.

 

    

Per Share

    

Without Option

    

With Option

 

Public offering price

   $        $        $    

Underwriting discount

   $        $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $        $        $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to the Selling Shareholders

   $        $        $    

The expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, are estimated at $                and are payable by us.

 

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Option to Purchase Additional Shares

We and the Selling Shareholders have granted an option to the underwriters, exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to                additional shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. If the underwriters exercise this option, each will be obligated, subject to conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, to purchase a number of additional shares proportionate to that underwriter’s initial amount reflected in the above table.

No Sales of Similar Securities

We and the Selling Shareholders, our executive officers and directors and our other existing security holders have agreed not to sell or transfer any common stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable for, exercisable for, or repayable with common stock, for                days after the date of this prospectus without first obtaining the written consent of the representatives, subject to certain limited exceptions.

This lock-up provision applies to common stock and to securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with common stock. It also applies to common stock owned now or acquired later by the person executing the agreement or for which the person executing the agreement later acquires the power of disposition.

Listing

We expect the shares to be approved for listing on the                under the symbol “                .”

Before this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price will be determined through negotiations among us, the Selling Shareholders and the representatives. In addition to prevailing market conditions, the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price are:

 

   

the valuation multiples of publicly traded companies that the representatives believe to be comparable to us;

 

   

our financial information;

 

   

the history of, and the prospects for, our company and the industry in which we compete;

 

   

an assessment of our management, its past and present operations, and the prospects for, and timing of, our future revenues;

 

   

the present state of our development; and

 

   

the above factors in relation to market values and various valuation measures of other companies engaged in activities similar to ours.

An active trading market for the shares may not develop. It is also possible that after the offering the shares will not trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

The underwriters do not expect to sell more than 5% of the shares in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

 

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Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

Until the distribution of the shares is completed, SEC rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our common stock. However, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the common stock, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares described above. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of shares of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on                 , in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail.

Other Relationships

Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have engaged in, and may in the future engage in, investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us or our affiliates. They have received, or may in the future receive, customary fees and commissions for these transactions.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our

 

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affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a Relevant State), no shares have been offered or will be offered pursuant to this offering to the public in that Relevant State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation, except that offers of shares may be made to the public in that Relevant State at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation:

 

  a.

to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation;

 

  b.

to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined under the Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

  c.

in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation,

provided that no such offer of shares shall require the Issuer or any underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the Prospectus Regulation.

Each person in a Relevant State who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the Company and the representatives that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.

In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant State to qualified investors, in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

The Company, the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any shares, and the expression “Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129.

The above selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.

In connection with the offering the underwriters are not acting for anyone other than the issuer and will not be responsible to anyone other than the issuer for providing the protections afforded to their clients nor for providing advice in relation to the offering.

 

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Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom

An offer to the public of any shares may not be made in the United Kingdom, except that an offer to the public in the United Kingdom of any shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the UK Prospectus Regulation:

(a) to any legal entity which is a “qualified investor” as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation;

(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined under the UK Prospectus Regulation), subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

(c) in any other circumstances falling within section 86 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, “FSMA”),

provided that no such offer of shares shall result in a requirement for the Issuer or any underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to section 85 of the FSMA or a supplemental prospectus pursuant to Article 23 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

Each person who initially acquires any shares or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed to and with the Company and the representatives that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2 of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

In the case of any shares being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 1(4) of the UK Prospectus Regulation, each financial intermediary will also be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the shares acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public, other than their offer or resale in the United Kingdom to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.

The Company, the underwriters and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any shares in the United Kingdom means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any Shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for any Shares, and the expression “UK Prospectus Regulation” means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

The shares may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the shares or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company or the shares have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In

 

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particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of shares will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of shares has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of shares.

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre

This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the prospectus. The shares to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia

No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC, in relation to the offering. This prospectus does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001, or the Corporations Act, and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.

Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons, the Exempt Investors, who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.

The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.

This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong

The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation

 

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or document relating to the shares has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan

The shares have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.

Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, the shares were not offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not be offered or sold or caused to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares, has not been circulated or distributed, nor will it be circulated or distributed, whether directly or indirectly, to any person in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore, as modified or amended from time to time, the SFA) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

 

  (a)

a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

 

  (b)

a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor,

securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

 

  (a)

to an institutional investor or to a relevant person, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;

 

  (b)

where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;

 

  (c)

where the transfer is by operation of law;

 

  (d)

as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or

 

  (e)

as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investment) (Securities and Securities based Derivatives Contract) Regulations 2018.

 

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Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 (or, in the case of securities issued or guaranteed by the government of a non-Canadian jurisdiction, section 3A.4) of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP. The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Simpson Thacher  & Bartlett LLP.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. at February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019 and for each of the years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018, appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by Ernst and Young, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of our common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, some items of which are contained in exhibits to the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and our common stock, we refer you to the registration statement and its exhibits. Statements contained in this prospectus concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, please see the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this prospectus relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit is qualified in all respects by the filed exhibit. The exhibits to the registration statement should be reviewed for the complete contents of these contracts and documents. A copy of the registration statement and its exhibits may be obtained from the SEC upon the payment of fees prescribed by it. The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding companies that file electronically with it. 

Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the information and periodic and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith, will file periodic and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The registration statement, such periodic and current reports and other information can be obtained electronically by means of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

     F-2  

Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of February 1, 2020 and February  2, 2019

     F-4  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018

     F-5  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018

     F-6  

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the fiscal years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018

     F-7  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-8  

Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of October 31, 2020, November  2, 2019 and February 1, 2020

     F-34  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

     F-35  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

     F-36  

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019

     F-37  

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

     F-38  

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss), shareholders’ equity (deficit) and cash flows for the years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended February 1, 2020, February 2, 2019 and February 3, 2018 in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Adoption of ASU No. 2016-02, Leases

As discussed in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed its method of accounting for leases in 2020 due to the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, effective February 3, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the account or disclosures to which it relates.

 

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     Valuation of Goodwill
Description of the Matter   

At February 1, 2020, the Company’s goodwill balance was $162.0 million. As discussed in Notes 1 and 8 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluates the carrying amount of goodwill for impairment annually as of the first day of the fourth quarter or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The Company performs an initial assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value. If management concludes the qualitative assessment is not sufficient to conclude on whether the fair value is less than the carrying value, a quantitative impairment test is performed. As part of the quantitative approach, the Company determines the fair value of the reporting unit using a discounted cash flow approach and the market comparable method. Given negative comparable sales and declining margins attributable to the impact of U.S. tariffs on imported merchandise from China, the Company determined that an interim impairment evaluation of goodwill was necessary for its Jo-Ann reporting unit for which it was concluded an impairment existed and recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $130.4 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2020. Due to a weaker than expected peak selling season, another quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to the Jo-Ann reporting unit was completed as of November 30, 2019. Based on the analyses performed, the Company recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $351.4 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

 

Auditing the Company’s goodwill impairment assessment was complex and judgmental due to the significant estimation required to determine the fair value of the Jo-Ann reporting unit. In particular, the fair value estimates were sensitive to significant assumptions such as the weighted average cost of capital, revenue growth rates, EBITDA margins, and perpetual growth rates, which are affected by expectations about future market or economic conditions.

How We Addressed the
Matter in Our Audit

   To test the estimated fair value of the Jo-Ann reporting unit, our audit procedures included, among others, evaluating the Company’s fair value methodology, testing the significant assumptions discussed above and testing the underlying data used by the Company in its analysis. For example, we compared the significant assumptions used by management to current industry and economic trends and assessed the historical accuracy of management’s estimates. We also involved a valuation specialist to assist in our evaluation of the weighted average cost of capital and market multiples.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditors since 2002.

Cleveland, Ohio

December 18, 2020

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

     February 1,
2020
    February 2,
2019
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 24.4     $ 51.5  

Inventories

     649.7       615.8  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     45.7       42.7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     719.8       710.0  

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net

     309.0       298.4  

Operating lease assets

     707.1       —    

Goodwill

     162.0       643.8  

Intangible assets, net

     384.2       403.4  

Other assets

     19.2       15.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 2,301.3     $ 2,070.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ (Deficit) Equity

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

   $ 227.1     $ 224.9  

Accrued expenses

     105.0       144.0  

Current portion of operating lease liabilities

     157.0       —    

Current portion of long-term debt

     9.1       26.0  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     498.2       394.9  

Long-term debt, net

     1,210.2       1,106.3  

Long-term operating lease liabilities

     645.2       —    

Long-term deferred income taxes

     91.0       82.9  

Other long-term liabilities

     28.7       113.5  

Shareholders’ (deficit) equity:

    

Common stock, stated value $0.01 per share; 2,125,000 authorized; issued 428,765 and 427,516 shares at February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, respectively

     —         —    

Additional paid-in capital

     123.5       122.0  

Retained (deficit) earnings

     (281.3     265.3  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (0.9     (1.3

Treasury stock at cost; 22,360 and 21,696 shares at February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, respectively

     (13.3     (12.8
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ (deficit) equity

     (172.0     373.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ (deficit) equity

   $ 2,301.3     $ 2,070.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
     February 1,
2020
    February 2,
2019
    February 3,
2018
 
     (Dollars in millions except per share data)  

Net sales

   $ 2,241.2     $ 2,324.8     $ 2,314.3  

Cost of sales

     1,135.9       1,148.3       1,130.3  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     977.4       951.4       943.4  

Depreciation and amortization

     77.5       76.0       78.8  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     486.8       —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating (loss) profit

     (436.4     149.1       161.8  

Interest expense, net

     101.9       101.1       95.4  

Debt related (gain) loss

     (3.8     2.4       0.9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

(Loss) income before income taxes

     (534.5     45.6       65.5  

Income tax provision (benefit)

     12.1       10.3       (31.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (loss) income

   $ (546.6   $ 35.3     $ 96.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss):

      

Cash flow hedges

     0.5       (1.8     —    

Income tax (provision) benefit on cash flow hedges

     (0.1     0.5       —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

     0.4       (1.3     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive (loss) income

   $ (546.2   $ 34.0     $ 96.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Earnings per common share:

      

Basic

   $ (1,345.72   $ 87.04     $ 237.85  

Diluted

   $ (1,345.72   $ 85.94     $ 235.60  

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

      

Basic

     406,171       405,820       405,880  

Diluted

     406,171       411,017       409,746  

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
     February 1,
2020
    February 2,
2019
    February 3,
2018
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Net cash (used for) provided by operating activities:

      

Net (loss) income

   $ (546.6   $ 35.3     $ 96.5  

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used for) provided by operating activities:

      

Non-cash operating lease expense

     139.4       —         —    

Depreciation and amortization

     77.5       76.0       78.8  

Deferred income taxes

     7.9       (16.2     (57.4

Stock-based compensation expense

     1.2       0.6       1.0  

Amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount

     4.3       4.1       4.7  

Debt related (gain) loss

     (3.8     2.4       0.9  

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed assets

     1.0       3.2       1.4  

Goodwill and trade name impairment

     486.8       —         —    

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

      

Increase in inventories

     (33.9     (39.1     (16.6

Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (3.5     (4.6     (15.4

Increase in accounts payable

     2.2       47.6       36.2  

(Decrease) increase in accrued expenses

     (18.5     0.6       (20.4

Decrease in operating lease liabilities

     (147.1     —         —    

Increase (decrease) in other long-term liabilities

     1.2       (12.5     (10.7

Other, net

     (2.0     1.6       (1.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash (used for) provided by operating activities

     (33.9     99.0       97.7  

Net cash used for investing activities:

      

Capital expenditures

     (78.6     (48.4     (44.0

Proceeds from sale of fixed assets

     —         1.7       —    

Acquisition

     —         —         (6.8

Other investing activities

     (0.9     (3.0     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used for investing activities

     (79.5     (49.7     (50.8

Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities:

      

Senior note repurchases

     —         (274.5     (178.2

Term loan proceeds, net of original issue discount

     —         221.6       178.2  

Term loan payments

     (26.0     (25.3     (10.4

Borrowings on revolving credit facility

     526.3       555.4       323.1  

Payments on revolving credit facility

     (410.8     (497.4     (352.6

Purchase and retirement of debt

     (2.4     —         —    

Premium payments on interest rate cap agreements

     —         (2.2     —    

Principal payments on finance lease obligations

     (0.7     —         —    

Purchase of common stock

     (0.5     —         (0.7

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     0.3       —         0.1  

Financing fees paid

     —         (2.7     (1.8

Other financing activities

     0.1       —         —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities

     86.3       (25.1     (42.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

     (27.1     24.2       4.6  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     51.5       27.3       22.7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 24.4     $ 51.5     $ 27.3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash paid during the period for:

      

Interest

   $ 97.4     $ 104.0     $ 106.4  

Income taxes, net of refunds

     18.6       23.0       32.7  

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)

 

   

Net

Common

Shares

   

Treasury

Shares

   

 

   

Common

Stock

Stated

Value

   

Additional

Paid-In

Capital

   

Treasury

Stock

   

Retained

Earnings

(Deficit)

   

Accumulated

Other

Comprehensive

Loss

   

Total

Shareholders’

Equity

(Deficit)

 
    (Shares in thousands)           (Dollars in millions)  

Balance, January 28, 2017

    406.3       20.8         $ —       $ 120.2     $ (12.1   $ 133.5     $ —       $ 241.6  

Net income

    —         —             —         —         —         96.5       —         96.5  

Stock-based compensation

    —         —             —         1.0       —         —         —         1.0  

Purchase of common stock

    (0.9     0.9           —         —         (0.7     —         —         (0.7

Exercise of stock options

    0.5       —             —         0.1       —         —         —         0.1  

Other

    (0.1     —             —         0.1       —         —         —         0.1  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, February 3, 2018

    405.8       21.7         $ —       $ 121.4     $ (12.8   $ 230.0     $ —       $ 338.6  

Net income

    —         —             —         —         —         35.3       —         35.3  

Stock-based compensation

    —         —             —         0.6       —         —         —         0.6  

Unrealized loss from hedge accounting

    —         —             —         —         —         —         (1.3     (1.3
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, February 2, 2019

    405.8       21.7         $ —       $ 122.0     $ (12.8   $ 265.3     $ (1.3   $ 373.2  

Net loss

    —         —             —         —         —         (546.6     —         (546.6

Stock-based compensation

    —         —             —         1.2       —         —         —         1.2  

Purchase of common stock

    (0.7     0.7           —         —         (0.5     —         —         (0.5

Exercise of stock options

    1.3       —             —         0.3       —         —         —         0.3  

Unrealized gain from hedge accounting

    —         —             —         —         —         —         0.4       0.4  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, February 1, 2020

    406.4       22.4         $ —       $ 123.5     $ (13.3   $ (281.3   $ (0.9   $ (172.0

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations

We are the nation’s largest specialty retailer of fabrics and sewing accessories and one of the largest specialty retailers of crafts, serving customers in their pursuit of apparel and craft sewing, crafting, home decorating and other creative endeavors. Our retail stores (operating as JOANN, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and Jo-Ann Stores) and website (www.joann.com) feature a variety of competitively priced merchandise used in sewing, crafting and home decorating projects, including fabrics, notions, crafts, frames, paper crafting material, artificial floral, home accents, finished seasonal and home décor merchandise. Our complementary website Creativebug (www.creativebug.com) offers an extensive array of online arts and crafts instructional videos for the do-it-yourself (“DIY”) community where customers can learn how to paint, draw, sew, quilt, knit, crochet, and much more, while capturing the intimate experience of learning from top designers and artists. As of February 1, 2020, we operated 867 retail stores in 49 states.

The significant accounting policies applied in preparing the accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company are summarized below.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. (the “Holding Company”), Needle Holdings LLC (“Needle Holdings”) and Jo-Ann Stores, LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“Jo-Ann”). All of the entities referenced in the prior sentence hereinafter will be referred to collectively as the “Company” and are all owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (“LGP”). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

The Holding Company has no operating activities and is limited to the issuance of shares of common stock and stock options, the repurchase of common shares, the issuance and repurchase of debt, the receipt and payment of dividends or distributions and the payment of interest expense. The authorized, issued and outstanding common shares and treasury shares shown on the consolidated balance sheet are of the Holding Company. Likewise, Needle Holdings has no operating activities and is limited to the issuance of initial shares of common stock and stock options and the payment of dividends or distributions.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Since actual results may differ from those estimates, the Company revises its estimates and assumptions, as new information becomes available.

Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31 and refers to the year in which the period ends (e.g., fiscal 2020 refers to the year ended February 1, 2020). Fiscal years consist of 52 weeks, unless noted otherwise. Fiscal 2018 was a 53-week year.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In the second quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-04, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment,”

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any, under the second step of the current goodwill impairment test. Under this guidance, the goodwill impairment loss is measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. In both the second quarter and fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company completed a quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill in accordance with ASU 2017-04, which resulted in non-cash goodwill impairment charges of $130.4 million and $351.4 million, respectively. See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 8—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for further details.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-15, “Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments,” which addresses various cash flow classification scenarios and is intended to eliminate diversity in practice. We used the retrospective transition method to adopt this standard, with no material impact to the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” which requires an entity to recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about an entity’s leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 requires companies to use a modified retrospective transition approach. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements” which provided an additional transition option that allows companies to continue applying the guidance under the previous lease standard in the comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. We utilized the additional transition option to adopt ASU 2016-02. As a result, the standard was applied starting February 3, 2019 and prior periods were not restated. The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard. This election allowed the carryforward of historical conclusions for lease identification, lease classification, and initial direct costs. The Company is accounting for leases with a term of less than one year under the short-term policy election. The Company also elected the practical expedient to not separate lease components from the non-lease components for all classes of leased assets. The Company chose not to elect the hindsight practical expedient.

Adoption of the new standard did not materially affect our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) or Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, but resulted in the recognition of approximately $807 million of lease assets and liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of February 3, 2019. In connection with the adoption, pre-existing liabilities for deferred rent, various lease incentives and favorable and unfavorable lease rights were reclassified as a component of the lease assets. Adoption did not require the Company to record an adjustment to opening retained earnings. Refer to Note 5—Leases for additional information.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue Recognition— Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP. This guidance requires entities to recognize revenue at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring goods or services to a customer. We used the modified retrospective transition method to adopt this standard, with no adjustments required to our opening retained earnings. The adoption did not have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements.

Future Adoption of Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, “Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract,” which aligns the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract with the guidance on capitalizing costs associated with developing or obtaining internal-use software. The guidance amends Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350 to include in its scope implementation costs of a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract and clarifies that a customer should apply ASC 350 to determine which implementation costs should be capitalized in such a cloud computing arrangement. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15,

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt ASU 2018-15 in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 using the prospective approach. The Company does not expect adoption to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments–Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which introduces new guidance for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments based on expected losses and the timing of the recognition of such losses. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-13 in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The Company does not expect adoption to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”. The amendments provide optional guidance for a limited time to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The new guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments apply only to contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued due to reference rate reform. These amendments are effective upon issuance and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the amended guidance and the impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents are all highly-liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost determined on a weighted average basis. Inventory valuation methods require certain management estimates and judgments, which affect the ending inventory valuation at cost, as well as the cost of sales reported for the year. These valuation methods include estimates of net realizable value on product designated for clearance and estimates of shrink between periods when the Company conducts distribution center inventory cycle counts and store physical inventories to substantiate inventory balances.

The Company’s accrual for shrink is based on the actual historical shrink results of recent distribution center inventory cycle counts and store physical inventories. These estimates are compared to actual results as physical inventory counts are taken and reconciled to the general ledger. The majority of the Company’s store physical inventory counts are taken in the first three quarters of each year and the shrink accrual recorded at February 1, 2020 is based on shrink results of these prior physical inventory counts. Store locations that have been open one year or longer are physically inventoried at least once over an 18-month cycle, with stores exhibiting a higher rate of shrink to sales inventoried at least once per year. The Company continually monitors and adjusts the shrink rate estimates based on the results of store physical inventory counts and shrink trends.

Inventory reserves for clearance product are estimated based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, quantities of slow moving or carryover seasonal merchandise on hand, historical recovery statistics and future merchandising plans. The accuracy of the Company’s estimates can be affected by many factors, some of which are outside of the Company’s control, including changes in economic conditions and consumer buying trends.

Consignment inventory is not reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Consignment inventory consists of patterns, magazines, books, calendars, DVDs, ribbons and seeds. Consignment inventory can be returned to the vendor at any time. At the time consigned inventory is sold, the Company records the purchase liability in accounts payable and the related cost of merchandise in cost of sales.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Property, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated useful life of the assets principally by the straight-line method. The major classes of assets and ranges of estimated useful lives are: buildings and building/land improvements from 10 to 40 years; furniture and fixtures from five to 10 years; purchased software and computer equipment from three to five years; leasehold improvements for the lesser of 10 years or over the remaining life of the lease; and finance lease assets for the term of the underlying lease. Maintenance and repair expenditures are charged to expense as incurred and improvements and major renewals are capitalized.

Software Development

The Company capitalized $16.3 million in fiscal 2020 and $5.6 million in fiscal 2019 for internal use software acquired from third parties. The capitalized amounts are included in property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net. The Company amortizes internal use software on a straight-line basis over periods ranging from three to five years beginning at the time the software becomes operational. Amortization expense was $6.6 million in fiscal 2020, $4.7 million in fiscal 2019 and $4.2 million in fiscal 2018. The unamortized balance for internal use software is $23.0 million as of February 1, 2020 and $13.3 million as of February 2, 2019.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets of acquired entities. The goodwill carried on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet at February 1, 2020 was the resulting value of Jo-Ann becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Needle Holdings in March 2011 (the “Merger”) of $640.0 million, less impairment charges of $481.8 million recorded during fiscal 2020, and $3.8 million as a result of the acquisition of Creativebug, LLC (“Creativebug”) in April 2017. The Company tests goodwill and intangible assets for impairment annually and more frequently if circumstances indicate that impairment may exist.

The Company assesses the carrying value of goodwill at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is the operating segment, or a business unit one level below that operating segment, for which discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. As of February 1, 2020, the Company has two reporting units, Jo-Ann and Creativebug.

Annually, as of the first day of the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may exist, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether any circumstances exist which would indicate that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the reporting units are below their respective carrying values. If such circumstances exist, a quantitative assessment is performed. The quantitative assessment compares the fair value of a reporting unit to its current carrying value. We determine the estimated fair value of a reporting unit based on valuation techniques including discounted cash flows as well as a market comparable method. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the net assets assigned to that reporting unit, goodwill is not considered impaired.

In fiscal 2020, the Company completed two quantitative goodwill impairment tests for the Jo-Ann reporting unit and concluded that goodwill impairment existed in the aggregate amount of $481.8 million. Based on a quantitative assessment, the Company determined that no goodwill impairment existed for the Jo-Ann reporting unit in fiscal 2019.

Annually, as of the first day of the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may exist, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether any circumstances exist which would indicate that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the indefinite-lived intangible assets not subject to amortization (Jo-Ann Trade Name and Joann.com Domain Name) are below their respective

 

F-11


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

carrying values. If such circumstances exist, a quantitative assessment is performed. The quantitative assessment compares the fair value of an intangible asset to its current carrying value. We determine the estimated fair value of an intangible asset based upon the relief from royalty method which evaluates the appropriate royalty rate for the asset.

In fiscal 2020, the Company completed two quantitative impairment tests for the Jo-Ann Trade Name and concluded that impairment existed in the amount of $5.0 million. No quantitative assessment of the Joann.com Domain Name was performed in fiscal 2020, as the Company concluded based on qualitative assessments that it not was not-more-likely-than not that the fair value of the Jo-Ann.com Domain Name unit did not exceed its carrying value. Based on quantitative assessments, the Company determined that no impairment existed for the Jo-Ann Trade Name or Joann.com Domain Name in fiscal 2019.

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 8—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for further details.

Impairment of Long-Lived and Operating Lease Assets

The Company evaluates long-lived and operating lease assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of those assets may not be recoverable. Factors considered that could trigger an impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant changes in the manner of use of the assets or the Company’s overall business strategies. Potential impairment exists if the estimated undiscounted cash flow expected to result from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset. The amount of the impairment loss represents the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value. Management estimates fair value based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate that is considered to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the Company’s current business model. Additional factors are taken into consideration, such as local market conditions, operating environment and other trends.

Based on management’s ongoing review of the performance of its stores, utilization of assets and other facilities, impairment losses included within SG&A expenses on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) amounted to $0.2 million for fiscal 2020, $0.4 million for fiscal 2019 and $1.1 million for fiscal 2018.

Store Pre-Opening and Closing Costs

Store pre-opening costs are expensed as incurred and relate to the costs incurred prior to a new store or remodeled store opening, which includes the hiring and training costs for new employees, processing costs of initial merchandise and rental expense for the period prior to the store opening for business.

The Company recognizes costs associated with exit or disposal activities at the time the obligation is incurred. In addition, any liabilities that arise from exit or disposal activities are initially measured and recorded at fair value.

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  
        

Store pre-opening costs

   $ 7.5      $ 4.7      $ 3.3  

Store closing costs

     1.8        1.4        1.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 9.3      $ 6.1      $ 4.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

F-12


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Accrued Expenses

The Company estimates certain material expenses in an effort to record those expenses in the period incurred. The Company’s most material estimates relate to compensation, taxes and insurance-related expenses, significant portions of which are self-insured. The ultimate cost of the Company’s workers’ compensation and general liability insurance accruals are recorded based on actuarial valuations and historical claims experience. The Company’s employee medical insurance accruals are recorded based on its medical claims processed, as well as historical medical claims experience for claims incurred but not yet reported. The Company maintains stop-loss coverage to limit the exposure to certain insurance-related risks. Differences in estimates and assumptions could result in an accrual requirement materially different from the calculated accrual. Historically, such differences have not been significant.

Financial Instruments

A financial instrument is cash or a contract that imposes an obligation to deliver or conveys a right to receive cash or another financial instrument. The carrying values of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and borrowings on our Revolving Credit Facility are considered to be representative of fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments.

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 4—Fair Value Measurement for discussion regarding the fair value of the Company’s derivative instrument and term loan debt instruments.

Income Taxes

The Company does business in various jurisdictions that impose income taxes. The aggregate amount of income tax expense to accrue and the amount currently payable are based upon the tax statutes of each jurisdiction, pursuant to the asset and liability method. This process involves adjusting book income for items that are treated differently by the applicable taxing authorities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are reflected on the balance sheet for temporary differences that will reverse in subsequent years. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are estimated to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in the tax rate is recognized in income or expense in the period during which the change is enacted. The Company considers indefinite-lived intangibles as a potential future source of taxable income when considering the realizability of indefinite-lived deferred tax assets.

The current tax provision can be affected by the mix of income and identification or resolution of uncertain tax positions. Because income from different state jurisdictions may be taxed at different rates, the shift in mix between states during a year or over years can cause the effective tax rate to change. The rate is based on the best estimate of an annual effective rate, and those estimates are updated quarterly. The Company also regularly evaluates the status and likely outcomes of uncertain tax positions.

As a matter of course, the Company is regularly audited by federal, state and local tax authorities. For federal purposes, effective fiscal 2015, the Company is part of the Compliance Assurance Process (“CAP”) program, pursuant to which it works collaboratively with the IRS in order to address issues prior to its filing of the return. Effective fiscal 2018, the Company is a CAP “Maintenance” taxpayer, such that the level of IRS audit testing has been further reduced. For fiscal 2021, the Company will be in the “bridge” phase of the CAP program, pursuant to which the IRS will not accept disclosures, will not conduct reviews and will not provide letters of assurance for the year. Reserves are provided for potential exposures when it is considered more-likely-than-not that a taxing authority may take a sustainable position on a matter contrary to the Company’s position. The Company evaluates these reserves, including interest thereon, on a quarterly basis to ensure that they have been appropriately adjusted for events, including audit settlements that may impact the ultimate payment for such exposure.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is primarily associated with sales of merchandise to customers within our retail stores and customers utilizing our e-commerce channels. Retail sales, net of estimated returns and point-of-sale coupons and discounts, are recorded at the point-of-sale when customers take control of the merchandise in stores. E-commerce sales include shipping revenue and are recorded upon delivery to the customer. Shipping and handling fees charged to customers are recorded as sales with related costs recorded as cost of sales. Sales taxes are not included in sales as the Company acts as a conduit for collecting and remitting sales taxes to the appropriate governmental authorities. Payment is typically due at the point-of-sale, thus the Company does not have material customer receivables.

The Company allows for merchandise to be returned under most circumstances. The current policy allows for customers to receive an even exchange or full refund based upon the original method of payment when the returned purchase is accompanied with a receipt. Historic customer return activity is used to estimate the returns reserve, which historically, has not been material to our consolidated financial statements. The Company presents the gross sales returns reserve in accounts payable and the estimated value of the merchandise expected to be returned in prepaid expenses and other current assets within the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Proceeds from the sale of Jo-Ann gift cards are recorded as a liability and recognized as net sales when redeemed by the holder. Gift card breakage represents the remaining balance of our liability for gift cards for which the likelihood of redemption by the customer is remote. Gift card breakage is recognized as net sales in proportion to the pattern of rights exercised by the customer and is determined based on historical redemption patterns. The Company recognized $1.3 million of pre-tax income due to gift card breakage in fiscal 2020, $1.4 million in fiscal 2019 and $1.6 million in fiscal 2018. The Company generally is not required by law to escheat the value of unredeemed gift cards to the states in which it operates.

Activity related to the Company’s gift card liabilities was as follows:

 

     Fiscal Year- Ended  
     February 1,
2020
     February 2,
2019
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Balance at beginning of period

   $ 30.8      $ 29.5  

Issuance of gift cards

     40.1        40.8  

Revenue recognized (a)

     (37.1      (38.1

Gift card breakage

     (1.3      (1.4
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance at end of period

   $ 32.5      $ 30.8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

Revenue recognized from the beginning liability during fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 totaled $8.9 million and $9.0 million, respectively.

Cost of Sales

Inbound freight and duties, including tariffs, related to import purchases and internal transfer costs are considered to be direct costs of the Company’s merchandise and, accordingly, are recognized when the related merchandise is sold as cost of sales. Cost of sales does not include depreciation and amortization. Purchasing and receiving costs, warehousing costs and other costs of the Company’s distribution network are considered to be period costs not directly attributable to the value of merchandise and, accordingly, are expensed as incurred as SG&A expenses.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Company receives vendor support, including cash discounts, volume discounts, allowances and markdown support. The Company has agreements in place with each vendor setting forth the specific conditions for each allowance or payment. Depending on the arrangement, the Company either recognizes the allowance as a reduction of current costs or defers the payment over the period the related merchandise is sold through cost of sales.

Operating Leases

Effective February 3, 2019 with the adoption of ASU 2016-02, the Company records right-of-use lease assets and lease liabilities on its Consolidated Balance Sheet. Lease liabilities are recorded at a discount based upon the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate. Factors incorporated into the calculation of lease discount rates include the valuations and yields of the Company’s term loan facilities, their credit spread over comparable U.S. Treasury rates, and an index of the credit spreads for U.S. Retail Company debt yields.

The Company records lease cost on a straight-line basis over the base, non-cancelable lease term commencing on the date that the Company takes physical possession of the property from the landlord, which may include a period prior to the opening of a store or other facility to make any necessary leasehold improvements and install fixtures. Any tenant allowances received are recorded as a reduction of lease payments when calculating the lease liability and the associated asset. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and lease expense for such leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company combines lease and non-lease components. Many leases include one or more options to renew, and the exercise of lease renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.

Related Party Transactions

The Company paid the annual management fee of $5.0 million during each of fiscal 2020, fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018 to LGP, which is included in SG&A expenses.

Advertising Costs

The Company expenses production costs of advertising the first time the advertising takes place. Advertising expense, net of co-operative advertising agreements, was $64.5 million for fiscal 2020, $65.6 million for fiscal 2019 and $70.4 million for fiscal 2018. Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets were $2.0 million at the end of fiscal 2020 and $1.6 million at the end of fiscal 2019 relating to prepayments of production costs for advertising.

Stock-Based Compensation

The fair value of stock-based awards to employees is recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards. The fair value of the stock-based awards is determined using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Determining the fair value of options at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating the expected term that stock options will be outstanding prior to exercise and the associated volatility. The absence of an active market for the Company’s common stock also requires the Company board of directors to determine the fair value of its common stock for purposes of granting stock options. The Company obtains contemporaneous third-party valuations to assist the board of directors in determining the fair value of the Company’s common stock. See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 10—Stock-Based Compensation for further details.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Note 2—Financing

Long-term debt, net consisted of the following:

 

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Revolving Credit Facility

   $ 173.5      $ 58.0  

Term Loan due 2023

     844.5        869.2  

Term Loan due 2024

     217.5        225.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt

     1,235.5        1,152.2  

Less unamortized discount and debt costs

     (16.2      (19.9
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt, net

     1,219.3        1,132.3  

Less current portion of debt

     (9.1      (26.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net

   $ 1,210.2      $ 1,106.3  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

On October 21, 2016, the Company entered into an amended and restated five-year $400.0 million Revolving Credit Facility ($139.8 million drawn at close) and a new seven-year $725.0 million Term Loan due 2023 (the “Transaction”). Proceeds from the Transaction of $864.8 million, together with approximately $18.1 million of cash, were used to fully repay the pre-existing senior secured credit facilities of $582.5 million plus accrued interest of $5.5 million and to pay fees and expenses of $20.9 million related to the Transaction, with the remainder used to repay approximately $271.8 million principal plus $2.2 million accrued interest of the Jo-Ann senior notes.

On July 21, 2017, the Company completed syndication of an incremental term loan in an aggregate principal amount of $180.0 million (the “Incremental Term Loan”) by obtaining an increase in the principal amount of initial term loans under the term loan credit agreement dated October 21, 2016. Proceeds from the Incremental Term Loan of $178.2 million were used to pay fees and expenses of $1.8 million related to the Incremental Term Loan, with the remainder used to repurchase $171.6 million principal plus $4.8 million of accrued interest of the Jo-Ann senior notes due 2019. On August 14, 2017, the Company repurchased the remaining balance of $6.6 million face value of the Jo-Ann senior notes due 2019 utilizing its Revolving Credit Facility.

On May 21, 2018, the Company completed syndication of the Term Loan due 2024 in an aggregate principal amount of $225.0 million. Proceeds from the Term Loan due 2024 of $221.6 million together with approximately $58.0 million of borrowings on the Company’s Revolving Credit Facility were used to pay fees and expenses of $2.4 million related to the Term Loan due 2024, which is accounted for as debt related (gain) loss within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), with the remainder used to fully repay $274.5 million principal plus $2.7 million accrued interest of the Holding Company senior notes due 2019. An additional $0.3 million of fees and expenses were paid subsequent to the closing date.

Revolving Credit Facility

On October 21, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement to amend and restate various terms of the asset-based Revolving Credit Facility dated March 11, 2011 (as amended and in effect March 14, 2013). The amended and restated facility provides for senior secured financing of up to $400.0 million, subject to a borrowing base, maturing on October 20, 2021. The borrowing base equals the sum of (i) the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory at an advance rate of 90.0 percent to 92.5 percent, based on seasonality, plus (ii) 90.0 to 92.5 percent of the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible in-transit inventory, based on seasonality, plus (iii) 90.0 percent of eligible credit and debit card receivables, plus (iv) 90.0 percent of eligible letter of credit inventory, minus (v) certain availability reserves. The amended facility is secured by a first priority security interest in Jo-Ann’s inventory, accounts receivable, and related assets with a second priority interest in all other assets, excluding real estate. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The maturity date of the amended facility is October 20, 2021. Under the amended facility, base rate loans bear an additional margin of 0.50 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 40.0 percent of the maximum credit and 0.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 40.0 percent of the maximum credit. Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 1.50 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 40.0 percent of the maximum credit and 1.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 40.0 percent of the maximum credit. Unused commitment fees on the amended facility are at a rate of 0.25 percent per annum. Interest for base rate loans is due on the first business day of the calendar quarter subsequent to the borrowing period. Interest for Eurodollar rate loans is due the day that the Eurodollar rate loan expires or if the duration of the loan is more than three months, interest is due every three months from the first day of the interest period. Jo-Ann has the option to request an increase in the size of the facility up to $100.0 million (for a total facility of $500.0 million) in increments of $20.0 million, provided that no default exists or would arise from the increase. However, the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility are under no obligation to provide any such additional increments.

The amended and restated credit agreement requires that from the time excess availability on any day is less than the greater of (i) $35.0 million and (ii) 10 percent of the Maximum Credit until the time excess availability is greater than the greater of (i) $35.0 million and (ii) 10 percent of the Maximum Credit for 30 consecutive calendar days, the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio shall be not less than 1.0 to 1.0.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains customary covenants that, among other things, impose restrictions on Jo-Ann’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, guarantee obligations, create liens against its assets or revenues, engage in mergers or consolidations, dispose of assets, make investments, loan or advance funds, engage in certain transactions with affiliates or change the nature of its business. Jo-Ann is also restricted in its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions.

A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default. Upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility to be due and payable and to terminate all commitments to extend further credit. Such actions by the lenders could cause cross defaults under our other indebtedness. If Jo-Ann is unable to repay amounts due, the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness.

The total fees and expenses associated with amending the Revolving Credit Facility were approximately $1.7 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional services. These fees and expenses were recorded as deferred costs and are being amortized over the life of the Revolving Credit Facility. Additionally related to the amendment of the Revolving Credit Facility, $0.4 million of debt extinguishment costs were recorded in fiscal 2017 related to the previously deferred costs of the Revolving Credit Facility.

As of February 1, 2020, there were $173.5 million of borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and our outstanding letters of credit obligation was $20.3 million. As of February 1, 2020, our excess availability on the Revolving Credit Facility was $206.2 million. During fiscal 2020, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility was 3.42 percent compared to 3.62 percent during fiscal 2019. As of February 2, 2019, the Company had $58.0 million of borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and our outstanding letters of credit obligation was $25.3 million.

Term Loan due 2023

On October 21, 2016, the Company entered into a $725.0 million senior secured term loan facility (the “Term Loan due 2023”) which was issued at 98.0 percent of face value. On July 21, 2017, the Company completed syndication of the Incremental Term Loan in an aggregate principal amount of $180.0 million, which was issued at 99.0 percent of face value, by obtaining an increase in the principal amount of the Term Loan due 2023. Proceeds from the Incremental Term Loan of $178.2 million were used to pay $1.8 million of fees and expenses related to the Incremental Term Loan, with the remainder used to repurchase $171.6 million plus $4.8 million of accrued interest of the previously outstanding senior notes issued by Jo-Ann, due 2019.

 

F-17


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Term Loan due 2023 facility is with a syndicate of lenders and is secured by substantially all the assets of Jo-Ann, excluding the Revolving Credit Facility collateral, and has a second priority security interest in the Revolving Credit Facility collateral. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

The Term Loan due 2023 has a maturity date of October 20, 2023. Base rate loans bear an additional margin of 4.0 percent, while Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 5.0 percent. Eurodollar rate loans are subject to a 1.0 percent LIBOR floor. Interest payments are made (a) as to any loan other than a base rate loan, the last day of each interest period applicable to such loan and the applicable maturity date; provided that if any interest period for a Eurodollar rate loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such interest period shall also be interest payment dates; and (b) as to any base rate loan, the last business day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable maturity date. During fiscal 2020, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Term Loan due 2023 facility was 7.46 percent compared to 7.40 percent during fiscal 2019.

The Term Loan due 2023 has mandatory quarterly repayments of $2.3 million on the last business day of each January, April, July and October. The Term Loan due 2023 also contains a provision requiring up to 50.0 percent of “excess cash flow” (as defined in the Term Loan due 2023 agreement and commencing with the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018) to be applied toward payment of principal on that facility, with step-downs to 25.0 percent and 0.0 percent should the senior secured net leverage ratio be less than 2.50x and 2.00x, respectively. There is no excess cash flow payment due for fiscal 2020. For fiscal 2019, senior secured debt was greater than 2.50x adjusted EBITDA; therefore, 50.0 percent of excess cash flow was required as a payment of principal on the Term Loan due 2023. An excess cash flow principal payment of $15.7 million related to fiscal year 2019 was made in March of fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2023 agreement does not contain any financial covenants.

The Term Loan due 2023 was issued at a $14.5 million discount. A portion of the discount in the amount of $11.1 million was recorded as a reduction of debt and is being amortized over the life of the Term Loan due 2023 and $3.4 million of the discount was recorded as debt related (gain) loss in fiscal 2017.

The Incremental Term Loan was issued at a $1.8 million discount, which was recorded as a reduction of debt and is being amortized over the life of the Term Loan due 2023. The total fees and expenses associated with issuing the Incremental Term Loan were $1.8 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional fees. These fees and expenses were recorded as a reduction of debt and are being amortized over the life of the Term Loan due 2023.

The Term Loan due 2023 contains customary covenants that, among other things, impose restrictions on Jo-Ann’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, guarantee obligations, create liens against its assets or revenues, engage in mergers or consolidations, dispose of assets, make investments, loan or advance funds, engage in certain transactions with affiliates or change the nature of its business. Jo-Ann also is restricted in its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions.

A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default. Upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Term Loan due 2023 to be due and payable and to terminate all commitments to extend further credit. Such actions by those lenders could cause cross defaults under our other indebtedness. If Jo-Ann is unable to repay amounts due, then the lenders under the Term Loan due 2023 could then proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness.

Term Loan due 2024

On May 21, 2018, the Company entered into a $225.0 million term loan facility (the “Term Loan due 2024”), which was issued at 98.5 percent of face value. The Term Loan due 2024 is with a syndicate of lenders. The Term Loan due 2024 is secured by a second priority security interest in all the assets of Jo-Ann, excluding

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

the Revolving Credit Facility collateral, and has a third priority security interest in the Revolving Credit Facility collateral. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

The Term Loan due 2024 has a maturity date of May 21, 2024. Base rate loans bear an additional margin of 8.25 percent, while Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 9.25 percent. Eurodollar rate loans are subject to a 1.0 percent LIBOR floor. Interest payments are made (a) as to any loan other than a base rate loan, the last day of each interest period applicable to such loan and the applicable maturity date; provided that if any interest period for a Eurodollar rate loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such interest period shall also be interest payment dates; and (b) as to any base rate loan, the last business day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable maturity date. During fiscal 2020, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Term Loan due 2024 was 11.72 percent compared to 11.76 percent during fiscal 2019.

The Term Loan due 2024 does not require amortization payments. The Term Loan due 2024 contains a provision requiring up to 50.0 percent of “excess cash flow” (as defined in the Term Loan due 2024 agreement and commencing with the fiscal year ended February 2, 2019) to be applied toward payment of principal on that facility with step-downs to 25.0 percent and 0.0 percent should the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Term Loan due 2024 agreement) be less than or equal to 2.50x and 2.00x, respectively; provided, however, for so long as any indebtedness is outstanding under the Term Loan due 2024 agreement, any permitted priority secured debt or any permitted refinancing of any of the foregoing, only declined proceeds shall be subject to the prepayment requirements. There is no excess cash flow payment due for fiscal 2020. An excess cash flow principal payment of $1.2 million related to fiscal 2019 was made in April of fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2024 agreement does not contain any financial covenants.

The Term Loan due 2024 was issued at a $3.4 million discount, which was recorded as a reduction of debt and is being amortized over the life of the Term Loan due 2024. The total fees and expenses associated with issuing the Term Loan due 2024 were $2.7 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional fees. These fees and expenses were recorded as deferred costs and are being amortized over the life of the Term Loan due 2024.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company repurchased $6.3 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2024 at an average of 38 percent of par, resulting in a $3.8 million gain, which is included in debt related (gain) loss within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to debt related (gain) loss.

The Term Loan due 2024 contains customary covenants that, among other things, impose restrictions on Jo-Ann’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, guarantee obligations, create liens against its assets or revenues, engage in mergers or consolidations, dispose of assets, make investments, loan or advance funds, engage in certain transactions with affiliates or change the nature of its business. Jo-Ann also is restricted in its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions.

A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default. Upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts outstanding under the Term Loan due 2024 to be due and payable and to terminate all commitments to extend further credit. Such actions by those lenders could cause cross defaults under our other indebtedness. If Jo-Ann is unable to repay amounts due, then the lenders under the Term Loan due 2024 could then proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness.

At February 1, 2020, the Company was in compliance with all covenants under its credit agreements.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The covenants contained in the credit agreements restrict Jo-Ann’s ability to pay dividends or make other distributions; accordingly, any dividends may only be made in accordance with such covenants. Among other restrictions, the credit agreements allow for dividends after an initial public offering in amounts not to exceed 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by, or contributed to Jo-Ann Stores, LLC. So long as there is no event of default, the credit agreements also allow dividends in amounts not less than $25 million, which amount can increase if certain other conditions are satisfied, including if Jo-Ann’s leverage does not exceed certain thresholds. Additionally, the Revolving Credit Facility allows for unlimited dividends, so long as there is no event of default and the Company’s excess availability is greater than 20% of the maximum credit, calculated on a pro forma basis for 60 days.

At February 1, 2020, the Company’s fixed minimum debt principal maturities were as follows:

 

Fiscal Year

  

Revolving Credit

Facility

    

Term Loan

due 2023

    

Term Loan

due 2024

    

Total

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

2021

   $ —      $ 9.1      $ —      $ 9.1  

2022

     173.5        6.8        —          180.3  

2023

     —          9.1        —          9.1  

2024

     —          819.5        —          819.5  

Thereafter

     —          —          217.5        217.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 173.5      $ 844.5      $ 217.5      $ 1,235.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Note 3—Derivative Instruments

The Company is exposed to certain market risks during the normal course of its business arising from adverse changes in interest rates. The Company’s exposure to interest rate risk results primarily from its variable-rate borrowings. The Company may selectively use derivative financial instruments to manage the risks from fluctuations in interest rates. The Company does not purchase or hold derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. Fluctuations in interest rates can be volatile, and the Company’s risk management activities do not totally eliminate these risks. Consequently, these fluctuations could have a significant effect on the Company’s financial results.

In July 2018, the Company purchased, for $2.2 million, a forward starting interest rate cap based on 3-month London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) effective October 23, 2018 through October 23, 2021. The objective of the hedging instrument is to offset the variability of cash flows in term loan debt interest payments attributable to fluctuations in LIBOR beyond 3.5 percent. The interest rate cap qualifies as an effective hedge instrument and has been designated as a cash flow hedge of variability in LIBOR-based interest payments. The interest rate cap is recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. Changes in the fair value of this instrument are recorded in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) and will be reclassified to interest expense in the same period(s) during which the hedged transactions affect earnings.

The following table summarizes the fair value and balance sheet classification of the Company’s outstanding derivative within the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019:

 

Instrument

  

Balance Sheet Location

  

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
          (Dollars in millions)  

Interest Rate Cap

   Other Assets    $ —        $ 0.2  

The interest rate cap had an amortized notional amount of $703.5 million and $725.7 million as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019, respectively.

 

F-20


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Company’s interest rate cap was deemed effective for the period ending February 1, 2020 and the Company expects the derivative will continue to be effective. The time value of the interest rate cap is excluded from the assessment of effectiveness and is being amortized to interest expense over the life of the hedge. The Company does not expect any material reclassification out of Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into earnings during the next 12 months.

The impacts of the Company’s derivative instrument on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 are presented in the table below:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Gain (loss) recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on derivatives, gross of income taxes

   $ 0.5      $ (1.8

Amount reclassified from Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into earnings

     —          —    

Amortization of excluded component to interest expense

     0.7        0.2  

Note 4—Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a fair value hierarchy has been established that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement).

The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose significant inputs are observable; and

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

The following provides the carrying and fair value of the Company’s derivative instrument as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019:

 

    

 

    

February 1, 2020

    

February 2, 2019

 
    

Level

    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

 
            (Dollars in millions)  

Interest rate cap

     2      $ —        $ —        $ 0.2      $ 0.2  

The valuation of the interest rate cap is measured as the present value of all expected future cash flows based on the LIBOR-based yield curves. The present value calculation uses discount rates that have been adjusted to reflect the credit quality of the Company and its counterparty.

 

F-21


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The fair values of cash and cash equivalents and accounts payable approximated their carrying values because of the short-term nature of these instruments. If these instruments were measured at fair value in the financial statements, they would be classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.

Long-term debt is presented at carrying value in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of the Company’s term loans was determined based on quoted market prices or recent trades of these debt instruments in less active markets. If our long-term debt was recorded at fair value, it would be classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The following provides the carrying and fair values of the Company’s term loans as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019:

 

    

February 1, 2020

    

February 2, 2019

 
    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Term Loan due 2023 (a)

   $ 833.1      $ 599.8      $ 854.9      $ 844.2  

Term Loan due 2024 (a)

     212.7        74.4        219.4        211.7  

 

(a)

Net of deferred financing costs and original issue discount.

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis; that is, the assets and liabilities are not measured at fair value on an ongoing basis but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances (e.g., when there is evidence of impairment). The fair values are determined based on either a market approach, an income approach, in which the Company utilizes internal cash flow projections over the life of the underlying assets discounted using a discount rate that is considered to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the Company’s current business model, or a combination of both. These measures of fair value, and related inputs, are considered a Level 3 approach under the fair value hierarchy.

The Company uses the end of the period when determining the timing of transfers between levels. There were no transfers between levels during the periods presented.

Note 5—Leases

With the exception of one store, all of the Company’s retail stores operate out of leased facilities. Our store leases generally have initial terms of 10 years with renewal options for up to 20 years. We lease a distribution center located in Visalia, California. The initial term of the Visalia, California lease expires in October 2026 and we have renewal options for up to an additional 40 years. The Company also leases certain computer and store equipment, with lease terms that are generally five years or less. The Company generally has lease arrangements that have minimum lease payments. Certain of the Company’s leased store locations have variable payments based upon actual costs of common area maintenance, real estate taxes and property and liability insurance. In addition, some of the Company’s leased store locations have provisions for variable payments based upon a specified percentage of defined sales volume or dependent on an existing index or rate, such as the consumer price index or the prime interest rate. Also, some of the Company’s leases contain escalation clauses and provide for contingent rents based on a percent of sales in excess of defined minimums.

As most of the Company’s leases include one or more options to renew and extend the lease term, the exercise of lease renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion. Generally, a renewal option is not deemed to be reasonably certain to be exercised until such option is legally executed. The Company’s leases do not include purchase options or residual value guarantees on the leased property. The depreciable life of leasehold improvements are limited by the expected lease term.

A majority of the Company’s leases are classified as operating leases and the associated assets and liabilities are presented as separate captions in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. At February 1, 2020, the weighted-average remaining lease term for the Company’s operating leases was 5.96 years, and the weighted average discount rate was 7.79%. For fiscal 2020, operating lease cost of $204.5 million and variable lease cost of $57.5 million were reflected as selling, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statement of

 

F-22


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Comprehensive Income (Loss). Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities of $221.3 million was reflected in cash flows provided by operating activities in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

The Company has a small number of leases classified as finance leases which are presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows:

 

    

Classification

   February 1,
2020
     February 2,
2019
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Assets:

     

Finance lease assets. net

  

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net

   $   4.3      $  —    

Liabilities

        

Current portion of finance lease liabilities

   Accrued expenses      1.5        —    

Long-term portion of finance lease liabilities

   Other long-term liabilities      2.6        —    

In fiscal 2020, the Company incurred $0.5 million of finance lease amortization expense which is presented as depreciation and amortization within the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and $0.1 million of finance lease interest expense which is presented as interest expense, net within the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss). No expense related to finance leases was incurred in fiscal 2019 or fiscal 2018.

The following is a schedule of future minimum rental payments under non-cancelable operating and financing leases:

 

     Future Minimum Rental
Payments
 

Fiscal Year:

   Operating
Leases
    Finance
Leases
    Total  
     (Dollars in millions)  

2021

   $ 221.2       1.6     $ 222.8  

2022

     198.0       1.6       199.6  

2023

     168.6       1.0       169.6  

2024

     137.1       —         137.1  

2025

     102.0       —         102.0  

Thereafter

     231.1       —         231.1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Lease payments

   $ 1,058.0     $ 4.2     $ 1,062.2  

Less: imputed interest

     (255.8     (0.1     (255.9
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Present value of lease liabilities

   $ 802.2     $ 4.1     $ 806.3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

F-23


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Note 6—Accrued Expenses and Other Long-Term Liabilities

Accrued expenses consists of the following:

 

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Accrued taxes

   $ 24.5      $ 36.3  

Accrued compensation

     24.4        28.1  

Accrued interest

     2.7        3.2  

Workers’ compensation and general liability insurance

     11.1        10.3  

Occupancy and rent-related liabilities (a)

     1.8        22.2  

Customer gift cards

     32.4        30.7  

Capital expenditures payable

     1.2        2.7  

Finance lease obligations

     1.5        —    

Other

     5.4        10.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total accrued expenses

   $ 105.0      $ 144.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

In connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, pre-existing liabilities for deferred rent and various lease incentives were reclassified as a component of the operating lease assets. Refer to Note 5—Leases for additional information.

Other long-term liabilities consist of the following:

 

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Workers’ compensation and general liability insurance

   $ 17.2      $ 17.3  

Occupancy and rent-related liabilities (a)

     —          88.5  

Unfavorable lease rights, net (a)

     —          0.5  

Finance lease obligations

     2.6        —    

Other

     8.9        7.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other long-term liabilities

   $ 28.7      $ 113.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

In connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, pre-existing liabilities for deferred rent, various lease incentives and unfavorable lease rights were reclassified as a component of the operating lease assets. Refer to Note 5—Leases for additional information.

 

F-24


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Total discounted insurance liabilities for the fiscal year ended 2020 were $28.3 million, reflecting a 0.7 percent discount rate, and for the fiscal year ended 2019 were $27.6 million, reflecting a 1.3 percent discount rate. The long-term portion of certain workers’ compensation and general liability accruals are discounted to their net present value based on expected loss payment patterns determined by independent actuaries using actual historical payments. The following table represents a five year schedule for estimated future long term insurance liabilities:

 

Fiscal Year-Ended

  

Liability

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

2022

   $ 6.3  

2023

     4.4  

2024

     2.7  

2025

     1.5  

2026

     1.0  

Thereafter

     1.3  
  

 

 

 

Total long-term workers’ compensation and general liability insurance

   $ 17.2  
  

 

 

 

Note 7—Property, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements consisted of the following:

 

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Land and buildings

   $ 81.8      $ 80.7  

Furniture, fixtures and equipment

     344.6        339.1  

Purchased software and computer equipment

     121.9        99.4  

Leasehold improvements

     349.0        319.8  

Construction in progress

     1.5        2.8  

Finance lease assets

     4.8        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     903.6        841.8  

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (594.6      (543.4
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net

   $ 309.0      $ 298.4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Depreciation expense was $70.3 million in fiscal 2020, $68.7 million in fiscal 2019 and $71.6 million in fiscal 2018.

Note 8—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

In connection with the Merger and the acquisition of Creativebug, the Company acquired certain intangible assets and recognized goodwill based on the excess of purchase price over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

 

F-25


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Changes in the carrying value of goodwill were as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,
2020

    

February 2,
2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Goodwill, balance at beginning of year

   $ 643.8      $ 643.8  

Impairment

     (481.8      —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Goodwill, balance at end of year

   $ 162.0      $ 643.8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The carrying amount of goodwill attributable to the Creativebug acquisition is deductible for income tax purposes, ratably over 15 years. The remaining carrying amount of goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes.

The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of identifiable intangible assets was:

 

    

 

    

February 1, 2020

    

February 2, 2019

 
    

Estimated

Life in

Years

    

Gross
Carrying

Amount

    

Accumulated

Amortization

    

Gross
Carrying

Amount

    

Accumulated

Amortization

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Jo-Ann trade name

      $ 325.0      $ —        $ 330.0      $ —    

Joann.com domain name

        10.0        —          10.0        —    

Creativebug trade name

     10        0.1        —          0.1        —    

Technology

     3        0.9        0.8        0.9        0.5  

Favorable lease rights (a)

     up to 17        —          —          14.0        7.1  

Customer relationships

     16        110.0        61.0        110.3        54.3  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total intangible assets

      $ 446.0      $ 61.8      $ 465.3      $ 61.9  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

In connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, favorable lease rights were reclassified as a component of the operating lease assets. Refer to Note 5—Leases for additional information.

Due to the Company’s negative comparable sales and declining margins, primarily as a result of the expected ongoing impact of U.S. tariffs on imported merchandise from China enacted during the second half of fiscal 2019 and subsequently increased during the second quarter of fiscal 2020, a quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to the Jo-Ann reporting unit was completed as of July 6, 2019. The Company performed a discounted cash flow analysis and a market multiple analysis and used the resulting average as the fair value. Based on the analyses performed, the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded the fair value of the reporting unit; therefore, the Company recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $130.4 million, which was recorded as goodwill and trade name impairment within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the second quarter of fiscal 2020. As of July 6, 2019, the Company also performed a quantitative impairment analysis of the Jo-Ann Trade Name utilizing a relief from royalty approach by comparing the fair value of the trade name to its carrying value. Based on this information, the Company determined there was no impairment related to the Jo-Ann Trade Name during the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

As of November 2, 2019, the Company assessed qualitative factors in order to determine whether any events and circumstances existed which indicated that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the Jo-Ann reporting unit, Jo-Ann Trade Name and Joann.com Domain Name did not exceed their respective carrying values and concluded no such events or circumstances existed which would require a quantitative impairment test be performed.

 

F-26


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Due to a weaker than expected peak selling season, another quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to the Jo-Ann reporting unit was completed as of November 30, 2019. The Company performed a discounted cash flow analysis and a market multiple analysis and used the resulting average as the fair value. Based on the analyses performed, the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded the fair value of the reporting unit; therefore, the Company recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $351.4 million, which was recorded as goodwill and trade name impairment within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. As of November 30, 2019, the Company also performed another quantitative impairment analysis of the Jo-Ann Trade Name utilizing a relief from royalty approach by comparing the fair value of the trade name to its carrying value. Based on this information, the Company recognized a non-cash pre-tax impairment charge of $5.0 million, which was recorded as goodwill and trade name impairment within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

As of February 1, 2020, the Company assessed qualitative factors in order to determine whether any events and circumstances existed which indicated that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the Joann.com Domain Name did not exceed its carrying value and concluded no such events or circumstances existed which would require a quantitative impairment test be performed.

For fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018, intangible asset amortization expense of $7.2 million, $7.3 million and $7.2 million, respectively was recognized by the Company. The weighted average remaining amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets as of February 1, 2020 and February 2, 2019 approximated 7.1 years and 8.5 year, respectively. Amortization of favorable lease rights is included in SG&A expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).

The remaining amortization of intangible assets, excluding favorable lease rights, with definitive lives by year is as follows (in millions):

 

Fiscal Year

   Amortization  

2021

   $ 6.9  

2022

     6.9  

2023

     6.9  

2024

     6.9  

2025

     6.9  

Thereafter

     14.7  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 49.2  
  

 

 

 

Note 9—Income Taxes

During fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019, we recorded a combined tax benefit of $51.9 million reflecting the impact of the reduction of the federal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, effective January 1, 2018, as mandated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”).

At the end of fiscal 2020, the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits are $9.9 million, of which $9.4 million would affect the effective tax rate, if recognized. During fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019, the Company filed amended Federal income tax returns for four prior tax years. Based on the view that it is not more-likely-than-not that the revised tax return positions will ultimately be sustained, the Company has not recognized the positions as a tax provision but has included them in the current total of unrecognized tax benefits, as reflected below.

The Company records interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions as a component of the income tax provision. The total amount of interest and penalties accrued as of the end of fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 were $0.3 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

 

F-27


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S., China and various state and local jurisdictions. For U.S. federal, state and local purposes, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations by taxing authorities for fiscal years prior to fiscal 2015, with some exceptions for state and local purposes due to longer statutes of limitations or the extensions of statutes of limitations. The Company expects to decrease its uncertain tax positions by $1.4 million within the next fiscal year due to settlement with state taxing authorities and the expiration of statues of limitations, all of which is expected to be recognized as an income tax benefit.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits for the past three fiscal years is as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Balance at beginning of fiscal year

   $ 2.8      $ 1.0      $ 1.0  

Increases related to prior year tax positions

     7.1        1.8        —    

Decreases related to prior year tax positions

     —          —          —    

Settlements

     —          —          —    

Lapse of statute of limitations

     —          —          —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance at end of fiscal year

   $ 9.9      $ 2.8      $ 1.0  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The significant components of the income tax provision are as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Current:

        

Federal

   $ 2.3      $ 20.2      $ 22.2  

State and local

     1.9        6.3        4.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     4.2        26.5        26.4  

Deferred

     7.9        (16.2      (57.4
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax provision (benefit)

   $ 12.1      $ 10.3      $ (31.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

F-28


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The reconciliation of income tax provision at the statutory rate to the income tax provision is as follows:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Federal income tax provision at the statutory rate

   $ (112.2    $ 9.6      $ 22.1  

Effect of:

        

Goodwill impairment

     101.2        —          —    

Changes in valuation allowances

     29.3        0.7        (0.9

State and local taxes, net of federal benefit

     (4.6      2.2        2.7  

Officers’ life insurance

     (1.1      (1.0      (1.5

Uncertain tax positions (inclusive of penalties and interest)

     1.1        —          —    

Federal general business credits

     (0.9      (0.7      (0.8

Other, net

     (0.7      (0.9      (0.3
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Subtotal

     12.1        9.9        21.3  

Effect of the Tax Act

     —          0.4        (52.3
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax provision (benefit)

   $ 12.1      $ 10.3      $ (31.0
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Company recorded additional valuation allowances during fiscal 2020 to reflect that the deferred tax assets relating to the federal interest expense deduction, the federal charitable contribution deduction and state income/franchise tax credits are not realizable. As of February 1, 2020, there is no longer forecasted future taxable income or other sufficient evidence existing to support the future realization of these deductions.

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

 

    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Deferred tax assets:

     

Lease obligations

   $ 207.5      $ 26.5  

Interest expense carryforward

     27.6        10.4  

Employee benefits

     10.6        11.0  

Inventory items

     9.5        9.3  

State credits

     2.9        3.0  

Federal net operating loss carryforwards

     1.5        1.8  

State net operating loss carryforwards

     1.2        0.3  

Valuation allowances

     (30.7      (1.4

Unrecognized tax benefits

     (0.3      (0.3

Other

     6.0        5.9  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     235.8        66.5  

Deferred tax liabilities:

     

Depreciation

     (45.7      (47.4

Identified intangibles

     (98.9      (102.0

Operating lease assets

     (182.2      —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     (326.8      (149.4
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total deferred taxes

   $ (91.0    $ (82.9
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

F-29


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Company has approximately $7.2 million of gross federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards and $15.4 million of gross state NOL carryforwards, which expire in fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2040, respectively. The Company has net state tax credits of $2.9 million, with a valuation allowance of $2.9 million related to state tax credits.

Note 10—Stock-Based Compensation

In March 2011, as part of the Merger, the 2011 Stock Option Plan of Needle Holdings was adopted authorizing Needle Holdings to provide certain employees with options to purchase Needle Holdings common shares. The number of shares of common stock available for issuance was 42,493.

In October 2012, as part of the formation of the Holding Company, the Plan, formerly known as the 2011 Stock Option Plan of Needle Holdings, was assumed by the Holding Company. At that time, all options to purchase Needle Holding common shares were converted on an equal basis into options to purchase common shares of the Holding Company.

During fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2017, the Plan was amended increasing the number of shares of common stock available for issuance to 47,493 and 61,243, respectively.

Incentive Options

The options expire ten years after the date of grant. The options vest and become exercisable based on continued service to the Company. The options generally vest over five years at 40 percent after the first two years and 20 percent each year thereafter.

As of February 1, 2020, there were 8,570 options still available to be issued under the Plan. The following is a summary of activity in the Plan for fiscal 2020:

 

   

Number of

Options

   

Weighted-Average

Exercise Price

Per Option

   

Weighted-Average

Remaining

Contractual Term

   

Aggregate

Intrinsic Value

(in millions)

 

Outstanding at beginning of period

    19,368     $ 586.00      

Granted

    11,755     $ 960.00      

Exercised

    (1,249   $ 250.00      

Cancelled

    (5,265   $ 861.00      
 

 

 

       

Outstanding at end of period

    24,609     $ 720.00       6.7     $ 0.2  
 

 

 

       

Exercisable at end of period

    10,274     $ 372.00       4.5     $ 0.2  

The total intrinsic value of options exercised was $0.6 million in fiscal 2020. There were no incentive options exercised in either fiscal 2019 or fiscal 2018, and as such, there was no intrinsic value to be calculated for fiscal 2019 or fiscal 2018. Cash proceeds from the exercise of stock option awards were $0.3 million in fiscal 2020.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The weighted-average fair value of options granted was estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

    

February 1,

2020

 

February 2,

2019

 

February 3,

2018

Weighted-average fair value per option

   $430.00   $367.00   $325.00

Expected volatility rate

   39.01%   34.99%   34.17%

Risk free interest rate

   2.53%   2.84% to 2.90%   2.50%

Expected life of options

   7.0 years   7.0 years   7.0 years

Expected dividend yield

   0.0%   0.0%   0.0%

The risk-free interest rate is the estimated average interest rate based on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon notes with terms consistent with the expected term of the awards. As the Company is privately held, there is no observable market for the Company’s common stock. Therefore, stock price volatility was calculated using the historical stock price volatility of comparable companies over the expected life of the options granted. The Company has not recently declared or paid any cash dividends and had not planned to pay cash dividends at the date of grant. Consequently, it used an expected dividend yield of zero. Expected life represents the period that our stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The expected life assumptions are determined based on the vesting terms, exercise terms, and contractual lives of the options. The Company accounts for forfeiture of non-vested options as they occur.

The following table shows the expense recognized by the Company for stock-based compensation:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Stock option compensation expense

   $ 1.2      $ 0.6      $ 1.0  

As of February 1, 2020, there was $4.3 million of unrecognized compensation cost which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 6.4 years. Stock option compensation expense is recorded in Selling, general and administrative expenses within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Note 11—Earnings Per Share

Basic (loss) income per share is computed based upon the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted (loss) income per share is computed based upon the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of common share equivalents calculated using the treasury stock method. Treasury stock is excluded from the denominator in calculating both basic and diluted loss per share. For fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018, 26,407, 5,030 and 9,032 shares issuable for equity-based awards, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. In periods in which a net loss has occurred, as is the case for fiscal 2020, the dilutive effect of equity-based awards is not recognized and thus not utilized in the calculation of diluted loss per share, because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

 

F-31


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The following table sets forth the reconciliation of the numerator and the denominator of basic and diluted (loss) income per share for fiscal 2020, 2019 and 2018:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions except per share data)  

Net (loss) income

   $ (546.6    $ 35.3      $ 96.5  

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – Basic

     406,171        405,820        405,880  

Effect of dilutive stock options

     —          5,197        3,866  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – Diluted

     406,171        411,017        409,746  

Basic earnings per common share

   $ (1,345.72    $ 87.04      $ 237.85  

Diluted earnings per common share

   $ (1,345.72    $ 85.94      $ 235.60  

Note 12—Segments and Disaggregated Revenue

In fiscal 2020, fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018, the Company considered Jo-Ann Stores and Non-Store Omni-Channel to be the Company’s operating segments for purposes of determining reportable segments based on the criteria of ASC 280, Segment Reporting (“ASC 280”). Non-Store Omni-Channel does not meet the materiality criteria in ASC 280 and, therefore, is not disclosed separately as a reportable segment. The Company’s operating segments are based on how our Chief Executive Officer, who is also our Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), makes decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance.

The following table shows revenue by product category:

 

    

Fiscal Year-Ended

 
    

February 1,

2020

    

February 2,

2019

    

February 3,

2018

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Sewing

   $ 1,044.2      $ 1,097.1      $ 1,109.7  

Arts and Crafts and Home Decor

     1,155.6        1,189.9        1,165.1  

Other

     41.4        37.8        39.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 2,241.2      $ 2,324.8      $ 2,314.3  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Substantially all of the Company’s identifiable assets are located in the United States. The Company does not have sales outside the United States, nor does any customer represent more than 10 percent of total revenues for any period presented.

Note 13—Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is involved in various litigation matters in the ordinary course of its business. The Company is not currently involved in any litigation that it expects, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

On April 17, 2017, a representative action under the California Private Attorney General Act was filed against the Company in Superior Court of the State of California, Alameda County (Priddy v. Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Case No. RG17856962). The complaint alleged that the Company violated the California labor code by failing to provide “suitable” seats for the cashiers in its California stores. The parties reached a settlement for an amount consistent with the $3.1 million reserve. The settlement was paid out during the second quarter of fiscal 2020 and there are no remaining obligations with respect to this matter.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Note 14—Savings Plan Retirement and Postretirement Benefits

The Company sponsors the Jo-Ann Stores, LLC 401(k) Savings Plan, which is a tax deferred savings plan whereby eligible employees may elect to contribute up to 50 percent of annual compensation on a pre-tax basis. The Company makes a 50 percent matching contribution up to six percent of the employee’s annual compensation. The Company match is made in cash and is participant-directed. The amount of the Company’s matching contribution was $2.5 million in fiscal 2020, $2.4 million in fiscal 2019 and $2.5 million in fiscal 2018. The Company does not provide post-retirement health care benefits for its employees.

Note 15—Subsequent Events

Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, on November 25, 2020, the Company agreed to amend and restate various terms of the asset-based revolving credit agreement dated October 21, 2016, which provides for senior secured financing of up to $500.0 million. The agreement matures on November 25, 2025 (subject to a springing maturity date to the extent the Term Loan due 2023 or the Term Loan due 2024 have not been refinanced prior to their current maturity date). No changes were made to the borrowing base formula. The amended facility is secured by a first priority security interest in Jo-Ann’s inventory, accounts receivable, and related assets with a second priority interest in all other assets, excluding real estate. It also continues to be guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

Subsequent to the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company repurchased $347.0 million in face value of the term loans at an average of 54 percent of par, resulting in a $152.9 million gain.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

    

(Unaudited)

       
    

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

   

February 1,

2020

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Assets

      

Current assets:

      

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 33.2     $ 26.8     $ 24.4  

Inventories

     697.7       776.9       649.7  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     68.7       74.0       45.7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     799.6       877.7       719.8  

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net

     296.0       317.6       309.0  

Operating lease assets

     864.4       716.4       707.1  

Goodwill, net

     162.0       513.4       162.0  

Intangible assets, net

     378.9       391.0       384.2  

Other assets

     18.7       14.5       19.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 2,519.6     $ 2,830.6     $ 2,301.3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)

      

Current liabilities:

      

Accounts payable

   $ 328.9     $ 280.0     $ 227.1  

Accrued expenses

     138.3       96.9       105.0  

Current portion of operating lease liabilities

     184.2       155.4       157.0  

Current portion of long-term debt

     —         9.1       9.1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     651.4       541.4       498.2  

Long-term debt, net

     921.6       1,337.2       1,210.2  

Long-term operating lease liabilities

     800.8       657.6       645.2  

Long-term deferred income taxes

     91.6       82.9       91.0  

Other long-term liabilities

     50.7       25.9       28.7  

Shareholders’ equity (deficit):

      

Common stock, stated value $0.01 per share; 2,125,000 authorized; issued 428,765 shares at October 31, 2020, November 2, 2019 and February 1, 2020

     —         —         —    

Additional paid-in capital

     124.6       123.2       123.5  

Retained (deficit) earnings

     (107.3     76.8       (281.3

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (0.5     (1.1     (0.9

Treasury stock at cost; 22,360 shares at October 31, 2020, November 2, 2019 and February 1, 2020

     (13.3     (13.3     (13.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

     3.5       185.6       (172.0
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity (deficit)

   $ 2,519.6     $ 2,830.6     $ 2,301.3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)

(Unaudited)

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions except
per share data)
 

Net sales

   $ 1,921.5     $ 1,545.6  

Cost of sales

     949.8       768.6  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     818.2       723.0  

Depreciation and amortization

     59.8       57.3  

Goodwill impairment

     —         130.4  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating profit (loss)

     93.7       (133.7

Interest expense, net

     55.0       77.6  

Debt related gain

     (152.9     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     191.6       (211.3

Income tax provision (benefit)

     17.6       (22.8
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   $ 174.0     $ (188.5
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income:

    

Cash flow hedges

     0.5       0.3  

Income tax provision on cash flow hedges

     (0.1     (0.1
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income

     0.4       0.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ 174.4     $ (188.3
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Earnings per common share:

    

Basic

   $ 428.21     $ (464.04

Diluted

   $ 419.03     $ (464.04

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

    

Basic

     406,405       406,112  

Diluted

     415,312       406,112  

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,

2020

   

November 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities:

    

Net income (loss)

   $ 174.0     $ (188.5

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities:

    

Non-cash operating lease expense

     113.2       104.4  

Depreciation and amortization

     59.8       57.3  

Deferred income taxes

     0.5       (0.1

Stock-based compensation expense

     1.1       0.9  

Amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discount

     2.9       3.2  

Debt related gain

     (152.9     —    

Loss on disposal and impairment of fixed assets

     2.1       0.4  

Goodwill impairment

     —         130.4  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Increase in inventories

     (48.0     (161.1

Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (21.6     (30.7

Increase in accounts payable

     101.8       55.1  

Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses

     26.5       (32.0

Decrease in operating lease liabilities

     (87.7     (110.7

Increase in other long-term liabilities

     13.1       0.1  

Other, net

     1.0       0.9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

     185.8       (170.4

Net cash used for investing activities:

    

Capital expenditures

     (28.7     (64.8

Proceeds from sales of fixed assets

     0.5       —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used for investing activities

     (28.2     (64.8

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities:

    

Term loan payments

     (2.3     (23.7

Borrowings on revolving credit facility

     464.5       458.0  

Payments on revolving credit facility

     (421.0     (223.0

Purchase and retirement of debt

     (188.4     —    

Principal payments on finance lease obligations

     (1.7     (0.7

Purchase of common stock

     —         (0.5

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     —         0.3  

Other, net

     0.1       0.1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities

     (148.8     210.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     8.8       (24.7

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     24.4       51.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 33.2     $ 26.8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash paid during the period for:

    

Interest

   $ 48.7     $ 73.8  

Income taxes, net of refunds

     41.7       18.9  

See notes to unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

Net

Common

Shares

   

Treasury

Shares

    

Common

Stock

Stated

Value

    

Additional

Paid-In

Capital

    

Treasury

Stock

   

Retained

(Deficit)
Earnings

   

Accumulated

Other
Comprehensive
Loss

   

Total

Shareholders

Equity

 
     (Shares in units)      (Dollars in millions)  

Balance, February 1, 2020

     406,405       22,360      $ —        $ 123.5      $ (13.3   $ (281.3   $ (0.9   $ (172.0

Net income

     —         —          —          —          —         174.0       —         174.0  

Stock-based compensation

     —         —          —          1.1        —         —         —         1.1  

Unrealized gain from hedge accounting

     —         —          —          —          —         —         0.4       0.4  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, October 31, 2020

     406,405       22,360      $         $ 124.6      $ (13.3 )    $ (107.3 )    $ (0.5 )    $ 3.5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, February 2, 2019

     405,820       21,696      $         $ 122.0      $ (12.8 )    $ 265.3     $ (1.3 )    $ 373.2  

Net loss

     —         —          —          —          —         (188.5     —         (188.5

Stock-based compensation

     —         —          —          0.9        —         —         —         0.9  

Purchase of common stock

     (664     664        —          —          (0.5     —         —         (0.5

Exercise of stock options

     1,249       —          —          0.3        —         —         —         0.3  

Unrealized gain from hedge accounting

     —         —          —          —          —         —         0.2       0.2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, November 2, 2019

     406,405       22,360      $         $ 123.2      $ (13.3 )    $ 76.8     $ (1.1 )    $ 185.6  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Note 1—Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations

We are the nation’s largest specialty retailer of fabrics and sewing accessories and one of the largest specialty retailers of crafts, serving customers in their pursuit of apparel and craft sewing, crafting, home decorating and other creative endeavors. Our retail stores (operating as JOANN, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and Jo-Ann stores) and website (www.joann.com) feature a variety of competitively priced merchandise used in sewing, crafting and home decorating projects, including fabrics, notions, crafts, frames, paper crafting material, artificial floral, home accents, finished seasonal and home décor merchandise. Our complementary website (www.creativebug.com) offers an extensive array of online arts and crafts instructional videos for the do-it-yourself (DIY) community where customers can learn how to paint, draw, sew, quilt, knit, crochet, and much more, while capturing the intimate experience of learning from top designers and artists. As of October 31, 2020, we operated 857 retail stores in 49 states.

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. (the “Holding Company”), Needle Holdings LLC (“Needle Holdings”) and Jo-Ann Stores, LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“Jo-Ann”). All of the entities referenced in the prior sentence hereinafter will be referred to collectively as the “Company” and are all owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. (“LGP”). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

The Holding Company has no operating activities and is limited to the issuance of shares of common stock and stock options, the repurchase of common shares, the issuance and repurchase of debt, the receipt and payment of dividends or distributions and the payment of interest expense. The Holding Company did not have any dividend distributions or debt outstanding during the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021 or the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020. The authorized, issued and outstanding common shares and treasury shares shown on the consolidated balance sheet are of the Holding Company. Likewise, Needle Holdings has no operating activities and is limited to the issuance of initial shares of common stock and stock options and the payment of dividends or distributions.

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Saturday closest to January 31 and refers to the year in which the period ends (e.g., fiscal 2021 refers to the year ending January 30, 2021). Fiscal years consist of 52 weeks, unless noted otherwise.

The consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared without audit, in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations, although the Company believes that the disclosures herein are adequate to make the information not misleading. The financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2020.

Typical of most retail companies, Jo-Ann’s business is seasonal, with the majority of revenues and operating profits generated in the second half of the fiscal year. Accordingly, earnings or losses for a particular interim period are not necessarily indicative of full-year results.

 

F-38


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

COVID-19 Impact

The Company’s operating results for the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending January 30, 2021 because of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, starting in mid-March 2020, the Company modified a number of its business practices, in response to legislation, executive orders and guidance from government entities and healthcare authorities (including the temporary closing of businesses deemed “non-essential,” shelter in place orders, social distancing and quarantines). In response to government closure orders, we were forced to close hundreds of stores. During the second half of March 2020 and beginning of April 2020, approximately half of our stores were closed, either completely or to in-store traffic. However, the Company immediately began working diligently with local and national government officials in advocating that our business and the products we sell were essential in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, and therefore exempt from shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. Over the ensuing weeks, we began to re-open many of our stores across the country. Initially, many of these stores were re-opened for curbside pick-up only via our buy online pickup in store (“BOPIS”) ordering process. At the beginning of the second quarter of fiscal 2021, we had fewer than 30 stores fully closed and roughly 400 stores open for curb side pick-up only, and by the end of the second quarter, all stores were fully operational and open to walk-in traffic. Throughout the entirety of the third quarter of fiscal 2021, all stores remained opened other than for short-term cleanings in select locations or for weather related disruptions and other hazards. There have been some occurrences of positive COVID-19 cases in our stores, resulting in the temporary closure of impacted stores for deep cleaning. Due to the conditions stated above, our ability to fulfill e-commerce orders via both our BOPIS and Ship from Store (“SFS”) programs has proven to have a significant positive impact on our financial performance through the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021. Specific material impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are described throughout our related financial disclosures.

Due to the large number of temporary store closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company negotiated with landlords for rent concessions, either in the form of rent abatement (meaning no rent due for select months) or rent deferral (meaning rent payments are delayed until a future period). As a result of these rent concessions, the Company has adjusted its operating lease liabilities on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Use of Estimates

In the opinion of management, the accompanying interim Consolidated Balance Sheets and related interim Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, necessary for their fair presentation in conformity with GAAP. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Since actual results may differ from those estimates, the Company revises its estimates and assumptions, as new information becomes available.

COVID-19 Related Estimates

While the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown and cannot be reasonably estimated, the Company has made accounting estimates, where needed, based on the facts and circumstances available as of the reporting date.

The Company’s accrual for shrink is based on the actual historical shrink results of recent distribution center inventory cycle counts and store physical inventories. These estimates are compared to actual results as physical inventory counts are taken and reconciled to the general ledger. The majority of the Company’s store physical inventory counts are taken in the first three quarters of each year and the shrink accrual recorded at February 1, 2020 is based on shrink results of these prior physical inventory counts. Store locations that have

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

been open one year or longer are physically inventoried at least once over an 18-month cycle, with stores exhibiting a higher rate of shrink to sales inventoried at least once per year. The Company continually monitors and adjusts the shrink rate estimates based on the results of store physical inventory counts and shrink trends. During the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021, we canceled or rescheduled approximately 270 store physical inventories as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis. Therefore, as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021, our shrink reserve balance is higher than when compared to the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2020 to account for estimated shrink in those stores where physical counts needed to be delayed.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In the first quarter of fiscal 2021, The Company adopted ASU No. 2018-15, “Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract,” which aligns the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract with the guidance on capitalizing costs associated with developing or obtaining internal-use software. The guidance amends Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 350 to include in its scope implementation costs of a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract and clarifies that a customer should apply ASC 350 to determine which implementation costs should be capitalized in such a cloud computing arrangement. The Company adopted ASU 2018-15 effective February 2, 2020 using the prospective approach, and adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments–Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which introduces new guidance for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments based on expected losses and the timing of the recognition of such losses. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective February 2, 2020, and adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Future Adoption of Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” The amendments provide optional guidance for a limited time to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The new guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments apply only to contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or another reference rate expected to be discontinued due to reference rate reform. These amendments are effective upon issuance and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the amended guidance and the impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets of acquired entities. The goodwill carried on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet at October 31, 2020 was the resulting value of Jo-Ann becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Needle Holdings in March 2011 (the “Merger”) of $640.0 million, less impairment charges of $481.8 million recorded during fiscal 2020, and $3.8 million as a result of the acquisition of Creativebug, LLC (“Creativebug”) in April 2017.

The Company assesses the carrying value of goodwill at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is the operating segment, or a business unit one level below that operating segment, for which discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. As of October 31, 2020, the Company had two reporting units, Jo-Ann and Creativebug.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Annually, as of the first day of the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may exist, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether any circumstances exist which would indicate that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the reporting units are below their respective carrying values. If such circumstances exist, a quantitative assessment is performed. The quantitative assessment compares the fair value of a reporting unit to its current carrying value. We determine the estimated fair value of a reporting unit based on valuation techniques including discounted cash flows as well as a market comparable method. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the net assets assigned to that reporting unit, goodwill is not considered impaired.

Annually, as of the first day of the fourth quarter, or more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may exist, the Company assesses qualitative factors to determine whether any circumstances exist which would indicate that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the indefinite-lived intangible assets not subject to amortization (Jo-Ann Trade Name and Joann.com Domain Name) are below their respective carrying values. If such circumstances exist, a quantitative assessment is performed. The quantitative assessment compares the fair value of an intangible asset to its current carrying value. We determine the estimated fair value of an intangible asset based upon the relief from royalty method which evaluates the appropriate royalty rate for the asset.

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 6—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for further details.

Impairment of Long-Lived and Operating Lease Assets

The Company evaluates long-lived and operating lease assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of those assets may not be recoverable. Factors considered that could trigger an impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant changes in the manner of use of the assets or the Company’s overall business strategies. Potential impairment exists if the estimated undiscounted cash flow expected to result from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset. The amount of the impairment loss represents the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value. Management estimates fair value based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate that is considered to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the Company’s current business model. Additional factors are taken into consideration, such as local market conditions, operating environment and other trends.

As a result of the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain retail store locations during the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company recognized impairment losses in the amount of $2.2 million within selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). No impairment losses were recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2020.

Based on management’s ongoing review of the performance of the Company’s stores, utilization of assets and other facilities, there were no impairment losses recorded during the second and third quarters of fiscal 2021 or during the second and third quarters of fiscal 2020.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is primarily associated with sales of merchandise to customers within our retail stores and customers utilizing our e-commerce channels. Retail sales, net of estimated returns and point-of-sale coupons and discounts, are recorded at the point-of-sale when customers take control of the merchandise in stores. E-commerce sales include shipping revenue and are recorded upon delivery to the customer. Shipping and handling fees charged to customers are recorded as sales with related costs recorded as cost of sales. Sales taxes are not included in sales as the Company acts as a conduit for collecting and remitting sales taxes to the appropriate governmental authorities. Payment is typically due at the point-of-sale, thus the Company does not have material customer receivables.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The Company allows for merchandise to be returned under most circumstances. The current policy allows for customers to receive an even exchange or full refund based upon the original method of payment when the returned purchase is accompanied with a receipt. Historic customer return activity is used to estimate the returns reserve, which historically, has not been material to our consolidated financial statements. The Company presents the gross sales returns reserve in accounts payable and the estimated value of the merchandise expected to be returned in prepaid expenses and other current assets within the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Proceeds from the sale of Jo-Ann gift cards are recorded as a liability and recognized as net sales when redeemed by the holder. Gift card breakage represents the remaining balance of our liability for gift cards for which the likelihood of redemption by the customer is remote. Gift card breakage is recognized as net sales in proportion to the pattern of rights exercised by the customer and is determined based on historical redemption patterns. During both the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, the Company recognized $0.8 million of pre-tax income due to gift card breakage. The Company generally is not required by law to escheat the value of unredeemed gift cards to the states in which it operates.

Activity related to the Company’s gift card liabilities was as follows:

 

     Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended  
     October 31,
2020
     November 2,
2019
 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Balance at beginning of period

   $ 32.5      $ 30.8  

Issuance of gift cards

     21.7        19.1  

Revenue recognized (a)

     (24.6      (23.7

Gift card breakage

     (0.8      (0.8
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance at end of period

   $ 28.8      $ 25.4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(a)

Revenue recognized from the beginning liability during the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 totaled $6.9 million and $7.6 million, respectively.

Financial Instruments

A financial instrument is cash or a contract that imposes an obligation to deliver or conveys a right to receive cash or another financial instrument. The carrying values of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and borrowings on our Revolving Credit Facility (as defined below) are considered to be representative of fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments.

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 4 —Fair Value Measurement for discussion regarding the fair value of the Company’s derivative instrument and term loan debt instruments.

Related Party Transactions

Jo-Ann pays a management fee to LGP, which is included in SG&A expenses on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). Starting in April 2020, the management fee payable to LGP has been forgiven until the end of the fiscal year 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020, the Company paid a management fee of $0.8 million compared to $3.8 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Note 2—Financing

Long-term debt, net for Jo-Ann Stores, LLC consisted of the following:

 

    

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,

2019

    

February 1,

2020

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Revolving Credit Facility

   $ 217.0      $ 293.0      $ 173.5  

Term Loan due 2023

     635.4        846.7        844.5  

Term Loan due 2024

     77.3        223.8        217.5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt

     929.7        1,363.5        1,235.5  

Less unamortized discount and debt costs

     (8.1      (17.2      (16.2
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total debt, net

     921.6        1,346.3        1,219.3  

Less current portion of debt

     —          (9.1      (9.1
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net

   $ 921.6      $ 1,337.2      $ 1,210.2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Revolving Credit Facility

On October 21, 2016, the Company entered into an asset-based revolving credit facility agreement (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), which provides for senior secured financing of up to $400.0 million, subject to a borrowing base, maturing on October 20, 2021. The borrowing base equals the sum of (i) the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory at an advance rate of 90.0 percent to 92.5 percent, based on seasonality, plus (ii) 90.0 to 92.5 percent of the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible in-transit inventory, based on seasonality, plus (iii) 90.0 percent of eligible credit and debit card receivables, plus (iv) 90.0 percent of eligible letter of credit inventory, minus (v) certain availability reserves. The facility is secured by a first priority security interest in Jo-Ann’s inventory, accounts receivable, and related assets with a second priority interest in all other assets, excluding real estate. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions. The maturity date of the facility is October 20, 2021. Under the facility, base rate loans bear an additional margin of 0.50 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 40.0 percent of the maximum credit and 0.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 40.0 percent of the maximum credit. Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 1.50 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 40.0 percent of the maximum credit and 1.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 40.0 percent of the maximum credit. Unused commitment fees on the facility are at a rate of 0.25 percent per annum. Interest for base rate loans is due on the first business day of the calendar quarter subsequent to the borrowing period. Interest for Eurodollar rate loans is due the day that the Eurodollar rate loan expires or, if the duration of the loan is more than three months, interest is due every three months from the first day of the interest period. Jo-Ann has the option to request an increase in the size of the facility up to $100.0 million (for a total facility of $500.0 million) in increments of $20.0 million, provided that no default exists or would arise from the increase. However, the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility are under no obligation to provide any such additional increments.

The Revolving Credit Facility agreement requires that from the time excess availability on any day is less than the greater of (i) $35.0 million and (ii) 10 percent of the Maximum Credit (as defined in the credit agreement) until the time excess availability is greater than the greater of (i) $35.0 million and (ii) 10 percent of the Maximum Credit for 30 consecutive calendar days, the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio shall be not less than 1.0 to 1.0.

The total fees and expenses associated with the Revolving Credit Facility were $1.7 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional services. These fees and expenses were recorded as deferred costs and are being amortized over the life of the Revolving Credit Facility. Additionally $0.4 million of debt extinguishment costs were recorded in fiscal 2017 related to the previously deferred costs of the Revolving Credit Facility.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

As of October 31, 2020, there were $217.0 million of borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and our outstanding letters of credit obligation was $23.6 million. As of October 31, 2020, our excess availability on the facility was $159.4 million. During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility was 1.52 percent, compared to 3.41 percent for the third quarter of fiscal 2020. As of November 2, 2019, the Company had $293.0 million of borrowings on the Revolving Credit Facility and our outstanding letters of credit obligation was $28.2 million. As of November 2, 2019, our excess availability on the facility was $78.8 million.

On November 25, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to amend various terms of the asset-based revolving credit agreement dated October 21, 2016 (as amended, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), which provides for senior secured financing of up to $500.0 million, subject to a borrowing base, maturing on November 25, 2025 (subject to a springing maturity date to the extent the Term Loan due 2023 or the Term Loan due 2024 have not been refinanced prior to their current maturity date). No changes were made to the borrowing base formula. The amended facility is secured by a first priority security interest in Jo-Ann’s inventory, accounts receivable, and related assets with a second priority interest in all other assets, excluding real estate. It also continues to be guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

Under the Amended Credit Agreement, base rate loans bear an additional margin of 1.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 33.33 percent of the maximum credit, 1.00 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 66.67 percent and greater than or equal to 33.33 percent of the maximum credit, and 0.75 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 66.67 percent of the maximum credit. Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 2.25 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 33.33 percent of the maximum credit, 2.00 percent when average historical excess capacity is less than 66.67 percent and greater than or equal to 33.33 percent of the maximum credit, and 1.75 percent when average historical excess capacity is greater than or equal to 66.67 percent of the maximum credit. Unused commitment fees on the amended facility remain calculated based on a rate of 0.25 percent per annum. Eurodollar rate loans are subject to a 0.75 percent LIBOR floor. In the event LIBOR ceases to be available during the term of the amended facility, the Amended Credit Agreement provides procedures to determine a “LIBOR Successor Rate.” Jo-Ann has the option to request an increase in the size of the facility up to $100.0 million (for a total facility of $600.0 million) in increments of $20.0 million, provided that no default exists or would arise from the increase. However, the lenders under the Amended Credit Agreement are under no obligation to provide any such additional amounts.

Term Loan due 2023

The Term Loan due 2023 facility is with a syndicate of lenders and is secured by substantially all the assets of Jo-Ann, excluding the Revolving Credit Facility collateral, and has a second priority security interest in the Revolving Credit Facility collateral. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

The Term Loan due 2023 has a maturity date of October 20, 2023. Base rate loans bear an additional margin of 4.0 percent, while Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 5.0 percent. Eurodollar rate loans are subject to a 1.0 percent LIBOR floor. Interest payments are made (a) as to any loan other than a base rate loan, the last day of each interest period applicable to such loan and the applicable maturity date; provided that if any interest period for a Eurodollar rate loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such interest period shall also be interest payment dates; and (b) as to any base rate loan, the last business day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable maturity date. During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Term Loan due 2023 facility was 6.08 percent, compared to 7.32 percent during the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2023 provided for mandatory quarterly repayments of $2.3 million on the last business day of each January, April, July and October. As of the second quarter of fiscal year 2021, the

 

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mandatory quarterly repayments are no longer required as a result of the Company’s debt repurchases (as described below) exceeding the total mandatory quarterly repayments due over the balance of the life of the loan. The Term Loan due 2023 also contains a provision requiring up to 50.0 percent of “excess cash flow” (as defined in the Term Loan due 2023 agreement and commencing with the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018) to be applied toward payment of principal on that facility, with step-downs to 25.0 percent and 0.0 percent should the senior secured net leverage ratio be less than 2.50x and 2.00x, respectively. For fiscal 2019, senior secured debt was greater than 2.50x adjusted EBITDA; therefore, 50.0 percent of excess cash flow was required as a payment of principal on the Term Loan due 2023. An excess cash flow principal payment of $15.7 million related to fiscal 2019 was made in March of fiscal 2020. No excess cash flow principal payment was required related to fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2023 agreement does not contain any financial covenants.

The Term Loan due 2023 was issued at a $14.5 million discount. A portion of the discount in the amount of $11.1 million was recorded as a reduction of debt and set up to amortize over the life of the Term Loan due 2023 and $3.4 million of the discount was charged to earnings. A portion of the debt issuance costs and discount was written off in connection with the repurchase transactions described below.

The Incremental Term Loan was issued at a $1.8 million discount, which was recorded as a reduction of debt and set up to amortize over the life of the Term Loan due 2023. The total fees and expenses associated with issuing the Incremental Term Loan were $1.8 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional fees. These fees and expenses were recorded as a reduction of debt and set up to amortize over the life of the Term Loan due 2023. A portion of the deferred costs and discount was written off in connection with the repurchase transactions described below.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased $202.8 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2023 at an average of 63 percent of par, resulting in a $72.2 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $2.5 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased $4.1 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2023 at an average of 75 percent of par, resulting in a $1.0 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling less than $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

Term Loan due 2024

On May 21, 2018, the Company entered into a $225.0 million term loan facility (the “Term Loan due 2024” and, together with the Term Loan due 2023, the “Term Loans”), which was issued at 98.5 percent of face value. The Term Loan due 2024 is with a syndicate of lenders. The Term Loan due 2024 is secured by a second priority security interest in all the assets of Jo-Ann, excluding the Revolving Credit Facility collateral, and has a third priority security interest in the Revolving Credit Facility collateral. It is guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions.

The Term Loan due 2024 has a maturity date of May 21, 2024. Base rate loans bear an additional margin of 8.25 percent, while Eurodollar rate loans bear an additional margin of 9.25 percent. Eurodollar rate loans are subject to a 1.0 percent LIBOR floor. Interest payments are made (a) as to any loan other than a base rate loan, the last day of each interest period applicable to such loan and the applicable maturity date; provided

 

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that if any interest period for a Eurodollar rate loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such interest period shall also be interest payment dates; and (b) as to any base rate loan, the last business day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable maturity date. During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the Term Loan due 2024 was 10.39 percent, compared to 11.62 percent during the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2024 does not require amortization payments. The Term Loan due 2024 contains a provision requiring up to 50.0 percent of “excess cash flow” (as defined in the Term Loan due 2024 agreement and commencing with the fiscal year ended February 2, 2019) to be applied toward payment of principal on that facility with step-downs to 25.0 percent and 0.0 percent should the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio (as defined by the Term Loan due 2024 agreement) be less than or equal to 2.50x and 2.00x, respectively; provided, however, for so long as any indebtedness is outstanding under the Term Loan due 2024 agreement, any permitted priority secured debt or any permitted refinancing of any of the foregoing, only declined proceeds shall be subject to the prepayment requirements. An excess cash flow principal payment of $1.2 million related to fiscal 2019 was made in April of fiscal 2020. No excess cash flow principal payment was required related to fiscal 2020.

The Term Loan due 2024 agreement does not contain any financial covenants.

The Term Loan due 2024 was issued at a $3.4 million discount, which was recorded as a reduction of debt and set up to amortize over the life of the Term Loan due 2024. The total fees and expenses associated with issuing the Term Loan due 2024 were $2.7 million, which fees represent banking, legal and other professional fees. These fees and expenses were recorded as a reduction of debt and set up to amortize over the life of the Term Loan due 2024. A portion of the debt issuance costs and discount was written off in connection with the repurchase transactions described below.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company repurchased $6.3 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2024 at an average of 38 percent of par, resulting in a $3.8 million gain, which was included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for fiscal 2020. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased $5.6 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2024 at an average of 43 percent of par, resulting in a $3.1 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased $130.4 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2024 at an average of 41 percent of par, resulting in a $74.6 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $3.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company repurchased $4.2 million in face value of the Term Loan due 2024 at an average of 53 percent of par, resulting in a $2.0 million gain, which is included in debt related gain within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. A write-off of the deferred charges and original issue discount, totaling $0.1 million, associated with the original debt issuance was recognized as an offset to the gain recognized in debt related gain.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

At October 31, 2020, the Company was in compliance with all covenants under its credit agreements.

The covenants contained in the credit agreements restrict Jo-Ann’s ability to pay dividends or make other distributions; accordingly, any dividends may only be made in accordance with such covenants. Among other restrictions, the credit agreements allow for dividends after an initial public offering in amounts not to exceed 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by, or contributed to Jo-Ann Stores, LLC. So long as there is no event of default, the credit agreements also allow dividends in amounts not less than $25 million, which amount can increase if certain other conditions are satisfied, including if Jo-Ann’s leverage does not exceed certain thresholds. Additionally, the Revolving Credit Facility allows for unlimited dividends, so long as there is no event of default and the Company’s excess availability is greater than 20% of the maximum credit, calculated on a pro forma basis for 60 days.

Note 3—Derivative Instruments

The Company is exposed to certain market risks during the normal course of its business arising from adverse changes in interest rates. The Company’s exposure to interest rate risk results primarily from its variable-rate borrowings. The Company may selectively use derivative financial instruments to manage the risks from fluctuations in interest rates. The Company does not purchase or hold derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. Fluctuations in interest rates can be volatile, and the Company’s risk management activities do not totally eliminate these risks. Consequently, these fluctuations could have a significant effect on the Company’s financial results.

In July 2018, the Company purchased, for $2.2 million, a forward starting interest rate cap based on 3-month London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) effective October 23, 2018 through October 23, 2021. The objective of the hedging instrument is to offset the variability of cash flows in term loan debt interest payments attributable to fluctuations in LIBOR beyond 3.5 percent. The interest rate cap qualifies as an effective hedge instrument and has been designated as a cash flow hedge of variability in LIBOR-based interest payments. The interest rate cap is recognized in our Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. Changes in the fair value of this instrument are recorded in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) and will be reclassified to interest expense in the same period(s) during which the hedged transactions affect earnings.

The following table summarizes the fair value and balance sheet classification of the Company’s outstanding derivative within the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019:

 

Instrument

  

Balance Sheet Location

  

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,

2019

 
          (Dollars in millions)  

Interest Rate Cap

   Other Assets    $      $  

The interest rate cap had an amortized notional amount of $682.9 million and $705.0 million as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, respectively.

The Company’s interest rate cap was deemed effective for the period ending October 31, 2020 and the Company expects the derivative will continue to be effective. The time value of the interest rate cap is excluded from the assessment of effectiveness and is being amortized to interest expense over the life of the hedge. The Company does not expect any material reclassification out of Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into earnings during the next 12 months.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The impacts of the Company’s derivative instrument on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 are presented in the table below:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Gain recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on derivatives, gross of income taxes

   $ 0.5      $ 0.3  

Amount reclassified from Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into earnings

             

Amortization of excluded component to interest expense

     0.5        0.6  

Note 4—Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a fair value hierarchy has been established that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement).

The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose significant inputs are observable; and

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

The following provides the carrying and fair value of the Company’s derivative instrument as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019:

 

    

Level

    

October 31, 2020

    

November 2, 2019

 
    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

 
            (Dollars in millions)  

Interest rate cap

     2      $ —        $ —        $ —        $ —    

The valuation of the interest rate cap is measured as the present value of all expected future cash flows based on the LIBOR-based yield curves. The present value calculation uses discount rates that have been adjusted to reflect the credit quality of the Company and its counterparty.

The fair values of cash and cash equivalents and accounts payable approximated their carrying values because of the short-term nature of these instruments. If these instruments were measured at fair value in the financial statements, they would be classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Long-term debt is presented at carrying value in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of the Company’s term loans was determined based on quoted market prices or recent trades of these debt instruments in less active markets. If our long-term debt was recorded at fair value, it would be classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The following provides the carrying and fair values of the Company’s term loans as of October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019:

 

    

October 31, 2020

    

November 2, 2019

 
    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

    

Carrying

Value

    

Fair

Value

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Term Loan due 2023 (a)

   $ 628.5      $ 553.1      $ 834.6      $ 605.1  

Term Loan due 2024 (a)

     76.2        34.3        218.7        76.5  

 

(a)

Net of deferred financing costs and original issue discount.

Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis; that is, the assets and liabilities are not measured at fair value on an ongoing basis but are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances (e.g., when there is evidence of impairment). The fair values are determined based on either a market approach, an income approach, in which the Company utilizes internal cash flow projections over the life of the underlying assets discounted using a discount rate that is considered to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the Company’s current business model, or a combination of both. These measures of fair value, and related inputs, are considered a Level 3 approach under the fair value hierarchy.

The Company uses the end of the period when determining the timing of transfers between levels. There were no transfers between levels during the periods presented.

Note 5—Accrued Expenses and Other Long-Term Liabilities

Due to our favorable financial performance during the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021, the Company increased the accrual for incentive compensation. The accrual reflects the potential incentive compensation payout to all salaried store support center team members as well as all store and district managers. As of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021, $26.0 million of short-term incentive compensation was recorded in accrued expenses and $1.3 million of long-term incentive compensation was recorded in other long-term liabilities on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), which was signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020, allows companies to defer the payment of the employer portion of the Social Security Tax. The deferral period lasts until December 31, 2020 with half of the deferred amount due at December 31, 2021 and the other half due at December 31, 2022. The Company has elected to defer payment of its portion of the Social Security Tax as permitted by the CARES Act, and as a result, has accrued for the full amount of these deferred payments in the amount of $16.4 million within other long-term liabilities on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The additional impact of the Employee Retention Credit (the “ERC”) enacted as part of the CARES Act did not apply to the payroll tax liability for the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The ERC may be applicable to the second and third quarters of fiscal 2021. The Company is still evaluating the underlying legislation, which is evolving. The Company anticipates that the ERC will be applied retroactively, on an amended basis, in a future fiscal quarter.

Note 6—Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

In connection with the Merger and the acquisition of Creativebug, the Company acquired certain intangible assets and recognized goodwill based on the excess of purchase price over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

Changes in the carrying value of goodwill were as follows:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,
2020

    

November 2,
2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Goodwill, balance at beginning of period

   $ 162.0      $ 643.8  

Impairment

     —          (130.4
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Goodwill, balance at end of period

   $ 162.0      $ 513.4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

The carrying amount of goodwill attributable to the Creativebug acquisition is deductible for income tax purposes, ratably over 15 years. The remaining carrying amount of goodwill is not deductible for income tax purposes.

The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of identifiable intangible assets at October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019 were as follows:

 

    

 

    

October 31, 2020

    

November 2, 2019

 
    

Estimated Life
in Years

    

Gross
Carrying
Amount

    

Accumulated
Amortization

    

Gross
Carrying
Amount

    

Accumulated
Amortization

 
            (Dollars in millions)  

Indefinite-lived intangible assets:

              

Jo-Ann trade name

     —        $ 325.0      $ —        $ 330.0      $ —    

Joann.com domain name

     —          10.0        —          10.0        —    

Intangible assets subject to amortization:

              

Creativebug trade name

     10        0.1        —          0.1        —    

Technology

     3        0.9        0.9        0.9        0.8  

Customer relationships

     16        110.0        66.2        110.3        59.5  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total intangible assets

      $ 446.0      $ 67.1      $ 451.3      $ 60.3  
     

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Due to the Company’s negative comparable sales and declining margins in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, primarily as a result of the expected ongoing impact of the United States tariffs on imported merchandise from China enacted during the second half of fiscal 2019 and subsequently increased during the second quarter of fiscal 2020, a quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to the Jo-Ann reporting unit was completed as of July 6, 2019. The Company performed a discounted cash flow analysis and market multiple analysis and used the resulting average as the fair value. Based on the analyses performed, the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded the fair value of the reporting unit; therefore, the Company recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $130.4 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

Due to a weaker than expected fiscal 2020 peak selling season, another quantitative impairment analysis of goodwill related to the Jo-Ann reporting unit was completed as of November 30, 2019. The Company performed a discounted cash flow analysis and a market multiple analysis and used the resulting average as the fair value. Based on the analyses performed, the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeded the fair value of the reporting unit; therefore, the Company recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $351.4 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. As of November 30, 2019, the Company also performed a quantitative impairment analysis of the Jo-Ann Trade Name utilizing a relief from royalty approach by comparing the fair value of the trade name to its carrying value. Based on this information, the Company recognized a non-cash pre-tax impairment charge of $5.0 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

As of May 2, 2020, the Company assessed qualitative factors in order to determine whether any circumstances existed which indicated that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair values of the Jo-Ann

 

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reporting unit, Creativebug reporting unit, Jo-Ann Trade Name and Joann.com Domain Name did not exceed their respective carrying values and concluded no such circumstances existed which would require a quantitative impairment test be performed. The primary factor in this conclusion was the favorable actual and expected financial performance of the Company when compared to the projections that were utilized in the most recent valuation, which was completed during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Therefore, no goodwill or intangible asset impairment charges were recognized in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

There were no indicators of impairment at either August 1, 2020 or October 31, 2020 for the Jo-Ann reporting unit, Creativebug reporting unit, Jo-Ann Trade Name and Joann.com Domain Name.

The Company recognized intangible asset amortization of $5.2 million for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021 and $5.4 million for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020. The weighted average amortization period of amortizable intangible assets as of October 31, 2020 approximated 6.4 years.

Note 7—Income Taxes

Coronavirus Tax Relief

The CARES Act was signed into law by the President on March 27, 2020. Among other things, it provides economic relief to individuals and businesses. Tax law changes in the CARES Act impacted the Company in a number of different ways, including enhanced interest expense deductibility for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 resulting from changes to the computation of the related limitation, the ability to carry back net operating losses for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 to the five prior years, including tax years with a 35 percent corporate income tax rate, and a technical correction to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allowing qualified improvement property to be fully depreciated in the year the property is placed in service.

Reserves for Uncertain Tax Positions

At the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021, unrecognized tax benefits were $1.2 million, of which $1.0 million would affect the effective tax rate, if recognized. The Company records interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions as a component of the income tax provision. The total amount of interest and penalties at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021 was $0.3 million compared to $0.1 million of interest or penalties accrued as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

Effective Tax Rate

The effective income tax rate for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021 was 9.2 percent provision compared to 10.8 percent (benefit) for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020. During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the release of the valuation allowance for the deferred tax asset relating to interest expense carryover based on the income tax return filed for fiscal 2020 was adjusted to actual, receivables were recorded for a net operating loss carryback from fiscal 2020, and a settlement was reached during the third quarter of fiscal 2021, with the IRS sustaining a favorable position taken on an amended tax return, resulting in an effective tax rate which is lower than the statutory rate for the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2021. For the first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020, there was a permanent book-tax difference resulting from the $130.4 million non-deductible goodwill impairment recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

The effective tax rate is subject to change based on the mix of income from different state jurisdictions, which tax at different rates, as well as the change in status or outcome of uncertain tax positions. We evaluate our effective rate on a quarterly basis and update our estimate of the full-year effective rate as necessary.

Note 8—Earnings Per Share

Basic (loss) income per share is computed based upon the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted (loss) income per share is computed based upon the weighted-average number of common

 

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shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of common share equivalents calculated using the treasury stock method. Treasury stock is excluded from the denominator in calculating both basic and diluted loss per share. For the thirty-nine weeks ended October 31, 2020 and November 2, 2019, 19,600 and 26,674 shares issuable for equity-based awards, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. In periods in which a net loss has occurred, as is the case for first thirty-nine weeks of fiscal 2020, the dilutive effect of equity-based awards is not recognized and thus not utilized in the calculation of diluted loss per share, because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

The following table sets forth the reconciliation of the numerator and the denominator of basic and diluted (loss) income per share:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions except
per share data)
 

Net (loss) income

   $ 174.0      $ (188.5

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – Basic

     406,405        406,112  

Effect of dilutive stock options

     8,907         
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding – Diluted

     415,312        406,112  

Basic earnings per common share

   $ 428.21      $ (464.04

Diluted earnings per common share

   $ 419.03      $ (464.04

Note 9—Segments and Disaggregated Revenue

In fiscal 2020, fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018, the Company considered Jo-Ann Stores and Non-Store Omni-Channel to be the Company’s operating segments for purposes of determining reportable segments based on the criteria of ASC 280, Segment Reporting (“ASC 280”). Non-Store Omni-Channel does not meet the materiality criteria in ASC 280 and, therefore, is not disclosed separately as a reportable segment. The Company’s operating segments are based on how our Chief Executive Officer, who is also our Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), makes decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance.

The following table shows revenue by product category:

 

    

Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended

 
    

October 31,

2020

    

November 2,

2019

 
     (Dollars in millions)  

Sewing

   $ 989.1      $ 752.2  

Arts and Crafts and Home Decor

     895.4        765.3  

Other

     37.0        28.1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 1,921.5      $ 1,545.6  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Note 10—Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is involved in various litigation matters in the ordinary course of its business. The Company is not currently involved in any litigation that it expects, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

 

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Note 11—Subsequent Events

Subsequent to the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021, on November 25, 2020, the Company agreed to amend and restate various terms of the asset-based revolving credit agreement dated October 21, 2016, which provides for senior secured financing of up to $500.0 million. No changes were made to the borrowing base formula. The amended facility is secured by a first priority security interest in Jo-Ann’s inventory, accounts receivable, and related assets with a second priority interest in all other assets, excluding real estate. It also continues to be guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned subsidiaries of Jo-Ann, subject to certain exceptions. See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 2—Financing for further details.

 

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PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

 

 

Through and including                  , 2021 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.

            Shares

Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.

Common Stock

 

 

LOGO

 

 

Prospectus

 

                , 2021

 

 

 


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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

The following table sets forth all the costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts, payable in connection with the sale of the shares of common stock being registered hereby. Except as otherwise noted, the Registrant will pay all of the costs and expenses set forth in the following table. All amounts shown below are estimates, except the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee and the stock exchange listing fee:

 

    

Amount

SEC registration fee

               *

FINRA filing fee

               *

Stock exchange listing fee

               *

Printing and engraving expenses

               *

Legal fees and expenses

               *

Accounting fees and expenses

               *

Transfer agent and registrar fees

               *

Miscellaneous expenses

               *
  

 

Total                *
  

 

 

*

To be filed by amendment.

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 102 of the DGCL allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except in cases where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, willfully or negligently authorized the unlawful payment of a dividend or approved an unlawful stock redemption or repurchase or obtained an improper personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation contains a provision which eliminates directors’ personal liability as set forth above.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide in effect that we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the extent permitted by the DGCL. Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation has the power to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents in certain circumstances. Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding provided that such director, officer, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, provided that such director, officer, employee or agent had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

Subsection (b) of Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent, or former director, officer, employee or agent, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the

 

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defense or settlement of such action or suit provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may 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 shall determine that despite the adjudication of liability such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

Section 145 further provides that to the extent that a director or officer or employee of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; that indemnification provided by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the party seeking indemnification may be entitled; and the corporation is empowered to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against any liability asserted against him or her or incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of his or her status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145; and that, unless indemnification is ordered by a court, the determination that indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 is proper because the director, officer, employee or agent has met the applicable standard of conduct under such subsections shall be made by (1) a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the shareholders.

We have in effect insurance policies for general officers’ and directors’ liability insurance covering all of our officers and directors. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify each such director or officer for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by such director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of his or her service as one of our directors or officers.

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

During the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement, we have granted the following stock options under the 2012 Equity Plan to certain of our employees in connection with services provided to us by such persons:

 

   

in June 2018, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 1,365 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $865 per share, of which 865 options were subsequently terminated by their terms;

 

   

in September 2018, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 650 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $875 per share, all of which were subsequently terminated by their terms;

 

   

in March 2019, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 11,755 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $960 per share, of which 1,885 options were subsequently terminated by their terms; and

 

   

in April 2020, we granted stock options to purchase an aggregate of 11,330 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $100 per share.

Options to purchase an aggregate of 1,248.517 shares of our common stock were exercised at an exercise price of $250 per share in the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement. These option grants and subsequent exercises do not reflect the stock-split contemplated in connection with this offering.

 

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CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

The issuances of these securities were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance upon Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Rules 506 and 701 promulgated thereunder. The securities were issued directly by the registrant and did not involve a public offering or general solicitation. The recipients of such securities represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment purposes only and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, any distribution thereof.

Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

(a) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Exhibit Description

  1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  3.1*    Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering.
  3.2*    Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering.
  4.1*    Specimen Common Stock Certificate of the Company.
  4.2*    Form of Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering
  5.1*    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP.
10.1    Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated October 21, 2016, by and among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Needle Holdings LLC and Bank of America, N.A.
10.1.1    First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated November 25, 2020, by and among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Needle Holdings LLC and Bank of America, N.A.
10.2    Credit Agreement, dated October 21, 2016, by and among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Needle Holdings LLC and Bank of America, N.A.
10.2.1    Incremental Amendment No. 1, dated July 21, 2017, by and among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Needle Holdings LLC and Bank of America, N.A.
10.3    Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated May 21, 2018, by and among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, Needle Holdings LLC and Bank of America, N.A.
10.4*    Employment Agreement by and between the Company and Wade Miquelon
10.5*    Employment Agreement by and between the Company and Matt Susz
10.6*    2012 Equity Plan
10.7*    Form of Option Agreement
10.8*    Form of 2021 Equity Incentive Plan of the Company, to be effective upon the consummation of this offering.
10.9*    Form of Indemnification Agreement.
21.1**    List of subsidiaries of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.
23.1*    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2*    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

 

*

To be filed by amendment.

**

Previously filed.

 

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(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or the notes thereto.

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 directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission 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 the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant 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, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1)

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.

 

  (2)

For the purpose 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.

 

II-4


Table of Contents

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.

PURSUANT TO 17 CFR 200.83

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Hudson, Ohio, on this         day of                 , 2021.

 

JO-ANN STORES HOLDINGS INC.
By:    
Name:   Matt Susz
Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc. hereby severally constitute and appoint Wade Miquelon and Matt Susz, and each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution and full power to act without the other, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act in his or her name, place and stead and to execute in the name and on behalf of each person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement (or any other registration statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as full to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

     

Wade Miquelon

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(principal executive officer)

                  , 2021

     

Matt Susz

  

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)

                  , 2021

     

Darrell Webb

  

Director

                  , 2021

     

Jonathan Sokoloff

  

Director

                  , 2021

     

John Yoon

  

Director

                  , 2021

     

Lily Chang

  

Director

                  , 2021

 

II-5

EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Execution Version

$400,000,000

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 21, 2016

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as the Borrower,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Issuer,

and

THE OTHER LENDERS AND ISSUERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Syndication Agents,

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Documentation Agent,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATION AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

SECTION 1.1

  Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.2

  Other Interpretive Provisions      60  

SECTION 1.3

  Accounting Terms      61  

SECTION 1.4

  Rounding      61  

SECTION 1.5

  Letter of Credit Amounts      62  

SECTION 1.6

  References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.      62  

SECTION 1.7

  Times of Day      62  

SECTION 1.8

  Pro Forma Calculations      62  

SECTION 1.9

  Limited Condition Acquisitions      64  

ARTICLE II THE FACILITY

     65  

SECTION 2.1

  The Revolving Credit Commitments      65  

SECTION 2.2

  Borrowing Procedures      66  

SECTION 2.3

  Swing Loans      67  

SECTION 2.4

  Letters of Credit      69  

SECTION 2.5

  Reduction and Termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments      75  

SECTION 2.6

  Repayment of Loans      75  

SECTION 2.7

  Evidence of Indebtedness      76  

SECTION 2.8

  Optional Prepayments      76  

SECTION 2.9

  Mandatory Prepayments      77  

SECTION 2.10

  Interest      78  

SECTION 2.11

  Conversion/Continuation Option      78  

SECTION 2.12

  Fees      79  

SECTION 2.13

  Payments and Computations      80  

SECTION 2.14

  Special Provisions Governing Eurodollar Rate Loans      82  

SECTION 2.15

  Revolving Commitment Increase      82  

SECTION 2.16

  Defaulting Lenders      84  

SECTION 2.17

  Extensions of Loans      86  

ARTICLE III TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     90  

SECTION 3.1

  Taxes      90  

SECTION 3.2

  Illegality      93  

SECTION 3.3

  Inability to Determine Rates      93  

SECTION 3.4

  Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans      94  

SECTION 3.5

  Funding Losses      95  

SECTION 3.6

  Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation      96  

SECTION 3.7

  Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances      97  

SECTION 3.8

  Survival      98  

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     98  

SECTION 4.1

  Conditions Precedent to Effective Date      98  

SECTION 4.2

  Conditions Precedent to Each Loan and Letter of Credit      100  

SECTION 4.3

  Determinations of Effective Date Borrowing Conditions      102  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     102  

SECTION 5.1

  Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws      102  

SECTION 5.2

  Authorization; No Contravention      102  

SECTION 5.3

  Governmental Authorization      103  

SECTION 5.4

  Binding Effect      103  

SECTION 5.5

  Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect      103  

SECTION 5.6

  Litigation      104  

SECTION 5.7

  Labor Matters      104  

SECTION 5.8

  Ownership of Property; Liens      104  

SECTION 5.9

  Environmental Matters      104  

SECTION 5.10

  Taxes      104  

SECTION 5.11

  ERISA Compliance      104  

SECTION 5.12

  Subsidiaries      105  

SECTION 5.13

  Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act      105  

SECTION 5.14

  Disclosure      106  

SECTION 5.15

  Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.      106  

SECTION 5.16

  Solvency      106  

SECTION 5.17

  OFAC      106  

SECTION 5.18

  USA PATRIOT Act      106  

SECTION 5.19

  Collateral Documents      107  

SECTION 5.20

  Anti-Corruption Laws      107  

SECTION 5.21

  EEA Financial Institution      107  

ARTICLE VI FINANCIAL COVENANT

     107  

SECTION 6.1

  Minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio      107  

ARTICLE VII REPORTING COVENANTS

     108  

SECTION 7.1

  Financial Statements, Etc.      108  

SECTION 7.2

  Certificates; Other Information      110  

SECTION 7.3

  Notices      113  

SECTION 7.4

  Borrowing Base Certificate      113  

ARTICLE VIII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     115  

SECTION 8.1

  Preservation of Existence, Etc.      115  

SECTION 8.2

  Compliance with Laws, Etc.      115  

SECTION 8.3

  Designation of Subsidiaries      115  

SECTION 8.4

  Payment of Taxes, Etc.      116  

SECTION 8.5

  Maintenance of Insurance      116  

SECTION 8.6

  Inspection Rights      117  

SECTION 8.7

  Books and Records      117  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

SECTION 8.8

  Maintenance of Properties      117  

SECTION 8.9

  Use of Proceeds      117  

SECTION 8.10

  Compliance with Environmental Laws      118  

SECTION 8.11

  Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security      118  

SECTION 8.12

  Cash Receipts      119  

SECTION 8.13

  Further Assurances      121  

ARTICLE IX NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     121  

SECTION 9.1

  Liens      122  

SECTION 9.2

  Investments      125  

SECTION 9.3

  Indebtedness      128  

SECTION 9.4

  Fundamental Changes      132  

SECTION 9.5

  Dispositions      133  

SECTION 9.6

  Restricted Payments      136  

SECTION 9.7

  Change in Nature of Business      140  

SECTION 9.8

  Transactions with Affiliates      140  

SECTION 9.9

  Burdensome Agreements      142  

SECTION 9.10

  Accounting Changes; Fiscal Year      144  

SECTION 9.11

  Prepayment, Etc. of Indebtedness      144  

SECTION 9.12

  Modification of Debt Agreements      145  

SECTION 9.13

  Holdings      145  

ARTICLE X EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     145  

SECTION 10.1

  Events of Default      145  

SECTION 10.2

  Remedies upon Event of Default      149  

SECTION 10.3

  Application of Funds      150  

SECTION 10.4

  Borrower’s Right to Cure      151  

SECTION 10.5

  Actions in Respect of Letters of Credit; Cash Collateral      152  

ARTICLE XI THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     153  

SECTION 11.1

  Appointment and Authorization      153  

SECTION 11.2

  Rights as a Lender.      154  

SECTION 11.3

  Exculpatory Provisions      154  

SECTION 11.4

  Reliance by the Administrative Agent      155  

SECTION 11.5

  Delegation of Duties      156  

SECTION 11.6

  Resignation of Administrative Agent      156  

SECTION 11.7

  Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents      157  

SECTION 11.8

  No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc.      158  

SECTION 11.9

  Intercreditor Agreement      158  

SECTION 11.10

  Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim      158  

SECTION 11.11

  Collateral and Guaranty Matters      159  

SECTION 11.12

  Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements      160  

SECTION 11.13

  Indemnification of Agents      161  

 

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS

     162  

SECTION 12.1

  Amendments, Etc.      162  

SECTION 12.2

  Successors and Assigns      164  

SECTION 12.3

  Costs and Expenses      170  

SECTION 12.4

  Indemnities      171  

SECTION 12.5

  Limitation of Liability      172  

SECTION 12.6

  Right of Set-off      173  

SECTION 12.7

  Sharing of Payments      173  

SECTION 12.8

  Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies      174  

SECTION 12.9

  No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies      176  

SECTION 12.10

  Reserved      176  

SECTION 12.11

  Binding Effect      176  

SECTION 12.12

  Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process      176  

SECTION 12.13

  Waiver of Jury Trial      177  

SECTION 12.14

  Marshaling; Payments Set Aside      178  

SECTION 12.15

  Execution in Counterparts      178  

SECTION 12.16

  Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents      178  

SECTION 12.17

  Confidentiality      179  

SECTION 12.18

  Use of Name, Logo, etc.      180  

SECTION 12.19

  USA PATRIOT Act Notice      180  

SECTION 12.20

  No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      181  

SECTION 12.21

  Severability      181  

SECTION 12.22

  Survival of Representations and Warranties      182  

SECTION 12.23

  Lender Action      182  

SECTION 12.24

  Interest Rate Limitation      182  

SECTION 12.25

  Time of the Essence      182  

SECTION 12.26

  No Strict Construction      182  

SECTION 12.27

  Intercreditor Agreement      183  

SECTION 12.28

  Keepwell      183  

SECTION 12.29

  Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      183  

SECTION 12.30

  Amendment and Restatement      184  

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule I

   -   

Revolving Credit Commitments

Schedule II

   -   

Guarantors

Schedule 1.1C

   -   

Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 1.1D

   -   

Designated Assets

Schedule 1.1E

   -   

Credit Card Agreements

Schedule 5.12

   -   

Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments

Schedule 8.12

   -   

Material Bank Accounts; Credit Card Processors

Schedule 9.1(b)

   -   

Existing Liens

Schedule 9.2(f)

   -   

Existing Investments

Schedule 9.3(b)

   -   

Existing Indebtedness

 

iv


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

Schedule 9.8    -    Transactions with Affiliates

Schedule 9.9

   -    Burdensome Agreements

Schedule 12.8

   -    Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices

 

v


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    -    Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B    -    Form of Revolving Credit Note
Exhibit C    -    Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit D    -    Form of Swing Loan Request
Exhibit E    -    Form of Letter of Credit Request
Exhibit F    -    Form of Notice of Conversion or Continuation
Exhibit G-1    -    Form of Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
Exhibit G-2    -    Form of Opinion of Thompson Hine LLP
Exhibit H    -    Form of Guaranty
Exhibit I    -    Form of Security Agreement
Exhibit J    -    Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit K    -    Form of Intercreditor Agreement
Exhibit L    -    Form of Intercompany Subordination Agreement
Exhibit M    -    Form of United States Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit N    -    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit O    -    Form of Solvency Certificate

 

vi


This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of October 21, 2016, among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”) under the Loan Documents, and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

Holdings and the Borrower have entered into that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2011 (as amended and in effect, the “Original Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, the Borrower, the “Lenders” as defined therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent thereunder.

The Borrower has requested that (i) the Lenders extend credit to the Borrower under the Facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of up to $400,000,000 pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) certain other lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of a Term Facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of $725,000,000 pursuant to the Term Facility Credit Agreement.

The proceeds of the initial Revolving Loans to be made on the Effective Date, together with a portion of the Borrower’s cash on hand, and borrowings under the Term Facility, will be used (i) for working capital and other general corporate purposes, (ii) to finance the repayment of all amounts outstanding under the Existing Term Facility and the repurchase or redemption of $271,825,000 of the Senior Notes, and (iii) to pay fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

The applicable Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend, and the Issuers have indicated their willingness to issue Letters of Credit, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, and to amend and restate the Original Credit Agreement in accordance with Section 12.1 of the Original Credit Agreement.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree that the Original Credit Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATION AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.1 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Account” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.


Account Debtor” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

ACH” means automated clearing house transfers.

Additional Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Adjustment Date” means the first day of each Fiscal Quarter commencing January 29, 2017 (the first full quarter ending after the Effective Date).

Administrative Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 12.8, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Arrangers, the Agents or their respective lending affiliates or any entity acting as an Issuer hereunder shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 12.8(d).

Agent-Related Persons” means the Agents, together with their respective Affiliates, and the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorney-in-fact, partners, trustees and advisors of such Persons and of such Persons’ Affiliates.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each of the Co-Syndication Agents, the Documentation Agent, each co-agent or sub-agent (if any) appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 11.5 and the Arrangers.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Revolving Credit Commitments of all the Lenders. As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Commitments are $400,000,000.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, modified, replaced, extended, renewed or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

Annual Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Saturday closest to each of January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the Fiscal Years then ended.

 

2


Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Weighted Average Life to Maturity”.

Applicable Margin” means a percentage per annum equal to (a) from and after the Effective Date until the first Adjustment Date, (i) for Eurodollar Rate Loans, 1.50%, (ii) for Base Rate Loans, 0.50% and (iii) for Letter of Credit fees, (A) in the case of Standby Letters of Credit, 1.50% and (B) in the case of Documentary Letters of Credit, 0.75%, and (b) thereafter, the following percentages per annum, based upon Average Historical Excess Availability as of the most recent Adjustment Date:

 

Level

   Average
Historical
Excess
Availability
     Eurodollar
Rate for
Loans and

Letter of
Credit Fees
(Standby
Letters of
Credit)
    Base
Rate
    Letter of
Credit Fees
(Documentary
Letters of
Credit)
 

I

    



Greater than
or equal to
40% of the
Maximum
Credit
 
 
 
 
 
     1.25     0.25     0.625

II

    


Less than
40% of the
Maximum
Credit
 
 
 
 
     1.50     0.50     0.75

The Applicable Margin shall be adjusted quarterly in accordance with the table above on each Adjustment Date for the period beginning on such Adjustment Date based upon the Average Historical Excess Availability as the Administrative Agent shall determine in good faith within ten (10) Business Days after such Adjustment Date. Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Average Historical Excess Availability shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the Adjustment Date. If any Borrowing Base Certificates are at any time restated or otherwise revised or if the information set forth in any Borrowing Base Certificates otherwise proves to be false or incorrect such that the Applicable Margin would have been higher than was otherwise in effect during any period, without constituting a waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising as a result thereof, interest due under this Agreement shall be immediately recalculated at such higher rate for any applicable periods and shall be due and payable on demand.

Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16(a)(iv). If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 10.2(a)(i) or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender

 

3


shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule I or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

Applicable Unused Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any day, a percentage per annum equal to 0.25% per annum.

Approved Account Bank” means a financial institution at which the Borrower or a Guarantor maintains an Approved Deposit Account.

Approved Deposit Account” means each Deposit Account in respect of which a Loan Party shall have entered into a Deposit Account Control Agreement.

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Fund that is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

Approved Securities Account” means each Securities Account in respect of which the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have entered into a Securities Account Control Agreement.

Approved Securities Intermediary” means a securities intermediary at which the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor maintains an Approved Securities Account.

Arrangers” means Bank of America, N.A. (or any of its designated affiliates), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner under this Agreement.

Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Attorney Costs” means all reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of one counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders taken as a whole and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction material to the interest of the Lenders and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole of the affected parties.

Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

 

4


Availability Reserves” means, without duplication of any other reserves or items that are otherwise addressed or excluded through eligibility criteria, such reserves as the Administrative Agent from time to time determines in its Permitted Discretion as being appropriate (a) to reflect the impediments to the Collateral Agent’s ability to realize upon the Collateral, (b) to reflect claims and liabilities that the Administrative Agent determines will need to be satisfied in connection with the realization upon the Collateral, (c) to reflect criteria, events, conditions, contingencies or risks which adversely affect any component of the Borrowing Base, the Collateral or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any material remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder or thereunder, or (d) to reflect the impediments to the Collateral Agent’s ability to realize upon the Collateral to the extent that an Event of Default then exists. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Reserves may include (but are not limited to) reserves based on: (i) rent; provided that, as long as no Event of Default is continuing, such Availability Reserves shall be limited to an amount not to exceed the sum of (x) past due rent for all of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ leased locations plus (y) one (1) month’s rent for all of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ leased locations (A) located in the states of Washington, Virginia, Pennsylvania and all other Landlord Lien States or (B) that are distribution centers or warehouses, other than, in each case, such locations, distribution centers or warehouses with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received a Collateral Access Agreement; (ii) customs duties, and other costs to release Inventory which is being imported into the United States; (iii) outstanding Taxes and other governmental charges, including, without limitation, ad valorem, real estate, personal property, sales, and other Taxes which would have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Current Asset Collateral; (iv) during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period, salaries, wages and benefits due to employees of the Borrower, (v) Customer Credit Liabilities and customer deposits; (vi) warehousemen’s or bailee’s charges and other Liens permitted under Section 9.1 which would have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Current Asset Collateral; (vii) reserves in respect of Cash Management Obligations, provided that reserves of the type described in this clause (vii) in respect of such Cash Management Obligations shall not be established unless either Excess Availability is less than $75,000,000 or an Event of Default is continuing; and (viii) reserves in respect of Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements, provided that, reserves of the type described in this clause (viii) in respect of such Obligations shall not be established unless either Excess Availability is less than $75,000,000 or an Event of Default is continuing. The amount of any Availability Reserve established by the Administrative Agent shall have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition or other matter that is the basis for the Availability Reserve. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Availability Reserves shall not duplicate eligibility criteria contained in the definition of Eligible Credit Card Receivables, Eligible In-Transit Inventory, Eligible Inventory or Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory.

Average Historical Excess Availability” means, at any Adjustment Date, the average daily Excess Availability for the Fiscal Quarter immediately preceding such Adjustment Date (or, in the case of the first Adjustment Date on January 29, 2017, the period from and including the Effective Date through the date immediately preceding such first Adjustment Date).

 

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Average Revolving Loan Utilization” means, at any Adjustment Date, the average daily aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure (excluding any Revolving Credit Exposure resulting from any outstanding Swing Loans) for the Fiscal Quarter immediately preceding such Adjustment Date (or, in the case of the first Adjustment Date on January 29, 2017, the period from and including the Effective Date through the date immediately preceding such first Adjustment Date) divided by the Aggregate Commitments at such time.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A., a national banking association, acting in its individual capacity, and its successors and assigns.

Banker’s Acceptance” means a time draft or bill of exchange or other deferred payment obligation relating to a Documentary Letter of Credit which has been accepted by the Issuer.

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate for an Interest Period of one month plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period.

Borrowing Base” means, at any time of calculation, an amount equal to:

(a) the face amount of Eligible Credit Card Receivables multiplied by the Credit Card Advance Rate; plus

 

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(b) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible Inventory (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory and Eligible In-Transit Inventory), multiplied by the Inventory Advance Rate multiplied by the Cost of Eligible Inventory (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory and Eligible In-Transit Inventory), net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible Inventory; plus

(c) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory multiplied by the Letter of Credit Advance Rate, multiplied by the Cost of Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory, net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory; plus

(d) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible In-Transit Inventory multiplied by the In-Transit Advance Rate, multiplied by the Cost of Eligible In-Transit Inventory, net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible In-Transit Inventory; minus

(e) the then amount of all Availability Reserves.

The Borrowing Base at any time shall be determined by reference to the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.4, as adjusted to give effect to Availability Reserves following such delivery; provided, that such Availability Reserves shall not be established or changed except upon not less than three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Borrower (during which period the Administrative Agent shall be available to discuss any such proposed Availability Reserve with the Borrower and the Borrower may take such action as may be required so that the event, condition or matter that is the basis for such Availability Reserve no longer exists, in a manner and to the extent reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent); provided further that no such prior notice shall be required for changes to any Availability Reserves resulting solely by virtue of mathematical calculations of the amount of the Availability Reserve in accordance with the methodology of calculation previously utilized (such as, but not limited to, rent and Customer Credit Liabilities) or if an Event of Default is continuing.

Borrowing Base Certificate” means a certificate of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit J.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the jurisdiction where the Administrative Agent’s Office with respect to Obligations is located and if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or any other dealings to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of (a) all amounts that would be reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on a Consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP and (b) the value of all assets under Capitalized Leases incurred by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period; provided that the term “Capital Expenditures” shall not include (i) expenditures made in connection with the replacement, substitution, restoration or repair of

 

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assets to the extent financed with (x) insurance proceeds paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced, substituted, restored or repaired or (y) awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of the assets being replaced, (ii) the purchase of plant, property or equipment or software to the extent financed with the Net Cash Proceeds of Dispositions that are not required to be applied to prepay the Loans, the Term Facility or the Senior Notes, (iii) expenditures that are accounted for as capital expenditures by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and that actually are paid for, or reimbursed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash or Cash Equivalents, by a Person other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and for which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has provided or is required to provide or incur, directly or indirectly, any consideration or obligation (other than rent) in respect of such expenditures to such Person or any other Person (whether before, during or after such period), including, without limitation, expenditures which are contractually required to be, and are, reimbursed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in cash by its landlords as tenant allowances during such period, (iv) expenditures to the extent constituting any portion of a Permitted Acquisition, (v) the purchase price of equipment purchased during such period to the extent the consideration therefor consists of any combination of (A) used or surplus equipment traded in at the time of such purchase, and (B) the Net Cash Proceeds of a concurrent sale of used or surplus equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, provided that such portion of the purchase price in excess of the credit granted by the seller of such equipment for the equipment being traded in at such time or such Net Cash Proceeds, as applicable, shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” hereunder, (vi) expenditures relating to the construction, acquisition, replacement, reconstruction, development, refurbishment, renovation or improvement of any property which has been transferred to a Person other than a Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during the same Fiscal Year in which such expenditures were made pursuant to a sale-leaseback transaction, to the extent of the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction, provided that such portion of the expenditures which exceed the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” hereunder, or (vii) expenditures financed with the proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or a capital contribution to the Borrower or Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder, to the extent such expenditures are made within 365 days after the receipt of such proceeds.

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

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Capitalized Lease shall be the Capitalized Lease Obligation with respect thereto; provided further that any lease that would be characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP on the Effective Date (whether or not such operating lease was in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as an operating lease (and not as a Capitalized Lease) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the Effective Date that would otherwise require such lease to be recharacterized (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) as a Capitalized Lease.

 

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Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to “Cash Collateralize” and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, an Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for Letter of Credit Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances or, if the applicable Issuer or Swing Loan Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender (as applicable).

Cash Dominion Period” means (a) each period beginning on the date that Excess Availability shall have been less than the greater of (x) 10% of the Maximum Credit and (y) $35,000,000, in either case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, and ending on the date Excess Availability shall have been equal to or greater than the greater of (x) 10% of the Maximum Credit and (y) $35,000,000, in each case, for twenty (20) consecutive calendar days or (b) upon the occurrence of a Specified Event of Default, the period that such Specified Event of Default shall be continuing; provided that a Cash Dominion Period shall be deemed continuing (even if Excess Availability exceeds the required amounts for twenty (20) consecutive calendar day) if a Cash Dominion Period has occurred and been discontinued on five (5) occasions in any twelve month period. The termination of a Cash Dominion Period as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Cash Dominion Period in the event that the conditions set forth in this definition again arise.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(a) Dollars;

(b) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business and not for speculation;

(c) readily marketable direct obligations issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(d) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, demand deposits, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic or foreign commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000;

 

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(e) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (c) and (d) above or clause (g) below entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (d) above;

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

(g) marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

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

(i) Investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency); and

(j) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (i) above.

In the case of Investments by any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary or Investments made in a country outside the United States, Cash Equivalents shall also include (i) investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (a) through (j) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parents of such obligors) have ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (ii) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments analogous to the foregoing investments in clauses (a) through (j) and in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clause (a) above, provided that such amounts are converted into Dollars as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

Cash Management Bank” means, as of any date of determination, any Person that is an Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on such date.

 

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Cash Management Obligations” means obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated by the Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent as “Cash Management Obligations”.

Cash Management Services” means any agreement or arrangement to provide cash management services, including automated clearinghouse transfers, controlled disbursement accounts, treasury, depository, overdraft, credit card processing or credit or debit card, purchase card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

Cash Receipts” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.12(c).

Cash Taxes” means, with respect to any Test Period, all taxes paid or payable in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty (excluding the taking effect after the date of this Agreement of a law, rule, regulation or treaty adopted prior to the date of this Agreement), (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

(a) (i) at any time prior to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders ceasing to own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings; or

(ii) at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO (1) any Person (other than a Permitted Holder) or (2) Persons (other than one or more Permitted Holders) constituting a “group” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such Person and its Subsidiaries, and any Person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under such Act), directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests representing more than forty percent (40%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings and the percentage of aggregate ordinary voting power so held is greater than the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Equity Interests of Holdings beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate by the Permitted Holders;

unless, in the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; or

 

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(b) any “Change of Control” (or any comparable term) in any document pertaining to the Term Facility, the Senior Notes, the Senior Notes Indenture, any indenture governing notes issued in a Permitted Refinancing of the Senior Notes; or

(c) the Borrower ceases to be a direct wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings (or any successor under Section 9.4(a)).

Class” (a) when used with respect to commitments, refers to whether such commitment is a Revolving Credit Commitment or an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Extension Series or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, (b) when used with respect to Loans or a Borrowing, refers to whether such Loans, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series or Loans under New Revolving Credit Commitments, and (c) when used with respect to Lenders, refers to whether such Lenders have a Loan or commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or commitments.

Co-Investor” means (a) the assignees, if any, of the equity commitments of any Sponsor who became holders of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) on or around March 18, 2011 (the “Original LBO Closing Date”) and (b) the transferees, if any, that acquired, within 60 days of the Original LBO Closing Date, any Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) held by any Sponsor as of the Original LBO Closing Date.

Co-Syndication Agents” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each as a Co-Syndication Agent under this Agreement.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations thereunder.

Collateral” means all the “Collateral” (or equivalent term) as defined in any Collateral Document.

Collateral Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Collateral Access Agreement” means an agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent executed by, as the case may be, (a) a bailee or other Person in possession of Collateral, and (b) any landlord of any premises leased by any Loan Party, pursuant to which, except as the Administrative Agent otherwise may agree, such Person (i) acknowledges the Collateral Agent’s Lien on the Collateral, (ii) releases or subordinates such Person’s Liens in the Collateral held by such Person or located on such premises, (iii) agrees to provide the Collateral Agent with access to the Collateral held by such bailee or other Person or located in or on such premises for the purpose of conducting field exams, appraisals or a Liquidation, and (iv) makes such other agreements with the Collateral Agent as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

 

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Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) each Collateral Document required to be delivered on the Effective Date pursuant to Section 4.1(a)(iv) or pursuant to Section 8.11, Section 8.12 or Section 8.13 at such time, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto, or (ii) a ratification of each Collateral Document delivered on or prior to the Effective Date (to the extent such Collateral Document shall remain in effect as of the Effective Date);

(b) all Obligations shall have been unconditionally guaranteed by Holdings, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary and not an Excluded Subsidiary, including those Subsidiaries that are listed on Schedule II hereto (each such guarantor, a “Guarantor”) and any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that Guarantees the Senior Notes, any Indebtedness pursuant to the Term Facility, any Junior Financing (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof) shall be a Guarantor hereunder;

(c) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a first-priority perfected security interest in substantially all Current Asset Collateral of the Loan Parties, in each case, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents and Section 8.12 shall have been complied with;

(d) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (subject in priority only to the Lien of the Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the Term Facility, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and to any non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1) in (i) all Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) all Equity Interests of each direct Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary described in the following clause (iii)(A)) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, and (iii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of (A) each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor and substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and (B) each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(e) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (subject in priority only to the Lien of the Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the Term Facility, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and to any non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1) (to the extent such security interest may be perfected by delivering certificated securities, filing financing statements under the UCC or making any necessary filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office) in substantially all other tangible and intangible personal property of the Borrower and each Guarantor other than the Current Asset Collateral, in each case subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

 

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The foregoing definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals with respect to, (i) any real property or (ii) any other particular assets if and for so long as, in the case of this clause (ii) in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets or obtaining title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals in respect of such assets shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.

The Administrative Agent may grant extensions of time for the perfection of security interests in particular assets (including extensions beyond the Effective Date for the perfection of security interests in the assets of the Loan Parties on such date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that perfection cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreements, the Security Agreement Supplements, security agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1(a)(iv), Section 8.11, Section 8.12 or Section 8.13, the Guaranty, each Lien Acknowledgment Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement, the Securities Account Control Agreements (if any), the Deposit Account Control Agreements, and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien or Guarantee in favor of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit N and which certificate shall in any event be a certificate of the chief financial officer (a) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and, if applicable, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (b) setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the most recently completed Test Period, and (c) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations, in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 7.1 of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the applicable period by or on behalf of, Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.9(b).

Concentration Account” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12(c).

Consolidated” means, with respect to any Person, the consolidation of accounts of such Person and any other Person in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs for such period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any Test Period, the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period:

(a) increased by (without duplication):

(i) (A) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 9.6(g), solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ii) (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iii) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iv) any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction and the Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(v) the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Effective Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Effective Date; plus

(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Effective Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs, plus

 

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(vii) any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), plus

(viii) the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 9.8 and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income; plus

(x) [reserved], plus

(xi) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to paragraph (b) below for any previous period and not added back, plus

(xii) any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests);

(b) decreased by (without duplication):

(i) any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with this definition), plus

 

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(ii) any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any Test Period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended October 31, 2015, January 30, 2016, April 30, 2016 and July 30, 2016, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $76,000,000, $99,000,000, $47,900,000 and $33,400,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to add-backs and adjustments (without duplication) pursuant to Section 1.8(c) for the applicable Test Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.8.

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, for any Test Period, the ratio of (a) (i) Consolidated EBITDA for such period, minus (ii) Capital Expenditures made during such period and not financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness, minus (iii) Cash Taxes during such period to (b) Debt Service Charges of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any Test Period, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under Capitalized Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, minus (c) cash interest income during such period, in each case of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of the foregoing, interest expense shall exclude one-time financing fees (including arrangement, amendment and contract fees), debt issuance costs, commissions, expenses and, in each case, the amortization thereof.

For purposes of determining Consolidated Interest Charges for the quarterly periods ending January 28, 2017, April 29, 2017 and July 29, 2017: (a) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended January 28, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the fiscal quarter ended January 28, 2017, multiplied by 4, (b) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended April 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended April 29, 2017, multiplied by 2 and (c) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended July 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the three consecutive fiscal quarters ended July 29, 2017, multiplied by 4/3, respectively.

Consolidated Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (a) Consolidated Total Debt, minus (b) the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet.

Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any Test Period, the aggregate of the Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that, without duplication,

 

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(a) any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), shall be excluded,

(b) the Net Income for such Test Period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such Test Period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP,

(c) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s Consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated Permitted Acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded,

(d) any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations shall be excluded,

(e) any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset Dispositions or the other Disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower, shall be excluded

(f) the Net Income for such Test Period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall include the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such Test Period,

(g) (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such Test Period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such Test Period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments, shall be excluded,

 

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(h) any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded,

(i) any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other Disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days), shall be excluded,

(j) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded, and

(k) any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction, shall be excluded.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (A) the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments; provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (ii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

 

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Constituent Documents” means (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating or limited liability company agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Cost” means the cost of purchases of Inventory determined according to the accounting policies used in the preparation of the Borrower’s financial statements.

Covenant Trigger Event” means that Excess Availability on any day is less than the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 10% of the Maximum Credit. For purposes hereof, the occurrence of a Covenant Trigger Event shall be deemed to be continuing until Excess Availability is equal to or greater than the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 10% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, in which case a Covenant Trigger Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement. The termination of a Covenant Trigger Event as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Covenant Trigger Event in the event that the conditions set forth in this definition again arise.

Credit Card Advance Rate” means 90%.

Credit Card Agreements” means all agreements or arrangements now or hereafter entered into by the Borrower or any Guarantor for the benefit of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case with any Credit Card Issuer or any Credit Card Processor, as the same now exist or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced, including, but not limited to, the agreements or arrangements set forth on Schedule 1.1E hereto.

Credit Card Issuer” means any Person (other than the Borrower or a Guarantor) who issues or whose members issue credit cards, including, without limitation, MasterCard or VISA bank credit or debit cards or other bank credit or debit cards issued through MasterCard International, Inc., Visa, U.S.A., Inc. or Visa International and American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Carte Blanche and other non-bank credit or debit cards, including, without limitation, credit or debit cards issued by or through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., and Novus Services, Inc.

 

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Credit Card Notification” means, collectively, the notices to Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors who are parties to Credit Card Agreements in substantially the form delivered under the Original Credit Agreement, which Credit Card Notifications shall require the ACH or wire transfer no less frequently than each Business Day (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations) to an Approved Deposit Account of all payments due from Credit Card Processors.

Credit Card Processor” means any servicing or processing agent or any factor or financial intermediary who facilitates, services, processes or manages the credit authorization, billing transfer and/or payment procedures with respect to the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s sales transactions involving credit card or debit card purchases by customers using credit cards or debit cards issued by any Credit Card Issuer.

Credit Card Receivables” means, collectively, (a) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any Guarantor to payment from any Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor or other third party arising from sales of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit or debit card and (b) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any Guarantor to payment from any Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor or other third party in connection with the sale or transfer of Accounts arising pursuant to the sale of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit card or a debit card, including, but not limited to, all amounts at any time due or to become due from any Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor under the Credit Card Agreements or otherwise, in each case above calculated net of prevailing interchange charges.

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) a L/C Credit Extension.

Cure Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 10.4.

Current Asset Collateral” means all the “ABL Priority Collateral” as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement.

Customer Credit Liabilities” means, at any time, the aggregate remaining balance at such time of (a) outstanding gift certificates and gift cards of the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor entitling the holder thereof to use all or a portion of the certificate or gift card to pay all or a portion of the purchase price for any Inventory and (b) outstanding merchandise credits of the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case, net of any dormancy reserves maintained by the Borrower on its books and records in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices.

Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement” means an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent among a Loan Party, a customs broker, freight forwarder, consolidator, or other carrier, and the Collateral Agent, in which the customs broker, freight forwarder, consolidator, or carrier acknowledges that it has control over and holds the documents evidencing ownership of, or other shipping documents relating to, the subject Inventory or other property for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and agrees, upon notice from the Collateral Agent (which notice shall be delivered only upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default), to hold and dispose of the subject Inventory and other property solely as directed by the Collateral Agent.

 

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Debt Service Charges” means for any Test Period, the sum of (a) Consolidated Interest Charges paid, or required to be paid, in cash for such Test Period, plus (b) scheduled principal payments made or required to be made on account of Indebtedness of the types set forth in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (f) of the definition of “Indebtedness” (excluding the Obligations but including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations) for such Test Period, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, arrangement, adjustment, composition, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

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

Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Margin applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to the outstanding principal amount of any Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such Loan (giving effect to Section 2.10) plus 2.0% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender that, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Loans, within three (3) Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit generally, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations (provided that any Lender that has failed to give such timely confirmation shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon receipt of such confirmation by the Administrative Agent), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) become subject to a Bail-In Action or had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.

 

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Deposit Account” means any checking or other demand deposit account maintained by the Loan Parties, including any “deposit accounts” within the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC. All funds in such Deposit Accounts shall be conclusively presumed to be Collateral and proceeds of Collateral and the Agents and the Lenders shall have no duty to inquire as to the source of the amounts on deposit in the Deposit Accounts, subject to the Security Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement.

Deposit Account Control Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12(a).

Designated Assets” means the assets set forth on Schedule 1.1D.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value of non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a Disposition pursuant to Section 9.5(j) that is designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation (which amount will be reduced by the fair market value of the portion of the non-cash consideration converted to cash within one-hundred eighty (180) days following the consummation of the applicable Disposition).

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in a Restricted Subsidiary) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments and all outstanding Letters of Credit (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Issuer)), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after Latest Maturity Date at the time of issuance; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

 

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Disqualified Institution” means:

(1) any Person that is a competitor of the Borrower and identified by the Borrower in good faith in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time after the Effective Date;

(2) those banks, financial institutions, other institutional lenders and investors and other entities that were identified by the Borrower as such in writing to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Effective Date; and

(3) any Affiliates of Persons described in the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) that are readily identifiable as such solely on the basis of their names (other than any such Affiliate that is a bank, financial institution or fund (other than a Person described in clause (2) above) that regularly invest in commercial loans or similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business and for which no personnel involved with the relevant competitor or Person referred to in clause (2) above make investment decisions);

provided that in no event shall any update to the list of Disqualified Institutions (A) be effective prior to two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent or (B) apply retroactively to disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement or that is party to a pending trade.

Notwithstanding anything in the Loan Documents to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible (or have any liability) for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions thereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (1) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (2) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Revolving Credit Exposure or Revolving Credit Commitments, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution. The list of Disqualified Institutions may be made available by the Administrative Agent on the Platform and to prospective assignees and Participants (including Public Lenders).

Document” has the meaning set forth in Article 9 of the UCC.

Documentary Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit that is drawable upon presentation of documents evidencing the sale or shipment of goods purchased by the Borrower or a Guarantor in the ordinary course of its business.

Documentation Agent” means U.S. Bank National Association, as Documentation Agent under this Agreement.

Dollar Equivalent” of any amount means, at the time of determination thereof, (a) if such amount is expressed in Dollars, such amount or (b) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination it reasonably deems appropriate.

 

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Dollars” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary organized under the Laws of Puerto Rico or any other territory).

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 4.1.

Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender or any of its Affiliates; (b) a bank, insurance company, or company engaged in the business of making commercial loans, which Person, together with its Affiliates, has a combined capital and surplus in excess of $250,000,000; (c) an Approved Fund; (d) any Person to whom a Lender assigns its rights and obligations under this Agreement as part of an assignment and transfer of such Lender’s rights in and to a material portion of such Lender’s portfolio of asset based credit facilities, and (e) any other Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 12.2(b)(iv) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 12.2(b)(iii)).

Eligible Credit Card Receivables” means Credit Card Receivables due to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor on a non-recourse basis from Visa, Mastercard, American Express Co., Discover and other major credit card processors reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as arise in the ordinary course of business, which have been earned by performance and are deemed by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion to be eligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base. Without limiting the foregoing, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Administrative Agent, none of the following shall be deemed to be Eligible Credit Card Receivables:

(a) Any Credit Card Receivable that has been outstanding for more than five (5) Business Days from the date of sale of the Inventory giving rise to such Credit Card Receivable;

 

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(b) Credit Card Receivables with respect to which the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor does not have good, valid and marketable title thereto, free and clear of any Lien (other than (i) Liens granted to the Collateral Agent, for its benefit and the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the Collateral Documents and (ii) (A) Liens permitted under Section 9.1 having priority by operation of applicable Laws over the Liens of the Collateral Agent, and (B) Liens under Section 9.1(w) securing obligations under the Term Facility and any Permitted Refinancings thereof));

(c) Credit Card Receivables that are not subject to a first priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Secured Parties (it being the intent that chargebacks in the ordinary course by the credit card processors shall not be deemed violative of this clause); or

(d) Credit Card Receivables which are disputed, are with recourse, or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback has been asserted (to the extent of such claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback).

Any Credit Card Receivables which are not Eligible Credit Card Receivables shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

Eligible In-Transit Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, without duplication of other Eligible Inventory, Inventory (a) located outside of the United States or in transit within or outside of the United States to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor from vendors and suppliers for receipt by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor within sixty (60) days of the date of determination that has not yet been received into a distribution center or store of such Person, (b) for which the purchase order for such Inventory is in the name of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor and title has passed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, (c) which has been consigned to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor (along with delivery to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor of the documents of title with respect thereto), (d) as to which a Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, is in effect or with respect to which Inventory Reserves have been established by the Administrative Agent, and (e) which otherwise would constitute Eligible Inventory; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its Permitted Discretion, permit Inventory which does not meet the criteria set forth in clause (d) above but which meets the criteria set forth in clauses (a) through (c) and clause (e) above to be Eligible In-Transit Inventory for a period of ninety (90) days (as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion) following the Effective Date so long as the Borrower is using commercially reasonable efforts during such time period to obtain a Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement with respect to such Inventory; and provided further that the Administrative Agent may, in its Permitted Discretion, and upon notice to the Borrower, exclude any particular Inventory from the definition of “Eligible In-Transit Inventory” in the event that the Administrative Agent determines in its Permitted Discretion and upon notice to the Borrower that such Inventory is subject to any Person’s right or claim which is (or is capable of being) senior to, or pari passu with, the Lien of the Collateral Agent (such as, without limitation, a right of reclamation or stoppage in transit), as applicable, and may adversely impact the ability of the Collateral Agent to realize upon such Inventory.

 

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Eligible Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, (a) Eligible In-Transit Inventory, (b) Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory but only if and to the extent that the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion determines to include such as Eligible Inventory, and (c) items of Inventory of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor that are finished goods, merchantable and readily saleable to the public in the ordinary course deemed by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion to be eligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base. Without limiting the foregoing, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Administrative Agent, none of the following shall be deemed to be Eligible Inventory:

(a) Inventory that is not owned solely by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, or is leased or on consignment or the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor does not have good and valid title thereto;

(b) Inventory (including any portion thereof in transit from vendors, other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory) that is not located at a warehouse facility used by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in the ordinary course or at a property that is owned or leased by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor;

(c) Inventory that is comprised of goods which (i) are damaged, defective, “seconds,” or otherwise unmerchantable, (ii) are to be returned to the vendor, (iii) are obsolete or slow moving, or custom items, work-in-process, raw materials, or that constitute spare parts, promotional, marketing, packaging and shipping materials or supplies used or consumed in the Borrower’s or a Subsidiary Guarantor’s business, (iv) are not in compliance in all material respects with all standards imposed by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Inventory, its use or sale, or (v) are bill and hold goods;

(d) Inventory that is not located in the United States of America (excluding territories and possessions thereof) other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory;

(e) Inventory that is not subject to a perfected first-priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (subject only to Liens permitted under Section 9.1 having priority by operation of applicable Law over the Liens of the Collateral Agent);

(f) Inventory which consists of samples, labels, bags, packaging, and other similar non-merchandise categories;

(g) Inventory as to which insurance in compliance with the provisions of Section 8.5 hereof is not in effect;

(h) Inventory which has been sold but not yet delivered or as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor has accepted a deposit;

(i) Inventory which is being Disposed of in a Store closing, “going-out-of-business” or similar sale; and

 

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(j) Inventory acquired in a Permitted Acquisition, unless and until the Collateral Agent has completed or received (A) an appraisal of such Inventory from appraisers satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and has established Inventory Reserves (if applicable) therefor, and (B) such other due diligence as the Administrative Agent may require, all of the results of the foregoing to be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Any Inventory which is not Eligible Inventory shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, without duplication of other Eligible Inventory, Inventory (a) which does not constitute Eligible In-Transit Inventory and for which no documents of title have then been issued, (b) the purchase of which is supported by a Documentary Letter of Credit or Banker’s Acceptance having an expiry within sixty (60) days of such date of determination, which Documentary Letter of Credit or Banker’s Acceptance provides that it may be drawn only after the Inventory is completed and after documents of title have been issued for such Inventory reflecting the Borrower, a Subsidiary Guarantor or the Collateral Agent as consignee of such Inventory, and (c) which otherwise would constitute Eligible Inventory. For the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory is without duplication of Eligible In-Transit Inventory.

Entitlement Holder” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Entitlement Order” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Environmental Claim means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) in the ordinary course of such Person’s business or (b) as required in connection with a financing transaction or an acquisition or disposition of real estate) or proceedings with respect to any Environmental Liability (hereinafter “Claims”), including (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Laws relating to the protection of the environment or, to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials, human health.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities) of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

 

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Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that together with any Loan Party is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan, written notification of any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or written notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; (d) the filing under Section 4041(c) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan, the treatment of a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, other than for the payment of plan contributions or PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates; (f) the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) with respect to a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, (g) the application for a minimum funding waiver under Section 302(c) of ERISA with respect to a Pension Plan; (h) the imposition of a lien under Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan; or (i) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA).

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate” means:

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

 

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(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent; provided, further that the Eurodollar Rate shall be no less than 0.00%.

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 10.1.

Excess Availability” means, at any time, (a) the Maximum Credit at such time minus (b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings at such time.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Guarantor, (b) any Foreign Subsidiary, (c) any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries, (d) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary, (e) any Subsidiary that is prohibited or restricted by applicable Law from providing a Guaranty or if such Guaranty would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization, (f) any special purpose securitization vehicle (or similar entity), (g) any Subsidiary that is a not-for-profit organization, (h) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent (confirmed in writing by notice to the Borrower), the cost or other consequences (including any adverse tax consequences) of providing the Guaranty shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom and (i) each Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guaranty of such Loan Party under the Guaranty of, or the grant under a Loan Document by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 12.28 hereof and any and all guarantees of such Loan Party’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the guaranty of such Loan Party, or grant by such Loan Party of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such guaranty or security interest becomes illegal.

 

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Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Agent, any Lender, any Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) any tax on such recipient’s net income or profits (or franchise tax or minimum tax imposed in lieu of such tax on net income or profits) imposed by a jurisdiction as a result of such recipient being organized or having its principal office or applicable Lending Office located in such jurisdiction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any backup withholding in respect of such a tax under section 3406 of the Code) or as a result of any other present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction (including as a result of such recipient carrying on a trade or business, having a permanent establishment or being a resident for tax purposes in such jurisdiction), other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents, (b) any branch profits tax under Section 884(a) of the Code, or any similar tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in (a), (c) with respect to any Foreign Lender (other than any Foreign Lender becoming a party hereto pursuant to the Borrower’s request under Section 3.7), any U.S. federal withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to a Law in effect at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or where the Foreign Lender is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, pursuant to a Law in effect on the later of the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto or the date on which the affected partner becomes a partner of such Foreign Lender) or designates a new Lending Office or experiences a change in circumstances (other than a Change in Law), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment or change in circumstances), to receive additional amounts from a Loan Party with respect to such U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.1, (d) any withholding tax attributable to such recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.1(c), (e) any tax imposed as a result of such recipient’s failure to establish a complete exemption under FATCA and (f) any interest, additions to taxes and penalties with respect to any taxes described in clauses (a) through (e) of this definition.

Existing Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit previously issued for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Original Credit Agreement that is (a) outstanding on the Effective Date and (b) listed on Schedule 1.1C.

Existing Revolver Tranche” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Existing Term Facility” means that certain term loan facility evidenced by the Credit Agreement dated as of March 18, 2011, among Holdings, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the other “Loan Documents” as defined in such Credit Agreement.

Extended Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Extending Revolving Credit Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

 

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Extension” means any establishment of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.17 and the applicable Extension Amendment.

Extension Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(d).

Extension Election” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

Extension Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Extension Series” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Facility” means the Revolving Credit Commitments and the provisions herein related to the Revolving Loans, Swing Loans and Letters of Credit, Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and Loans under New Revolving Credit Commitments.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as in effect on the date hereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agreements between governmental authorities implementing such provisions, any law implementing such agreements and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code) and any amended or successor provisions that are substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with (and, in each case, any regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof).

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to the Administrative Agent on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Fee Letter” means the Fee Letter dated September 20, 2016, among the Borrower, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Bank of America.

Field Examination” has the meaning specified in Section 7.4(d).

Financial Asset” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Financial Statements” means the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries delivered in accordance with Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b).

Fiscal Quarter” means a fiscal quarter of any Fiscal Year.

 

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Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on the Saturday closest to January 31 in the following calendar year.

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Foreign Plan” means any material employee benefit plan, program or agreement maintained or contributed to by, or entered into with, Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings with respect to employees employed outside the United States (other than benefit plans, programs or agreements that are mandated by applicable Laws).

Foreign Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to an Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations to the extent that such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations has not been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv) or Cash Collateralized pursuant to Section 2.16(c), and (b) with respect to the Swing Loan Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Loans to the extent that such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Loans has not been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv) or Cash Collateralized pursuant to Section 2.16(c).

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that (a) accounting for leases shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the Effective Date and (b) if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Effective Date in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS) on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Requisite Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS), then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

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Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(g).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Effective Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantors” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”. For avoidance of doubt, the Borrower may cause any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to Guarantee the Obligations by causing such Restricted Subsidiary to execute a joinder to the Guaranty in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor hereunder for all purposes.

Guaranty” means (a) the guaranty made by Holdings and the other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” substantially in the form of Exhibit H, and (b) each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 8.11.

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, all substances, wastes, contaminants or pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas, regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

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Hedge Bank” means, as of any date of determination, (a) any Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on such date or (b) any Person who (i) was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time the applicable Swap Contract was entered into and who is no longer a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, (ii) is, and at all times remains, in compliance with the provisions of Section 11.12(b)(i), and (iii) agrees in writing that the Agents and the other Secured Parties shall have no duty to such Person (other than the payment of any amounts to which such Person may be entitled under Section 10.3 hereof and acknowledges that the Agents and the other Secured Parties may deal with the Loan Parties and the Collateral as they deem appropriate (including the release of any Loan Party or all or any portion of the Collateral) without notice or consent from such Person, whether or not such action impairs the ability of such Person to be repaid the Secured Obligations under the Secured Hedge Agreements) and agrees to be bound by Sections 11.12, in each case such Person being a party to a Secured Hedge Agreement.

Holdings” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.

In-Transit Advance Rate” means (a) during the period from September 1 of any Fiscal Year through and including November 30 of such Fiscal Year, 92.5% and (b) at all other times, 90%.

Incremental Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Incremental Availability” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Incremental Facility Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) the maximum amount (after giving effect to any prior drawings or reductions that may have been reimbursed) of all outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and accrued expenses payable in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any earn-out obligation until such obligation is not paid after becoming due and payable and (iii) accruals for payroll and other liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of business);

 

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(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse, provided that if such Indebtedness has not been assumed by such Person, the amount of Indebtedness under this clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) the fair market value (as determined by such Person in good faith) of the property encumbered thereby;

(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;

(g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, (x) the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is otherwise limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt, (y) the amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date, and (z) loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties which have a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll over or extensions of terms) and which are made in the ordinary course of business shall not be deemed “Indebtedness” hereunder (except for purposes of Sections 9.2(c)(iv) and 9.3(d)) solely to the extent that such intercompany loans and advances are evidenced by one or more notes in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and pledged as Collateral.

Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 12.4.

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 12.4.

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

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 12.17.

Intellectual Property” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

 

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Intercompany Subordination Agreement” means an agreement executed by each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit L.

Intercreditor Agreement” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of the Effective Date, among Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Term Facility Administrative Agent, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit K, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance therewith and herewith.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, or to the extent consented to by each applicable Lender, twelve months (or such period of less than one month as may be consented to by each applicable Lender), as selected by the Borrower in its Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period (other than an Interest Period having a duration of less than one month) that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the applicable Scheduled Termination Date of the Class of Loans of which the Eurodollar Rate Loan is a part.

Inventory” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

Inventory Advance Rate” means (a) during the period from September 1 of any Fiscal Year through and including November 30 of such Fiscal Year, 92.5% and (b) at all other times, 90%.

Inventory Appraisal” has the meaning specified in Section 7.4(c).

Inventory Reserves” means (a) such reserves as may be established from time to time by the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, with respect to changes in the determination of the saleability, at retail, of the Eligible Inventory or which reflect such other factors as negatively affect the market value of the Eligible Inventory, (b) Shrink Reserves, and (c) contra Inventory load.

 

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Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition (including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions, including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment at any time shall be the amount actually invested (measured at the time made (which, in the case of any Investment constituting the contribution of an asset or property, shall be based on the Borrower’s good faith estimate of the fair market value of such asset or property at the time such Investment is made)), without adjustment for subsequent changes in the value of such Investment, net of any return representing a return of capital with respect to such Investment.

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 nationally recognized statistical rating agency selected by the Borrower.

IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.15.

IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service of the United States.

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Issue” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, to issue, extend the expiry of, amend, renew or increase the maximum face amount (including by deleting or reducing any scheduled decrease in such maximum face amount) of, such Letter of Credit. The terms “Issued”, “Issuing” and “Issuance” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Issuer” means Bank of America and each other Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that (a) is listed on the signature pages hereof as an “Issuer” or (b) hereafter becomes an Issuer with the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by agreeing pursuant to an agreement with and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to be bound by the terms hereof applicable to Issuers (and in the case of any resignation, subject to and in accordance with Section 12.2(h)).

Issuer Documents” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Request, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by an Issuer and the Borrower (or any of its Subsidiaries) or in favor of such Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

Junior Financing” means the Senior Notes or any other Indebtedness that is unsecured or subordinated to the Obligations expressly by its terms (other than Indebtedness among Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries).

 

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Junior Financing Documentation” means any documentation governing any Junior Financing.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or increase of the amount thereof.

Landlord Lien State” means any state in which, at any time, a landlord’s claim for rent has priority (notwithstanding any contractual provision to the contrary) by operation of applicable Law over the lien of the Collateral Agent in any of the Collateral.

Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest Scheduled Termination Date applicable to any Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest termination date of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or New Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Laws” means, collectively, all applicable international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities and executive orders, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

Leases” means, with respect to any Person, all of those leasehold estates in real property of such Person, as lessee, as such may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Lender” means the Swing Loan Lender, each Revolving Credit Lender and each other financial institution or other entity that (a) is listed on the signature pages hereof as a “Lender” or (b) from time to time becomes a party hereto by execution of an Assignment and Assumption or, in connection with a Revolving Commitment Increase, an Incremental Amendment or, in connection with an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, an Extension Amendment.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Letter of Credit” means any Banker’s Acceptance or any letter of credit Issued (or deemed Issued) pursuant to Section 2.4 and any Existing Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a Documentary Letter of Credit or a Standby Letter of Credit.

Letter of Credit Advance Rate” means 90%.

Letter of Credit Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit that has not been reimbursed on the applicable Reimbursement Date or refinanced as a Revolving Loan.

 

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Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(b).

Letter of Credit Obligations” means, at any time, the aggregate of all liabilities at such time of any Loan Party to all Issuers with respect to Letters of Credit, whether or not any such liability is contingent, including, without duplication, the sum of (a) the Reimbursement Obligations at such time and (b) the Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts at such time.

Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement” has the meaning specified in clause (vi) of the proviso to clause (a) of Section 2.4.

Letter of Credit Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.4(c).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means $125,000,000, as such amount may be increased or reduced in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts” means, at any time, the aggregate undrawn face amount of all Letters of Credit outstanding at such time.

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided, that in no event shall an operating lease in and of itself be deemed a Lien.

Lien Acknowledgment Agreement” means each Collateral Access Agreement and Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement.

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Investment or acquisition (whether by way of merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or the acquisition of Equity Interests or otherwise) by the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by this Agreement whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing and which is designated as a Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in writing to the Administrative Agent on or before the Transaction Agreement Date.

Liquidation” means the exercise by the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent of those rights and remedies accorded to the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents and applicable Law as a creditor of the Loan Parties with respect to the realization on the Collateral, including (after the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default) the conduct by the Loan Parties acting with the consent of the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent, of any public, private or “going out of business” sale or other disposition of the Collateral for the purpose of liquidating the Collateral. Derivations of the word “Liquidation” (such as “Liquidate”) are used with like meaning in this Agreement.

 

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Loan” means any loan made by any Lender pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, Swing Loans and any Loans made in respect of any Revolving Commitment Increase.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Notes, any Incremental Amendment and any Extension Amendment, the Guaranty, the Fee Letter, each Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, the Collateral Documents, the Issuer Documents, the Ratification Agreement and each certificate, agreement or document executed by a Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with or pursuant to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, (a) Holdings, (b) the Borrower and (c) each other Guarantor.

Management Stockholders” means the members of management of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries who are investors in Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof.

Margin Stock” has the meaning set forth in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance or condition that has had a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their respective material payment obligations under any Loan Document to which any of the Loan Parties is a party or (c) the rights and remedies of the Lenders, the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent (taken as a whole) under any Loan Document.

Material Bank Accounts” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12.

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Domestic Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the Consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time after the Effective Date, Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors solely because they do not meet the thresholds set forth in clauses (a) or (b) comprise in the aggregate more than 5.0% of Total Assets as of the end of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower or more than 5.0% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending as of the last day of such Fiscal Quarter, then the Borrower shall, not later than forty-five (45) days after the date by which financial statements for such quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement (or such longer period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion), (i) designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Domestic Subsidiaries as

 

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“Material Domestic Subsidiaries” to the extent required such that the foregoing condition ceases to be true and (ii) comply with the provisions of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13 applicable to such Subsidiary. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Borrower may, at any time, designate (by written notice to the Administrative Agent) a Subsidiary which would not otherwise constitute a “Material Domestic Subsidiary” as such a Material Domestic Subsidiary and shall thereupon comply with the provisions of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13 applicable to such Subsidiary.

Material Foreign Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Foreign Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the Consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness having an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $35,000,000 or more.

Material Subsidiary” means any Material Domestic Subsidiary or any Material Foreign Subsidiary.

Maximum Credit” means, at any time, the lesser of (i) the Revolving Credit Commitments in effect at such time and (ii) the Borrowing Base at such time.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 12.24.

Monthly Borrowing Base Certificate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.4(a).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA and subject to Title IV of ERISA, to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Net Cash Proceeds” means:

(a) with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition and that is required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents or the Term Facility Documentation or any Permitted Refinancing of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation), (B) the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title

 

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insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition, (C) in the case of any Disposition by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (C)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof, (D) taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 9.6(g)(i) or (g)(iii) paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), provided that to the extent that the actual taxes are less than such estimate, the excess shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds, and (E) any funded reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this clause (E); provided that, so long as no Cash Dominion Period has occurred and is continuing hereunder, no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a)); and

(b) (i) with respect to the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Permitted Equity Issuance by the Borrower, the excess, if any, of (A) the sum of the cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such incurrence or issuance over (B) the investment banking fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, costs and other out-of-pocket expenses and other customary expenses, incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such incurrence or issuance and (ii) with respect to any Permitted Equity Issuance by any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, the amount of cash from such Permitted Equity Issuance contributed to the capital of the Borrower.

Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

Net Recovery Percentage” means the fraction, expressed as a percentage, (a) the numerator of which is the amount equal to the recovery on the aggregate amount of the Inventory at such time on a “going out of business sale” basis as set forth in the most recent appraisal of Inventory received by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 7.4, net of operating

 

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expenses, liquidation expenses and commissions, and (b) the denominator of which is the applicable original cost of the aggregate amount of the Inventory subject to appraisal. The Net Recovery Percentage for any category of Inventory used in determining the Borrowing Base shall be based on the applicable percentage in the most recent appraisal conducted as set forth in Section 7.4.

New Revolving Commitment Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(c).

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 3.7.

Non-Excluded Taxes” means all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes.

Non-Loan Party” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party.

Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.2.

Notice of Conversion or Continuation” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

Notice of Intent to Cure” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2(a).

Obligations” means all (a) advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, (b) obligations of any Loan Party arising under any Secured Hedge Agreement, and (c) Cash Management Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (and any of their Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Loan Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document; provided that Obligations of a Loan Party shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

OID” means original issue discount.

Original Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

 

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Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document excluding, in each case, any such tax that result from an Assignment and Assumption, grant of a participation, transfer or assignment to or designation of a new applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving payments under any Loan Document (an “Assignment Tax”), but only if (1) such Assignment Tax is imposed as a result of a present or former connection of the assignor or assignee and the jurisdiction imposing such Assignment Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents) and (2) the assignment, participation, etc., giving rise to such Assignment Tax did not take place at the request of the Borrower.

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to the Revolving Loans and Swing Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Loans (including any refinancing of Letter of Credit Obligations as a Revolving Loan) and Swing Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit Obligations on any date, the amount of such Letter of Credit Obligations on such date after giving effect to any related extension of any Letter of Credit occurring on such date and any other changes thereto as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations (including any refinancing of outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations under related Letters of Credit or related extensions of any Letters of Credit as a Revolving Loan) or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under related Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

Overadvance” means a Credit Extension to the extent that, immediately after its having been made, Excess Availability is less than zero.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent, an Issuer, or the Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(e).

Payment Conditions” means, at any time of determination, that (a) (x) with respect to any Permitted Acquisition that is a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or Section 10.1(f) shall have occurred and be continuing on the Transaction Agreement Date, and (y) with respect to any other Permitted Acquisition or other Specified Payment, no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and (b) either (i) (x) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, Excess Availability shall be greater than the greater of (A)

 

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12.5% of the Maximum Credit and (B) $40,000,000 and (y) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, in each case, as of the end of the most recently ended Test Period shall be greater than or equal to 1.0 to 1.0 after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be as if such Specified Payment (if applicable to such calculation) had been made as of the first day of such Test Period, or (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, Excess Availability shall be greater than 17.5% of the Maximum Credit. In each case with respect to the above conditions, the Borrower shall have delivered in accordance with Section 7.2(f) hereof, to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the conditions in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b)(i) or (ii), as applicable, have been satisfied.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates or to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions in the preceding five plan years.

Permitted Acquisition” means the purchase or other acquisition by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of property and assets or businesses of any Person or of assets constituting a business unit, a line of business or division of such Person, a Store or Equity Interests in a Person that, upon the consummation thereof, will be a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (including as a result of a merger or consolidation); provided that, with respect to each such purchase or other acquisition:

(i) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall constitute Collateral and each applicable Loan Party and any newly created or acquired Subsidiary (and, to the extent required under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Subsidiaries of such created or acquired Subsidiary) shall be Guarantors, except for any (A) Foreign Subsidiary or (B) Domestic Subsidiaries up to an acquisition amount not to exceed the greater of (i) $55,000,000 and (ii) 2.50% of Total Assets in the aggregate for all such Domestic Subsidiaries, and shall have complied with the requirements of Section 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13, within the times specified therein (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (i) shall not override any provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement);

(ii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, no later than five (5) Business Days before the date on which any such purchase or other acquisition is consummated, a certificate of a Responsible Officer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, certifying that all of the requirements set forth in this definition have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the consummation of such purchase or other acquisition; and

 

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(iii) the Borrower is in compliance, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such transaction, with the Payment Conditions.

Permitted Discretion” means a determination made by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent (as applicable) in good faith in the exercise of its reasonable (from the perspective of an asset-based lender) business judgment.

Permitted Equity Issuance” means any sale or issuance of any Qualified Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder.

Permitted Holder” means any of (a) the Sponsor, (b) the Management Stockholders and (c) the Co-Investors, provided that for purposes of the definition of “Change of Control” (i) in each of clause (a)(i), the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii) and the proviso to clause (a), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders at any time that they hold voting power equal to more than 20% of the ordinary voting power of all Equity Interests collectively held by the Sponsor, the Management Stockholders and the Co-Investors, (ii) in the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders if they are part of the “group” referred to in clause (a)(ii)(2) of the definition of “Change of Control” and (iii) in the parenthetical in each of clauses (a)(ii)(1) and (2), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders.

Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon plus fees and expenses (including upfront fees and OID) reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(b) and (e), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(e), at the time thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, (i) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (ii) the terms and conditions (excluding as to subordination, pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower

 

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delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees) and (iii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by the Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and no additional obligors become liable for such Indebtedness, and (e) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect of the Term Facility, such Permitted Refinancing is secured only by assets pursuant to one or more security agreements permitted by and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement (or another intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement).

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any material “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), other than a Foreign Plan, established by any Loan Party or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any of their respective ERISA Affiliates.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

Pledged Debt” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

“Pro Forma Basis” and “Pro Forma Effect” mean, with respect to compliance with any test or covenant or calculation hereunder, or the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA hereunder, the determination or calculation of such test, covenant, ratio or Consolidated EBITDA (including in connection with Specified Transactions) in accordance with Section 1.8.

Proceeds” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

Projections” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.1(d).

Protective Advances” means an Overadvance made or deemed to exist by the Administrative Agent, in its discretion, which:

(a) is made to maintain, protect or preserve the Collateral and/or the Loan Parties’ rights under the Loan Documents or which is otherwise for the benefit of the Loan Parties; or

(b) is made to enhance the likelihood of, or to maximize the amount of, repayment of any Obligation; or

 

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(c) is made to pay any other amount chargeable to any Loan Party hereunder; and

(d) together with all other Protective Advances then outstanding, shall not (i) exceed five percent (5%) of the Borrowing Base at any time or (ii) unless a Liquidation is taking place, remain outstanding for more than forty-five (45) consecutive Business Days, unless in each case, the Requisite Lenders otherwise agree;

provided however, that the foregoing shall not (i) modify or abrogate any of the provisions regarding the Lenders’ obligations with respect to Letters of Credit or with respect to Swing Line Loans, or (ii) result in any claim or liability against the Administrative Agent (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for Unintentional Overadvances, and such Unintentional Overadvances shall not reduce the amount of Permitted Overadvances allowed hereunder.

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Qualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Holding Company Debt” means unsecured Indebtedness of Holdings (A) that is not subject to any Guarantee by any Subsidiary of Holdings, (B) that will not mature prior to the date that is six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of issuance or incurrence thereof, (C) that has no scheduled amortization of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (it being understood that such Indebtedness may have mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption provisions satisfying the requirements of clause (E) below), (D) that does not require any payments in cash of interest or other amounts in respect of the principal thereof prior to the earlier to occur of (1) the date that is four (4) years from the date of the issuance or incurrence thereof and (2) the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of such issuance or incurrence, and (E) that has mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption, covenant, default and remedy provisions customary for senior discount notes of an issuer that is the parent of a borrower under senior secured credit facilities, and in any event, with respect to covenant, default and remedy provisions, no more restrictive (taken as a whole) than those set forth in this Agreement (other than provisions customary for senior discount notes of a holding company); provided that the Borrower shall have delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement (and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the

 

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Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided further that any such Indebtedness shall constitute Qualified Holding Company Debt only if immediately after giving effect to the issuance or incurrence thereof and the use of proceeds thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Qualifying IPO” means the issuance by Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings of its common Equity Interests in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering).

Quarterly Financial Statements” means the unaudited Consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income, and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent Fiscal Quarters after the date of the Annual Financial Statements (other than the fourth Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower’s Fiscal Year) and ended at least forty-five (45) days before the Effective Date (and the corresponding period of the prior Fiscal Year).

Ratable Portion”, “Pro Rata Share”, “ratable share” or (other than in the expression “equally and ratably”) “ratably” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class of such Lender by (b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Lenders of such Class (or, at any time after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, the percentage obtained by dividing the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Revolving Credit Outstandings of such Class owing to such Lender by the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Revolving Credit Outstandings owing to all Lenders of such Class).

Ratification Agreement” means the Joinder, Confirmation and Ratification Agreement dated as of the Effective Date by and among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent.

Refinancing Transactions” means the refinancing transactions described in the Preliminary Statements.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(c).

Reimbursement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.4(h).

Reimbursement Obligations” means, as and when matured, the obligation of any Loan Party to pay, on the date payment is made or scheduled to be made to the beneficiary under each such Letter of Credit (or at such other date as may be specified in the applicable Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement) and in the currency drawn (or in such other currency as may be specified in the applicable Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement), all amounts of each drafts and other requests for payments drawn under Letters of Credit, and all other matured reimbursement or repayment obligations of any Loan Party to any Issuer with respect to amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

 

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Related Indemnified Person” of an Indemnitee means (a) any controlling person or controlled affiliate of such Indemnitee, (b) the respective directors, officers, or employees of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates and (c) the respective agents of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates, in the case of this clause (c), acting at the instructions of such Indemnitee, controlling person or such controlled affiliate; provided that each reference to a controlled affiliate or controlling person in this definition shall pertain to a controlled affiliate or controlling person involved in the negotiation or syndication of the Facility, the Term Facility or any Junior Financing.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Reportable Event” means, with respect to any Pension Plan, any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Requisite Lenders” means, collectively, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments or, after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings; provided that the unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Loans and outstanding Letters of Credit held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Requisite Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or Holdings’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof) other than (i) the payment of compensation in the ordinary course of business to holders of any such Equity Interests who are employees or service providers of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Subsidiary solely in their capacity as employees or service providers and (ii) other than payments of intercompany indebtedness permitted under this Agreement, unless such payments are made in the form of dividends or other distributions that would otherwise be classified as Restricted Payments hereunder.

 

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Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Revolving Commitment Increase” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Revolving Commitment Increase Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Revolving Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and acquire interests in other Revolving Credit Outstandings expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Loans to be made by such Lender under this Agreement, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to this Agreement and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (ii) a Revolving Commitment Increase, (iii) a New Revolving Credit Commitment or (iv) an Extension. The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment is set forth on Schedule I under the caption “Revolving Credit Commitment,” as amended to reflect each Assignment and Assumption, Incremental Agreement or Extension Amendment, in each case executed by such Lender. The aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments as of the Effective Date is $400,000,000.

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to each Lender, the sum of the Outstanding Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans (including any Protective Advances), its Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit Obligations and its Pro Rata Share of the Swing Loan Obligations at such time.

Revolving Credit Lender” means each Lender that (a) has a Revolving Credit Commitment, (b) holds a Revolving Loan or (c) participates in any Letter of Credit.

Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of any Revolving Credit Lender in a principal amount equal to the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Loans of a given Class owing to such Lender.

Revolving Credit Outstandings” means, at any particular time, the sum of (a) the principal amount of the Loans outstanding at such time, (b) the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at such time and (c) the principal amount of the Swing Loans outstanding at such time.

Revolving Credit Termination Date” means the earliest of (a) the Scheduled Termination Date, (b) the date of termination of all of the Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.5 and (c) the date on which the Obligations become due and payable pursuant to Section 10.2.

Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.1(a).

 

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RP Conditions” means, at any time of determination, that (a) no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment, and (b) either (i) (x) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment, Excess Availability shall be greater than the greater of (A) 15% of the Maximum Credit and (B) $50,000,000 and (y) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as of the end of the most recently ended Test Period shall be greater than or equal to 1.0 to 1.0 after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment as if such Specified Payment (if applicable to such calculation) had been made as of the first day of such Test Period, or (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment, Excess Availability shall be greater than 20% of the Maximum Credit. In each case with respect to the above conditions, the Borrower shall have delivered in accordance with Section 7.2(f) hereof, to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the conditions in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b)(i) or (ii), as applicable, have been satisfied.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services and any successor thereto.

Same Day Funds” means disbursements and payments in immediately available funds.

Sanctions” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Scheduled Termination Date” means the date that is the earliest of (x) five (5) years after the Effective Date, as may be extended pursuant to Section 12.1(b) or Section 2.17 hereof, (y) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the Senior Notes (or, if refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such Senior Notes) to the extent the Senior Notes (or such other debt instrument) have not been retired in full by such date, or (z) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the TopCo Notes (or, if the TopCo Notes are refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such TopCo Notes) to the extent the TopCo Notes (or such other debt instrument) have not been retired in full by such date; provided that, in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, the Scheduled Termination Date shall be the Business Day immediately preceding such day.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Cash Management Bank.

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Section 9.3(f) that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank and designated in writing by the Hedge Bank and the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Secured Hedge Agreement.”

 

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Secured Obligations” means, in the case of the Borrower, the Obligations and, in the case of any other Loan Party, the obligations of such Loan Party under the Guaranty and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party.

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Lenders, the Issuers, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each Hedge Bank, each Cash Management Bank and each co-agent or sub-agent (if any) appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 11.5.

Securities Account” means all securities accounts of any Loan Party, including “securities accounts” within the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Securities Account Control Agreement” means an effective securities account control agreement with an Approved Securities Intermediary, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Security” means any Equity Interest, voting trust certificate, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of Indebtedness, whether secured, unsecured, convertible or subordinated, or any certificate of interest, share or participation in, any temporary or interim certificate for the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing, but shall not include any evidence of the Obligations.

Security Agreement” means, collectively, the Security Agreement executed by the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit I, together with each Security Agreement Supplement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 8.11.

Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Senior Notes” means $450,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Borrower’s senior unsecured notes due 2019 outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date.

Senior Notes Indenture” means the Indenture for the Senior Notes, dated March 18, 2011, between the Borrower, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, replaced or refinanced to the extent not prohibited by this Agreement.

Shrink Reserve” means an amount reasonably estimated by the Administrative Agent to be equal to that amount which is required in order that the shrink reflected in current books and records of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be reasonably equivalent to the shrink calculated as part of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries most recent physical Inventory (it being understood and agreed that no Shrink Reserve established by the Administrative Agent shall be duplicative of any shrink as so reflected in the current books and records of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or estimated by the Borrower for purposes of computing the Borrowing Base).

 

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Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the assets of such Person exceeds its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured and (d) such Person is not engaged in, and is not about to engage in, business for which it has unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability.

SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(g).

Specified Event of Default” means any Event of Default (a) of the type described in Section 10.1(a), 10.1(b)(i)(A), 10.1(b)(ii), 10.1(b)(iii), 10.1(d) (with respect to any Borrowing Base Certificate) or 10.1(f).

Specified Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 12.28).

Specified Payment” means any Investment, incurrence of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment or payment made pursuant to Section 9.11 that in each case is subject to the satisfaction of the Payment Conditions or the RP Conditions, as applicable.

Specified Representations” shall mean those representations and warranties made by the Borrower in Sections 5.1(a) (with respect to organizational existence only), 5.1(b)(ii), 5.2(a), 5.2(b)(i), 5.2(b)(iii), 5.4, 5.13, 5.16, 5.18 and 5.19.

Specified Transaction” means any Investment that results in a Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, any designation of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Permitted Acquisition, any Disposition that results in a Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower, any Investment constituting an acquisition of assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of another Person or a Store or any Disposition of a business unit, line of business or division or a Store of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case whether by merger, consolidation, amalgamation or otherwise, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), and any Restricted Payment or Incremental Loan that by the terms of this Agreement requires such test to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect.”

Sponsor” means Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and any of its Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by it or any of its Affiliates but not including, however, any portfolio company of any of the foregoing.

 

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Sponsor Management Agreement” means the management agreement between certain of the management companies associated with the Sponsor or its advisors and Holdings and the Borrower, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, but only to the extent that any such amendment, modification, supplement or other modification does not, directly or indirectly, increase the obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to make any payments thereunder.

Sponsor Termination Fees” means the one-time payment under the Sponsor Management Agreement of a termination fee to one or more of the Sponsors in the event of either a Change of Control or the completion of a Qualifying IPO.

Standby Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit that is not a Documentary Letter of Credit.

Stated Amount” means at any time the maximum amount for which a Letter of Credit may be honored.

Store” means any retail store (which includes any real property, fixtures, equipment, Inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Store Accounts” means Deposit Accounts established for the purpose of receiving receipts from a Store location of a Loan Party.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, charitable foundations) of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor other than Holdings.

Successor Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 9.4(d).

Supermajority Lenders” means, collectively, Lenders having more than 66.67% of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments or, after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, more than 66.67% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings; provided that the unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Loans and outstanding Letters of Credit held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Supermajority Lenders.

 

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Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Loan Party any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swing Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.3(a).

Swing Loan Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as the Swing Loan Lender hereunder.

Swing Loan Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Swing Loans.

Swing Loan Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.3(b).

Swing Loan Sublimit” means the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments. The Swing Loan Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Taxes” means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment, charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature and whatever called, imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax and penalties applicable thereto.

Tax Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1(e).

 

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Term Facility” means the credit facilities under the Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Term Facility Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Facility Credit Agreement, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Term Facility Credit Agreement” means that certain credit agreement dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement.

Term Facility Documentation” means the Term Facility Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

Term Facility Lenders” means the lenders from time to time party to the Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Test Period” in effect at any time means the most recent period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters of the Borrower ended on or prior to such time (taken as one accounting period) for which financial statements are available after the use of commercially reasonable efforts by the Borrower to provide same. A Test Period may be designated by reference to the last day thereof (i.e., the “January 28, 2017 Test Period” refers to the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters of the Borrower ended January 28, 2017), and a Test Period shall be deemed to end on the last day thereof.

TopCo Notes” means Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.’s 9.75%/10.50% senior PIK toggle notes due 2019 in aggregate principal amount of $274,465,000 outstanding on the Effective Date.

Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) or 7.1(b).

Transaction” means the merger of Needle Merger Sub Corp. an Ohio corporation, with and into the Borrower on March 18, 2011 and the transactions related thereto.

Transaction Agreement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1.9.

 

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Transaction Expenses” means the fees or expenses incurred or paid by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction and the transactions contemplated thereby.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

Unintentional Overadvance” means an Overadvance which, to the Administrative Agent’s knowledge, did not constitute an Overadvance when made but which has become an Overadvance resulting from changed circumstances beyond the control of the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders, including, without limitation, a reduction in the Net Recovery Percentage of property or assets included in the Borrowing Base or misrepresentation by the Loan Parties.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

United States Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.1(c).

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the board of directors of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.3 subsequent to the date hereof, in each case, until such Person ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance with Section 8.3 or ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless none of its assets are included in the calculation of Borrowing Base immediately prior to such Subsidiary’s being designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Unused Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

U.S. Lender” means any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

USA PATRIOT Act” means The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended or modified from time to time.

Weekly Monitoring Event” means (a) a Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (b) the Borrower has failed to maintain, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, Excess Availability of the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 12.5% of the Maximum Credit; provided that a Weekly Monitoring Event shall be deemed continuing until the date on which, as applicable, in the case of the foregoing clause (a), such Specified Event of Default is cured in accordance with Section 10.4 or waived in accordance with Section 12.1, or, in the case of the foregoing clause (b), Excess Availability has been greater than or equal to the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 12.5% of the Maximum Credit, in each case under clauses (i) and (ii), for at least twenty (20) consecutive calendar days.

 

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Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining scheduled installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required scheduled payments of principal, including payment at final scheduled maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided, that for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Indebtedness that is being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended (the “Applicable Indebtedness”), the effects of any prepayments or amortization made on such Applicable Indebtedness prior to the date of the applicable modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be disregarded.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of a Person means a Subsidiary of such Person, all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability” means the liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such term is defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

SECTION 1.2 Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

(b) (i) The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

(ii) References in this Agreement to an Exhibit, Schedule, Article, Section, clause or sub-clause refer (A) to the appropriate Exhibit or Schedule to, or Article, Section, clause or sub-clause in this Agreement or (B) to the extent such references are not present in this Agreement, to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

 

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(iii) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation, except when used in the computation of time periods.

(iv) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

(v) Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, the words “above” and “below”, when following a reference to a clause or a sub-clause of any Loan Document, refer to a clause or sub-clause within, respectively, the same Section or clause.

(c) The terms “Lender,” “Swing Loan Lender”, “Issuer”, “Administrative Agent” and “Collateral Agent” include, without limitation, their respective successors.

(d) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”, the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(e) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(f) Any reference herein or in any other Loan Document to the satisfaction, repayment, or payment in full of the Obligations shall mean the repayment in Dollars in full in cash or immediately available funds (or, in the case of contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, providing Cash Collateralization) of all of the Obligations (including the payment of any termination amount then applicable (or which would or could become applicable as a result of the repayment of the other Obligations) under Swap Contracts) other than (i) unasserted contingent indemnification Obligations, and any Obligations relating to Swap Contracts that, at such time, are allowed by the applicable Hedge Bank to remain outstanding without being required to be repaid.

SECTION 1.3 Accounting Terms.

All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

SECTION 1.4 Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number)

 

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SECTION 1.5 Letter of Credit Amounts.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms of any Issuer Documents related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the Stated Amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum Stated Amount is in effect at such time.

SECTION 1.6 References to Agreements, Laws, Etc. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Constituent Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all appendices, exhibits and schedules thereto and all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto (but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are permitted by any Loan Document); and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

SECTION 1.7 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

SECTION 1.8 Pro Forma Calculations.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or test, including the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated in the manner prescribed by this Section 1.8 ; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.8, when calculating the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for purposes of determining actual compliance (and not compliance on a Pro Forma Basis) with Section 6.1, the events described in this Section 1.8 that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period shall not be given Pro Forma Effect.

(b) For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or tests, including the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Specified Transactions (and the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith) that have been made (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to such Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Specified Transactions (and any increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA and the component financial definitions used therein attributable to any Specified Transaction) had occurred on the first day of the applicable Test Period. If since the beginning of any applicable Test Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such Test Period shall have made any Specified Transaction that would have required adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.8, then the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated to give pro forma effect thereto in accordance with this Section 1.8.

 

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(c) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs (including by assumption or guarantees) or repays (including by redemption, repayment, retirement or extinguishment) any Indebtedness included in the calculations of the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as the case may be (in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made, then the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, to the extent required, as if the same had occurred on the last day of the applicable Test Period.

(d) Whenever Pro Forma Effect is to be given to a Specified Transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of specified actions taken, committed to be taken or reasonably expected to be taken (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period and as if such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized during the entirety of such period) relating to such Specified Transaction, and “run rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any action taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken (including any savings expected to result from the elimination of a public target’s compliance costs with public company requirements), net of the amount of actual benefits theretofore realized during such period from such actions; provided that any such projected “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall only be permitted to be included to the extent consistent with the requirements applicable to pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

(e) 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 date of the event for which the calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any hedging obligations applicable to such Indebtedness). 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 Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurodollar interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be determined to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Borrower may designate.

 

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SECTION 1.9 Limited Condition Acquisitions.

In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition for purposes of determining:

(a) whether any Indebtedness that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in compliance with Section 9.3 or Section 2.15;

(b) whether any Lien being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in accordance with Section 9.1;

(c) whether any other transaction undertaken or proposed to be undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition complies with the covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; and

(d) any calculation of the ratios or baskets, including the Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or pro forma cost savings and baskets determined by reference to Consolidated EBITDA or Total Assets and whether a Default or Event of Default exists in connection with the foregoing;

at the option of the Borrower, the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into (the “Transaction Agreement Date”) may be used as the applicable date of determination, as the case may be, in each case with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Pro Forma Basis” or “Consolidated EBITDA.” For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower elects to use the Transaction Agreement Date as the applicable date of determination in accordance with the foregoing, (a) any fluctuation or change in the Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or Total Assets of the Borrower from the Transaction Agreement Date to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition will not be taken into account for purposes of determining whether any Indebtedness or Lien that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred, or whether any other transaction undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries complies with the Loan Documents and (b) after the Transaction Agreement Date and until such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire, such Limited Condition Acquisition and all transactions proposed to be undertaken in connection therewith (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens) will be given Pro Forma Effect when determining compliance of other transactions (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition) that are consummated after the Transaction Agreement Date and on or prior to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition and any such transactions (including without limitation any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) will be deemed to have occurred on the Transaction Agreement Date and be outstanding thereafter for purposes of calculating any baskets or ratios under the Loan Documents after the Transaction Agreement Date and before the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition (or the date the definitive

 

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agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire); provided that solely with respect to Restricted Payments only (and only until such time as the applicable Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated or the definitive documentation for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated), such calculation shall also be made on a standalone basis without giving effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions in connection therewith.

ARTICLE II

THE FACILITY

SECTION 2.1 The Revolving Credit Commitments.

(a) On the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, each Lender severally agrees to make loans in Dollars (each, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Revolving Credit Termination Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding for all such loans by such Lender not to exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided, however, that at no time shall any Lender be obligated to make a Revolving Loan in excess of such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the Maximum Credit. Within the limits of the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Lender, amounts of Loans repaid may be reborrowed under this Section 2.1.

(b) Subject to the limitations set forth below (and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.2), the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrower and the Lenders, from time to time in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion (but shall have absolutely no obligation), to make Revolving Loans (which may be a Swing Loan) to the Borrower, on behalf of all Lenders at any time that any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.2 has not been satisfied or waived, which the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, deems necessary or desirable for the purposes specified in the definition of “Protective Advances”. Any Protective Advance may be made in a principal amount that would cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed the Borrowing Base; provided that the aggregate amount of outstanding Protective Advances plus the aggregate of all other Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments; provided further that the foregoing shall not result in any claim or liability against the Administrative Agent (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for Unintentional Overadvances, and such Unintentional Overadvances shall not reduce the amount of Protective Advances allowed hereunder. Protective Advances may be made even if the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have not been satisfied or waived. Each Protective Advance shall be secured by the Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent in and to the Collateral and shall constitute Obligations hereunder. The Administrative Agent’s authorization to make Protective Advances may be revoked at any time by the Requisite Lenders. Any such revocation must be in writing and shall become effective prospectively upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt thereof. The making of a Protective Advance on any one occasion shall not obligate the Administrative Agent to make any Protective Advance on any other occasion. At any time that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied or waived, the Administrative Agent may request the Lenders to make a Revolving Loan to repay a Protective Advance. At any other time, the Administrative Agent may require the Lenders to fund their risk participations described in Section 2.1(c).

 

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(c) Upon the making of a Protective Advance by the Administrative Agent (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default), each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, unconditionally and irrevocably to have purchased from the Administrative Agent without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Protective Advance in proportion to its Applicable Percentage. From and after the date, if any, on which any Lender is required to fund its participation in any Protective Advance purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Protective Advance.

SECTION 2.2 Borrowing Procedures.

(a) Each Borrowing shall be made on notice given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent not later than (i) 11:00 a.m. on the same Business Day, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, and (ii) 12:00 noon three (3) Business Days, in the case of a Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans, prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such notice shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit C (a “Notice of Borrowing”), specifying (A) the date of such proposed Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day, (B) the aggregate amount of such proposed Borrowing, (C) whether any portion of the proposed Borrowing will be of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, (D) the initial Interest Period or Interest Periods for any such Eurodollar Rate Loans, (E) the Class of the proposed Borrowing, and (F) with respect to any Borrowing the proceeds of which will be used to fund a Restricted Payment subject to the satisfaction of the RP Conditions, an additional solvency representation and warranty of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) after giving effect to such Borrowing and the use of proceeds thereof. The Loans shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless, subject to Section 2.14, the Notice of Borrowing specifies that all or a portion thereof shall be Eurodollar Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of Base Rate Loan shall be in an aggregate amount of not less than $500,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof and the aggregate amount of each Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for each Interest Period must be in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall give to each Lender prompt notice of the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Notice of Borrowing and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are properly requested in such Notice of Borrowing, the applicable interest rate determined pursuant to Section 2.14(a). Each Lender shall, before (x) 1:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing (other than a Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date) and (y) 12:00 p.m. on the Effective Date with respect to any Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date, make available to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 12.8, in Same Day Funds, such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such proposed Borrowing. Upon fulfillment (or due waiver in accordance with Section 12.1) (i) on the Effective Date, of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.1 and (ii) at any time (including the Effective Date), of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.2, and, subject to clause (c) below, after the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds, the Administrative Agent shall make such funds available to the Borrower as promptly as reasonably practicable.

 

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(c) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any proposed Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Borrowing (or any portion thereof), the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such Ratable Portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with this Section 2.2 and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such Ratable Portion available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day and thereafter at the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such corresponding amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement. If the Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such payment shall not relieve such Lender of any obligation it may have hereunder to the Borrower.

(d) The failure of any Defaulting Lender to make on the date specified any Loan or any payment required by it, including any payment in respect of its participation in Swing Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations, shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations to make such Loan or payment on such date but, except to the extent otherwise provided herein, no such other Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any Defaulting Lender to make a Loan or payment required under this Agreement.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; provided that after the establishment of any new Class of Loans pursuant to an Extension Amendment, the number of Interest Periods otherwise permitted by this Section 2.2(e) shall increase by three (3) Interest Periods for each applicable Class so established.

SECTION 2.3 Swing Loans.

(a) On the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, the Swing Loan Lender shall make, in Dollars, loans (each, a “Swing Loan”) otherwise available to the Borrower under the Facility from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Revolving Credit Termination Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding (together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of any other Loan made by the Swing Loan Lender hereunder in its capacity as the Swing Loan Lender) not to exceed the Swing Loan Sublimit; provided, however, that at no time shall the Swing Loan Lender make any Swing Loan to the extent that, after giving effect to such Swing Loan, the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Maximum Credit; provided further that in the event that the Swing Loan Lender and the Administrative Agent are not the same Person, then the Swing Loan Lender shall only make a Swing Loan after having given prior notice thereof to the Administrative Agent; provided further that the Swing Loan Lender shall not be required to make any Swing Loan to the extent that such Swing Loan Lender reasonably

 

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believes that any Lender is a Defaulting Lender unless, after giving effect to the requested Swing Loan, there would exist no Fronting Exposure (in the good faith determination of the Swing Loan Lender and the Administrative Agent). Each Swing Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan and must be repaid in full in Dollars within seven (7) days after its making or, if sooner, upon any Borrowing hereunder and shall in any event mature no later than the Revolving Credit Termination Date (without giving effect to any extensions of the type referred to in the proviso to Section 12.1(b) hereof). Within the limits set forth in the first sentence of this clause (a), amounts of Swing Loans repaid may be reborrowed under this clause (a).

(b) In order to request a Swing Loan, the Borrower shall telecopy (or forward by electronic mail or similar means) to the Administrative Agent a duly completed request in substantially the form of Exhibit D, setting forth the requested amount and date of such Swing Loan (a “Swing Loan Request”), to be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day of the proposed borrowing. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Swing Loan Lender of the details of the requested Swing Loan. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Swing Loan Lender shall make a Swing Loan available to the Administrative Agent and, in turn, the Administrative Agent shall make such amounts available to the Borrower as promptly as reasonably practicable on the date set forth in the relevant Swing Loan Request. The Swing Loan Lender shall not make any Swing Loan (other than a Protective Advance) in the period commencing on the first Business Day after it receives written notice from the Administrative Agent or any Lender that one or more of the conditions precedent contained in Section 4.2 shall not on such date be satisfied, and ending when such conditions are satisfied. The Swing Loan Lender shall not otherwise be required to determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied in connection with the making of any Swing Loan.

(c) The Swing Loan Lender may demand at any time (and shall demand, not less frequently than weekly unless such Swing Loan is repaid in accordance with Section 2.3(a) hereof), that each Lender pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swing Loan Lender, in the manner provided in clause (d) below, such Lender’s Ratable Portion of all or a portion of the outstanding Swing Loans, which demand shall be made through the Administrative Agent, shall be in writing and shall specify the outstanding principal amount of Swing Loans demanded to be paid.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall forward each demand referred to in clause (c) above to each Lender on the day such notice or such demand is received by the Administrative Agent (except that any such notice or demand received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. on any Business Day or any such notice or demand received on a day that is not a Business Day shall not be required to be forwarded to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent until the next succeeding Business Day), together with a statement prepared by the Administrative Agent specifying the amount of each Lender’s Ratable Portion of the aggregate principal amount of the Swing Loans stated to be outstanding in such notice or demanded to be paid pursuant to such demand, and, notwithstanding whether or not the conditions precedent set forth in Sections 4.2 and 2.1 shall have been satisfied (which conditions precedent the Lenders hereby irrevocably waive), each Lender shall, before 11:00 a.m. on the Business Day next succeeding the date of such Lender’s receipt of such notice or demand, make available to the Administrative Agent, in Same Day Funds in Dollars, for the account of the Swing Loan Lender, the amount specified in such statement. Upon such payment by a Lender, such Lender shall, except as provided in clause (e) below, be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower in the amount of such payment. The Administrative Agent shall use such funds to repay the Swing Loans to the Swing Loan Lender.

 

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(e) Upon the occurrence of a Default under Section 10.1(f), each Lender shall acquire, without recourse or warranty, an undivided participation in each Swing Loan otherwise required to be repaid by such Lender pursuant to clause (d) above, which participation shall be in a principal amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Swing Loan, by paying to the Swing Loan Lender on the date on which such Lender would otherwise have been required to make a payment in respect of such Swing Loan pursuant to clause (d) above, in Same Day Funds, an amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Swing Loan. If all or part of such amount is not in fact made available by such Lender to the Swing Loan Lender on such date, the Swing Loan Lender shall be entitled to recover any such unpaid amount on demand from such Lender together with interest accrued from such date at the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day after such payment was due and thereafter at the rate of interest then applicable to Base Rate Loans.

(f) From and after the date on which any Lender (i) is deemed to have made a Revolving Loan pursuant to clause (d) above with respect to any Swing Loan or (ii) purchases an undivided participation interest in a Swing Loan pursuant to clause (e) above, the Swing Loan Lender shall promptly distribute to such Lender such Lender’s Ratable Portion of all payments of principal and interest received by the Swing Loan Lender on account of such Swing Loan other than those received from a Lender pursuant to clause (d) or (e) above.

SECTION 2.4 Letters of Credit.

(a) Subject to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, each Issuer agrees to Issue at the request of the Borrower, for the account of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary (provided that any Letter of Credit issued for the benefit of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not the Borrower shall be issued naming the Borrower as the account party on any such Letter of Credit but such Letter of Credit may contain a statement that it is being issued for the benefit of such Restricted Subsidiary), one or more Letters of Credit from time to time on any Business Day during the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the earlier of the Revolving Credit Termination Date and five (5) Business Days prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (without giving effect to any extension of the type referred to in the proviso to Section 12.1(b) hereof) (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day), or such later date as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion; provided, however, that no Issuer shall be under any obligation to Issue (and, upon the occurrence of any of the events described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v)(A) below, shall not Issue) any Letter of Credit upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator having binding powers shall purport by its terms to enjoin or restrain such Issuer from Issuing such Letter of Credit or any Law applicable to such Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuer shall prohibit, or request that such Issuer

 

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refrain from, the Issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction or reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuer is not otherwise compensated) not in effect on the Effective Date or result in any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable, in effect or known to such Issuer as of the Effective Date and that such Issuer in good faith deems material to it (for which such Issuer is not otherwise compensated);

(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

(iii) such Issuer shall have received any written notice of the type described in clause (d) below;

(iv) after giving effect to the Issuance of such Letter of Credit, (A) the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Maximum Credit at such time, (B) the Letter of Credit Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit or (C) the Revolving Credit Outstandings of any Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment;

(v) such Letter of Credit is requested to be denominated in any currency other than Dollars, except as may be approved by the Administrative Agent and such Issuer, each in their reasonable discretion;

(vi) (A) any fees due in connection with a requested Issuance have not been paid, (B) such Letter of Credit is requested to be Issued in a form that is not acceptable to such Issuer or (C) the Issuer for such Letter of Credit shall not have received, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to it and, if applicable, duly executed by the Borrower, applications, agreements and other documentation (collectively, a “Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement”) such Issuer generally employs in the ordinary course of its business for the Issuance of letters of credit of the type of such Letter of Credit;

(vii) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless (i) after giving effect to the requested Issuance, there would exist no Fronting Exposure (in the good faith determination of the applicable Issuer) or (ii) the applicable Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the applicable Issuer (in its reasonable discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate such Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or any other Letter of Credit Obligations as to which such Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

None of the Lenders (other than the Issuers in their capacity as such) shall have any obligation to Issue any Letter of Credit. Any Letter of Credit which has been or deemed Issued hereunder may be amended at any time to reduce the amount outstanding thereunder.

 

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(b) In no event shall (i) the expiration date of (A) any Documentary Letter of Credit be more than 210 days after the date of issuance thereof, or (B) any Standby Letter of Credit be more than one (1) year after the date of issuance thereof; provided, however, that any Standby Letter of Credit with a term less than or equal to one (1) year may provide for the renewal thereof for additional periods less than or equal to one (1) year, as long as, on or before the expiration of each such term and each such period, the Borrower and the Issuer of such Standby Letter of Credit shall have the option to prevent such renewal or (ii) the expiration date of any Letter of Credit be later than the date that is five (5) Business Days before the Scheduled Termination Date; provided further, that, for any Letter of Credit having an expiration date after the Scheduled Termination Date, the Borrower agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Scheduled Termination Date a letter of credit or letters of credit in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent issued by a bank acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in each case in its sole discretion, and/or cash collateral in an amount equal to 103% of the maximum drawable amount of any such Letter of Credit.

(c) In connection with the Issuance of each Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall give the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent at least two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice, in substantially the form of Exhibit E (or in such other written or electronic form as is acceptable to such Issuer), of the requested Issuance of such Letter of Credit (a “Letter of Credit Request”). Such notice shall specify the Issuer of such Letter of Credit, the face amount of the Letter of Credit requested, the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which date shall be a Business Day) and, in the case of an issuance, the Person for whose benefit the requested Letter of Credit is to be issued. Such notice, to be effective, must be received by the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. on the last Business Day on which such notice can be given under the first sentence of this clause (c); provided that the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion to a later time and date.

(d) Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in this Section 2.4, the relevant Issuer shall, on the requested date, Issue a Letter of Credit on behalf of the Borrower in accordance with such Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. No Issuer shall Issue any Letter of Credit in the period commencing on the first Business Day after it receives written notice from any Lender that one or more of the conditions precedent contained in Section 4.2 or clause (a) above are not on such date satisfied or duly waived and ending when such conditions are satisfied or duly waived. No Issuer shall otherwise be required to determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied in connection with the Issuance of any Letter of Credit. Each Letter of Credit shall be Issued in Dollars.

(e) The Borrower agrees that, if requested by the Issuer of any Letter of Credit prior to the issuance of a Letter of Credit, it shall execute a Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement in respect to any Letter of Credit Issued hereunder. In the event of any conflict between the terms of any Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

 

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(f) Each Issuer shall comply with the following:

(i) give the Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice confirmed promptly thereafter in writing), which writing may be a telecopy or electronic mail, of the Issuance of any Letter of Credit Issued by it, all drawings under any Letter of Credit Issued by it and of the payment (or the failure to pay when due) by the Borrower of any Reimbursement Obligation when due (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit by telecopy, electronic mail or similar transmission to each Lender);

(ii) upon the request of any Lender, furnish to such Lender copies of any Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement to which such Issuer is a party and such other documentation as may reasonably be requested by such Lender; and

(iii) on the first Business Day of each calendar week, provide to the Administrative Agent (and the Administrative Agent shall provide a copy to each Lender requesting the same) and the Borrower separate schedules for Documentary Letters of Credit and Standby Letters of Credit issued by it, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth the aggregate Letter of Credit Obligations, in each case outstanding at the end of each month, and any information requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent relating thereto.

(g) Immediately upon the issuance by an Issuer of a Letter of Credit in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, such Issuer shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from such Issuer, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such Lender’s Ratable Portion, in such Letter of Credit and the obligations of the Borrower with respect thereto (including all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto) and any security therefor and guaranty pertaining thereto.

(h) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Issuer of any Letter of Credit the amount of all Reimbursement Obligations owing to such Issuer under any Letter of Credit issued for its account no later than (x) the Business Day following the date that the Borrower receives written notice from such Issuer that payment has been made under such Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms if such notice is received by the Borrower by 11:00 a.m. and (y) on the second Business Day after which the Borrower receives written notice from such Issuer that payment has been made under such Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms if such notice is received by the Borrower after 11:00 a.m. (such date described in clause (x) or (y) above, the “Reimbursement Date”), irrespective of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against such Issuer or any other Person. In the event that any Issuer makes any payment under any Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms and the Borrower shall not have repaid such amount to such Issuer pursuant to this clause (h) (directly or by application of the deemed Loans described below in this clause (h) or by virtue of the penultimate sentence of this clause (h)) or any such payment by the Borrower is rescinded or set aside for any reason, such Reimbursement Obligation shall be payable on demand with interest thereon computed (i) from the date on which such Reimbursement Obligation arose to the

 

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Reimbursement Date, at the rate of interest applicable during such period to Loans that are Base Rate Loans and (ii) from the Reimbursement Date until the date of repayment in full, at the rate of interest applicable during such period to past due Loans that are Base Rate Loans, and such Issuer shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent, which shall promptly notify each Lender of such failure, and each Lender shall promptly and unconditionally pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer the amount of such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such payment in Same Day Funds in Dollars. If the Administrative Agent so notifies such Lender prior to 11:00 a.m. on any Business Day, such Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer its Ratable Portion of the amount of such payment on such Business Day in Same Day Funds. Upon such payment by a Lender, such Lender shall, except during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default under Section 10.1(f) and notwithstanding whether or not the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 shall have been satisfied (which conditions precedent the Lenders hereby irrevocably waive), be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower in the principal amount of such payment. Whenever any Issuer receives from the Borrower a payment of a Reimbursement Obligation as to which the Administrative Agent has received for the account of such Issuer any payment from a Lender pursuant to this clause (h), such Issuer shall pay over to the Administrative Agent any amount received in excess of such Reimbursement Obligation and, upon receipt of such amount, the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay over to each Lender, in Same Day Funds, an amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the amount of such payment adjusted, if necessary, to reflect the respective amounts the Lenders have paid in respect of such Reimbursement Obligation. (A) In the absence of written notice to the contrary from the Borrower, and subject to the other provisions of this Agreement (but without regard to the conditions to borrowing set forth in Section 4.2), Reimbursement Obligations shall be financed when due with a Base Rate Loan or Swing Loan to the Borrower in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Base Rate Loan or Swing Loan, and (B) in the event that the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent that it will not so finance any such payments, the Borrower will make payment directly to the applicable Issuer when due. The Administrative Agent shall promptly remit the proceeds from any Loans made pursuant to clause (A) above in reimbursement of a draw under a Letter of Credit to the applicable Issuer.

(i) Each Defaulting Lender agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer forthwith on demand any such unpaid amount together with interest thereon, for the first Business Day after payment was first due at the Federal Funds Rate and, thereafter, until such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer, at a rate per annum equal to the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans under the Facility.

(j) The Borrower’s obligations to pay each Reimbursement Obligation and the obligations of the Lenders to make payments to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuers with respect to Letters of Credit shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, under any and all circumstances whatsoever, including the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, and irrespective of any of the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document, or any term or provision therein;

 

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(ii) any amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the provisions of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document;

(iii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower, any other party guaranteeing, or otherwise obligated with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof or any other Person may at any time have against the beneficiary under any Letter of Credit, any Issuer, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other related or unrelated agreement or transaction;

(iv) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(v) payment by the Issuer under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not strictly comply, but that does substantially comply, with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by an Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

(vi) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind of any Issuer, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or any other Person or any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.4, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder; or

(vii) the fact that any Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Any action taken or omitted to be taken by the relevant Issuer under or in connection with any Letter of Credit, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall not result in any liability of such Issuer to the Borrower or any Lender. In determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof, the Issuers may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary and, in making any payment under any Letter of Credit, the Issuers may rely exclusively on the documents presented to it under such Letter of Credit as to any and all matters set forth therein, including reliance on the amount of any draft presented under such Letter of Credit, whether or not the amount due to the beneficiary thereunder equals the amount of such draft and whether or not any document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be insufficient in any respect, if such document on its face appears to be in order, and whether or not any other statement or any other document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be forged or invalid or any statement therein proves to be inaccurate or untrue in any respect whatsoever, and any noncompliance in any immaterial respect of the documents presented under such Letter of Credit with the terms thereof shall, in each case, be deemed not to constitute willful misconduct or gross negligence of the applicable Issuer.

 

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Each Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and each Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article XI with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article XI included such Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to such Issuer.

(k) Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the relevant Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance, shall apply to each Documentary Letter of Credit.

(l) All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

SECTION 2.5 Reduction and Termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments.

The Borrower may, upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate in whole or reduce in part ratably the unused portions of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders without premium or penalty other than any amount required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.5; provided, however, that each partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of not less than $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof provided, further, that no reduction or termination of Commitments having a later maturity shall be permitted on a greater than pro rata basis with commitments having an earlier maturity. Except as set forth in the following sentence, each such notice of reduction or termination shall be irrevocable when given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments if such termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

SECTION 2.6 Repayment of Loans.

The Borrower promises to repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans (including any Letter of Credit Borrowings) and the Swing Loans on the Revolving Credit Termination Date or earlier, if otherwise required by the terms hereof.

 

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SECTION 2.7 Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) The Loans made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and maintained by the Administrative Agent, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be prima facie evidence absent manifest error of the amount of the Loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. After the end of each month, the Administrative Agent shall send to the Borrower a statement accounting for the charges, loans, advances and other transactions occurring among and between the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower during that month. The monthly statements shall, absent manifest error, be an account stated, which is final, conclusive and binding on the Borrower.

(b) Reserved

(c) The entries made in the Register and in the accounts therein maintained pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above and Section 12.2 hereof shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligations of the Borrower to repay the Loans or perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Documents in accordance with their terms. In addition, the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender or as an Issuer, as applicable, for all purposes of this Agreement. Information contained in the Register with respect to any Lender or Issuer shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuer at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, in the event that any Lender requests that the Borrower execute and deliver a promissory note or notes payable to such Lender in order to evidence the Indebtedness owing to such Lender by the Borrower hereunder, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver a Revolving Credit Note or Revolving Credit Notes to such Lender evidencing the Loans of such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Revolving Credit Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto; provided that the failure to do so shall in no way affect the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party under any Loan Document.

SECTION 2.8 Optional Prepayments.

The Borrower may prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Swing Loans in whole or in part at any time; provided, however, that if any prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan is made by the Borrower other than on the last day of an Interest Period for such Loan, the Borrower shall also pay any amount owing pursuant to Section 3.5.

 

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SECTION 2.9 Mandatory Prepayments.

(a) If at any time, the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Outstandings exceeds the aggregate Maximum Credit at such time, the Borrower shall forthwith, upon notification by the Administrative Agent, prepay the Swing Loans first and then the other Loans then outstanding in an amount equal to such excess. If any such excess remains after repayment in full of the aggregate outstanding Swing Loans and the other Loans, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations in the manner set forth in Section 10.5 in an amount equal to 103% of such excess.

(b) If (x) at any time during a Cash Dominion Period or (y) in respect of any Disposition that would result in the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Period, any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries receives any Net Cash Proceeds arising from any Disposition in respect of any Current Asset Collateral outside of the ordinary course of business, the Borrower shall promptly (but in any event within five (5) Business Days of such receipt) prepay the Loans in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds (and, to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds exceed the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding, Cash Collateralize Letters of Credit in an amount equal to up to 103% of the aggregate maximum drawable amount of such Letters of Credit).

(c) Subject to Section 3.5 hereof, all such payments in respect of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be without premium or penalty. All interest accrued on the principal amount of the Loans paid pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be paid, or may be charged by the Administrative Agent to any loan account(s) of the Borrower, at the Administrative Agent’s option, on the date of such payment. Interest shall accrue and be due, until the next Business Day, if the amount so paid by the Borrower to the bank account designated by the Administrative Agent for such purpose is received in such bank account after 3:00 p.m.

(d) At all times after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period and notification thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (subject to the provisions of Section 10.3 and to the terms of the Security Agreement), on each Business Day, at or before 1:00 p.m., the Agent shall apply all Same Day Funds credited to the Concentration Account and all amounts received pursuant to Section 2.9(b), first to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations, Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements or any Revolving Commitment Increases), pro rata, second to pay interest due and payable in respect of any Loans (including Swing Loans) and any Protective Advances that may be outstanding, pro rata, third to prepay the principal of any Protective Advances that may be outstanding, pro rata, and fourth to prepay the principal of the Loans (including Swing Loans) and to Cash Collateralize outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations, pro rata.

 

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SECTION 2.10 Interest.

(a) Rate of Interest. All Loans and the outstanding amount of all other Obligations owing under the Loan Documents shall bear interest, in the case of any Class of Loans, on the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date such Loans are made and, in the case of such other Obligations, from the date such other Obligations are due and payable until, in all cases, paid in full, except as otherwise provided in clause (c) below, as follows:

(i) if a Base Rate Loan or such other Obligation (other than a Eurodollar Rate Loan), at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Base Rate as in effect from time to time and (B) the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans; and

(ii) if a Eurodollar Rate Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Eurodollar Rate determined for the applicable Interest Period and (B) the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans in effect from time to time during such Interest Period.

(b) Interest Payments. (i) Interest accrued on each Base Rate Loan (other than Swing Loans) shall be payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter, commencing on the first such day following the making of such Base Rate Loan and (B) if not previously paid in full, at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) of such Base Rate Loan, (ii) interest accrued on Swing Loans shall be payable in arrears on the first Business Day of the immediately succeeding calendar month, (iii) interest accrued on each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be payable in arrears (A) on the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three (3) months, on each date during such Interest Period occurring every three (3) months from the first day of such Interest Period, (B) upon the payment or prepayment thereof in full or in part and (C) if not previously paid in full, at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) of such Eurodollar Rate Loan and (iv) interest accrued on the amount of all other Obligations shall be payable on demand from and after the time such Obligation becomes due and payable (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

(c) Default Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on past due amounts hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

SECTION 2.11 Conversion/Continuation Option.

(a) The Borrower may elect (i) at any time on any Business Day, to convert Base Rate Loans (other than Swing Loans) or any portion thereof to Eurodollar Rate Loans and (ii) at the end of any applicable Interest Period, to convert Eurodollar Rate Loans or any portion thereof into Base Rate Loans or to continue such Eurodollar Rate Loans or any portion thereof for an additional Interest Period; provided, however, that the aggregate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans for each Interest Period must be in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each conversion or continuation shall be allocated among the Loans of each Lender in accordance with such Lender’s Ratable Portion. Each such election shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit F (a “Notice of Conversion or Continuation”) and shall be made by giving the Administrative Agent at least two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice specifying (A) the amount and type of Loan being converted or continued, (B) in the case of a conversion to or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, the applicable Interest Period and (C) in the case of a conversion, the date of such conversion.

 

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(b) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of a Notice of Conversion or Continuation and of the options selected therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent or the Requisite Lenders may require, by notice to the Borrower, that no conversion in whole or in part of Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans and no continuation in whole or in part of Eurodollar Rate Loans upon the expiration of any applicable Interest Period shall be permitted at any time at which (A) an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or (B) the continuation of, or conversion into, a Eurodollar Rate Loan would violate any provision of Section 2.14. If, within the time period required under the terms of this Section 2.11, the Administrative Agent does not receive a Notice of Conversion or Continuation from the Borrower containing a permitted election to continue any Eurodollar Rate Loans for an additional Interest Period or to convert any such Loans, then, upon the expiration of the applicable Interest Period, such Loans shall be automatically converted to Base Rate Loans. Each Notice of Conversion or Continuation shall be irrevocable.

SECTION 2.12 Fees.

(a) Unused Commitment Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay in Same Day Funds in Dollars to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee (the “Unused Commitment Fee”) on the average daily amount by which the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender exceeds such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the sum of (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans for the applicable Class, and (ii) the outstanding amount of the aggregate Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts from the Effective Date through the Revolving Credit Termination Date at the Applicable Unused Commitment Fee Rate, payable in arrears (x) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter, commencing on the first such Business Day following the Effective Date and (y) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date. For the avoidance of doubt, any Swing Loans outstanding shall reduce the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Swing Loan Lender in its capacity as a Lender.

(b) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay the following amounts with respect to Letters of Credit issued by any Issuer:

(i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Issuer of a Letter of Credit, with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuer, an issuance fee equal to 0.125% per annum of the average daily maximum undrawn face amount of such Letter of Credit for the immediately preceding calendar quarter (or portion thereof), payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter, commencing on the first such Business Day following the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (B) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date;

 

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(ii) to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, with respect to each Letter of Credit, a fee accruing in Dollars at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of each Standby Letter of Credit, the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) in the case of each Documentary Letter of Credit, 50% of the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans (each such fee, a “Letter of Credit Fee”), in each case multiplied by the daily Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit for the immediately preceding calendar quarter (or portion thereof), payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter, commencing on the first such Business Day following the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (B) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date; provided, however, that any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the applicable Issuer pursuant to Section 2.4 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the applicable Issuer for its own account; and

(iii) to the Issuer of any Letter of Credit, with respect to the issuance, amendment or transfer of each Letter of Credit and each drawing made thereunder, customary documentary and processing charges in accordance with such Issuer’s standard schedule for such charges in effect at the time of issuance, amendment, transfer or drawing, as the case may be.

(c) Additional Fees. The Borrower has agreed to pay to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers additional fees, the amount and dates of payment of which are embodied in the Fee Letter.

SECTION 2.13 Payments and Computations.

(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. The Borrower shall make each payment and prepayment hereunder (including fees and expenses) not later than 2:00 p.m. on the day when due, in Dollars to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office for payment and in Same Day Funds without condition or deduction for any defense, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall, in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

(b) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 days or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall bear interest for one (1) day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

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(c) Each payment by the Borrower of any Loan and Reimbursement Obligation (including interest and fees in respect thereof) and each reimbursement of costs, expenses and other Obligations owing under any Loan Document shall be made in Dollars.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, the due date for such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or fees, as the case may be; provided, however, that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of any Eurodollar Rate Loan to be made in the next calendar month, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. All repayments of any Loans shall be applied as follows: first, to repay any such Loans outstanding as Base Rate Loans and then, to repay any such Loans outstanding as Eurodollar Rate Loans, with those Eurodollar Rate Loans having earlier expiring Interest Periods being repaid prior to those having later expiring Interest Periods.

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower to the Lenders prior to the date on which any payment is due hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent that the Borrower shall not have made such payment to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds in Dollars, each Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the portion of such assumed amount that was made available to such Lender in Same Day Funds in Dollars, together with interest thereon (at the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day and thereafter at the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans) for each day from and including the date such amount is was made available to such Lender until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds in Dollars.

(f) Except for payments and other amounts received by the Administrative Agent and applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.2(b) below (or required to be applied in accordance with Section 2.9), all payments and any other amounts received by the Administrative Agent from or for the benefit of the Borrower shall be applied as follows: first, to pay principal of, and interest on, any portion of the Loans the Administrative Agent may have advanced pursuant to the express provisions of this Agreement on behalf of any Lender, for which the Administrative Agent has not then been reimbursed by such Lender or the Borrower, second, to pay all other Obligations then due and payable and third, as the Borrower so designates. Payments in respect of Swing Loans received by the Administrative Agent shall be distributed to the Swing Loan Lender; payments in respect of Loans received by the Administrative Agent shall be distributed to each Lender in accordance with such Lender’s Ratable Portion; and all payments of fees and all other payments in respect of any other Obligation shall be allocated among such of the Lenders and Issuers as are entitled thereto and, for such payments allocated to the Lenders, in proportion to their respective Ratable Portions.

 

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(g) At the option of the Administrative Agent, principal on the Swing Loans, Reimbursement Obligations, interest, fees, expenses and other sums due and payable in respect of the Loans and Protective Advances may be paid from the proceeds of Swing Loans or the Revolving Loans unless the Borrower makes such payments on the next succeeding Business Day after the Borrower receives written notice from the Administrative Agent requesting such payments. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Swing Loan Lender to make such Swing Loans pursuant to Section 2.3(a) and the Lenders to make such Loans pursuant to Section 2.2(a) from time to time in the amounts of any and all principal payable with respect to the Swing Loans, Reimbursement Obligations, interest, fees, expenses and other sums payable in respect of the Loans and Protective Advances, and further authorizes the Administrative Agent to give the Lenders notice of any Borrowing with respect to such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans and to distribute the proceeds of such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans to pay such amounts. The Borrower agrees that all such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans so made shall be deemed to have been requested by it (irrespective of the satisfaction of the conditions in Section 4.2, which conditions the Lenders irrevocably waive) and directs that all proceeds thereof shall be used to pay such amounts.

SECTION 2.14 Special Provisions Governing Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Determination of Interest Rate.

The Eurodollar Rate for each Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the procedures set forth in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.” The Administrative Agent’s determination shall be presumed to be correct and binding on the Loan Parties, absent manifest error.

(b) Interest Rate Unascertainable, Inadequate or Unfair.

In the event that (i) the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rates by reference to which the Eurodollar Rate then being determined is to be fixed or (ii) the Requisite Lenders reasonably determine and notify the Administrative Agent that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period will not adequately reflect the cost to the Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans for such Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall automatically, on the last day of the current Interest Period for such Loan, convert into a Base Rate Loan and the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower that the Requisite Lenders have determined that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

SECTION 2.15 Revolving Commitment Increase.

(a) The Borrower may at any time or from time to time after the Effective Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent (whereupon the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request one or more increases in the amount of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (each such increase, a “Revolving Commitment Increase”); provided that subject to the Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, at the time of

 

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any such Revolving Commitment Increase (and after giving effect thereto), no Default or Event of Default (or, in the case of any Revolving Commitment Increase to be used to fund a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or Section 10.1(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date) shall exist. Each Revolving Commitment Increase shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $20,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $20,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the next sentence). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitment Increases shall not exceed $100,000,000 (the “Incremental Availability”), and the Borrower may make a maximum of five (5) such requests. Each notice from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall set forth the requested amount and proposed terms of the relevant Revolving Commitment Increases. Revolving Commitment Increases may be provided by any existing Lender (it being understood that no existing Lender will have an obligation to provide a portion of any Revolving Commitment Increase), in each case on terms permitted in this Section 2.15 and otherwise on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) or by any other Person constituting an Eligible Assignee (any such other Person being called an “Additional Lender”), provided that the Administrative Agent shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to such Lender’s or Additional Lender’s providing such Revolving Commitment Increases if such consent would be required under Section 12.2(b) for an assignment of Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments to such Lender or Additional Lender. Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of Revolving Commitment Increases shall become Revolving Credit Commitments (or in the case of a Revolving Commitment Increase to be provided by an existing Lender, an increase in such Lender’s applicable Revolving Credit Commitment) under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (an “Incremental Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by Holdings, the Borrower, each Lender agreeing to provide such Revolving Credit Commitment, if any, each Additional Lender, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section. The effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof (each, an “Incremental Facility Effective Date”) of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 (it being understood that all references to “the date of such Loan or Issuance” or similar language in such Section 4.2 shall be deemed to refer to the effective date of such Incremental Amendment) and such other conditions as the parties thereto shall agree. The representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents (or, in the case of any Revolving Commitment Increase used to fund a Permitted Acquisition or similar permitted Investment (including any Limited Condition Acquisition), the Specified Representations) shall be accurate in all material respects (or, if qualified by “materiality”, “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language, in all respects (after giving effect to such qualification)) before and after the effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment referred to below and any Revolving Commitment Increase shall be documented as an increase to the Facility and shall be on terms identical to those applicable to the Facility, except with respect to any commitment, arrangement, upfront or similar fees that may be agreed to among the Borrower and the lenders agreeing to participate in such Revolving Commitment Increase. The Borrower shall use Revolving Commitment Increases only as permitted pursuant to Section 8.9 hereof. Upon each increase in the Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.15,

 

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(x) each Lender of the applicable Class immediately prior to such increase will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assigned to each Lender providing a portion of the Revolving Commitment Increase of the applicable Class (each a “Revolving Commitment Increase Lender”) in respect of such increase, and each such Revolving Commitment Increase Lender will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assumed, a portion of such Lender’s participations hereunder in outstanding Letters of Credit and Swing Loans such that, after giving effect to each such deemed assignment and assumption of participations, the percentage of the aggregate outstanding (i) participations hereunder in Letters of Credit, (ii) participations hereunder in Swing Loans held by each Lender of the applicable Class and (iii) participations in Protective Advances held by each Lender of the applicable Class (including each such Revolving Commitment Increase Lender) will equal the percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Lenders of such Class represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (y) if, on the date of such increase, there are any Revolving Loans of such Class outstanding, such Revolving Loans shall on or prior to the effectiveness of such Revolving Commitment Increase be prepaid from the proceeds of additional Revolving Loans of such Class made hereunder (reflecting such increase in Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class), which prepayment shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the Revolving Loans of such Class being prepaid and any costs incurred by any Lender in accordance with Section 3.5. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that the minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

(b) This Section 2.15 shall supersede any provisions in Section 12.1 or Section 12.7 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.16 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. That Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 12.1.

(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article X or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 12.6), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, to be held as cash collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any Swing

 

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Loan or Letter of Credit; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or Letter of Credit Borrowings in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or Letter of Credit Borrowings were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and Letter of Credit Borrowings owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or Letter of Credit Borrowings owed to, that Defaulting Lender. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees. That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.12(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender for such period) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.12(b).

(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Swing Loans or Letters of Credit pursuant to Sections 2.3 and 2.4, the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Revolving Credit Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, at the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default exists; and (ii) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Revolving Credit Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans (including Protective Advances) of that Lender.

 

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(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swing Loan Lender and the Issuers agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Revolving Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower for the period that such Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided further that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

(c) Cash Collateral. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

SECTION 2.17 Extensions of Loans.

(a) Extension of Revolving Credit Commitments. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Class (each, an “Existing Revolver Tranche”) be amended to extend the Scheduled Termination Date with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Revolving Credit Commitments (any such Revolving Credit Commitments which have been so amended, “Extended Revolving Credit Commitments”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.17; provided that there shall be no more than two (2) Classes of Loans and Commitments outstanding at any time. In order to establish any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders under the applicable Existing Revolver Tranche) (each, a “Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms (which shall be determined in consultation with the Administrative Agent) of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche and (y) be identical to the Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche from which such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments are to be amended, except that: (i) the Scheduled Termination Date of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be later than the Scheduled Termination Date of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Existing Revolver Tranche, (ii) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that (I) apply solely to any period after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of the Extension

 

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Amendment (immediately prior to the establishment of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments) or (II) are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, not require the consent of any Lender); and (iii) all borrowings under the Revolving Credit Commitments and repayments thereunder shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (I) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings) and (II) repayments required upon the Revolving Credit Termination Date of the non-extending Revolving Credit Commitments); provided, further, that (A) the conditions precedent to a Borrowing set forth in Section 4.2 shall be satisfied as of the date of such Extension Amendment and at the time when any Loans are made in respect of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment, (B) in no event shall the final maturity date of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series at the time of establishment thereof be earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date of any other Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder, (C) any such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and the Liens securing the same) shall be permitted by the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements (to the extent any Intercreditor Agreement is then in effect) and (D) all documentation in respect of the such Extension Amendment shall be consistent with the foregoing. Any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended pursuant to any Extension Request shall be designated a series (each, a “Extension Series”) of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended from an Existing Revolver Tranche may, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, be designated as an increase in any previously established Extension Series with respect to such Existing Revolver Tranche. Each Extension Series of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments incurred under this Section 2.17 shall be in an aggregate principal amount equal to not less than 50% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments outstanding at the time such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments become effective.

(b) Extension Request. The Borrower shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least ten (10) Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior to the date on which Lenders under the Existing Revolver Tranche are requested to respond, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably, to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.17. No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to provide any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Revolving Credit Lender (each, an “Extending Revolving Credit Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall notify the Administrative Agent (each, an “Extension Election”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche which it has elected to request be amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Administrative Agent). In the event that the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche in respect of which applicable Revolving Credit Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Request exceeds the amount of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments requested to be extended pursuant to the Extension Request, Revolving Credit Commitments subject to Extension Elections shall be amended to reflect allocations of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, which Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be allocated as agreed by Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

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(c) New Revolving Commitment Lenders. Following any Extension Request made by the Borrower in accordance with this Section 2.17, if the Lenders shall have declined to agree during the period specified in Section 2.17(b) above to provide Extended Revolving Credit Commitments in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount requested by the Borrower in such Extension Request, the Borrower may request that banks, financial institutions or other institutional lenders or investors other than the Lenders or Extended Revolving Credit Lenders (the “New Revolving Commitment Lenders”), which New Revolving Commitment Lenders may elect to provide an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder; provided that such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of such New Revolving Commitment Lenders (i) shall be in an aggregate principal amount for all such New Revolving Commitment Lenders not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments so declined to be provided by the existing Lenders and (ii) shall be on identical terms to the terms applicable to the terms specified in the applicable Extension Request (and any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments provided by existing Lenders in respect thereof); provided further that, as a condition to the effectiveness of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of any New Revolving Commitment Lender, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to each New Revolving Commitment Lender if such consent would be required under Section 12.2(b)(iii) for an assignment of Revolving Credit Commitments to such Person. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment provided by New Revolving Commitment Lenders shall be pro rata to each New Revolving Commitment Lender. Upon effectiveness of the Extension Amendment to which each such New Revolving Commitment Lender is a party, (a) the Revolving Credit Commitments of all existing Revolving Credit Lenders of each Class specified in the Extension Amendment in accordance with this Section 2.17 will be permanently reduced pro rata by an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of such New Revolving Commitment Lenders and (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment of each such New Revolving Commitment Lender will become effective. The Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of New Revolving Commitment Lenders will be incorporated as Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder in the same manner in which Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of existing Lenders are incorporated hereunder pursuant to this Section 2.17, and for the avoidance of doubt, all Borrowings and repayments of Revolving Loans from and after the effectiveness of such Extension Amendment shall be made pro rata across all Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments including such New Revolving Commitment Lenders (based on the outstanding principal amounts of the respective Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments) except for (x) payments of interest and fees at different rates for each Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (and related Outstanding Amounts) and (y) repayments required on the Revolving Credit Termination Date for any particular Class of Revolving Credit Commitments. Upon the effectiveness of each New Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.17(c), (a) each Revolving Credit Lender of all applicable existing Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments immediately prior to such effectiveness will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assigned to each New Revolving Commitment Lender, and each such New Revolving Commitment Lender will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assumed, a portion of such Revolving Credit Lender’s participations hereunder in outstanding

 

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Letters of Credit and Swing Loans such that, after giving effect to each such deemed assignment and assumption of participations, subject to Section 2.16, the percentage of the outstanding (i) participations hereunder in Letters of Credit and (ii) participations hereunder in Swing Loans held by each Revolving Credit Lender of each Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (including each such New Revolving Commitment Lender) will equal the percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Classes of Revolving Credit Lenders represented by such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (b) if, on the date of such effectiveness, there are any Revolving Loans outstanding, such Revolving Loans shall on or prior to the effectiveness of such New Revolving Credit Commitment be prepaid from the proceeds of Revolving Loans made hereunder under the New Revolving Credit Commitments, which prepayment shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the Revolving Loans being prepaid and any costs incurred by any Lender in accordance with Section 3.5. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that the minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

(d) Extension Amendment. Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and New Revolving Credit Commitments shall be established pursuant to an amendment (each, an “Extension Amendment”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Extending Revolving Credit Lender and each New Revolving Commitment Lender, if any, providing an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, thereunder, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.17(a, (b)) and (c) above (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). The effectiveness of any Extension Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Sections 4.2(a) and (b) and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of (i) legal opinions, board resolutions and officers’ certificates consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date other than changes to such legal opinion resulting from a Change in Law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) reaffirmation agreements and/or such amendments to the Collateral Documents as may be reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent in order to ensure that the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or the New Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, are provided with the benefit of the applicable Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Extension Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Extension Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or the New Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, incurred pursuant thereto, (ii) make such other changes to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (without the consent of the Requisite Lenders) and (iii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section, and the Requisite Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any such Extension Amendment.

 

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(e) No conversion of Loans pursuant to any Extension in accordance with this Section 2.17 shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory payment or prepayment for purposes of this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

SECTION 3.1 Taxes.

(a) All sums payable by any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Agent, Issuer or any Lender shall (except to the extent required by Law) be paid free and clear of, and without any deduction or withholding on account of, any Taxes.

(b) If any Loan Party or any Agent, Issuer or Lender is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Non-Excluded Tax or Other Taxes from any sum paid or payable by any Loan Party to any Lender, Issuer or Agent under any of the Loan Documents: (i) the applicable Loan Party (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall notify the applicable Agent of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as such Loan Party becomes aware of it; (ii) the applicable Loan Party or Agent, Issuer or Lender, as applicable, shall make such deduction or withholding and pay to the relevant Governmental Authority, in accordance with applicable Law, any such Non-Excluded Tax or Other Tax before the date on which penalties attach thereto; (iii) the sum payable to such Lender, Issuer or Agent (as applicable) shall be increased by such Loan Party to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of any required deduction or withholding (including any deductions or withholdings attributable to any payments required to be made under this Section 3.1), the Lender, Issuer or the Agent (as applicable), receives on the due date a net sum equal to what it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required or made; and (iv) within thirty days after paying any sum from which it is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty days after the due date of payment of any Tax which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, the Loan Party making such payments (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the other affected parties of such deduction or withholding and of the remittance thereof to the relevant Governmental Authority.

(c) Each Lender shall, at such times as are reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, provide the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with any documentation prescribed by Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent certifying as to any entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, any withholding Tax with respect to any payments to be made to such Lender under any Loan Document. Each such Lender shall, whenever a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders such documentation (including any specific documentation required below in this Section 3.1(c)) obsolete, expired or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver promptly to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of its inability to do so.

 

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Without limiting the foregoing:

(1) Each U.S. Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(2) Each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

(B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

(C) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or Section 881(c) of the Code, (A) two properly completed and duly signed certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit M (any such certificate, a “United States Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor forms),

(D) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Foreign Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), two properly completed duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Foreign Lender, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable United States Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, Form W-8IMY or any other required information (or any successor forms) from each beneficial owner that would be required under this Section 3.1(c) if such beneficial owner were a Lender, as applicable (provided that, if one or more beneficial owners are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the United States Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Foreign Lender on behalf of such beneficial owner), or

(E) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable U.S. federal income tax Laws (including the Treasury Regulations) as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, United States federal withholding tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents.

 

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(3) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including any successor provisions), such Lender shall deliver to Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and to determine whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under such Sections and, if necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause (c), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

(d) In addition to the payments by a Loan Party required by Section 3.1(b), the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

(e) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender, each Issuer and each Agent (each a “Tax Indemnitee”), within 20 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Non-Excluded Taxes paid or payable by such Tax Indemnitee that is imposed on or in respect of any payment under or with respect to any Loan Document, and any Other Taxes payable by such Tax Indemnitee (including Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.1), whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared in good faith and delivered by the Tax Indemnitee or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of another Tax Indemnitee, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(f) If and to the extent that a Tax Indemnitee, in its sole discretion (exercised in good faith), determines that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes in respect of which it has received additional payments under this Section 3.1, then such Tax Indemnitee shall pay to the relevant Loan Party the amount of such refund, net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Tax Indemnitee (including any Taxes imposed with respect to such refund), and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Tax Indemnitee, agrees to repay the amount paid over by the Tax Indemnitee (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Tax Indemnitee if the Tax Indemnitee is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) In the event that a Loan Party makes an indemnification payment to a Tax Indemnitee with respect to Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 3.1 or a Loan Party is required to repay to a Tax Indemnitee an amount in respect of a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes previously paid over to such Loan Party pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 3.1, such Tax Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with all reasonable requests of such Loan Party, at the sole expense of such Loan Party, if (i) in the reasonable judgment of the Tax Indemnitee such cooperation shall not subject such Tax

 

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Indemnitee, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed third party cost or expense or otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Tax Indemnitee and (ii) there is a reasonable basis for such Loan Party to contest with the applicable Governmental Authority the imposition of such Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes or the repayment of such refund. Any resulting refund shall be governed by Section 3.1(f). This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

SECTION 3.2 Illegality. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans and shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate with respect to any Base Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 3.3 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Requisite Lenders reasonably determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate

 

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for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Requisite Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

SECTION 3.4 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender) or any Issuer;

(ii) subject any Lender or any Issuer to any Tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the Issuer in respect thereof (except for any Excluded Taxes or any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes indemnified or otherwise paid under Section 3.1); or

(iii) impose on any Lender or any Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein, in each case that is not otherwise accounted for in this clause (a);

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, from time to time within fifteen (15) days after demand by such Lender or Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail such increased costs (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or any Issuer reasonably determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or such Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuer or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender or such Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail the charge and the calculation of such reduced rate of return (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuer or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or an Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 3.4 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.4 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.4 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180 day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

SECTION 3.5 Funding Losses. Upon written demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, which demand shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

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(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.7;

including any loss or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits or margin) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.

SECTION 3.6 Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.4, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, any Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or any Issuer pursuant to Section 3.1, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.2, then such Lender or such Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or such Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.4, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.2, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be in any material economic, legal or regulatory respect.

(b) Suspension of Lender Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under Section 3.4, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans from one Interest Period to another Interest Period, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.6(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

(c) Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans. If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in Sections 3.2, 3.3 or 3.4 hereof that gave rise to the conversion of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Loans no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurodollar Rate Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans of a given Class held by the Lenders of such Class holding Eurodollar Rate Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

 

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SECTION 3.7 Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances.

If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.4 or ceases to make Eurodollar Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.2 or Section 3.4, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.1, (iii) any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender or (iv) any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 12.2), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to one or more Eligible Assignees that shall assume such obligations (any of which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 12.2(b)(iv);

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.5) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) such Lender being replaced pursuant to this Section 3.7 shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans, and (ii) deliver any Revolving Credit Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or Administrative Agent (or a lost or destroyed note indemnity in lieu thereof); provided that the failure of any such Lender to execute an Assignment and Assumption or deliver such Revolving Credit Notes shall not render such sale and purchase (and the corresponding assignment) invalid and such assignment shall be recorded in the Register and the Revolving Credit Notes shall be deemed to be canceled upon such failure;

(d) pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption, (i) the Eligible Assignee shall acquire all or a portion, as the case may be, of the assigning Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and outstanding Loans, (ii) the Eligible Assignee shall purchase, at par, all Loans, accrued interest, accrued fees and other amounts owing to the assigning Lender as of the date of replacement and (iii) upon such payment (regardless of whether such replaced Lender has executed an Assignment and Assumption or delivered its Revolving Credit Notes to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), the Eligible Assignee shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Revolving Credit Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender;

(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.4 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.1, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(f) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

 

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In the event that (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent has requested that the Lenders consent to a departure or waiver of any provisions of the Loan Documents or agree to any amendment thereto, (ii) the consent, waiver or amendment in question requires the agreement of each Lender, all affected Lenders or all the Lenders or all affected Lenders with respect to a certain Class or Classes of the Loans and (iii) the Requisite Lenders or the requisite Lenders of the applicable Class or Classes of the Loans, have agreed to such consent, waiver or amendment, then any Lender who does not agree to such consent, waiver or amendment shall be deemed a “Non-Consenting Lender.”

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 3.8 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

SECTION 4.1 Conditions Precedent to Effective Date.

The effectiveness of this Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction or due waiver in accordance with Section 12.1 of each of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (the date on which such conditions are satisfied or waived being herein in accordance with Section 12.1 shall be the “Effective Date”):

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles or other electronic image scan transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif ” via e-mail) (in each case followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Ratification Agreement;

(ii) a Revolving Credit Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender that has requested a Note at least two (2) Business Days in advance of the Effective Date;

(iii) evidence that all UCC financing statements required by Law to be filed, registered or recorded to create or perfect the Lien of the Collateral Agent on the Collateral have been so filed, registered or recorded;

 

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(iv) such certificates of good standing from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, copies of each Loan Party’s Constituent Documents, certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the authority of each Loan Party to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party and the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party on the Effective Date;

(v) an opinion from Latham & Watkins LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1, and an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2;

(vi) a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the Refinancing Transactions) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit O;

(vii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents as of the Effective Date, has been obtained and is in effect and that the Collateral Agent has been named as lender loss payee and/or additional insured, as applicable, under each insurance policy with respect to such insurance as to which the Collateral Agent shall have requested to be so named;

(viii) copies of a recent Lien and judgment search in each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Loan Parties;

(ix) a Borrowing Base Certificate, certified as complete and correct in all material respects, which calculates the Borrowing Base as of the last Business Day of the most recent month ended at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Effective Date; and

(x) to the extent not previously delivered in connection with the Original Credit Agreement, copies of Credit Card Notifications which have been executed on behalf of such Loan Party to be delivered to such Loan Party’s Credit Card Processors listed on Schedule 8.12.

(b) All fees and expenses required to be paid hereunder and invoiced at least two (2) Business Days before the Effective Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower) shall have been paid in full in cash.

 

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(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence that (i) substantially concurrently with the funding under the Term Facility, an amount equal to $271,825,000 in principal amount of Senior Notes shall have been redeemed, and (ii) Borrower shall have received at least $725,000,000 in gross cash proceeds from borrowings under the Term Facility, and substantially concurrently therewith, all amounts due and owing under the Existing Term Facility shall have been repaid and the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the arrangements in place to ensure all Liens securing the Existing Term Facility shall have been terminated.

(d) The Intercreditor Agreement and the Term Facility Documentation required to be delivered under the Term Facility Credit Agreement on the Closing Date (as defined therein) shall have been duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, and shall be in full force and effect.

(e) After giving effect to the Refinancing Transactions, Excess Availability shall be not less than $200,000,000.

(f) The Arrangers shall have received (i) the Annual Financial Statements, (ii) the Quarterly Financial Statements.

(g) The Arrangers shall have received at least five days prior to the Effective Date all documentation and other information reasonably requested in writing by them at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Effective Date in order to allow the Arrangers and the Lenders to comply with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.3, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.1, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

SECTION 4.2 Conditions Precedent to Each Loan and Letter of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender on any date to make any Loan and of each Issuer on any date to Issue any Letter of Credit is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Request for Borrowing or Issuance of Letter of Credit. With respect to any Loan, the Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed Notice of Borrowing (or, in the case of Swing Loans, a duly executed Swing Loan Request), and, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuer shall have received a duly executed Letter of Credit Request.

 

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(b) Representations and Warranties; No Defaults. The following statements shall be true on the date of such Loan or Issuance, both immediately before and immediately after giving effect thereto and, in the case of any Loan, giving effect to the application of the proceeds thereof:

(i) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document (or, if the applicable Loan is being incurred in connection with a Revolving Commitment Increase the proceeds of which are to fund a Permitted Acquisition or similar permitted Investment, the Specified Representations) shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates; and

(ii) (x) except in the case of the initial Credit Extension on the Effective Date, no Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, and (y) no Event of Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

(c) Borrowing Base. After giving effect to the Loans or Letters of Credit requested to be made or Issued on any such date and the use of proceeds thereof, the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Maximum Credit at such time.

Each submission by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Borrowing or a Swing Loan Request and the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of each Loan requested therein, and each submission by the Borrower to an Issuer of a Letter of Credit Request, and the Issuance of each Letter of Credit requested therein, shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the conditions specified in clause (b) above have been satisfied on and as of the date of the making of such Loan or the Issuance of such Letter of Credit.

The conditions set forth in this Section 4.2 are for the sole benefit of the Secured Parties but until the Requisite Lenders otherwise direct the Administrative Agent to cease making Loans, the Lenders will fund their Applicable Percentage of all Loans and Letter of Credit Borrowings and participate in all Swing Loans and Letters of Credit whenever made or issued, which are requested by the Borrower and which, notwithstanding the failure of the Loan Parties to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.2, are agreed to by the Administrative Agent, provided, however, the making of any such Loans or the issuance of any Letters of Credit shall not be deemed a modification or waiver by any Secured Party of the provisions of this Section 4.2 on any future occasion or a waiver of any rights or the Secured Parties against the Loan Parties as a result of any such failure to comply.

 

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SECTION 4.3 Determinations of Effective Date Borrowing Conditions.

For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 4.1, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved, accepted or be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer of the Administrative Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the Borrowing on the Effective Date, borrowing of Swing Loans or Issuance or deemed Issuance hereunder specifying its objection thereto and such Lender shall not have made available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Borrowing or Swing Loans.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

To induce the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent to enter into this Agreement, each of Holdings and the Borrower represents and warrants each of the following to the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent, on and as of the Effective Date and after giving effect to the making of the Loans and the other financial accommodations on the Effective Date and on and as of each date as required by Section 4.2(b)(i):

SECTION 5.1 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Material Subsidiary (a) is a Person duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), (b) has all corporate or other organizational power and authority to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all applicable Laws, orders, writs, injunctions and orders and (e) has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case referred to in clause (c), (d) or (e), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.2 Authorization; No Contravention. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action. (b) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party nor the consummation of the Refinancing Transactions will (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Constituent Documents, (ii) result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Person or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than as permitted under Section 9.1) under (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any applicable Law; except with respect to any breach, contravention or violation (but not creation of Liens) referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent that such breach, contravention or violation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 5.3 Governmental Authorization. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for (i) filings necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings that have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect and (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.4 Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

SECTION 5.5 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) (i) The Annual Financial Statements and the Quarterly Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, (A) except as otherwise expressly noted therein and (B) subject, in the case of the Quarterly Financial Statements, to changes resulting from, normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(b) Since the Effective Date, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The forecasts of consolidated balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, copies of which have been furnished to the Administrative Agent prior to the Effective Date, and all Projections delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(d) have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time made, it being understood that projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and actual results may vary materially from such forecasts.

 

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SECTION 5.6 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Holdings, the Borrower, or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.7 Labor Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes or other labor disputes against any of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened and (b) since February 2, 2013, hours worked by and payment made based on hours worked to employees of each of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries have not been in material violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Laws dealing with wage and hour matters.

SECTION 5.8 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and except where the failure to have such title or other interest would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.9 Environmental Matters.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries and their respective operations is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (including having obtained all Environmental Permits) and (ii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has become subject to any pending, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened Environmental Claim or any other Environmental Liability.

(b) None of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has released, treated, stored, transported, arranged for transport or disposed of Hazardous Materials at or from any currently or formerly owned or operated real estate or facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.10 Taxes. Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (i) have timely filed all federal and state and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and (ii) have timely paid all federal and state and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges (including satisfying its withholding tax obligations) levied or imposed on their properties, income or assets or otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.

SECTION 5.11 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state Laws.

 

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(b) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan; (iii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 et seq. or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; (iv) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or has been determined to be in “endangered” or critical status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA) and no such Multiemployer Plan is expected to be insolvent or endangered or critical status, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.11(b), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except where noncompliance or the incurrence of an obligation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Foreign Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of any and all applicable laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders, and neither Holdings nor any Subsidiary has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign Plan.

SECTION 5.12 Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, neither Holdings nor any other Loan Party has any Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.12, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have been validly issued and are fully paid and (if applicable) nonassessable, and all Equity Interests owned by Holdings or any other Loan Party are owned free and clear of all security interests of any person except (i) those created under the Collateral Documents or under the Term Facility Documentation and secured Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation (which Liens shall be subject to the Intercreditor Agreement) and (ii) any nonconsensual Lien that is permitted under Section 9.1. As of the Effective Date, Schedule 5.12 (a) sets forth the name and jurisdiction of each Subsidiary, (b) sets forth the ownership interest of Holdings, the Borrower and any other Subsidiary in each Subsidiary, including the percentage of such ownership and (c) identifies each Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which are required to be pledged on the Effective Date pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

SECTION 5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) As of the Effective Date, none of the Collateral is comprised of any Margin Stock. No Loan Party is engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Federal Reserve Board), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, and no proceeds of any Borrowings will be used for any purpose that violates Regulation U.

 

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(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 5.14 Disclosure. None of the information and data heretofore or contemporaneously furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party to any Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) when taken as a whole contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make such information and data (taken as a whole), in the light of the circumstances under which it was delivered, not materially misleading; it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5.14, such information and data shall not include projections and pro forma financial information or information of a general economic or general industry nature.

SECTION 5.15 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or a valid license or right to use, all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, technology, software, know-how, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to have any such rights, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, the operation of the respective businesses of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon, misuse, misappropriate or violate any IP Rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misuses, misappropriations or violations individually or in the aggregate, that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No written claim or litigation regarding any IP Rights is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against any Loan Party or Subsidiary, that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.16 Solvency. After giving effect to the Refinancing Transactions, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, are Solvent.

SECTION 5.17 OFAC. Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, Affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.18 USA PATRIOT Act. To the extent applicable, each of Holdings and its Subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto and (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act. No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in any jurisdiction.

 

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SECTION 5.19 Collateral Documents. The provisions of the Collateral Documents, together with such filings and other actions required to be, and when, taken hereby or by the applicable Collateral Documents (including the delivery to Collateral Agent of any Pledged Debt and any Pledged Equity required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Collateral Documents), are, and will be, effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a legal, valid and enforceable first priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement) on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral described therein.

SECTION 5.20 Anti-Corruption Laws.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

SECTION 5.21 EEA Financial Institution.

No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE VI

FINANCIAL COVENANT

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuer), the Borrower agrees with the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent to the following:

SECTION 6.1 Minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

At any time that a Covenant Trigger Event shall be in effect, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the Test Period ending on the last day of the most recent Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b), as applicable, and each subsequent Test Period during the continuance of such Covenant Trigger Event, shall be not less than 1.0 to 1.0 and the Borrower shall immediately deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of the chief financial officer setting forth reasonably detailed calculations of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

 

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ARTICLE VII

REPORTING COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3) cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 7.1 Financial Statements, Etc.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender each of the following and shall take the following actions:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety-five (95) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Year, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Year together with related notes thereto and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities, management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the Term Facility, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), the Senior Notes and/or the TopCo Notes or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness);

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within fifty (50) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each of the first three (3) Fiscal Quarters of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Quarter, and the related (i) Consolidated statements of income or operations for such Fiscal Quarter and for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended and (ii) Consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form

 

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the figures for the corresponding Fiscal Quarter of the previous Fiscal Year and the corresponding portion of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (together with and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities’ management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations);

(c) as soon as available, but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each of the first two months of each Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such month, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows and a summary of Capital Expenditures, for such month and the elapsed portion of its Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding month of the previous Fiscal Year and the corresponding portion of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes, and so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities together with management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations;

(d) within ninety (90) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each Fiscal Year, a reasonably detailed Consolidated budget for the following Fiscal Year as customarily prepared by management of the Borrower for its internal use (including a projected Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following Fiscal Year, the related Consolidated statements of projected operations, projected cash flow, projected income and projected Excess Availability and setting forth the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) in each case on a monthly basis (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material;

(e) simultaneously with the delivery of each set of Consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) above, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such Consolidated financial statements; and

(f) quarterly, at a time mutually agreed with the Administrative Agent that is promptly after the delivery of the information required pursuant to clause (a) above and the information delivered pursuant to clause (b) above for each Fiscal Quarter, participate in a conference call for Lenders to discuss the financial condition and results of

 

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operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently-ended period for which financial statements have been delivered, which requirement may be satisfied by including the Lenders and the Administrative Agent on quarterly conference calls with the Term Facility Lenders or the noteholders in respect of the Senior Notes or any other debt securities of Holdings or the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 7.1 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower that holds all of the Equity Interests of the Borrower or (B) the Borrower’s or such entity’s Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that, with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Borrower (or such parent), on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 7.1(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit other than as permitted by Section 7.1(a).

SECTION 7.2 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender:

(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1(a) and Section 7.1(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower; provided that if such Compliance Certificate demonstrates an Event of Default of any financial covenant pursuant to Section 6.1, any of the Permitted Holders may deliver, prior to or together with such Compliance Certificate, a notice of their intent to cure (a “Notice of Intent to Cure”) pursuant to Section 10.4 to the extent permitted thereunder;

(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports, proxy statements and registration statements which Holdings or the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary files with the SEC or with any Governmental Authority that may be substituted therefor or with any national securities exchange, as the case may be (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8), and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 7.2;

(c) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statements or material reports furnished to any holder of any class or series of debt securities of any Loan Party having an aggregate outstanding principal amount greater than $35,000,000 or pursuant to the terms of the Term Facility Credit Agreement or the Senior Notes Indenture, in each case, so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereunder is greater than $35,000,000 and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 7.2;

 

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(d) together with the delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) and each Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 7.2(a), (i) a report setting forth the information required by Section 3.03(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Effective Date or the date of the last such report), (ii) a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last Fiscal Quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.9 and (iii) a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Effective Date and the date of the last such list;

(e) on the date on which the delivery of financial statements is required to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(a), the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent a description, in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of all material insurance coverage maintained by the Loan Parties, together with evidence thereof;

(f) prior to the making of any Specified Payment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and applicable Excess Availability as required pursuant to clauses (b) and (c) of the definitions of “Payment Conditions” or “RP Conditions,” as applicable, together with a certification that no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment, and in the case of a Permitted Acquisition, that the requirements of the definition of “Permitted Acquisition” have been satisfied;

(g) furnish to the Agents (i) prompt written notice of any change (A) in any Loan Party’s corporate name, (B) in any Loan Party’s identity or corporate structure or jurisdiction of formation or (C) in any Loan Party’s Federal Taxpayer Identification Number; and (ii) with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate, written notice of any change from the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate, (A) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, or (B) in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility);

(h) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1(a), Section 7.1(b)and Section 7.1(c), notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP);

 

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(i) concurrently with the delivery of each Borrowing Base Certificate pursuant to Section 7.4, notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent but only to the extent that such changes materially affect the calculation of the Borrowing Base (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP);

(j) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, legal, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b) or Section 7.2(c) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 12.8; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 12.17); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information”; and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”

 

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SECTION 7.3 Notices.

Promptly after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent who shall promptly thereafter notify each Lender:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

(b) of (i) any dispute, litigation, investigation or proceeding between any Loan Party and any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, (ii) the filing or commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws or in respect of IP Rights, the occurrence of any noncompliance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with, or liability under, any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit, or (iii) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, in any such case referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) any termination, withdrawal or resignation of Holdings’ or any Borrowers’ Registered Public Accounting Firm.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Section 7.3(a), (b) or (c) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 7.4 Borrowing Base Certificate.

(a) Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with the following documents in a form and detail reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent as soon as possible after the end of each calendar month (but in any event within fifteen (15) Business Days after the end thereof) for prompt further distribution to each Lender: a Borrowing Base Certificate setting forth the calculation of the Borrowing Base and of Excess Availability as of the last Business Day of the immediately preceding calendar month, duly completed and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, together with all schedules required pursuant to the terms of the Borrowing Base Certificate duly completed (such certification, a “Monthly Borrowing Base Certificate”); provided that the Borrower may elect, at its option, to deliver more frequent Borrowing Base Certificates, in which case such Borrowing Base Certificates shall be computed in accordance with the requirements in respect of Borrowing Base Certificates required to be delivered during the continuance of a Weekly Monitoring Event and the Borrower shall continue to deliver Borrowing Base Certificates on a weekly basis until January 15th of the next succeeding calendar year.

 

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(b) At any time during the occurrence and continuation of a Weekly Monitoring Event, the Borrower shall furnish a Borrowing Base Certificate calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the immediately preceding calendar week, on Wednesday of each week (or, if Wednesday is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day).

(c) The Borrower shall also cooperate with (and cause its Subsidiaries to cooperate with) the Administrative Agent, in connection with appraisals of Inventory that shall be in form and detail and from third-party appraisers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (each, an “Inventory Appraisal”) for the purpose of determining the amount of the Borrowing Base attributable to Inventory; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, (x) (i) one (1) Inventory Appraisal during any twelve month period, (ii) at any time on or after the date on which Excess Availability has been less than the greater of (A) $55,000,000 and (B) 20% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, two (2) Inventory Appraisals in any twelve month period, and (iii) at any time during the continuation of a Specified Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, Inventory Appraisals as frequently as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion and (y) in addition to the foregoing clause (x), the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Lenders’ expense, one (1) additional Inventory Appraisal in any twelve month period. The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent any information that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request regarding the determination and calculation of the Borrowing Base including correct and complete copies of any invoices, underlying agreements, instruments or other documents and the identity of all Account Debtors in respect of Accounts referred to therein.

(d) The Administrative Agent may carry out investigations and reviews of each Loan Party’s property at the reasonable expense of the Borrower (including field audits conducted by the Administrative Agent) (“Field Examination”); provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, (x) (i) one (1) Field Examination in any twelve month period, (ii) at any time on or after the date on which Excess Availability has been less than the greater of (A) $55,000,000 and (B) 20% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, two (2) Field Examinations in any twelve month period, and (iii) at any time during the continuation of a Specified Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, Field Examinations as frequently as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion and (y) in addition to the foregoing clause (x), the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Lenders’ expense, one (1) additional Field Examination in any calendar year. The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent any information that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request regarding the determination and calculation of the Borrowing Base including correct and complete copies of any invoices, underlying agreements, instruments or other documents and the identity of all Account Debtors in respect of Accounts referred to therein.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall, and shall cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 8.1 Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) take all reasonable action to obtain, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clause (a) or (b) to the extent (other than with respect to the preservation of the existence of Holdings and the Borrower) that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or is pursuant to any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or Disposition permitted by Article IX.

SECTION 8.2 Compliance with Laws, Etc.

Comply in all material respects with its Constituent Documents and the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected individually or in the aggregate to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 8.3 Designation of Subsidiaries.

The board of directors of the Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such designation for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 is less than or equal to 5.25 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (and, as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of any such designation, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations demonstrating satisfaction of such test) and (iii) no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, after such designation, it would be a “Restricted Subsidiary” for the purpose of the Term Facility, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing or any other Indebtedness for borrowed money of any Loan Party in a principal

 

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amount in excess of $35,000,000. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary after the Effective Date may not be subsequently re-designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 8.4 Payment of Taxes, Etc.

Timely pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy, as the same shall become due and payable, all of its obligations and liabilities in respect of taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its property, except, in each case, to the extent (i) any such tax, assessment, charge or levy is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP or (ii) the failure to pay or discharge the same would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 8.5 Maintenance of Insurance.

Maintain with insurance companies that the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of its management) are financially sound and reputable at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, 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 (after giving effect to any self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons , and will furnish to the Lenders, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. Each such policy of insurance shall, as appropriate, (i) name the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and/or (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent that names the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as the loss payee thereunder.

 

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SECTION 8.6 Inspection Rights.

In addition to the requirements pursuant to Section 7.4, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants (subject to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures), all at the reasonable expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 8.6 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two (2) times during any calendar year absent the existence of an Event of Default and only one (1) such time shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided further that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8.6, none of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (a) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (b) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by Law or any bona fide arm’s length third party contract, or (c) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

SECTION 8.7 Books and Records.

Maintain proper books of record and account, in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

SECTION 8.8 Maintenance of Properties.

Except if the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment used in the operation of its business in good working order, repair and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and casualty or condemnation excepted.

SECTION 8.9 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Loans only in compliance with (and not in contravention of) applicable Laws and each Loan Document, including to refinance Indebtedness in connection with the Refinancing Transactions and to pay costs and expenses relating thereto.

 

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SECTION 8.10 Compliance with Environmental Laws.

Except, in each case, to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) comply, and take all reasonable actions to cause any lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; (b) obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and, (c) in each case to the extent required by applicable Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, in accordance with the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws.

SECTION 8.11 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security.

At the Borrower’s expense, subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitation in any Collateral Document, take all action necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement continues to be satisfied, including, upon (x) the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary (in each case, other than an Excluded Subsidiary) by any Loan Party, the designation in accordance with Section 8.3 of any existing direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Subsidiary becoming a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary or (y) the acquisition of any material assets by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or (z) with respect to any Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Loan Party, for any material assets held by such Subsidiary (in each case, other than assets constituting Collateral under a Collateral Document that becomes subject to the Lien created by such Collateral Document upon acquisition thereof (without limitation of the obligations to perfect such Lien)):

(a) within forty-five (45) days after such formation, acquisition or designation or, in each case, such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion:

(i) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent Security Agreement Supplements, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other security agreements and documents, as reasonably requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (consistent with the Security Agreement, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other Collateral Documents in effect on the Effective Date), in each case granting Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(ii) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to deliver any and all certificates representing Equity Interests (to the extent certificated) that are required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank (or any other documents customary under local law) and instruments evidencing the intercompany Indebtedness held by such Material Domestic Subsidiary and required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents, indorsed in blank to the Collateral Agent;

 

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(iii) (1) take and cause any applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary and each direct or indirect parent of such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to take whatever action (including the filing of UCC financing statements and delivery of stock and membership interest certificates to the extent certificated) may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, enforceable against all third parties in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law and (2) comply with the requirements of Section 8.12 with respect to all Deposit Accounts; and

(b) within forty-five (45) days after the request therefor by the Administrative Agent (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), deliver to the Administrative Agent a signed copy of an opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, of counsel for the Loan Parties reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to such matters set forth in this Section 8.11 as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

SECTION 8.12 Cash Receipts.

(a) Use commercially reasonable efforts to enter into as soon as possible, and in any event on or prior to the date that occurs ninety (90) days after the Effective Date (or such longer period following such date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), enter into an effective account control agreement (a “Deposit Account Control Agreement”) with each Approved Account Bank, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with respect to each Deposit Account in which material amounts (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) of funds of any of the Loan Parties are concentrated (including those existing as of the Effective Date and listed on Schedule 8.12 attached hereto, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, petty cash, payroll, trust and tax withholding accounts) (collectively, all Deposit Accounts required to become subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement being referred to as the “Material Bank Accounts”).

(b) Each Loan Party shall (i) instruct each Account Debtor or other Person obligated to make a payment to any of them under any Account to make payment, or to continue to make payment, to an Approved Deposit Account, (ii) deposit in (A) a Store Account all Cash Receipts received in the Stores, and (B) an Approved Deposit Account promptly upon receipt all other Cash Receipts (as defined below) received by any Loan Party from any other Person, (iii) deliver to the Administrative Agent, on the Effective Date, Credit Card Notifications and (iv) instruct each depository institution for a Deposit Account (including, without limitation, Store Accounts) to cause all amounts on deposit and available at the close of each Business Day in such Deposit Account to be swept to one of the Loan Parties’ Approved Deposit Accounts no less frequently than on a daily basis, such instructions to be irrevocable unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent; provided that the Loan Parties shall not be required to sweep, and may maintain, an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 in the aggregate in all of the Store Accounts. So long as no Cash Dominion Period is continuing, the Loan Parties may direct, and shall have sole control over, the manner of disposition of funds in the Approved Deposit Accounts, in each case subject to the other provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

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(c) Each Credit Card Notification and Deposit Account Control Agreement shall require (without further consent of the Loan Parties), and the Loan Parties shall cause, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, the ACH or wire transfer no less frequently than daily (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations) to the concentration account maintained at Bank of America (or at another financial institution acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) by and in the name of the Borrower (the “Concentration Account”), of all cash receipts and collections, including, without limitation, the following (collectively, the “Cash Receipts”):

(i) all available cash receipts from the sale of Inventory and other Collateral or casualty insurance proceeds arising from any of the foregoing;

(ii) all proceeds of collections of Accounts (including, without limitation, Credit Card Receivables);

(iii) the then contents of each Deposit Account (including, without limitation, any Approved Deposit Account subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement and any Store Account) (net of any minimum balance as may be required to be kept in the subject Deposit Account by the institution at which such Deposit Account is maintained);

(iv) the cash proceeds of all credit card charges; and

(v) all cash proceeds of any other Collateral.

(d) The Concentration Account shall at all times be under the sole dominion and control of the Collateral Agent. The Loan Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that (i) the Loan Parties have no right of withdrawal from the Concentration Account, (ii) the funds on deposit in the Concentration Account shall at all times be collateral security for all of the Obligations, and (iii) the funds on deposit in the Concentration Account shall be applied as provided in this Agreement and in the Intercreditor Agreement. In the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8.12, any Loan Party receives or otherwise has dominion and control of any such proceeds or collections during a Cash Dominion Period, such proceeds and collections shall be held in trust by such Loan Party for the Collateral Agent, shall not be commingled with any of such Loan Party’s other funds or deposited in any account of such Loan Party and shall, not later than the Business Day after receipt thereof, be deposited into the Concentration Account or dealt with in such other fashion as such Loan Party may be instructed by the Administrative Agent. Any amounts received in the Concentration Account at any time when all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full shall be remitted to the operating account of the Loan Parties maintained with the Administrative Agent.

 

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(e) From and after the Effective Date, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Loan Documents, each Loan Party shall maintain all Material Bank Accounts with the Administrative Agent or another financial institution reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent that has executed and delivered such Deposit Account Control Agreements in respect of each such Material Bank Account.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall promptly (but in any event shall use its commercially reasonable efforts within one (1) Business Day to) furnish written notice to each Approved Account Bank at which any Approved Deposit Account which is subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement is maintained) of any termination of a Cash Dominion Period.

SECTION 8.13 Further Assurances.

Subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitations in any Collateral Document and in each case at the expense of the Loan Parties:

(a) Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or as may be required by applicable law (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral, and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents;

(b) In the event that any Loan Parties grants a Lien permitted under Section 9.1 hereof on any property which does not constitute Current Asset Collateral, or in the event that any Loan Party Disposes of any such property used or useful in connection with the Current Asset Collateral, the Loan Parties shall, upon the request of the Collateral Agent, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Lienholder or such purchaser or transferee, as applicable, to execute and deliver an agreement in favor of the Collateral Agent granting the Collateral Agent the right to use such property on terms and for periods of time substantially consistent with the provisions of Section 3.6 of the Intercreditor Agreement.

ARTICLE IX

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall not (and, with respect to Section 9.13, only Holdings shall not), nor shall the Borrower permit any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

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SECTION 9.1 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 9.1(b);

(c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP;

(d) statutory or common law Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens or other customary Liens (other than in respect of Indebtedness) in favor of landlords, so long as, in each case, such Liens arise in the ordinary course of business that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or, if more than thirty (30) days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(e) (i) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, and (ii) pledges and deposits in the ordinary course of business securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and title defects affecting real property that, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the use of the property for its intended purpose;

(h) Liens arising from judgments or orders for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 10.1(g);

 

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(i) (i) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(e); provided that (A) such Liens attach concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after completion of the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (as applicable) of the property subject to such Liens, (B) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, replacements thereof and additions and accessions to such property and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits, (C) such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for additions and accessions to such assets, replacements and products thereof and customary security deposits) other than the assets subject to, or acquired, constructed, repaired, replaced or improved with the proceeds of such Indebtedness; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender, and (D) if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Loan Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the holder of such Lien to enter into a Collateral Access Agreement, and (ii) Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries that are Non-Loan Parties securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to Section 9.3(l);

(j) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

(k) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Liens (i) on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 9.2(i) or Section 9.2(m) to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or (ii) consisting of an agreement to Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 9.5, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(m) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(n) Liens on property of any Foreign Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Sections 9.3(b), (l), (r) or (v);

(o) Liens in favor of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(d);

(p) Liens existing on property (other than Current Asset Collateral unless the Liens thereon are subordinated to the Lien of the Collateral Agent in a manner consistent with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement) at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.3), in each

 

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case after the Effective Date (other than Liens on the Equity Interests of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after-acquired property of such acquired Restricted Subsidiary), and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 9.3(e) or (v);

(q) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor or secured by a lessor’s, sublessor’s, licensor’s or sublicensor’s interest under leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or licenses entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(r) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(s) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under Section 9.2 and reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(t) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement not prohibited hereunder;

(u) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are located;

(v) purported Liens evidenced by the filing of precautionary UCC financing statements or similar public filings;

(w) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(p) and other obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Cash Management Obligation (in each case, as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) permitted under Section 9.3(p), which Liens shall be subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement (or, in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect thereof, another intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement);

(x) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-208 of the UCC on the items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodities brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(y) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

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(z) the modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Lien permitted by clauses (b), (i) and (o) of this Section 9.1; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(e), and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens is permitted by Section 9.3;

(aa) rights of set-off against credit balances of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors or amounts owing by such Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, but not rights of set-off against any other property or assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the agreements with such Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors (as in effect on the date hereof) to secure the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors as a result of fees and chargebacks;

(bb) without duplication of, or aggregation with, any other Lien permitted under any other clause of this Section 9.1, other Liens (not covering Current Asset Collateral unless the Liens thereon are subordinated to the Lien of the Collateral Agent in a manner consistent with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement) securing Indebtedness permitted under (i) Section 9.3(s) (subject to the requirements set forth therein) or (ii) any other clause contained in Section 9.3 outstanding in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of $40,000,000 and 2.00% of Total Assets at any time outstanding;

(cc) deposits of cash with the owner or lessor of premises leased and operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and such Subsidiary to secure the performance of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under the terms of the lease for such premises; and

(dd) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks or other financial institutions not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness or (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

SECTION 9.2 Investments.

Make or hold any Investments, except:

(a) Investments by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in assets that are cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

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(b) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof; provided that, to the extent such loans or advances are made in cash, the amount of such loans and advances used to acquire such Equity Interests shall be contributed to Holdings in cash) and (iii) for any other purpose, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding under this clause (b) not to exceed $17,500,000;

(c) Investments (i) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, (ii) by any Non-Loan Party in any other Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) by any Non-Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and (iv) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.2, by any Loan Party in any Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) any such Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) in the form of intercompany loans shall be evidenced by notes that have been pledged (individually or pursuant to a global note) to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders (it being understood and agreed that any Investments permitted under this clause (iv) that are not so evidenced as of the Effective Date are not required to be so evidenced and pledged until the date that is sixty (60) days after the Effective Date (or such later date as may be acceptable to the Administrative Agent)) and (B) the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) shall not exceed $22,500,000 at any time outstanding unless the Payment Conditions have been met at the time of, and after giving effect to, each such Investment (in which event the $22,500,000 limit shall not apply to such Investment);

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments consisting of Liens, Indebtedness, fundamental changes, Dispositions and Restricted Payments permitted under Sections 9.1, 9.3 (other than 9.3(c)(ii) or (d)), 9.4 (other than 9.4(c)(ii), or (e)), 9.5 (other than 9.5(d) or (e)) and 9.6 (other than 9.6(d) or (g)(iv)), respectively;

(f) Investments existing on the date hereof or made pursuant to legally binding written contracts in existence on the date hereof, in each case, set forth on Schedule 9.2(f) and any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension of any of the foregoing; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 9.2(f) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Effective Date except pursuant to the terms of such Investment as of the Effective Date or as otherwise permitted by another clause of this Section 9.2;

(g) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 9.3;

 

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(h) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration that is permitted to be received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 9.5;

(i) Permitted Acquisitions;

(j) Investments made to effect the Transaction;

(k) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment;

(l) loans and advances to Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to Holdings (or such direct or indirect parent) in accordance with Section 9.6(f) or (g);

(m) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.2, other Investments that do not exceed $22,500,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding, determined as of the date of such Investment;

(n) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

(o) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof)

(p) Investments held by a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Effective Date or of a Person merged into the Borrower or merged or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 9.4 after the Effective Date (other than existing Investments in subsidiaries of such Subsidiary or Person, which must comply with the requirements of Section 9.2(i) or (m)) to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

(q) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of UCC Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(r) Investments made by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the extent such Investments are financed with the proceeds received by such Restricted Subsidiary from an Investment made pursuant to clauses (c)(iv), (i) or (m) of this Section 9.2;

 

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(s) Guarantees by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(t) Investments received in connection with (i) a Disposition permitted by Section 9.5(m) or (ii) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 9.6(k); and

(u) without duplication of, or aggregation with, any Investment made under any other clause of this Section 9.2, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make other Investments as long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto.

SECTION 9.3 Indebtedness.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or issue any Disqualified Equity Interest, other than:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) (i) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof set forth on Schedule 9.3(b) and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (ii) intercompany Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Non-Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(c) (i) Guarantees by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries otherwise permitted hereunder (except that a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may not, by virtue of this Section 9.3(c), Guarantee Indebtedness that such Restricted Subsidiary could not otherwise incur under this Section 9.3); provided that (A) no Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary of any Junior Financing shall be permitted unless such Restricted Subsidiary shall have also provided a Guarantee of the Obligations substantially on the terms set forth in the Guaranty, and (B) if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness, and (ii) any Guaranty by a Loan Party of Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that would have been permitted as an Investment by such Loan Party in such Restricted Subsidiary under Section 9.2(c);

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries owing to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary to the extent constituting an Investment permitted by Section 9.2; provided that (i) all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement and (ii) in the event of any such Indebtedness in respect of the sale, transfer or assignment of Current Asset Collateral, such Indebtedness shall be duly noted on the books and records of the Loan Parties as being owing in respect of Current Asset Collateral;

 

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(e) (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Capitalized Leases) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after the applicable acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate principal amount pursuant to this sub-clause (i) not to exceed the greater of $55,000,000 and 2.50% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions (other than sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets) with respect to properties acquired after the Effective Date and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate amount outstanding pursuant to this sub-clause (ii) at any time not to exceed the greater of (x) $55,000,000 and (y) 2.50% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, and (iii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(f) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts designed to hedge against Holdings, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s exposure to interest rates, foreign exchange rates or commodities pricing risks incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and Guarantees thereof;

(g) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Indebtedness to current or former officers, directors, managers, consultants and employees, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) permitted by Section 9.6;

(i) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in a Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case to the extent constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earn-outs) or other similar adjustments;

(j) Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred compensation or other similar arrangements with employees incurred by such Person in connection with the Transaction and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

(k) Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections, employee credit card programs and other cash management and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees thereof;

(l) Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $75,000,000 and 3.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence); provided that a maximum of the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence) in aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness may be incurred by Non-Loan Parties;

 

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(m) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(n) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(o) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(p) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed (i) $725,000,000 at any time outstanding under the Term Facility plus (ii) the amount of (A) the Maximum Incremental Amount, (B) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, (C) Secured Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements, and (D) Obligations under Secured Cash Management Agreements (in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D), as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) at any time outstanding and not incurred in violation of Section 9.3(f), in each case and, in respect of clauses (i) and (ii), any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(q) (i) Indebtedness in respect of the Senior Notes (including any guarantees thereof) and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(r) Indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness of all such Foreign Subsidiaries incurred pursuant to this clause (r) and then outstanding, does not exceed the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence);

(s) other secured, unsecured or subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof), so long as (A) the Payment Conditions shall have been satisfied after giving effect thereto, (B) the maturity date and Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Indebtedness is at least six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, and (C) if such Indebtedness is secured, (i) any such Liens with respect to any Current Asset Collateral shall be junior to the Liens securing the Obligations and (ii) such Indebtedness is subject to an intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement;

 

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(t) Reserved;

(u) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit issued for the account of any of the Subsidiaries of Holdings to finance the purchase of Inventory so long as (x) such Indebtedness is unsecured, and (y) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed $40,000,000 at any time;

(v) Indebtedness (i) of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof, which Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and is not incurred in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary that is non-recourse to the Borrower, Holdings or any other Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary of such Person that is a Subsidiary on the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof) and is either (A) unsecured or (B) secured only by the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary by Liens permitted under Section 9.1(p) and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and (ii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition that is secured only by Liens permitted under Section 9.1(p) (and any Permitted Refinancing of the foregoing) and so long as the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness and all Indebtedness resulting from any Permitted Refinancing thereof at any time outstanding pursuant to clause (v)(ii) does not exceed $55,000,000; and

(w) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (a) through (v) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Restricted Subsidiary that is a Non-Loan Party will guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money of a Loan Party unless such Restricted Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor.

For purposes of determining compliance with any Dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the Dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance, such 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 extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased.

 

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The principal amount of any non-interest bearing Indebtedness or other discount security constituting Indebtedness at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the Borrower dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Term Facility (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof) may only be incurred pursuant to Section 9.3(p).

SECTION 9.4 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that:

(a) Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with the Borrower (including a merger, the purpose of which is to reorganize the Borrower into a new jurisdiction); provided that (x) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (y) such merger or consolidation does not result in the Borrower ceasing to be organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (z) in the case of a merger or consolidation of Holdings with and into the Borrower, Holdings shall not be an obligor in respect of any Qualified Holding Company Debt or other Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall not be an obligor in respect of any Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall have no direct Subsidiaries at the time of such merger or consolidation other than the Borrower and, after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, the direct parent of the Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(b) (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party, (iii) any merger the sole purpose of which is to reincorporate or reorganize a Loan Party in another jurisdiction in the United States shall be permitted and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or change its legal form if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv) of this paragraph (b), that (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom, (B) no Change of Control shall result therefrom and (C) the surviving Person (or, with respect to clause (iv), the Person who receives the assets of such dissolving or liquidated Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) shall be a Loan Party;

(c) any Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than clause (e) thereof) and must be a permitted Disposition in accordance with Section 9.5;

 

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(d) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (A) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, (B) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Guaranty confirmed that its Guarantee of the Obligations shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (D) each Loan Party, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Security Agreement confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, and (E) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement;

(e) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)); provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the applicable requirements of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13; and

(f) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or Disposition, the purpose of which is to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 9.5 (other than Section 9.5(e)).

SECTION 9.5 Dispositions. Make any Disposition except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete, worn out, used or surplus property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) Dispositions of inventory and goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Current Asset Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Current Asset Collateral.

(d) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party (i) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)) or (iii) to the extent constituting a Disposition to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such Disposition is for fair value and any promissory note or other non-cash consideration received in respect thereof is a permitted investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)); provided that if the property being disposed of constitutes Current Asset Collateral and is being transferred to a Subsidiary which is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, such disposition shall be made only if the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto;

(e) Dispositions permitted by Sections 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)), 9.4 (other than Section 9.4(g)) and 9.6 (other than Section 9.6(d)) and Liens permitted by Section 9.1(other than Section 9.1(l)(ii));

(f) Dispositions of property (other than Current Asset Collateral) pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions;

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

(h) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(i) Dispositions of property other than Current Asset Collateral subject to Casualty Events (as such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement);

(j) Dispositions of property (other than Current Asset Collateral) not otherwise permitted under this Section 9.5; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no Default exists), no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition; (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (j) for a purchase price in excess of $15,000,000, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than nonconsensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and Liens permitted by Sections 9.1(a), (m), (s), (t), (x), (w), (dd)(i) and (dd)(ii);and (iii) if the property continues to be

 

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used by the Loan Parties in the conduct of their business and holds any Current Asset Collateral on the premises thereof, and if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Loan Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the transferee of such property to enter into a Collateral Access Agreement; provided, however, that for the purposes of clause (ii), (A) any liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, (B) any securities received by such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by such Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value (as determined by the Borrower in good faith), taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% 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 be deemed to be cash; and (iv) proceeds of such Dispositions are applied in accordance with the Term Facility Credit Agreement;

(k) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

(l) bulk sales or other dispositions of the Inventory of a Borrower not in the ordinary course of business in connection with Store closings, at arm’s length, provided, that such Store closures and related Inventory dispositions shall not exceed (i) in any Fiscal Year, twenty percent (20%) of the number of the Borrowers’ Stores as of the beginning of such Fiscal Year (net of new Store openings) and (ii) in the aggregate from and after the Effective Date, fifty percent (50%) of the number of the Borrowers’ Stores in existence as of the Effective Date (net of new Store openings), provided further that all sales of Inventory in connection with store closings shall be in accordance with liquidation agreements and with professional liquidators reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, provided further that all Net Cash Proceeds received in connection therewith are applied to the Obligations if then required in accordance with Section 2.9 hereof;

(m) the unwinding of any Swap Contract;

(n) the lapse or abandonment in the ordinary course of business of any registrations or applications for registration of any IP Rights;

(o) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code (or comparable or successor provision), any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon permitted by such provision) for use in any business conducted by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not in contravention of Section 9.7;

 

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(p) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof, provided that no disposition of Eligible Accounts shall be permitted pursuant to this clause (p) unless the Borrower shall have (i) delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice of such disposition in reasonable detail and (ii) if requested by the Administrative Agent, delivered to the Administrative Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate;

(q) sales or other dispositions by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets in connection with the closing or sale of a Store (including a factory Store) in the ordinary course of the business of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary which consist of leasehold interests in the premises of such Store, the equipment and fixtures located at such premises and the books and records relating exclusively and directly to the operations of such Store (but excluding any Current Asset Collateral); provided that as to each and all such sales and closings, (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom and (B) such sale shall be on commercially reasonable prices and terms in a bona fide arm’s length transaction; and

(r) so long as no Event of Default is continuing, Dispositions of Cash Equivalents.

provided that any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 9.5 (except pursuant to Sections 9.5(a), (e), (i), (k), (m) and (o) and except for Dispositions from the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party), shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition as determined by the Borrower in good faith. To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 9.5 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, upon the certification by the Borrower that such Disposition is permitted by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

SECTION 9.6 Restricted Payments.

Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

(a) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower and to its other Restricted Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, to the Borrower and any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests);

(b) the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests not otherwise permitted by Section 9.3) of such Person;

 

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(c) [reserved];

(d) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)), 9.4 (other than a merger or consolidation of Holdings and the Borrower) or 9.8 (other than Section 9.8(a), (j) or (k));

(e) repurchases of Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or similar rights if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants or similar rights;

(f) the Borrower may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow Holdings or the direct parent of Holdings to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of Holdings (or of any direct or indirect parent thereof) held by any future, present or former employee, director, consultant or distributor (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of Holdings (or the direct or indirect parent of Holdings), the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee or director stock option plan or any other employee or director benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, director, consultant or distributor of Holdings (or the direct or indirect parent of Holdings), the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount after the Effective Date together with the aggregate amount of loans and advances to Holdings made pursuant to Section 9.2(l) in lieu of Restricted Payments permitted by this clause (f) not to exceed $17,500,000 in any calendar year with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to the next two succeeding calendar years; provided, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Effective Date;

(g) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to Holdings (or to the direct parent of Holdings):

(i) the proceeds of which will be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct parent of Holdings to pay) the tax liability to each foreign, federal, state or local jurisdiction in respect of which a consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated return is filed by Holdings (or the direct parent of Holdings) that includes the activities of the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries, to the extent such tax liability does not exceed the lesser of (A) the taxes that would have been payable by the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries as a stand-alone group with the Borrower the regarded corporate parent of the group

 

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and (B) the actual tax liability of Holdings’ consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated group (or, if Holdings is not the parent of the actual group, the taxes that would have been paid by Holdings, the Borrower and/or the Borrower’s Subsidiaries as a stand-alone group with Holdings the regarded corporate parent of the group), reduced by any such taxes paid or to be paid directly by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;

(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct parent of Holdings to pay) the operating costs and expenses of Holdings (or its direct or indirect parent) incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business, attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(iii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay franchise taxes and other fees, taxes and expenses required to maintain its (or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings’) corporate existence;

(iv) to finance any Investment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 9.2; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) Holdings and the Borrower shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be contributed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 9.4) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 9.2;

(v) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent of Holdings to pay) costs, fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement; and

(vi) the proceeds of which (A) shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of Holdings (or the direct parent of Holdings) to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or (B) shall be used to make payments permitted under Sections 9.8(e), (k) and (p) (but, in the case of this clause (B), only to the extent such payments have not been and are not expected to be made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary), or (C) shall be used to make payments permitted under Section 9.8(h);

 

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(h) Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries may pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition;

(i) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Borrower’s common stock following the first public offering of the Borrower’s common stock or the common stock of any of its direct or indirect parents after the Effective Date, of up to 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by or contributed to the Borrower in or from any such public offering, other than public offerings with respect to the Borrower’s common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;

(j) repurchases of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur on the exercise of options by the delivery of Equity Interests in satisfaction of the exercise price of such options and (ii) in consideration of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing), including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options;

(k) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.6, other Restricted Payments that, together with any prepayment, redemption, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness made pursuant to Section 9.11(ii), do not exceed the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets (determined at the time of such Restricted Payment) in the aggregate at any time outstanding, so long as the Payment Conditions shall have been satisfied after giving effect thereto;

(l) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) in an amount equal to regularly scheduled payments of interest on the TopCo Notes (including any refinancing thereof);

(m) so long as (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) the Net Leverage Ratio after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of the subject Restricted Payments (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 4.90 to 1.0, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) from the proceeds of Permitted Ratio Debt, Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as each such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) in an aggregate amount equal to the principal amount required for the repurchase, redemption, retirement or other satisfaction of the TopCo Notes, and any premium, fees, costs or expenses associated therewith; provided that, no such Restricted Payment may be made with the proceeds of Incremental Loans or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as each such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) unless the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 3.60 to 1.0; and

 

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(n) other Restricted Payments so long as the RP Conditions shall have been satisfied.

SECTION 9.7 Change in Nature of Business.

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Effective Date or any business reasonably related or ancillary thereto.

SECTION 9.8 Transactions with Affiliates.

Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of any Loan Party, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, in excess of $10,000,000, other than:

(a) transactions between or among (i) the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction, and (ii) the Loan Parties,

(b) transactions on terms substantially as favorable to such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,

(c) the Transaction and the payment of fees and expenses (including the Transaction Expenses) related to the Transaction,

(d) the issuance of Equity Interests of Holdings to any officer, director, employee or consultant of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in connection with the Transaction,

(e) (x) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees accrued in any prior year) and any Sponsor Termination Fees pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement; provided, that any such management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees not paid due to the existence of any such Event of Default or otherwise deferred (i) shall continue to accrue notwithstanding the existence of any such Event of Default and (ii) may be paid when no such Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately arise as a result of such payment and (y) indemnities and expenses to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid indemnities and expenses accrued in any prior year),

(f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business and transactions pursuant to stock option plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements,

 

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(g) the non-exclusive licensing of trademarks, copyrights or other IP Rights in the ordinary course of business to permit the commercial exploitation of IP Rights between or among Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Holdings or the Borrower,

(h) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, officers and employees of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(i) any agreement, instrument or arrangement as in effect as of the Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 9.8, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the Effective Date),

(j) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 9.6,

(k) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, customary payments by the Borrower and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith; provided, that any such customary payments not paid due to the existence of any such Event of Default or otherwise deferred (i) shall continue to accrue (to the extent applicable) notwithstanding the existence of any such Event of Default and (ii) may be paid when no such Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately arise as a result of such payment,

(l) transactions in which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of clause (b) of this Section 9.8,

(m) the issuance or transfer of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings to any Permitted Holder or to any former, current or future director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent thereof to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement and to the extent such issuance or transfer would not give rise to a Change of Control,

 

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(n) investments by the Sponsor or the Co-Investors in securities of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries so long as (A) the investment is being offered generally to other investors on the same or more favorable terms and (B) the investment constitutes less than 5.0% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities,

(o) payments to or from, and transactions with, Joint Ventures (to the extent any such Joint Venture is only an Affiliate as a result of Investments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiary in such Joint Venture) in the ordinary course of business to the extent otherwise permitted under Section 9.2,

(p) the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to registration rights and indemnities provided to shareholders of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof pursuant to the stockholders agreement or the registration and participation rights agreement entered into on the Effective Date in connection therewith,

(q) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments pursuant thereto, to the extent permitted by
Section
 9.6(g)(i),

(r) the payment of any dividend or distribution within sixty (60) days after the date of declaration thereof, if at the date of declaration (i) such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) no Event of Default occurred and was continuing, and

(s) to the extent not otherwise prohibited under this Agreement, payments by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any of their respective Indebtedness or Equity Interests that are payable to holders of such Indebtedness or Equity Interests generally (including Affiliates that may from time to time own such Indebtedness or Equity Interests).

SECTION 9.9 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that prohibits, restricts, imposes any condition on or limits the ability of (a) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to make Restricted Payments to (directly or indirectly) or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or to Guarantee the Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or (b) any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person for the benefit of the Lenders with respect to the Facility and the Obligations under the Loan Documents; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations that:

(i) (x) exist on the date hereof and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 9.9) are listed on Schedule 9.9 hereto and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such Contractual Obligation,

 

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(ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary,

(iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party that is permitted by Section 9.3,

(iv) (A) are customary restrictions that arise in connection with any (x) any Lien permitted by Sections 9.1(a), (l), (s), (t), (w), (x) and (dd) and relate to the property subject to such Lien or (y) Disposition permitted by Section 9.5 applicable pending such Disposition solely to the assets subject to such Disposition,

(v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 9.2 and applicable solely to such joint venture entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness and the proceeds and products thereof and, in the case of the Term Facility and any Permitted Refinancing thereof, permit the Liens securing the Obligations without restriction (subject to the Intercreditor Agreement),

(vii) are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto,

(viii) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(e), (m)(i), (p), (r) or (u) to the extent that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or to the Restricted Subsidiary party to such Indebtedness,

(ix) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(x) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xi) are restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xii) are restrictions contained in the Term Facility Credit Agreement, the Term Facility Documentation, the Senior Notes Indenture and the Senior Notes, and any documentation governing a Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing, or

(xiii) arise in connection with cash or other deposits permitted under Section 9.1; or

 

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(xiv) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement governing Indebtedness entered into after the Effective Date and permitted under Section 9.3 that are, taken as a whole, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, no more restrictive with respect to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary than customary market terms for Indebtedness of such type, so long as the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such restrictions will not affect its obligation or ability to make any payments required hereunder.

SECTION 9.10 Accounting Changes; Fiscal Year.

Make any change in Fiscal Year; provided, however, that Holdings and the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its Fiscal Year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

SECTION 9.11 Prepayment, Etc. of Indebtedness.

Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of regularly scheduled principal and interest and mandatory prepayments of principal and interest shall be permitted) any Indebtedness constituting Junior Financing (other than the Senior Notes, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Term Facility and any Permitted Refinancing thereof), except (i) so long as the RP Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto, any prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness; (ii) so long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto, any other prepayment, redemption, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness that, together with any Restricted Payment made pursuant to Section 9.6(k), do not exceed the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets (determined at the time of such Restricted Payment) in the aggregate at any time outstanding; (iii) the refinancing of any Indebtedness with the Net Cash Proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing, to the extent not required to be applied to prepayments pursuant to the Term Facility; (iv) the conversion (or exchange) of any Indebtedness to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) or Indebtedness of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parents; (v) the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owed to Holdings, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness with the proceeds of any other Indebtedness otherwise permitted by Section 9.3; (vi) any Permitted Refinancing of any Indebtedness; (vii) any prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction with the Net Cash Proceeds of any Permitted Equity Issuance; and (viii) the prepayment of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clauses (e), (f), (g), (h), (k) and (v) of Section 9.3;

 

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SECTION 9.12 Modification of Debt Agreements.

Amend, modify or change in any manner (i) materially adverse to the interest of the Lenders any term or condition of any Material Indebtedness (other than as a result of a Permitted Refinancing thereof and in any event excluding the Term Facility, the Senior Notes and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and any Indebtedness hereunder) without the consent of the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) or (ii) with respect to the Term Facility Documentation or the Senior Notes or any amendment to any Permitted Refinancing thereof to the extent that such amendment, modification or change would (A) shorten the maturity date of the Term Facility or the Senior Notes, or such refinancing Indebtedness to a date which is prior to ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date, (B) shorten the date scheduled for any principal payment or increase the amount of any required principal payment, or (C) violate the Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 9.13 Holdings. In the case of Holdings, conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than the following (and activities incidental thereto): (i) its ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (iii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Loan Documents, the Term Facility, any Senior Notes or any Qualified Holding Company Debt, (iv) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance of its Equity Interests or make payments or restricted payments with any amounts received in any transaction permitted under Section 9.6, (v) the incurrence of Qualified Holding Company Debt and the issuance of securities, incurrence of Qualified Equity Interests, (vi) making contributions to the capital of its Subsidiaries, (vii) guaranteeing the obligations of its Subsidiaries in each case solely to the extent such obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are permitted hereunder, (viii) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and the Borrower, (ix) holding any cash or property received in connection with Restricted Payments made by the Borrower in accordance with Section 9.6 pending application thereof by Holdings, (x) providing indemnification to officers and directors and (xi) activities incidental to the businesses or activities described in clauses (i) to (x) of this Section 9.13.

ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 10.1 Events of Default.

Each of the events referred to in clauses (a) through (m) of this Section 10.1 shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or (iii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants.

(i) The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or, in the case of Section 9.13, Holdings, fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in (A) Article VI; provided, that, any failure to comply with Article VI shall be subject to cure to the extent provided in Section 10.4, (B) Section 7.1(a),Section 7.1(b), Section 7.1(c), Section 7.1(d), Section 7.2(a), Section 7.3(a), Section 8.1(a), Section 8.5, Section 8.9 or (C) Article IX;

 

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(ii) during the continuance of any Cash Dominion Period, the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 8.12; or

(iii) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(a)) and such failure continues for five (5) Business Days; or

(iv) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(b), and such failure continues for two (2) Business Days; or

(v) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(c) or Section 7.4(d), as applicable, and, in either case, such failure continues for five (5) Business Days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 10.1(a) or (b) above, and, for the purposes of clarity, including any failure to perform or observe any covenant or agreement contained in Section 8.12 other than during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period, contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be untrue in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an aggregate outstanding principal amount (individually or in the aggregate with all other Indebtedness as to which such a failure shall exist) of not less than $35,000,000, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts and not as a result of any default thereunder by any Loan Party) the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a

 

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trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(B) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness; provided further that such failure is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the Aggregate Commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Section 10.2; provided that no such event under the Term Facility (other than a payment default or any default relating to insolvency or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law) shall constitute an Event of Default under this Section 10.1(e) until the earliest to occur of (x) the acceleration of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility and (y) the exercise of any remedies by the Term Facility Administrative Agent or collateral agent or any lenders under the Term Facility in respect of any Collateral; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding $35,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied or failed to acknowledge coverage thereof) and such judgment or order shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending an appeal for a period of sixty (60) consecutive calendar days; or

(h) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates under Title IV of ERISA in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its Withdrawal Liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) with respect to a Foreign Plan a termination, withdrawal or noncompliance with applicable law or plan terms that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

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(i) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any material provision of any Loan Document at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5) or the satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document (other than as a result of repayment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Aggregate Commitments), or purports in writing to revoke or rescind any Loan Document; or

(j) Collateral Documents. Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.1 or 8.11 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5) cease to create, or any Lien purported to be created by any Collateral Document shall be asserted in writing by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected lien, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents (or other security purported to be created on the applicable Collateral) on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, subject to Liens permitted under Section 9.1, except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from the failure of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents or to file UCC continuation statements and except as to Collateral consisting of real property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied coverage; or

(k) Junior Financing Documentation. (i) Any of the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents for any reason shall cease to be “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) or “Senior Secured Financing” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in any Junior Financing Documentation governing Junior Financing subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under the Loan Documents with an aggregate principal amount of not less than $35,000,000 or (ii) the subordination provisions set forth in any Junior Financing Documentation governing Junior Financing subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under the Loan Documents with an aggregate principal amount of not less than $35,000,000 shall, in whole or in part, cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and enforceable against the holders of any such Junior Financing, if applicable; or

(l) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

 

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SECTION 10.2 Remedies upon Event of Default.

(a) If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent may, and, at the request of the Requisite Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions:

(i) declare Revolving Credit Commitments of each Lender and any obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such Revolving Credit Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(ii) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

(iii) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

(iv) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

provided that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the Revolving Credit Commitments of each Lender and any obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives the right to direct the application of any and all payments in respect of the Obligations and any proceeds of Collateral after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and agrees that during the continuance of a Specified Default, the Administrative Agent may in its sole discretion, or upon the written direction of the Requisite Lenders, deliver a notice to each Approved Account Bank instructing them to cease complying with any instructions from any Loan Party and to transfer all funds therein to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall apply all payments in respect of any Obligations and all funds on deposit in the Concentration Account and all other proceeds of Collateral in the order specified in Section 10.3 hereof.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if the only Events of Default then having occurred and continuing are the failure to comply with Section 6.1 with respect to the Test Period most recently ended, then the Administrative Agent may not take any of the actions set forth in subclauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of Section 10.2(a) during the period commencing on the date that the Administrative Agent receives a Notice of Intent to Cure and ending on the Cure Expiration Date with respect thereto in accordance with and to the extent permitted by Section 10.4.

 

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SECTION 10.3 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 10.2 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the Letter of Credit Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 10.2), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, ratably, pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent or any Issuer from the Borrower (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations or Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements);

Second, ratably, to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Revolving Credit Lenders from the Borrower (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations or Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements);

Third, to pay interest due and payable in respect of any Loans (including any Swing Loans) and any Protective Advances, ratably;

Fourth, ratably, to pay the principal of the Protective Advances and the Swing Loans;

Fifth, to pay principal on the Loans (other than the Protective Advances and Swing Loans) and unreimbursed Letter of Credit Borrowings, ratably;

Sixth, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to 103% of the Letter of Credit Obligations on such date, to be held in the Concentration Account as cash collateral for such Obligations;

Seventh, to pay any amounts owing with respect to Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations, ratably;

Eighth, to the payment of any other Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Borrower;

Ninth, as provided for under the Intercreditor Agreement; and

Tenth, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as the Borrower shall direct or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Sections 2.4, 2.16, 8.12 and 10.5, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Sixth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as cash collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above and, if no Obligations remain outstanding, to the Borrower.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if sufficient funds are not available to fund all payments to be made in respect of any Secured Obligation described in any of clauses First through Eighth above, the available funds being applied with respect to any such Secured Obligation (unless otherwise specified in such clause) shall be allocated to the payment of such Secured Obligation ratably, based on the proportion of the Administrative Agent’s and each Lender’s or Issuer’s interest in the aggregate outstanding Secured Obligations described in such clauses; provided, however, that payments that would otherwise be allocated to the Lenders shall be allocated first to repay Protective Advances and Swing Loans pro rata until such Protective Advances and Swing Loans are paid in full and then to repay the Loans. The order of priority set forth in clauses First through Eighth above may at any time and from time to time be changed by the agreement of all Lenders without necessity of notice to or consent of or approval by the Borrower, any Secured Party that is not a Lender or Issuer or by any other Person that is not a Lender or Issuer. The order of priority set forth in clauses First through Eighth above may be changed only with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent in addition to that of all Lenders. Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to the Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.

SECTION 10.4 Borrowers Right to Cure.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 10.1, in the event of any Event of Default under any covenant set forth in Article VI and until the expiration of the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date on which the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio calculation would be required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.1 or Section 7.2(a) (such date, the “Cure Expiration Date”), following delivery of a Notice of Intent to Cure in accordance herewith, the Borrower may designate any portion of the Net Cash Proceeds of any issuance of common Equity Interests of the Borrower or any cash capital contribution to the common equity of the Borrower as an increase to Consolidated EBITDA with respect to such applicable quarter; provided that all such Net Cash Proceeds to be so designated (i) are actually received by the Borrower as cash common equity (including through capital contribution of such Net Cash Proceeds to the Borrower) after the date of such notice and before the Cure Expiration Date and (ii) the aggregate amount of such Net Cash Proceeds or cash capital contribution that are so designated shall not exceed 100% of the aggregate amount necessary to cure such Event of Default under Article VI for any applicable period.

(b) Upon receipt by the Borrower of any such designated Net Cash Proceeds or cash capital contribution (the “Cure Amount”) in accordance with this Section 10.4, Consolidated EBITDA for any period of calculation which includes the last Fiscal Quarter of the Test Period ending immediately prior to the date on which such Cure Amount was received shall be increased, solely for the purpose of calculating any financial ratio set forth in Article VI, by an amount equal to the Cure Amount. The resulting increase to Consolidated EBITDA and any reduction in Indebtedness, if applicable, from designation of a Cure Amount shall not result in any adjustment to Consolidated EBITDA or any other financial definition for any purpose under this Agreement other than for purposes of calculating the financial ratio set forth in Article VI and for additional clarification shall not adjust the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA for purposes of determining the Net Leverage Ratio or Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (other than for purposes of actual compliance with Article VI as of the end of any applicable Test Period).

 

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(c) If, after giving effect to the foregoing recalculations, the Borrower shall then be in compliance with the requirements of Article VI, the Borrower shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of Article VI as of the relevant date of determination with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith at such date, and the applicable existing breach or default of Article VI shall be deemed cured for this purpose of the Agreement.

(d) In each period of four Fiscal Quarters, there shall be at least two (2) Fiscal Quarters for which Consolidated EBITDA is not increased by exercise of a cure pursuant to Section 10.4(a). Consolidated EBITDA may not be increased by exercise of a cure pursuant to Section 10.4(a) more than four (4) times during the term hereof.

SECTION 10.5 Actions in Respect of Letters of Credit; Cash Collateral.

(a) At any time (i) upon the Revolving Credit Termination Date, (ii) after the Revolving Credit Termination Date when the aggregate funds on deposit in the Concentration Account to Cash Collateralize Letter of Credit Obligations shall be less than 103% of the Letter of Credit Obligations and (iii) as may be required by Section 2.9 or Section 2.16, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s office referred to in Section 12.8, for deposit in the Concentration Account, (x) in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, the amount required to that, after such payment, the aggregate funds on deposit in the Concentration Account counts equals or exceeds 103% of the sum of all outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations and (y) in the case of clause (iii) above, the amount required by Section 2.9. The Administrative Agent may, from time to time after funds are deposited in the Concentration Account, apply funds then held in the Concentration Account to the payment of any amounts, in accordance with Section 2.9 and Section 10.2(b), as shall have become or shall become due and payable by the Borrower to the Issuers or Lenders in respect of the Letter of Credit Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall promptly give written notice of any such application; provided, however, that the failure to give such written notice shall not invalidate any such application. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, the Borrower or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.

(b) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 10.5 or Sections 2.4, 2.9, 2.13 or 10.2 in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Loans shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific Letter of Credit Obligations, Swing Loans, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.

(c) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender or, as

 

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appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 12.2(b)(vi)) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 10.5 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 10.3), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the applicable Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

ARTICLE XI

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 11.1 Appointment and Authorization.

(a) Each of the Lenders and the Issuers hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article XI (other than Sections 11.6 and 11.11) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any such provision.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Hedge Bank and/or Cash Management Bank) and the Issuers hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of (and to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or in trust for) such Lender and such Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 11.5 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article XI and Article XII (including, without limitation, Sections 11.3, 11.13, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to execute any and all documents (including releases) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto (including the Intercreditor Agreement), as contemplated by and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents and acknowledge and agree that any such action by any Agent shall bind the Lenders.

 

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SECTION 11.2 Rights as a Lender.

Any Person serving as an Agent (including as Administrative Agent) hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include each Person serving as an Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, any Agent or its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that no Agent shall be under any obligation to provide such information to them.

SECTION 11.3 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, an Agent (including the Administrative Agent):

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law and instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that such Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that no Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by any Person serving as an Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 12.1 and 12.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein.

 

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The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an Issuer. Upon the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Requisite Lenders. Unless and until the Agent shall have received such direction, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to any such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interest of the Secured Parties. In no event shall the Administrative Agent be required to comply with any such directions to the extent that the Administrative Agent believes that its compliance with such directions would be unlawful.

No Agent-Related Person shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, or (vii) to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof.

SECTION 11.4 Reliance by the Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the applicable Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

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The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Requisite Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Requisite Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law.

SECTION 11.5 Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Documents by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Agent-Related Persons. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Agent-Related Persons of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

SECTION 11.6 Resignation of Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuers and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Requisite Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a Lender or a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such Lender or bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Requisite Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, may on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuers, appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuers under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor of such Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Issuer directly, until such time as the Requisite Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section 11.6. Upon the acceptance

 

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of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, hereunder and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Requisite Lenders may request, in order to (i) continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents or (ii) otherwise ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement is satisfied, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 11.6). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Sections 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable.

(b) Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as an Issuer and Swing Loan Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuer and Swing Loan Lender, (ii) the retiring Issuer and Swing Loan Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (iii) the successor Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit issued by Bank of America, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

SECTION 11.7 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents.

Each Lender and each Issuer acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to each Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereunder. Each Lender and each Issuer also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Agent-Related Persons and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the

 

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time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.

SECTION 11.8 No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers, Co-Syndication Agents or the Documentation Agent listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or a Lender hereunder and such Persons shall have the benefit of this Article XI. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any agency or fiduciary or trust relationship with any Lender, Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

SECTION 11.9 Intercreditor Agreement. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are authorized to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement, and the parties hereto acknowledge that the Intercreditor Agreement is binding upon them. Each Lender (a) hereby consents to the subordination of the Liens on the Collateral other than the Current Asset Collateral securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in the Intercreditor Agreement, (b) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement and (c) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations to the provisions thereof. The foregoing provisions are intended as an inducement to the Secured Parties to extend credit to the Borrower and such Secured Parties are intended third-party beneficiaries of such provisions and the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 11.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or Letter of Credit Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12, 12.3 and 12.4) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuers, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12, 12.3 and 12.4.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to credit bid any of the Obligations without the consent of the Required Lenders or authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or any Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or any Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or any Issuer in any such proceeding.

SECTION 11.11 Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

Each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) and the Issuers irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent (including in its capacity as Collateral Agent) to, and the Administrative Agent agrees that it will:

(a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (x) obligations and liabilities under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank, respectively shall have been made and (y) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuer shall have been made), (ii) at the time the property subject to such Lien is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection with any transfer permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (iii) subject to Section 12.1, if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Requisite Lenders, or (iv) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Guarantor, upon release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guaranty pursuant to clause (c) below;

 

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(b) release or subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 9.1(i);

(c) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if (i) in the case of any Subsidiary, such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder or (ii) in the case of Holdings, as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of the Term Facility, Senior Notes or any Junior Financing; and

(d) if any Guarantor shall cease to be a Material Domestic Subsidiary (as certified in writing by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower), and the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that it wishes such Guarantor to be released from its obligations under the Guaranty and provides the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent such certifications or documents as either such Agent shall reasonably request, (i) release such Subsidiary from its obligations under the Guaranty and (ii) release any Liens granted by such Subsidiary or Liens on the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary continues to be a guarantor in respect of the Term Facility, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing.

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Requisite Lenders will confirm in writing the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 11.11. In each case as specified in this Section 11.11, the applicable Agent will (and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the applicable Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release or subordination of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 11.11.

SECTION 11.12 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Guaranty or any Collateral Document, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 10.3, any Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

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(b) Each Secured Party hereby agrees (i) that, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period (and thereafter at such frequency as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in writing), it will provide to the Administrative Agent, promptly upon the written request of the Administrative Agent, a summary of all Obligations owing to it under this Agreement and (ii) that the benefit of the provisions of the Loan Documents directly relating to the Collateral or any Lien granted thereunder shall extend to and be available to any Secured Party that is not an Agent, a Lender or an Issuer party hereto as long as, by accepting such benefits, such Secured Party agrees, as among Agent and all other Secured Parties, that such Secured Party is bound by (and, if requested by Agent, shall confirm such agreement in a writing in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent) this Article XI and Sections 3.1, Sections 12.4, 12.6, 12.19, 12.23 and 12.26 and the Intercreditor Agreement, and the decisions and actions of any Agent and the Requisite Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, a greater proportion of the Lenders or other parties hereto as required herein) to the same extent a Lender is bound; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing clause (ii), (x) such Secured Party shall be bound by the provisions set forth above only to the extent of liabilities, reimbursement obligations, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses, or disbursements with respect to or otherwise relating to the Liens and Collateral held for the benefit of such Secured Party, in which case the obligations of such Secured Party thereunder shall not be limited by any concept of pro rata share or similar concept, (y) each of the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuers party hereto shall be entitled to act at its sole discretion, without regard to the interest of such Secured Party, regardless of whether any Obligation to such Secured Party thereafter remains outstanding, is deprived of the benefit of the Collateral, becomes unsecured or is otherwise affected or put in jeopardy thereby, and without any duty or liability to such Secured Party or any such Obligation and (z) such Secured Party shall not have any right to be notified of, consent to, direct, require or be heard with respect to, any action taken or omitted in respect of the Collateral or under any Loan Document.

SECTION 11.13 Indemnification of Agents.

Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), pro rata, and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Loan Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 11.13. In the case of any

 

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investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 11.13 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto, provided further that the failure of any Lender to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation in respect thereof. The undertaking in this Section 11.13 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 12.1 Amendments, Etc. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Requisite Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that (i) a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.2 and (ii) the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date scheduled for, or reduce the amount of, any payment of principal or interest under Section 2.6 or 2.10 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, it being understood that the waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Loans shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest;

(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or Letter of Credit Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iii) of the second proviso to this Section 12.1) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that any change to any component of “Excess Availability” shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest; provided that only the consent of the Requisite Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;

 

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(d) change any provision of this Section 12.1, the definition of “Requisite Lenders”, “Supermajority Lenders” or any other provision specifying the number of Lenders or portion of the Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments required to take any action under the Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby;

(e) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5, release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender;

(f) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5, release all or substantially all of the aggregate value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender;

(g) change the definition of the term “Borrowing Base” or any component definition thereof, but excluding the definition of “Eligible Accounts Advance Rate”, “Credit Card Advance Rate”, “Letter of Credit Advance Rate”, “Eligible Inventory Advance Rate” or “In-Transit Advance Rate”, in each case the amendment or modifications of which shall be subject to clause (h) below, if as a result thereof the amounts available to be borrowed by the Borrower would be increased, without the written consent of the Supermajority Lenders, provided that the foregoing shall not limit the discretion of the Administrative Agent to change, establish or eliminate any Availability Reserves, Inventory Reserves or Shrink Reserves without the consent of any Lenders; or

(h) increase the numerical percentage contained in Eligible Accounts Advance Rate, Credit Card Advance Rate, Letter of Credit Advance Rate, Eligible Inventory Advance Rate or In-Transit Advance Rate without the written consent of each Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not limit the discretion of the Administrative Agent to change, establish or eliminate any Availability Reserves, Inventory Reserves or Shrink Reserves without the consent of any Lenders;

(i) except as provided by operation of applicable Law or in the Intercreditor Agreement, without the prior written consent of all Lenders directly affected thereby, (i) subordinate the Obligations hereunder to any other Indebtedness, or (ii) subordinate the Liens granted hereunder or under the other Loan Documents to any other Lien; or

(j) change the order of the application of funds specified in Section 10.3 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

and provided further that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of an Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the

 

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Swing Loan Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Loan Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) Section 12.2(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) the consent of Requisite Lenders shall be required with respect to any amendment that by its terms adversely affects the rights of the Lenders under such Facility in respect of payments hereunder in a manner different than such amendment affects other Revolving Loan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 12.1, guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to cure ambiguities or defects or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

If any Lender does not consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender and that has been approved by the Requisite Lenders, the Borrower may replace such non-consenting Lender in accordance with Section 3.7; provided that such amendment, waiver, consent or release can be effected as a result of the assignment contemplated by such Section (together with all other such assignments required by the Borrower to be made pursuant to this paragraph).

SECTION 12.2 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither Holdings nor the Borrower may, except as permitted by Section 9.4, assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way

 

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of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and in Swing Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and the Loans of any Class at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Revolving Credit Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or (f), solely with respect to the Borrower, has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Revolving Credit Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to rights in respect of the Swing Loan Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Loans;

 

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(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 10.1(f), has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender;

(C) the consent of the Issuers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and

(D) the consent of the Swing Loan Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment;

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The Eligible Assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. All assignments shall be by novation.

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries (including the Sponsor), or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), (C) to a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person or (D) any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform.

(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution

 

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thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Revolving Credit Note, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Revolving Credit Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Revolving Credit Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agents and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. This Section 12.2(c) and Section 2.7 shall be construed so that all Loans are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury regulations (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury regulations).

 

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(d) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person, any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and/or Swing Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Agents, the other Lenders and the Issuers shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 12.1 (other than clause (d) thereof) that directly affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled (through the applicable Lender) to the benefits of Sections 3.1, 3.4 and 3.5 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.6(a) and 3.7, as if the Participant were a Lender) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.6 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 12.7 as though it were a Lender.

(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.1, 3.4 or 3.5 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.1 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant, the applicable Lender (acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower) maintains a register complying with the requirements of Sections 163(f), 871(h) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder relating to the exemption from withholding for portfolio interest on which is entered the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”) and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply and does in fact comply with Section 3.1 as though it were a Lender. No Lender shall have any obligation to

 

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disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans or its other obligations under this Agreement) except to the extent that the relevant parties, acting reasonably and in good faith, determine that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury regulations. Unless otherwise required by the IRS, any disclosure required by the foregoing sentence shall be made by the relevant Lender directly and solely to the IRS. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

(f) Any Lender may, at any time, pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Revolving Credit Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Revolving Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Revolving Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Revolving Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Revolving Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is required under Section 2.13(e). Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Sections 3.1, 3.4 and 3.5, but such obligations under Section 3.1 as to an SPC will only exist if the SPC satisfies the requirements of Section 3.1 as if it were a Lender), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Revolving Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Revolving Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in

 

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its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Revolving Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Revolving Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

(h) Resignation as Issuer or Swing Loan Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America or any other Issuer assigns all of its Revolving Credit Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America or the applicable Issuer may, (i) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as Issuer and/or (ii) if applicable, upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Loan Lender. In the event of any such resignation as Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor Issuer or Swing Loan Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America or the applicable Issuer as Issuer or (as applicable) Swing Loan Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America or the applicable Issuer resigns as Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of an Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as Issuer and all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in unreimbursed amounts under Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.4). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Loan Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Loan Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Loans pursuant to Section 2.3. Upon the appointment of a successor Issuer and/or Swing Loan Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America or the applicable Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America or the applicable Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

SECTION 12.3 Costs and Expenses.

The Borrower agrees (a) if the Effective Date occurs, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, syndication and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including all Attorney Costs of Riemer & Braunstein LLP and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole, and (b) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and including all Attorney Costs of one

 

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counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders taken as a whole (and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in any relevant material jurisdiction and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole of the affected parties)). The agreements in this Section 12.3 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations. All amounts due under this Section 12.3 shall be paid promptly following receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail and such supporting material as the Borrower may reasonably request. If any Loan Party fails to pay when due any costs, expenses or other amounts payable by it hereunder or under any Loan Document, such amount may be paid on behalf of such Loan Party by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

SECTION 12.4 Indemnities.

The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, each Lender, each Issuer, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, trustees or advisors and other representatives (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements (including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to all Indemnitees taken as a whole and, if reasonably necessary, a single local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to the interest of the Lenders, and solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Indemnitees similarly situated taken as a whole) (i) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) any Revolving Credit Commitment, Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), or (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or any Environmental Liabilities arising out of the activities or operations of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or of any affiliate, director, officer, employee or agent of such Indemnitee, (y) a material breach of any obligations under any Loan Document by such Indemnitee or of any Related Indemnified Person, in each case as determined by a final, non-

 

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appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an administrative agent or arranger or any similar role under the Facility and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates. To the extent that the undertakings to indemnify and hold harmless set forth in this Section 12.4 may be unenforceable in whole or in part because they are violative of any applicable law or public policy, the Borrower shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted to pay and satisfy under applicable law to the payment and satisfaction of all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, nor shall any Indemnitee or any Loan Party have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Effective Date) (other than, in the case of any Loan Party, in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party). In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 12.4 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, its directors, stockholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents is consummated. All amounts due under this Section 12.4 shall be paid within twenty (20) Business Days after written demand therefor. The agreements in this Section 12.4 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. This Section 12.4 shall not apply to Taxes, which shall be governed by Section 3.1. This Section 12.4 also shall not apply to Other Taxes or to Taxes covered by Section 3.4.

SECTION 12.5 Limitation of Liability.

The Loan Parties agree that no Indemnitee shall have any liability (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) to any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or any of their respective equity holders or creditors for or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and in the other Loan Documents, except to the extent such liability is determined in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnitee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct or bad faith or breach by such Indemnitee of its material obligations under this Agreement. In no event, shall any party hereto or any Indemnitee be liable on any theory of liability for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (including, without limitation, any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings). Each party hereto hereby waives, releases and agrees (each for itself and on behalf of its Subsidiaries) not to sue upon any such claim for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in its favor.

 

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SECTION 12.6 Right of Set-off.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such other Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

SECTION 12.7 Sharing of Payments.

If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on account of the Loans made by it, or the participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and Swing Loans held by it (in each case, whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them and/or such subparticipations in the participations in Letter of Credit Obligations or Swing Loans held by them, as the case may be, as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment of principal of or interest on such Loans or such participations, as the case may be, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 12.14 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further

 

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interest thereon. The provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Sections 10.3 and 10.5. For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement as in effect from time to time or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant permitted hereunder. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off, but subject to Section 12.6) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 12.7 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 12.7 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

SECTION 12.8 Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.

(a) General. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, an Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 12.8; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuers hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or Issuer, as applicable, has notified the

 

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Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Receipt. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(d) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Agent-Related Persons or any Arranger (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(e) Change of Address. Each of Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.

 

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Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

(f) Reliance by Administrative Agent, Issuers and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Notices of Borrowing or Swing Loan Requests) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuer, each Lender and the Agent-Related Persons of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

SECTION 12.9 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.

No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

SECTION 12.10 Reserved.

SECTION 12.11 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, Holdings and the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender, Swing Loan Lender and each Issuer that each such Lender, Swing Loan Lender and Issuer has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, Holdings, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 12.12 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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(b) THE BORROWER AND HOLDINGS , THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS (BUT NOT THE BORROWER OR HOLDINGS) RETAINS THE RIGHT TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE BORROWER OR HOLDINGS IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXERCISE OF ANY RIGHTS UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT.

(c) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 12.8. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 12.13 Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER

 

177


PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 12.14 Marshaling; Payments Set Aside.

None of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuer shall be under any obligation to marshal any assets in favor of the Loan Parties or any other party or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of set-off, and such payment or the proceeds of such set-off or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such set-off had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

SECTION 12.15 Execution in Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Sections 4.1 and 4.3, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 12.16 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.

The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

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SECTION 12.17 Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information in accordance with its customary procedures (set forth below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners); provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable prior to any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by applicable Laws, or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of such disclosure unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions at least as restrictive as those of this Section 12.17, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be an Additional Lender (other than to a Disqualified Institution; provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions may be provided) or (ii) any actual or prospective direct or indirect counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower; (h) to any rating agency when required by it (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to the Loan Parties received by it from the Administrative Agent or such Lender); or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuer, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, and which source is not known by such Agent or Lender to be subject to a confidentiality restriction in respect thereof in favor of the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, it being understood that all information received from Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, shall be deemed confidential unless such

 

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information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as not being confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so in accordance with its customary procedures if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

SECTION 12.18 Use of Name, Logo, etc.

Each Loan Party consents to the publication in the ordinary course by Administrative Agent or the Arrangers of customary advertising material relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement using such Loan Party’s name, product photographs, logo or trademark. Such consent shall remain effective until revoked by such Loan Party in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers. The Administrative Agent and the Arrangers reserve the right to provide to industry trade organizations information necessary and customary for inclusion in league table measurements.

SECTION 12.19 USA PATRIOT Act Notice; Foreign Asset Control Regulations.

Each Lender that is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

Neither the advance of the Loans nor the use of the proceeds of any thereof will violate the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., as amended) (the “Trading With the Enemy Act”) or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) (the “Foreign Assets Control Regulations”) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto (which for the avoidance of doubt shall include, but shall not be limited to (a) Executive Order 13224 of September 21, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)) (the “Executive Order”) or the USA PATRIOT Act. Furthermore, none of the Loan Parties or their Affiliates (a) is or will become a “blocked person” as described in the Executive Order, the Trading With the Enemy Act or the Foreign Assets Control Regulations or (b) engages or will engage in any dealings or transactions, or be otherwise associated, with any such “blocked person” or in any manner violative of any such order.

 

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SECTION 12.20 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrower and Holdings acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Agents and the Arrangers are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, Holdings and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agents and the Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrower and Holdings has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Borrower and Holdings is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Agents, the Arrangers and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Agents, the Arrangers, the Lender and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, Holdings their respective Affiliates, and none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and Holdings hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

SECTION 12.21 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 12.21, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

 

181


SECTION 12.22 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent, any Issuer or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuer or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

SECTION 12.23 Lender Action. Each Lender agrees that it shall not take or institute any actions or proceedings, judicial or otherwise, for any right or remedy against any Loan Party under any of the Loan Documents or the Secured Hedge Agreements (including the exercise of any right of set-off, rights on account of any banker’s lien or similar claim or other rights of self-help), or institute any actions or proceedings, or otherwise commence any remedial procedures, with respect to any Collateral or any other property of any such Loan Party, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be withheld in contravention of Section 11.4). The provision of this Section 12.23 are for the sole benefit of the Lenders and shall not afford any right to, or constitute a defense available to, any Loan Party.

SECTION 12.24 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If any Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by an Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

SECTION 12.25 Time of the Essence.

Time is of the essence in the Loan Documents.

SECTION 12.26 No Strict Construction.

The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 12.27 Intercreditor Agreement.

Each of Holdings, the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuers and the Lenders acknowledge that the exercise of certain of the Administrative Agents’ rights and remedies hereunder may be subject to, and restricted by, the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement. Except as specified herein, nothing contained in the Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to modify any of the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, which, as among the Loan Parties, the Agents, the Issuers and the Lenders shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12.28 Keepwell.

Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under the Guaranty voidable under applicable Laws relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 12.28 shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

SECTION 12.29 Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

183


(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

SECTION 12.30 Amendment and Restatement.

This Agreement is an amendment and restatement of the Original Credit Agreement, it being acknowledged and agreed that as of the Effective Date all obligations outstanding under or in connection with the Original Credit Agreement and any of the other Loan Documents (such obligations, collectively, the “Existing Obligations”) constitute obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement is in no way intended to constitute a novation of the Original Credit Agreement or the Existing Obligations. With respect to (i) any date or time period occurring and ending prior to the Effective Date, the Original Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall govern the respective rights and obligations of any party or parties hereto also party thereto and shall for such purposes remain in full force and effect; and (ii) any date or time period occurring or ending on or after the Effective Date, the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the exhibits and schedules hereto) and the other Loan Documents. From and after the Effective Date, any reference to the Original Credit Agreement in any of the other Loan Documents executed or issued by and/or delivered to any one or more parties hereto pursuant to or in connection therewith shall be deemed to be a reference to this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between such provisions and those of the Original Credit Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as the Borrower,

By:

 

/s/ David Goldston

Name:

 

David Goldston

Title:

 

Senior Vice President, General    

 

Counsel and Secretary

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, as Holdings,

By:

 

/s/ David Goldston

Name:

 

David Goldston

Title: Secretary

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as

Administrative Agent, Swing Loan Lender,

Issuer and a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Richard D. Hill, Jr.

Name:

 

Richard D. Hill, Jr.

Title:

 

Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Emily Abrahamson

 

Name: Emily Abrahamson

  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

 

187


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as a

Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Lauren Baker

 

Name: Lauren Baker

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ David Lawrence

 

Name: David Lawrence

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Marguerite Sutton

 

Name: Marguerite Sutton

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A., as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Kara Goodwin

Name:

 

Kara Goodwin

Title:

 

Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


TD BANK, N.A., as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Antimo Barbieri

Name:

 

Antimo Barbieri

Title:

 

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL

BANK, as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Dennis Hatvany

 

Name: Dennis Hatvany

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to ABL Credit Agreement]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as a Lender,

By:

 

/s/ Carrie Light

 

Name: Carrie Light

 

Title:   Vice President

 

 


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each]1 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each]2 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees]3 hereunder are several and not joint.]4 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by [the][each] Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto (the “Standard Terms and Conditions”) are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of [the Assignor][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, participations in the Letters of Credit and the Swing Loans included in such facilities5) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable Law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Documents or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

 

1 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.

2 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

3 

Select as appropriate.

4 

Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

5 

Include all applicable subfacilities.


1.

Assignor[s]:                                                  

 

2.

Assignee[s]:                                                  

 

         [for

each Assignee, indicate if [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]

 

3.

Borrower: Jo-Ann Stores, LLC

 

4.

Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., including any successor thereto, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

5.

Credit Agreement: The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the Lenders and Issuers from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

 

6.

Assigned Interest:


Assignor[s]6

   Assignee[s]7      Facility
Assigned8
     Aggregate
Amount of
Revolving
Credit
Commitment/
Loans for all
Lenders9
     Amount of
Revolving
Credit
Commitment/
Loans Assigned
     Percentage
Assigned of
Revolving
Credit
Commitment/
Loans10
 
         $                            $                                                  
         $                            $                                                  
         $                            $                                                  

[7. Trade Date: ___________________]11

Effective Date:             , 20 [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

6 

List each Assignor, as appropriate.

7 

List each Assignee, as appropriate.

8 

Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment and Assumption (e.g., “Revolving Credit Commitments,” “Extended Revolving Credit Commitments,” etc.).

9

Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

10 

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

11 

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.


The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR[S]

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

By:

   
 

Name:

Title:

ASSIGNEE[S]

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

By:

   
 

Name:

Title:

 

[Consented to and]12 Accepted:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent

By:

   
 

Name:

Title:

[Consented to:

 

[_____]

By:

   
 

Name:

Title:]13

 

 

 

12 

To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

13

To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. Swing Loan Lender, Issuer) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.


ANNEX 1

TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the Lenders and Issuers from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (the “Credit Agreement”).

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties.

1.1. Assignor. [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Loan Parties or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Loan Parties or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2. Assignee. [The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 12.2(b)(iii) and (v) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 12.2(b) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date referred to in this Assignment and Assumption, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a), (b) and (c) thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest and (vii) attached hereto is any documentation required to


be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, including but not limited to any documentation required pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the][any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

4. Fees. Unless waived by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 12.2(b)(iv) of the Credit Agreement, this Assignment and Assumption shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500.14

5. Delivery. If the Assignee is not a Lender, the Assignee shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

14 

See Section 12.2(b)(iv).


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF

REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE

 

$____________.00   ______________ __, 20__

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”, together with all successors and assigns), promises to pay to the order of (hereinafter, together with its successors in title and assigns, the “Lender”), c/o Bank of America, N.A, 100 Federal Street, 9th Floor, Boston Massachusetts, the principal sum of                          DOLLARS ($                         .00), or, if less, the aggregate unpaid principal balance of Revolving Loans made by the Lender to or for the account of the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement (as hereafter defined) and amounts advanced by the Lender in respect of any Letter of Credit, with interest, fees, expenses and costs at the rate and payable in the manner stated in the Credit Agreement. As used herein, the “Credit Agreement” means and refers to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as such may be amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time) by, among others, JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”) under the Loan Documents, and each Lender and Issuer from time to time party thereto. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as defined in the Credit Agreement.

This is a “Revolving Credit Note” to which reference is made in the Credit Agreement and is subject to all terms and provisions thereof. This Revolving Credit Note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty and is secured by the Collateral. The principal of, and interest on, this Revolving Credit Note shall be payable at the times, in the manner, and in the amounts as provided in the Credit Agreement and shall be subject to prepayment and acceleration as provided therein. The Administrative Agent’s books and records concerning the Revolving Loans and amounts owing in respect of Letters of Credit, the accrual of interest and fees thereon, and the repayment of such Revolving Loans and Letters of Credit, shall be prima facie evidence of the indebtedness to the Lender hereunder, absent manifest error.

No delay or omission by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, or the Lender in exercising or enforcing any of the Administrative Agent’s, the Collateral Agent’s or Lender’s powers, rights, privileges, remedies, or discretions hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof on that occasion nor on any other occasion. No waiver of any Event of Default shall operate as a waiver of any other Event of Default, nor as a continuing waiver.

 

B-1


The Borrower waives presentment, demand, notice, and protest, and also waives any delay on the part of the holder hereof. The Borrower assents to any extension or other indulgence (including, without limitation, the release or substitution of Collateral) permitted by the

Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and/or the Lender with respect to this Revolving Credit Note and/or any Collateral Document or any extension or other indulgence with respect to any other liability or any collateral given to secure any other liability of the Borrower or any other Person obligated on account of this Revolving Credit Note.

This Revolving Credit Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and upon its permitted successors, assigns, and representatives, and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender and its permitted successors, endorsees and assigns.

The Borrower agrees that any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Revolving Credit Note or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, may be brought in the courts of the state of New York sitting in New York City in the Borough of Manhattan or of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and by execution and delivery of this Revolving Credit Note, the Borrower and the Lender each consent, for itself and in respect of its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of those courts. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws, the Borrower irrevocably waives any objection, including any objection to the laying of venue or based on the grounds of forum non conveniens, which it may now or hereafter have to the bringing of any action or proceeding in the courts of the state of New York sitting in New York City in the Borough of Manhattan or of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof.

THIS REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

The Borrower makes the following waiver knowingly, voluntarily, and intentionally, and understands that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lender, in the establishment and maintenance of their respective relationship with the Borrower contemplated by this Revolving Credit Note, are each relying thereon. THE BORROWER, AND THE LENDER BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER THEORY).

[This Revolving Credit Note amends and restates in its entirety that certain Revolving Credit Note, dated as of March 18, 2011, payable to the order of Lender in the principal amount of $[     ].]

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

B-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Revolving Credit Note to be duly executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC

By:    
 

Name:

Title:

 

B-3


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

  

Amount of Loan

  

Maturity Date

  

Payments
of
Principal/
Interest

  

Principal Balance of
Note

  

Name of Person
Making this Notation

 

 

B-4


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF NOTICE OF BORROWING

______________ __, ____

Bank of America, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent under the

Credit Agreement referred to below

100 Federal Street

Boston, MA 02110

Attention: Richard Hill, Managing Director

Re: JO-ANN STORES, LLC

Reference is made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as the same may be amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) by, among others, JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent under the Loan Documents, and each Lender and Issuer from time to time party thereto. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as defined in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby gives you notice, irrevocably, pursuant to Section 2.2 of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned hereby requests a Borrowing under the Credit Agreement and, in connection therewith, sets forth below the information relating to the Borrowing (the “Proposed Borrowing”) as required by Section 2.2 of the Credit Agreement:

(a) The date of the Proposed Borrowing is ______________ __, ____, which is a Business Day (the “Funding Date”).1

(b) The aggregate amount of the Proposed Borrowing is $________.2

(c) $________ of the Proposed Borrowing shall be of [Base Rate Loans][Eurodollar Rate Loans].

 

 

 

1 

Each notice of a Proposed Borrowing must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than (i) 11:00 a.m. on the same Business Day, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, and (ii) 12:00 noon three (3) Business Days, in the case of a Proposed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans, prior to the date of the Proposed Borrowing.

2 

Each Proposed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans must be in an aggregate amount of not less than $500,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof and the aggregate amount of each Proposed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for each Interest Period must be in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof.

 

C-1


(d) [For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of ________months (such Interest Period to comply with the provisions of the definition of “Interest Period”).]

(e) The Class of the Proposed Borrowing shall be ________.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the conditions set forth in Sections 4.2(b) and 4.2(c) of the Credit Agreement shall be satisfied on the Funding Date both immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the Proposed Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

C-2


JO-ANN STORES, LLC

By:

   
 

Name:

Title:

 


EXHIBIT K

 

 

INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

by and between

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as ABL Agent,

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Term Agent

Dated as of October 21, 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page No.  

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS

     2  

Section 1.1

  UCC Definitions      2  

Section 1.2

  Other Definitions      2  

Section 1.3

  Rules of Construction      16  

ARTICLE 2 LIEN PRIORITY

     17  

Section 2.1

  Priority of Liens      17  

Section 2.2

  Waiver of Right to Contest Liens      18  

Section 2.3

  Remedies Standstill      19  

Section 2.4

  Exercise of Rights      20  

Section 2.5

  No New Liens      22  

Section 2.6

  Waiver of Marshalling      23  

ARTICLE 3 ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES

     23  

Section 3.1

  Certain Actions Permitted      23  

Section 3.2

  Agent for Perfection      24  

Section 3.3

  Sharing of Information and Access      25  

Section 3.4

  Insurance      25  

Section 3.5

  No Additional Rights For the Credit Parties Hereunder      25  

Section 3.6

  Inspection and Access Rights      25  

Section 3.7

  Tracing of and Priorities in Proceeds      28  

Section 3.8

  Purchase Right      28  

Section 3.9

  Payments Over      30  

ARTICLE 4 APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS

     31  

Section 4.1

  Application of Proceeds      31  

Section 4.2

  Specific Performance      33  

ARTICLE 5 INTERCREDITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WAIVERS

     33  

Section 5.1

  Notice of Acceptance and Other Waivers      33  

Section 5.2

       33  

Section 5.3

  Modifications to ABL Documents and Term Documents      35

Section 5.4

       35  

Section 5.5

  Reinstatement and Continuation of Agreement      36  

ARTICLE 6 INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS

     37  

Section 6.1

  DIP Financing      37  

Section 6.2

  Relief From Stay      39  


Section 6.3

  No Contest; Adequate Protection      39  

Section 6.4

  Asset Sales      41  

Section 6.5

  Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classification      41  

Section 6.6

  Enforceability      42  

Section 6.7

  ABL Obligations Unconditional      42  

Section 6.8

  Term Obligations Unconditional      42  

Section 6.9

  Waivers – Bankruptcy Code Section 1111(b)(2).      43  

Section 6.10

  Post-Petition Interest      43  

Section 6.11

  Reorganization Securities      44  

ARTICLE 7 MISCELLANEOUS

       44  

Section 7.1

  Rights of Subrogation      44  

Section 7.2

  Further Assurances      44  

Section 7.3

  Representations      45  

Section 7.4

  Amendments      45  

Section 7.5

  Addresses for Notices      45  

Section 7.6

  No Waiver; Remedies      46  

Section 7.7

  Continuing Agreement, Transfer of Secured Obligations      46  

Section 7.8

  GOVERNING LAW; ENTIRE AGREEMENT      46  

Section 7.9

  Counterparts      47  

Section 7.10

  No Third Party Beneficiaries      47  

Section 7.11

  Headings      47  

Section 7.12

  Severability      47  

Section 7.13

  Attorneys’ Fees      47  

Section 7.14

  VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER.      47  

Section 7.15

  Intercreditor Agreement      48  

Section 7.16

  No Warranties or Liability      49  

Section 7.17

  Conflicts      49  

Section 7.18

  Costs and Expenses      49  

Section 7.19

  Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Credit Parties      49  


INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

THIS INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT (as amended, supplemented, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof, this “Agreement”) is entered into as of October 21, 2016 between BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacities as administrative agent and collateral agent (together with its successors and assigns in such capacities, the “ABL Agent”) for (i) the financial institutions, lenders and investors party from time to time to the ABL Credit Agreement referred to below (such financial institutions, lenders and investors together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, including any letter of credit issuers under the ABL Credit Agreement, the “ABL Lenders”), (ii) any ABL Cash Management Affiliates (as defined below) and (iii) any ABL Hedging Affiliates (as defined below) (such ABL Cash Management Affiliates and ABL Hedging Affiliates, together with the ABL Agent and the ABL Lenders and any other secured parties under any ABL Credit Agreement, the “ABL Secured Parties”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacities as administrative agent and collateral agent (together with its successors and assigns in such capacities, the “Term Agent”) for (i) the financial institutions, lenders and investors party from time to time to the Term Credit Agreement referred to below (such financial institutions, lenders and investors, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees, the “Term Lenders”), (ii) any Term Cash Management Affiliates (as defined below) and (iii) any Term Hedging Affiliates (as defined below) (such Term Cash Management Affiliates and Term Hedging Affiliates, together with the Term Agent and the Term Lenders and any other secured parties under any Term Credit Agreement, the “Term Secured Parties”).

RECITALS

A. Pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof by and among, Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the ABL Lenders and the ABL Agent (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced and/or otherwise modified from time to time, the “ABL Credit Agreement”), the ABL Lenders have agreed to make certain loans and other financial accommodations to or for the benefit of the Borrower.

B. Pursuant to certain guaranties each dated as of the date hereof (as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated and/or otherwise modified, collectively, the “ABL Guaranty”) by each of the ABL Guarantors (as hereinafter defined) in favor of the ABL Secured Parties, the ABL Guarantors have agreed to guarantee, inter alia, the payment and performance of the Borrower’s obligations under the ABL Documents (as hereinafter defined).

C. As a condition to the effectiveness of the ABL Credit Agreement and to secure the obligations of the Borrower and the ABL Guarantors (the Borrower, the ABL Guarantors and each other direct or indirect subsidiary or parent of the Borrower or any of their affiliates that is now or hereafter becomes a party to any ABL Document, collectively, the “ABL Credit Parties”) under and in connection with the ABL Documents, the ABL Credit Parties have granted to the ABL Agent (for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties) Liens (as hereinafter defined) on the Collateral (as hereinafter defined).


D. Pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof by and among the Borrower, Holdings, the Term Lenders and the Term Agent (as such agreement may be amended, supplemented, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced and/or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Term Credit Agreement”), the Term Lenders have agreed to make a term loan to the Borrower.

E. Pursuant to certain guaranties each dated as of the date hereof (as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated and/or otherwise modified, (collectively, the “Term Guaranty”) by each of the Term Guarantors (as hereinafter defined) in favor of the Term Secured Parties, the Term Guarantors have agreed to guarantee, inter alia, the payment and performance of the Borrower’s obligations under the Term Documents (as hereinafter defined).

F. As a condition to the effectiveness of the Term Credit Agreement and to secure the obligations of the Borrower and the Term Guarantors (the Borrower, the Term Guarantors and each other direct or indirect subsidiary or parent of the Borrower or any of its affiliates that is now or hereafter becomes a party to any Term Document, collectively, the “Term Credit Parties”) under and in connection with the Term Documents, the Term Credit Parties have granted to the Term Agent (for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties) Liens (as hereinafter defined) on the Collateral (as hereinafter defined).

G. Each of the ABL Agent (on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties) and the Term Agent (on behalf of the Term Secured Parties) and, by their acknowledgment hereof, the ABL Credit Parties and the Term Credit Parties, desire to agree to the relative priority of Liens on the Collateral and certain other rights, priorities and interests as provided herein.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 UCC Definitions. The following terms which are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code are used herein as so defined: Account, Chattel Paper, Commercial Tort Claim, Commodity Account, Commodity Contract, Deposit Account, Document, Electronic Chattel Paper, Equipment, Financial Asset, Fixtures, General Intangible, Instrument, Inventory, Investment Property, Letter-of-Credit Right, Money, Payment Intangible, Promissory Note, Records, Security, Securities Account, Security Entitlement, Supporting Obligation and Tangible Chattel Paper.

Section 1.2 Other Definitions. Subject to Section 1.1, as used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

ABL Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement and shall include any successor thereto as well as any Person designated as the “Agent”, “Administrative Agent”, “Collateral Agent”, or similar term under any ABL Credit Agreement.

 

2


ABL Cash Management Affiliate” shall mean any ABL Cash Management Bank that is owed ABL Cash Management Obligations by an ABL Credit Party and which ABL Cash Management Obligations are secured by one or more ABL Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees.

ABL Cash Management Bank” shall mean, as of any date of determination, any Person that is an ABL Lender or an Affiliate of an ABL Lender on such date.

ABL Cash Management Obligations” shall mean obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any ABL Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated under the ABL Credit Agreement by the ABL Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the ABL Agent as “Cash Management Obligations”.

ABL Collateral Documents” shall mean all “Collateral Documents” or similar term as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement, and all other security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, account control agreements, customs brokers agreements, collateral access agreements, and other collateral documents executed and delivered in connection with any ABL Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

ABL Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall include any one or more other agreements, indentures or facilities extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the ABL Obligations, whether by the same or any other agent, trustee, lender, group of lenders, creditor or group of creditors and whether or not increasing the amount of any Indebtedness that may be incurred thereunder.

ABL Credit Parties” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

ABL Deposit and Securities Accounts” means all Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts, collection accounts and lockbox accounts (and all related lockboxes) of the Credit Parties (other than the Term Loan Priority Accounts).

ABL Documents” shall mean any ABL Credit Agreement, any ABL Guaranty, any ABL Collateral Document, all agreements regarding Cash Management Services between the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any ABL Cash Management Affiliate, any ABL Hedging Agreement between any ABL Credit Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any ABL Hedging Affiliate, any other ancillary agreement as to which any ABL Secured Party is a party or a beneficiary and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any ABL Credit Party or any of its respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates, and delivered to the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party, in connection with any of the foregoing or any ABL Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

3


ABL Guarantors” shall mean the collective reference to (i) Holdings and each wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) of the Borrower other than any Excluded Subsidiary (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement), and (ii) any other Person who becomes a guarantor under any ABL Guaranty. The term “ABL Guarantors” shall include all “Guarantors” under and as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Guaranty” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall also include any other guaranty made by an ABL Guarantor guaranteeing, inter alia, the payment and performance of any ABL Obligations.

ABL Hedge Bank” shall have the meaning assigned to the term “Hedge Bank” in the ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Hedging Affiliate” shall mean any ABL Hedge Bank that has entered into an ABL Hedging Agreement with an ABL Credit Party or Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, with the obligations of such ABL Credit Party or Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, thereunder being secured by one or more ABL Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees (even if such ABL Hedge Bank ceases to be an ABL Lender or an Affiliate of an ABL Lender under the ABL Credit Agreement for any reason).

ABL Hedging Agreement” means any “Secured Hedge Agreement” as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Lenders” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement, as well as any Person designated as a “Lender” or similar term under any ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Obligations” shall mean any and all obligations of every nature of each ABL Credit Party from time to time owed to the ABL Secured Parties, or any of them, under, in connection with, or evidenced or secured by any ABL Document, including, without limitation, all “Obligations” or similar term as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement and whether for principal, interest, reimbursement of amounts drawn under letters of credit, payments for early termination of ABL Hedging Agreements, fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise, and all other amounts owing or due under the terms of any ABL Document (including interest, fees, expenses and indemnifications which, but for the filing of a petition in bankruptcy with respect to such ABL Credit Party, would have become due or accrued on any ABL Obligation, whether or not a claim is allowed against such ABL Credit Party for such interest, fees, expenses and indemnifications in the related bankruptcy proceeding), as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time.

ABL Priority Collateral” shall mean all Collateral consisting of the following:

(1) all Credit Card Receivables , and all Accounts, other than Accounts which constitute identifiable proceeds of Term Priority Collateral;

 

4


(2) cash, Money and cash equivalents (other than identifiable proceeds of Term Priority Collateral);

(3) all (x) Deposit Accounts (other than Term Loan Priority Accounts) and Money and all cash, checks, other negotiable instruments, funds and other evidences of payments held therein, including funds on account of intercompany indebtedness between or among the Credit Parties or their Affiliates, to the extent owing in respect of ABL Priority Collateral, (y) Securities Accounts (other than Term Loan Priority Accounts), Security Entitlements and Securities credited to such a Securities Account (other than Equity Interests) and (z) Commodity Accounts (other than Term Loan Priority Accounts) and Commodity Contracts credited thereto, and, in each case, all cash, Money, cash equivalents, checks and other property held therein or credited thereto (other than Equity Interests); provided, however, that to the extent that identifiable proceeds of Term Priority Collateral are deposited in any such Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts, after the delivery of a Term Cash Proceeds Notice, such identifiable proceeds shall be treated as Term Priority Collateral;

(4) all Inventory;

(5) to the extent relating to, evidencing or governing any of the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (4) constituting ABL Priority Collateral, all Documents, General Intangibles (including all rights under contracts but excluding any Intellectual Property and Equity Interests), Instruments (including Promissory Notes), Chattel Paper (including Tangible Chattel Paper and Electronic Chattel Paper) and Commercial Tort Claims; provided that to the extent any of the foregoing also relates to Term Priority Collateral, only that portion related to the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (4) shall be included in the ABL Priority Collateral;

(6) to the extent relating to any of the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (5) constituting ABL Priority Collateral, all Supporting Obligations and Letter-of-Credit Rights; provided that to the extent any of the foregoing also relates to Term Priority Collateral only that portion related to the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (5) shall be included in the ABL Priority Collateral;

(7) all books and Records relating to the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (6) constituting ABL Priority Collateral (including all books, databases, customer lists, engineer drawings, and Records, whether tangible or electronic, which contain any information relating to any of the items referred to in the preceding clauses (1) through (6) constituting ABL Priority Collateral but, in each case, excluding any Intellectual Property); and

(8) all collateral security and guarantees with respect to any of the foregoing and, subject to Section 3.7, all cash, Money, cash equivalents, insurance proceeds, Instruments, Securities (other than Equity Interests) and Financial Assets received as proceeds of any of the foregoing (such proceeds, “ABL Priority Proceeds”).

 

5


ABL Recovery” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(a).

ABL Secured Parties” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Agent(s)” means individually the ABL Agent or the Term Agent and collectively means both the ABL Agent and the Term Agent.

Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Bankruptcy Code” shall mean Title 11 of the United States Code, as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto.

Borrower” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Business Day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed (or are in fact closed).

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Capitalized Lease shall be the amount thereof accounted for as a liability in accordance with GAAP.

Cash Management Servicesmeans any agreement or arrangement to provide cash management services, including automated clearinghouse transfers, controlled disbursement accounts, treasury, depository, overdraft, credit card processing, credit or debit card, purchase card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

Collateral” shall mean all Property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or any Guarantor in or upon which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted to any ABL Agent or any Term Agent under any of the ABL Collateral Documents or the Term Collateral Documents, together with all rents, issues, profits, products and Proceeds thereof.

Control” shall have the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate”.

 

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Control Collateral” shall mean any Collateral consisting of any Certificated Security (as defined in Section 8-102 of the Uniform Commercial Code), Investment Property, Deposit Account, Instruments and any other Collateral as to which a Lien may be perfected through possession or control by the secured party, or any agent therefor.

Copyright Licenses” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting any right to any third party under any Copyright now or hereafter owned by any Credit Party or that such Credit Party otherwise has the right to license, or granting any right to any Credit Party under any Copyright now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights of such Credit Party under any such agreement.

Copyrights” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by or assigned to any Credit Party: (a) all copyright rights in any work subject to the copyright laws of the United States or any other country, whether as author, assignee, transferee or otherwise, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished, (b) all registrations and applications for registration of any such copyright in the United States or any other country, including registrations, recordings, supplemental registrations and pending applications for registration in the United States Copyright Office, and all: (i) rights and privileges arising under applicable law with respect to such Credit Party’s use of such copyrights, (ii) reissues, renewals and extensions thereof and amendments thereto, (iii) income, fees, royalties, damages, claims and payments now or hereafter due and/or payable with respect thereto, including damages and payments for past, present or future infringements thereof, (iv) rights corresponding thereto throughout the world and (v) rights to sue for past, present or future infringements thereof.

Credit Card Receivables” means, collectively, (a) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any ABL Guarantor to payment from any credit card issuer, credit card processor or other third party arising from sales of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit or debit card and (b) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any ABL Guarantor to payment from any credit card issuer, credit card processor or other third party in connection with the sale or transfer of accounts arising pursuant to the sale of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit card or a debit card, including, but not limited to, all amounts at any time due or to become due from any credit card issuer or credit card processor under the credit card agreements or otherwise, in each case above calculated net of prevailing interchange charges.

Credit Documents” shall mean the ABL Documents and the Term Documents.

Credit Parties” shall mean the ABL Credit Parties and the Term Credit Parties.

Debtor Relief Laws” shall mean the Bankruptcy Code, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

DIP Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).

 

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Discharge of ABL Obligations” shall mean (a) the payment in full in cash of all outstanding ABL Obligations excluding contingent indemnity obligations with respect to then unasserted claims but including, (i) with respect to amounts available to be drawn under outstanding letters of credit issued under any ABL Credit Agreement (or indemnities or other undertakings issued pursuant thereto in respect of outstanding letters of credit), the cancellation of such letters of credit or the delivery or provision of cash collateral or backstop letters of credit in respect thereof in compliance with the terms of any ABL Credit Agreement (which shall not exceed an amount equal to 103% of the aggregate undrawn amount of such letters of credit) and (ii) with respect to ABL Hedging Agreements and ABL Cash Management Obligations (or indemnities or other undertakings issued pursuant thereto in respect of outstanding ABL Hedging Agreements and ABL Cash Management Obligations) the termination thereof and payment in full in cash of all ABL Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations with respect to then unasserted claims) with respect thereto or the delivery or provision of cash collateral in respect thereof in compliance with the terms of any ABL Credit Agreement, and (b) the termination of all commitments to extend credit under the ABL Documents.

Discharge of Term Obligations” shall mean (a) (i) the payment in full in cash of all outstanding Term Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations with respect to then unasserted claims) and (ii) with respect to Term Hedging Agreements and Term Cash Management Obligations (or indemnities or other undertakings issued pursuant thereto in respect of outstanding Term Hedging Agreements and Term Cash Management Obligations) the termination thereof and payment in full in cash of all Term Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations with respect to then unasserted claims) with respect thereto or the delivery or provision of cash collateral in respect thereof in compliance with the terms of any Term Credit Agreement, and (b) the termination of all commitments to extend credit under the Term Documents.

Domain Names” shall mean all Internet domain names and associated URL addresses in or to which any Credit Party now or hereafter has any right, title or interest.

Domestic Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary organized under the laws of Puerto Rico or any other territory).

Enforcement Notice” shall mean a written notice delivered by either the ABL Agent or the Term Agent to the other announcing that an Enforcement Period has commenced.

Enforcement Period” shall mean the period of time following the receipt by either the ABL Agent or the Term Agent of an Enforcement Notice from the other and continuing until the earliest of (a) in the case of an Enforcement Period commenced by the Term Agent, the Discharge of Term Obligations, (b) in the case of an Enforcement Period commenced by the ABL Agent, the Discharge of ABL Obligations, or (c) the ABL Agent or the Term Agent (as applicable) terminates, or agrees in writing to terminate, the Enforcement Period.

Equity Interest” shall mean, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

 

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Event of Default” shall mean an “Event of Default” or similar term under and as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement or any Term Credit Agreement, as applicable.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) with respect to ABL Guarantors, any “Excluded Subsidiary” or similar term under and as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement and (b) with respect to the Term Guarantors, any “Excluded Subsidiary” or similar term under and as defined in any Term Credit Agreement.

Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies” or “Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies” shall mean, except as otherwise provided in the final sentence of this definition:

(b) the taking by any Secured Party of any action to enforce or realize upon any Lien, including the institution of any foreclosure proceedings or the noticing of any public or private sale pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law;

(c) the exercise by any Secured Party of any right or remedy provided to a secured creditor on account of a Lien under any of the Credit Documents, under applicable law, in an Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise, including the election to retain any of the Collateral in satisfaction of a Lien;

(d) the taking of any action by any Secured Party or the exercise of any right or remedy by any Secured Party in respect of the collection on, set off against, marshaling of, injunction respecting or foreclosure on the Collateral or the Proceeds thereof;

(e) the appointment on the application of a Secured Party, of a receiver, receiver and manager or interim receiver of all or part of the Collateral;

(f) the sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral by private or public sale conducted by any Secured Party or any other means at the direction of any Secured Party permissible under applicable law;

(g) the exercise of any other right of a secured creditor under Part 6 of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code or under provisions of similar effect under other applicable law; and

(h) the exercise by any Secured Party of any voting rights relating to any Equity Interest included in the Collateral.

For the avoidance of doubt, none of the following shall be deemed to constitute an Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies: (i) the filing of a proof of claim in any Insolvency Proceeding or the seeking of adequate protection in accordance with the provisions of Article VI hereof, (ii) the exercise of rights by the ABL Agent upon the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Event (as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement), including, without limitation, the notification of account debtors, depository institutions or any other Person to deliver proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral to the ABL Agent, (iii) the consent by the ABL Agent to a store closing sale, going out of business sale or other disposition by any Credit Party of any of the ABL Priority Collateral, (iv) the reduction of advance rates or sub-limits by the ABL Agent and the ABL Lenders, or (v) the imposition of Reserves (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) by the ABL Agent.

 

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Foreign Subsidiary” shall mean any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time.

Governmental Authority” shall mean the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Guarantor” shall mean any of the ABL Guarantors or Term Guarantors.

Holdings” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Indebtedness” shall mean (i) all obligations of a Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (ii) the maximum amount of all letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person; (iii) obligations of such Person under any ABL Hedging Agreement or Term Hedging Agreement; (iv) indebtedness secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse, and (v) any guarantees of the foregoing.

Insolvency Proceeding” shall mean (a) any case, action or proceeding before any court or other Governmental Authority relating to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership, dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, or (b) any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, composition, marshalling of assets for creditors or other similar arrangement in respect of a Person’s creditors generally or any substantial portion of a Person’s creditors; in each case covered by clauses (a) and (b) undertaken under any Debtor Relief Laws.

Intellectual Property” shall mean all intellectual and similar property of every kind and nature now owned, licensed or hereafter acquired by any Credit Party that is subject to a security interest under any ABL Documents or any Term Documents, including inventions, designs, Patents, Copyrights, Licenses, Trademarks, Domain Names, trade secrets, confidential or proprietary technical and business information, know how, show how or other data or information, software, databases, all other proprietary information and all embodiments or fixations thereof and related documentation and registrations and all additions, improvements and accessions to, and books and records describing or used in connection with, any of the foregoing.

 

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Intellectual Property Collateral” shall mean Collateral consisting of Intellectual Property.

Lenders” means, collectively, all of the ABL Lenders and the Term Lenders.

License” shall mean any Patent License, Trademark License, Copyright License, or other license or sublicense agreement granting rights under Intellectual Property to which any Credit Party is a party.

Lien” shall mean any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, collateral assignment, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall an operating lease in and of itself be deemed a Lien.

Lien Priority” shall mean with respect to any Lien of the ABL Secured Parties or the Term Secured Parties in the Collateral, the order of priority of such Lien as specified in Section 2.1.

Party” shall mean the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, and “Parties” shall mean both the ABL Agent and the Term Agent.

Patent License” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any third party any right to develop, commercialize, import, make, have made, offer for sale, use or sell any invention on which a Patent, now or hereafter owned by any Credit Party or that any Credit Party otherwise has the right to license, is in existence, or granting to any Credit Party any such right with respect to any invention on which a Patent, now or hereafter owned by any third party, is in existence, and all rights of any Credit Party under any such agreement.

Patents” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Credit Party: (a) all letters patent of the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications for letters patent of the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country, including registrations, recordings and pending applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar offices in any other country, and (b) all (i) rights and privileges arising under applicable law with respect to such Credit Party’s use of any patents, (ii) inventions and improvements described and claimed therein, (iii) reissues, divisions, continuations, renewals, extensions and continuations-in-part thereof and amendments thereto, (iv) income, fees, royalties, damages, claims and payments now or hereafter due and/or payable respect to any of the foregoing, including damages and payments for past, present or future infringements thereof, (v) rights corresponding thereto throughout the world and (vi) rights to sue for past, present or future infringements thereof.

 

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Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt” shall mean any “Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt” as defined in the Term Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.

Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt” shall mean any “Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt as defined in the Term Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.

Permitted Refinancing” shall mean any “Permitted Refinancing” as defined in the Term Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.

Person” shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Priority Collateralshall mean the ABL Priority Collateral or the Term Priority Collateral, as applicable.

Proceeds” shall mean (a) all “proceeds,” as defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, with respect to the Collateral, and (b) whatever is recoverable or recovered when any Collateral is sold, exchanged, collected, or disposed of, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

Property” shall mean any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

Purchase Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

Purchase Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

Purchase Option Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

Purchasing Creditors” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

Real Property” shall mean any right, title or interest in and to real property, including any fee interest, leasehold interest, easement, or license and any other right to use or occupy real property.

Replacement Agent” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(d).

Restricted Subsidiarymeans (a) with respect to ABL Guarantors, any “Restricted Subsidiary” under and as defined in any ABL Credit Agreement and (b) with respect to the Term Guarantors, any “Restricted Subsidiary” under and as defined in any Term Credit Agreement.

Secured Parties” shall mean the ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties.

Subsidiary” of a Person shall mean a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, charitable foundations) of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.

 

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Term Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement and shall include any successor thereto as well as any Person designated as the “Agent”, “Administrative Agent”, “Collateral Agent”, “Trustee”, “Collateral Trustee” or similar term under any Term Credit Agreement.

Term Cash Management Affiliate” shall mean any Term Cash Management Bank that is owed Term Cash Management Obligations by a Term Credit Party and which Term Cash Management Obligations are secured by one or more Term Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees.

Term Cash Management Bank” means any Person that is a Term Lender or an Affiliate of a Term Lender at the time it provides any Cash Management Services, whether or not such Person subsequently ceases to be a Term Lender or an Affiliate of a Term Lender.

Term Cash Management Obligations” means obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Term Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated under the Term Credit Agreement by the Term Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the Term Agent as “Cash Management Obligations”.

Term Cash Proceeds Notice” shall mean a written notice delivered by the Term Agent to the ABL Agent (a) stating that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under any Term Document and specifying the relevant Event of Default and (b) stating that certain cash proceeds which may be deposited in an ABL Deposit and Securities Account constitute Term Priority Collateral, and reasonably identifying the amount of such proceeds and specifying the origin thereof.

Term Collateral Documents” shall mean all “Collateral Documents” or similar term as defined in any Term Credit Agreement, and all other security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust and other collateral documents executed and delivered in connection with any Term Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

Term Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall include any one or more other agreements, indentures or facilities extending the maturity of, consolidating, restructuring, refunding, replacing or refinancing all or any portion of the Term Obligations, whether by the same or any other agent, trustee, lender, group of lenders, creditor or group of creditors and whether or not increasing the amount of any Indebtedness that may be incurred thereunder.

Term Credit Parties” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

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Term Documents” shall mean any Term Credit Agreement, any Term Guaranty, any Term Collateral Document, any Cash Management Services between the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Term Cash Management Affiliate, any Term Hedging Agreements between any Term Credit Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Term Hedging Affiliate, any other ancillary agreement as to which any Term Secured Party is a party or a beneficiary and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Term Credit Party or any of its respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates, and delivered to the Term Agent or any other Term Secured Party, in connection with any of the foregoing or any Term Credit Agreement, in each case as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

Term Guarantors” shall mean the collective reference to (i) Holdings and each wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary (as defined in the Term Credit Agreement) of the Borrower, other than any Excluded Subsidiary and (ii) any other Person who becomes a guarantor under any Term Guaranty. The term “Term Guarantors” shall include all “Guarantors” under and as defined in the Term Credit Agreement.

Term Guaranty” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the recitals to this Agreement and shall also include any other guaranty made by a Term Guarantor guaranteeing, inter alia, the payment and performance of any Term Obligations.

Term Hedge Bank” shall have the meaning assigned to the term “Hedge Bank” in the Term Credit Agreement.

Term Hedging Affiliate” shall mean any Term Hedge Bank that has entered into a Term Hedging Agreement with a Term Credit Party or Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, with the obligations of such Term Credit Party or Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, thereunder being secured by one or more Term Collateral Documents, together with their respective successors, assigns and transferees (even if such Term Hedge Bank subsequently ceases to be an agent or lender, as applicable, under the Term Credit Agreement for any reason).

Term Hedging Agreement” means any “Secured Hedge Agreement” as defined in the Term Credit Agreement.

Term Lenders” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement, as well as any Person designated as a “Lender” or similar term under any Term Credit Agreement.

Term Loan Priority Accounts” means any Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts or Commodity Accounts, in each case that are intended to solely contain Term Priority Collateral or identifiable proceeds of the Term Priority Collateral (it being understood that any property in such Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts or Commodities Accounts which is not Term Priority Collateral or identifiable proceeds of Term Priority Collateral shall not be Term Priority Collateral solely by virtue of being on deposit in any such Deposit Account, Securities Account or Commodity Account).

 

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Term Obligations” shall mean any and all obligations of every nature of each Term Credit Party from time to time owed to the Term Secured Parties or any of them, under, in connection with, or evidenced or secured by any Term Document, including, without limitation, all “Obligations” or similar term as defined in any Term Credit Agreement and whether for principal, interest, payments for early termination of Term Hedging Agreements, fees, expenses, indemnification or otherwise, and all other amounts owing or due under the terms of any Term Document (including interest, fees, expenses and indemnifications which, but for the filing of a petition in bankruptcy with respect to such Term Credit Party, would have become due or accrued on any Term Obligation, whether or not a claim is allowed against such Term Credit Party for such interest, fees, expenses and indemnifications in the related bankruptcy proceeding), as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced in whole or in part from time to time.

Term Priority Collateral” shall mean all Collateral consisting of the following:

(1) all Equipment, Fixtures, Real Property, Intellectual Property, intercompany indebtedness between or among the Credit Parties or their Affiliates, except to the extent constituting ABL Priority Collateral, and all Equity Interests held by the Guarantors and other Investment Property (other than any Investment Property described in clauses 3(y) and 8 of the definition of ABL Priority Collateral);

(2) except to the extent constituting ABL Priority Collateral, all Instruments, Commercial Tort Claims, Documents and General Intangibles;

(3) Term Loan Priority Accounts; provided, however, that to the extent that identifiable proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral are deposited in any such Term Loan Priority Accounts, such identifiable proceeds shall be treated as ABL Priority Collateral;

(4) all other Collateral, other than the ABL Priority Collateral (including ABL Priority Proceeds); and

(5) all collateral security and guarantees with respect to the foregoing, and all cash, Money, insurance proceeds, Instruments, Securities and Financial Assets received as proceeds of any of the foregoing, but, in any event, excluding the ABL Priority Collateral (including ABL Priority Proceeds) (such proceeds, “Term Priority Proceeds”).

Term Recovery” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(b).

Term Secured Parties” shall have the meaning assigned to that term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Trademark License” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any third party any right to use any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any Credit Party or that any Credit Party otherwise has the right to license, or granting to any Credit Party any right to use any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights of any Credit Party under any such agreement (not including vendor or distribution agreements that allow incidental use of intellectual property rights in connection with the sale or distribution of such products or services).

 

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Trademarks” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Credit Party: (a) all trademarks, service marks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, trade dress, logos, other source or business identifiers, designs and general intangibles of like nature, the goodwill of the business symbolized thereby or associated therewith, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all registration and recording applications filed in connection therewith, including registrations and registration applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar offices in any State of the United States or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, and all extensions or renewals thereof, (b) any and all rights and privileges arising under applicable law with respect to such Credit Party’s use of any trademarks, (c) all extensions and renewals thereof and amendments thereto, (d) all income, fees, royalties, damages and payments now and hereafter due and/or payable with respect to any of the foregoing, including damages, claims and payments for past, present or future infringements thereof, (e) all rights corresponding thereto throughout the world and (f) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements or dilution thereof or other injuries thereto.

Uniform Commercial Code” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York; provided that, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, perfection, or the effect of perfection or non perfection or the priority of a security interest in any Collateral or the availability of any remedy hereunder is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or effect of perfection or non perfection or priority or availability of such remedy, as the case may be.

Use Period” means the period commencing on the date that the ABL Agent or an agent acting on its behalf (or an ABL Credit Party acting with the consent of the ABL Agent) commences the liquidation and sale of the ABL Priority Collateral in a manner as provided in Section 3.6 (having theretofore furnished the Term Agent with an Enforcement Notice) and ending 180 days thereafter. If any stay or other order that prohibits any of the ABL Agent, the other ABL Secured Parties or any ABL Credit Party (with the consent of the ABL Agent) from commencing and continuing to Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies or from liquidating and selling the ABL Priority Collateral has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, such 180-day period shall be tolled during the pendency of any such stay or other order and the Use Period shall be so extended.

Section 1.3 Rules of Construction. Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the term “including” is not limiting and shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation,” and the term “or” has, except where otherwise indicated, the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and similar terms in this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Article, section, subsection, clause, schedule and

 

16


exhibit references herein are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Any reference in this Agreement to any agreement, instrument, or document shall include all alterations, amendments, changes, restatements, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements thereto and thereof, as applicable (subject to any restrictions on such alterations, amendments, changes, restatements, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements set forth herein). Any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns. Any reference herein to the repayment in full of an obligation shall mean the payment in full in cash of such obligation, or in such other manner as may be approved in writing by the requisite holders or representatives in respect of such obligation.

ARTICLE 2

LIEN PRIORITY

Section 2.1 Priority of Liens.

(a) Notwithstanding (i) the date, time, method, manner, or order of grant, attachment or perfection (including any defect or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any of the foregoing) of any Liens granted to the ABL Secured Parties in respect of all or any portion of the Collateral or of any Liens granted to the Term Secured Parties in respect of all or any portion of the Collateral and regardless of how any such Lien was acquired (whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise), (ii) the order or time of filing or recordation of any document or instrument for perfecting the Liens in favor of the ABL Agent or the Term Agent (or ABL Secured Parties or Term Secured Parties) in any Collateral, (iii) any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code, Debtor Relief Laws or any other applicable law, or of the ABL Documents or the Term Documents, (iv) whether the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, in each case, either directly or through agents, holds possession of, or has control over, all or any part of the Collateral, (v) the date on which the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations are advanced or made available to the Credit Parties, (vi) the fact that any such Liens in favor of the ABL Agent or the ABL Lenders or the Term Agent or the Term Lenders securing any of the ABL Obligations or Term Obligations, respectively, are (x) subordinated to any Lien securing any obligation of any Credit Party other than the Term Obligations or the ABL Obligations, respectively, or (y) otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed, or (vii) any other circumstance of any kind or nature whatsoever, the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, hereby agree that:

(1) any Lien in respect of all or any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party that secures all or any portion of the Term Obligations shall in all respects be junior and subordinate to all Liens granted to the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties in such ABL Priority Collateral to secure all or any portion of the ABL Obligations;

(2) any Lien in respect of all or any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party that secures all or any portion of the ABL Obligations shall in all respects be senior and prior to all Liens granted to the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party in such ABL Priority Collateral to secure all or any portion of the Term Obligations;

 

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(3) any Lien in respect of all or any portion of the Term Priority Collateral now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party that secures all or any portion of the ABL Obligations shall in all respects be junior and subordinate to all Liens granted to the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties in such Term Priority Collateral to secure all or any portion of the Term Obligations; and

(4) any Lien in respect of all or any portion of the Term Priority Collateral now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party that secures all or any portion of the Term Obligations shall in all respects be senior and prior to all Liens granted to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party in such Term Priority Collateral to secure all or any portion of the ABL Obligations.

(b) Notwithstanding any failure by any ABL Secured Party or Term Secured Party to perfect its security interests in the Collateral or any avoidance, invalidation, priming or subordination by any third party or court of competent jurisdiction of the security interests in the Collateral granted to the ABL Secured Parties or the Term Secured Parties, the priority and rights as between the ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral shall be as set forth herein.

(c) The Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, acknowledges and agrees that, concurrently herewith, the ABL Agent, for the benefit of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, has been, or may be, granted Liens upon all of the Collateral in which the Term Agent has been granted Liens and the Term Agent hereby consents thereto. The ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, acknowledges and agrees that, concurrently herewith, the Term Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Term Secured Parties, has been, or may be, granted Liens upon all of the Collateral in which the ABL Agent has been granted Liens and the ABL Agent hereby consents thereto. The subordination of Liens by the Term Agent and the ABL Agent in favor of one another as set forth herein shall not be deemed to subordinate the Term Agent’s Liens or the ABL Agent’s Liens to the Liens of any other Person, nor shall such subordination be affected by the subordination of such Liens to any Lien of any other Person.

Section 2.2 Waiver of Right to Contest Liens.

(a) The Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that it and they shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to contest or challenge (or assist or support any other Person in contesting or challenging), directly or indirectly, whether or not in any proceeding (including in any Insolvency Proceeding), the validity, priority, enforceability, or perfection of the Liens of the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral or the provisions of this Agreement or the allowability of the claims asserted by the ABL Agent or the ABL Secured Parties. The Term Agent, for itself and on behalf

 

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of the Term Secured Parties, agrees that none of the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties will take any action that would interfere with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies undertaken by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party under the ABL Documents with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral. The Term Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, hereby waives any and all rights it or the Term Secured Parties may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to contest, protest, object to, or interfere with the manner in which the ABL Agent or any ABL Lender seeks to enforce its Liens in any ABL Priority Collateral. The foregoing shall not be construed to prohibit the Term Agent from enforcing the provisions of this Agreement or otherwise acting in accordance with this Agreement.

(b) The ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that it and they shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to contest or challenge (or assist or support any other Person in contesting or challenging), directly or indirectly, whether or not in any proceeding (including in any Insolvency Proceeding), the validity, priority, enforceability, or perfection of the Liens of the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral or the provisions of this Agreement or the allowability of the claims asserted by the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties. Except to the extent expressly set forth in Section 3.6 of this Agreement, the ABL Agent, for itself and on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that none of the ABL Agent or the ABL Secured Parties will take any action that would interfere with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies undertaken by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party under the Term Documents with respect to the Term Priority Collateral. The ABL Agent, for itself and on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties, hereby waives any and all rights it or the ABL Secured Parties may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to contest, protest, object to, or interfere with the manner in which the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party seeks to enforce its Liens in any Term Priority Collateral. The foregoing shall not be construed to prohibit the ABL Agent from enforcing the provisions of this Agreement or otherwise acting in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 2.3 Remedies Standstill.

(a) The Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that, from the date hereof until the date upon which the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred, neither the Term Agent nor any Term Secured Party will Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to any of the ABL Priority Collateral without the written consent of the ABL Agent, and will not take, receive or accept any Proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral, it being understood and agreed that the temporary deposit of Proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral in a Deposit Account controlled by the Term Agent shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement so long as such Proceeds are promptly (but in no event later than five Business Days after receipt) remitted to the ABL Agent. From and after the date upon which the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred (or prior thereto upon obtaining the written consent of the ABL Agent), the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party may Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies under the Term Documents or applicable law as to any ABL Priority Collateral; provided, however, that any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to any Collateral by the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties is at all times subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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(b) The ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that, from the date hereof until the date upon which the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred, neither the ABL Agent nor any ABL Secured Party will Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to the Term Priority Collateral without the written consent of the Term Agent, and will not take, receive or accept any Proceeds of the Term Priority Collateral, it being understood and agreed that the temporary deposit of Proceeds of Term Priority Collateral in a Deposit Account controlled by the ABL Agent shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement so long as such Proceeds are promptly (but in no event later than five Business Days after receipt) remitted to the Term Agent. From and after the date upon which the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred (or prior thereto upon obtaining the written consent of the Term Agent), the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party may Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies under the ABL Documents or applicable law as to any Term Priority Collateral; provided, however, that any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to any Collateral by the ABL Agent or the ABL Secured Parties is at all times subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.3(a), 2.3(b) or any other provision of this Agreement, nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent any Agent or any Secured Party from (i) filing a claim or statement of interest with respect to the ABL Obligations or Term Obligations owed to it in any Insolvency Proceeding commenced by or against any Credit Party, (ii) taking any action (not adverse to the priority status of the Liens of the other Agent or other Secured Parties on the Collateral in which such other Agent or other Secured Party has a priority Lien or the rights of the other Agent or any of the other Secured Parties to Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies in respect thereof) in order to create, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce its Lien) on any Collateral, (iii) filing any necessary or appropriate responsive pleadings in opposition to any motion, adversary proceeding or other pleading filed by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of the claim or Lien of such Agent or Secured Party or (iv) voting on any plan of reorganization or filing any proof of claim in any Insolvency Proceeding of any Credit Party, in each case (i) through (iv) above to the extent not inconsistent with the express terms of this Agreement.

Section 2.4 Exercise of Rights.

(a) No Other Restrictions. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, each Term Secured Party and each ABL Secured Party shall have any and all rights and remedies it may have as a creditor under applicable law, including the right to the Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies; provided, however, that the Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to the Collateral shall be subject to the Lien Priority and to the provisions of this Agreement. The ABL Agent may enforce the provisions of the ABL Documents, the Term Agent may enforce the provisions of the Term Documents and each may Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies, all in such order and in such manner as each may determine in the exercise of its sole discretion, consistent with the terms of this Agreement and mandatory provisions of applicable law; provided, however, that each of the ABL Agent and the Term Agent agrees to provide to the other (x) an Enforcement Notice prior to the commencement of an Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies and (y) copies of any notices that it is required under applicable law to deliver to any Credit Party; provided further, however, that the ABL Agent’s failure to provide the Enforcement Notice (other than in connection with Section 3.6) or any such copies to the Term

 

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Agent shall not impair any of the ABL Agent’s rights hereunder or under any of the ABL Documents and the Term Agent’s failure to provide the Enforcement Notice or any such copies to the ABL Agent shall not impair any of the Term Agent’s rights hereunder or under any of the Term Documents. Each of the Term Agent, each Term Secured Party, the ABL Agent and each ABL Secured Party agrees that it will not institute any suit or other proceeding or assert in any suit, Insolvency Proceeding or other proceeding any claim, in the case of the Term Agent and each Term Secured Party, against either the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party, and in the case of the ABL Agent and each other ABL Secured Party, against either the Term Agent or any other Term Secured Party, seeking damages from or other relief by way of specific performance, instructions or otherwise, with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by such Person with respect to the Collateral which is consistent with the terms of this Agreement, and none of such Parties shall be liable for any such action taken or omitted to be taken.

(b) Unsecured Creditor Rights; Insolvency Proceedings. None of the ABL Agent, any other ABL Secured Party, the Term Agent or any other Term Secured Party shall be a petitioning creditor or otherwise assist in the filing of an involuntary Insolvency Proceeding against any Credit Party without the consent of the other Agent.

(c) Release of Liens.

(i) In the event of (A) any private or public sale of all or any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies by, or with the consent of, the ABL Agent (other than in connection with a refinancing as described in Section 5.2(c)), or (B) any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral (other than in connection with a refinancing as described in Section 5.2(c)), so long as such sale, transfer or other disposition is then permitted by the ABL Documents or consented to by the requisite ABL Lenders, irrespective of whether an Event of Default has occurred, the Term Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties that, so long as the Term Agent, for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties, shall retain a Lien on the proceeds of such sale, transfer or other disposition (to the extent that such proceeds are not applied to the ABL Obligations as provided in Section 4.1(b) hereof), such sale, transfer or other disposition will be free and clear of the Liens on such ABL Priority Collateral (but not the proceeds thereof) securing the Term Obligations, and the Term Agent’s and the Term Secured Parties’ Liens with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral (but not the proceeds thereof) so sold, transferred, or disposed shall terminate and be automatically released without further action concurrently with, and to the same extent as, the release of the ABL Secured Parties’ Liens on such ABL Priority Collateral. In furtherance of, and subject to, the foregoing, the Term Agent agrees that it will promptly execute any and all Lien releases or other documents reasonably requested by the ABL Agent in connection therewith. The Term Agent hereby appoints the ABL Agent and any officer or duly authorized person of the ABL Agent, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power of attorney in the place and stead of the Term Agent and in the name of the Term Agent or in the ABL Agent’s own name, from time to time, in the ABL Agent’s sole discretion, for the purposes of carrying out the terms of this paragraph, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments as may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this paragraph, including any financing statements, endorsements, assignments, releases or other documents or instruments of transfer (which appointment, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable).

 

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(ii) In the event of (A) any private or public sale of all or any portion of the Term Priority Collateral in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies by, or with the consent of, the Term Agent (other than in connection with a refinancing as described in Section 5.2(c)), or (B) any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of the Term Priority Collateral (other than in connection with a refinancing as described in Section 5.2(c)), so long as such sale, transfer or other disposition is then permitted by the Term Documents or consented to by the requisite Term Lenders, irrespective of whether an Event of Default has occurred, the ABL Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties that, so long as the ABL Agent, for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties, shall retain a Lien on the proceeds of such sale, transfer or other disposition (to the extent that such proceeds are not applied to the Term Obligations as provided in Section 4.1(c) hereof), such sale, transfer or disposition will be free and clear of the Liens on such Term Priority Collateral (but not the proceeds thereof) securing the ABL Obligations and the ABL Agent’s and the ABL Secured Parties’ Liens with respect to the Term Priority Collateral (but not the proceeds thereof) so sold, transferred, or disposed shall terminate and be automatically released without further action concurrently with, and to the same extent as, the release of the Term Secured Parties’ Liens on such Term Priority Collateral. In furtherance of, and subject to, the foregoing, the ABL Agent agrees that it will promptly execute any and all Lien releases or other documents reasonably requested by the Term Agent in connection therewith. The ABL Agent hereby appoints the Term Agent and any officer or duly authorized person of the Term Agent, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power of attorney in the place and stead of the ABL Agent and in the name of the ABL Agent or in the Term Agent’s own name, from time to time, in the Term Agent’s sole discretion, for the purposes of carrying out the terms of this paragraph, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments as may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this paragraph, including any financing statements, endorsements, assignments, releases or other documents or instruments of transfer (which appointment, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable).

Section 2.5 No New Liens.

(a) It is the anticipation of the parties, that until the date upon which the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred, no Term Secured Party shall, other than with respect to assets consisting of Real Property (over which assets the ABL Agent does not hold a Lien on the date hereof and does not intend to acquire a Lien following the date hereof), acquire or hold any Lien on any assets securing any Term Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the ABL Agent under the ABL Documents. If any Term Secured Party shall (nonetheless and in breach hereof) acquire or hold any Lien on any assets (other than Real Property) of any Credit Party securing any Term Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the ABL Agent under the ABL Documents, then the Term Agent (or the relevant Term Secured Party) shall, without the need for any further consent of any other Term Secured Party, the Borrower or any Term Guarantor and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other Term Document, be deemed to also hold and have held such Lien as agent or bailee for the benefit of the ABL Agent as security for the ABL Obligations (subject to the Lien Priority and other terms hereof) and shall promptly notify the ABL Agent in writing of the existence of such Lien upon becoming aware thereof.

 

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(b) It is the anticipation of the parties, that until the date upon which the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred, no ABL Secured Party shall acquire or hold any Lien on any assets securing any ABL Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the Term Agent under the Term Documents. If any ABL Secured Party shall (nonetheless and in breach hereof) acquire or hold any Lien on any assets of any Credit Party securing any ABL Obligation which assets are not also subject to the Lien of the Term Agent under the Term Documents, then the ABL Agent (or the relevant ABL Secured Party) shall, without the need for any further consent of any other ABL Secured Party, the Borrower or any ABL Guarantor and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other ABL Document be deemed to also hold and have held such Lien as agent or bailee for the benefit of the Term Agent as security for the Term Obligations (subject to the Lien Priority and other terms hereof) and shall promptly notify the Term Agent in writing of the existence of such Lien upon becoming aware thereof.

Section 2.6 Waiver of Marshalling.

(a) Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees not to assert and hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right to demand, request, plead or otherwise assert or otherwise claim the benefit of, any marshalling, appraisal, valuation or other similar right that may otherwise be available under applicable law with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral or any other similar rights a junior secured creditor may have under applicable law.

(b) Until the Discharge of Term Obligations, the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees not to assert and hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right to demand, request, plead or otherwise assert or otherwise claim the benefit of, any marshalling, appraisal, valuation or other similar right that may otherwise be available under applicable law with respect to the Term Priority Collateral or any other similar rights a junior secured creditor may have under applicable law.

ARTICLE 3

ACTIONS OF THE PARTIES

Section 3.1 Certain Actions Permitted. The Term Agent and the ABL Agent may make such demands or file such claims in respect of the Term Obligations or the ABL Obligations, as applicable, as are necessary to prevent the waiver or bar of such claims under applicable statutes of limitations or other statutes, court orders, or rules of procedure at any time. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party of the required payments of interest, principal and other amounts owed in respect of the Term Obligations so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party of rights or remedies as a secured creditor (including set-off) with respect to ABL Priority Collateral or enforcement in contravention of this Agreement of any Lien held by any of them. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party of the required payments of interest, principal and other amounts owed in respect of the ABL Obligations so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party of rights or remedies as a secured creditor (including set-off) with respect to Term Priority Collateral or enforcement in contravention of this Agreement of any Lien held by any of them. None of the Term Agent,

 

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Term Secured Parties, ABL or ABL Secured Parties shall take any other action in connection with the Term Obligations or the ABL Obligations in contravention of the terms of this Agreement (including if for any reason such party is deemed, or is otherwise purporting to be acting in the capacity as, an unsecured or undersecured creditor with respect to such Term Obligations or ABL Obligations, as applicable).

Section 3.2 Agent for Perfection. The ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and each ABL Secured Party, and the Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and each Term Secured Party, as applicable, each agree to hold all Collateral in their respective possession, custody, or control (including as defined in Sections 9-104, 9-105, 9-106, 9-107 and 8-106 of the UCC) (or in the possession, custody, or control of agents or bailees for either) as gratuitous bailee for the other solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted to each in such Collateral, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 3.2. Solely with respect to any Control Collateral under the control (within the meaning of Section 9-104 of the UCC) of the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, the ABL Agent and the Term Agent, respectively, agrees to also hold control over such Control Collateral as gratuitous agent for and on behalf of the Term Secured Parties and the ABL Secured Parties, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 3.2. None of the ABL Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, the Term Agent, or the Term Secured Parties, as applicable, shall have any obligation whatsoever to the others to assure that the Collateral is genuine or owned by the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person or to preserve rights or benefits of any Person. The duties or responsibilities of the ABL Agent and the Term Agent under this Section 3.2 are and shall be limited solely to holding or maintaining control of the Control Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the other Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by the Term Agent or the ABL Agent, as applicable. The ABL Agent is not and shall not be deemed to be a fiduciary of any kind for the Term Secured Parties or any other Person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly provided herein, the ABL Secured Parties shall not be obligated to see to the application of any Proceeds of the Term Priority Collateral deposited into any Deposit Account or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof. The Term Agent is not and shall not be deemed to be a fiduciary of any kind for the ABL Secured Parties, or any other Person. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly provided herein, the Term Secured Parties shall not be obligated to see to the application of any Proceeds of the ABL Priority Collateral deposited into any Deposit Account or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof. In addition, the Term Agent, on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, hereby agrees and acknowledges that other than with respect to ABL Priority Collateral that may be perfected through the filing of a UCC financing statement, the ABL Agent’s Liens may be perfected on certain items of ABL Priority Collateral with respect to which the Term Agent’s Liens would not be perfected but for the provisions of this Section 3.2, and the Term Agent, on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, hereby further agrees that the foregoing described in this sentence shall not be deemed a breach of this Agreement. Each Agent, for itself and on behalf of each applicable Secured Party represented thereby, hereby waives and releases the other Agent from all claims and liabilities arising pursuant to such Agent’s role under this Section 3.2 as bailee with respect to the applicable Control Collateral.

 

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Section 3.3 Sharing of Information and Access. In the event that the ABL Agent shall, in the exercise of its rights under the ABL Collateral Documents or otherwise, receive possession or control of any books and records of any Term Credit Party which contain information identifying or pertaining to the Term Priority Collateral, the ABL Agent shall, upon request from the Term Agent and as promptly as practicable thereafter, either make available to the Term Agent such books and records for inspection and duplication or provide to the Term Agent copies thereof. In the event that the Term Agent shall, in the exercise of its rights under the Term Collateral Documents or otherwise, receive possession or control of any books and records of any ABL Credit Party which contain information identifying or pertaining to any of the ABL Priority Collateral, the Term Agent shall, upon request from the ABL Agent and as promptly as practicable thereafter, either make available to the ABL Agent such books and records for inspection and duplication or provide the ABL Agent copies thereof.

Section 3.4 Insurance. Proceeds of Collateral include insurance proceeds and, therefore, the Lien Priority shall govern the ultimate disposition of casualty insurance proceeds. The ABL Agent and the Term Agent shall each be named as additional insured or loss payee, as applicable, with respect to all insurance policies relating to the Collateral as set forth in the Term Credit Agreement or the ABL Credit Agreement, as applicable. The ABL Agent shall have the sole and exclusive right, as against the Term Agent, to adjust settlement of insurance claims in the event of any covered loss, theft or destruction of ABL Priority Collateral. The Term Agent shall have the sole and exclusive right, as against the ABL Agent, to adjust settlement of insurance claims in the event of any covered loss, theft or destruction of Term Priority Collateral. If any insurance claim includes both ABL Priority Collateral and Term Priority Collateral, the insurer will not settle such claim separately with respect to ABL Priority Collateral and Term Priority Collateral, and if the Parties are unable after negotiating in good faith to agree on the settlement for such claim, either Party may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to make a determination as to the settlement of such claim, and the court’s determination shall be binding upon the Parties. All proceeds of such insurance shall be remitted to the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, as the case may be, subject, in each case, to the terms of their respective Credit Documents, and each of the Term Agent and ABL Agent shall cooperate (if necessary) in a reasonable manner in effecting the payment of insurance proceeds in accordance with Section 4.1 hereof.

Section 3.5 No Additional Rights For the Credit Parties Hereunder. Except as provided in Section 3.6, if any ABL Secured Party or Term Secured Party shall enforce its rights or remedies in violation of the terms of this Agreement, the Credit Parties shall not be entitled to use such violation as a defense to any action by any ABL Secured Party or Term Secured Party, nor to assert such violation as a counterclaim or basis for set off or recoupment against any ABL Secured Party or Term Secured Party.

Section 3.6 Inspection and Access Rights. (a) Without limiting any rights the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party may otherwise have under applicable law or by agreement, in the event of any liquidation of the ABL Priority Collateral (or any other Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies by the ABL Agent) and whether or not the Term Agent or any other Term Secured Party has commenced and is continuing to Exercise Any Secured Creditor Remedies of the Term Agent with respect to the Term Priority Collateral or otherwise, the ABL Agent or any other Person (including any ABL Credit Party) acting with the consent, or on behalf, of the ABL Agent, shall have the right (a) during the Use Period during normal business hours on any Business Day, to access ABL Priority Collateral that (i) is stored or located in or on, (ii) has become an accession with respect to (within the meaning of Section 9-

 

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335 of the Uniform Commercial Code), or (iii) has been commingled with (within the meaning of Section 9-336 of the Uniform Commercial Code) Term Priority Collateral, and (b) during the Use Period, shall have the irrevocable right to use the Term Priority Collateral (including, without limitation, Equipment, Fixtures, Intellectual Property, General Intangibles and Real Property) on a rent-free, royalty-free basis, each of the foregoing solely for the limited purposes of assembling, inspecting, copying or downloading information stored on, taking actions to perfect its Lien on, completing a production run of Inventory involving, taking possession of, moving, preparing and advertising for sale, selling (by public auction, private sale or a “store closing”, “going out of business” or similar sale, whether in bulk, in lots or to customers in the ordinary course of business or otherwise and which sale may include augmented Inventory of the same type sold in any ABL Credit Party’s business), storing or otherwise dealing with the ABL Priority Collateral, in each case without notice to, the involvement of or interference by any Term Secured Party or liability to any Term Secured Party; provided, however, that the expiration of the Use Period shall be without prejudice to the sale or other disposition of the ABL Priority Collateral in accordance with this Agreement and applicable law. In the event that any ABL Secured Party has commenced and is continuing the Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies with respect to any ABL Priority Collateral or any other sale or liquidation of the ABL Priority Collateral has been commenced by an ABL Credit Party (with the consent of the ABL Agent), the Term Agent may not sell, assign or otherwise transfer the related Term Priority Collateral prior to the expiration of the Use Period, unless the purchaser, assignee or transferee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by the provisions of this Section 3.6.

(b) During the period of actual occupation, use and/or control by the ABL Secured Parties and/or the ABL Agent (or their respective employees, agents, advisers and representatives) of any Term Priority Collateral, the ABL Secured Parties and the ABL Agent shall be obligated to repair at their expense any physical damage (but not any diminution in value) to such Term Priority Collateral resulting from such occupancy, use or control, and to leave such Term Priority Collateral in substantially the same condition as it was at the commencement of such occupancy, use or control, ordinary wear and tear excepted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the ABL Secured Parties or the ABL Agent have any liability to the Term Secured Parties and/or to the Term Agent pursuant to this Section 3.6 as a result of any condition (including any environmental condition, claim or liability) on or with respect to the Term Priority Collateral existing prior to the date of the exercise by the ABL Secured Parties (or the ABL Agent or the Credit Parties with the consent of the ABL Agent, as the case may be) of their rights under Section 3.6 and the ABL Secured Parties shall have no duty or liability to maintain the Term Priority Collateral in a condition or manner better than that in which it was maintained prior to the use thereof by the ABL Secured Parties (or the ABL Agent or the Credit Parties with the consent of the ABL Agent, as the case may be), or for any diminution in the value of the Term Priority Collateral that results from ordinary wear and tear resulting from the use of the Term Priority Collateral by the ABL Secured Parties in the manner and for the time periods specified under this Section 3.6. Without limiting the rights granted in this Section 3.6, the ABL Secured Parties and the ABL Agent shall cooperate with the Term Secured Parties and/or the Term Agent in connection with any efforts made by the Term Secured Parties and/or the Term Agent to sell the Term Priority Collateral.

(c) The ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties shall not be obligated to pay any amounts to the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties (or any person claiming by, through or under the Term Secured Parties, including any purchaser of the Term Priority Collateral) or to the ABL Credit Parties, for or in respect of the use by the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties of the Term Priority Collateral.

 

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(d) The ABL Secured Parties shall (i) use the Term Priority Collateral in accordance with applicable law; (ii) insure for damage to property and liability to persons, including property and liability insurance for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties; and (iii) reimburse the Term Secured Parties for any injury or damage to Persons or property (ordinary wear-and-tear excepted) caused by the acts or omissions of Persons under their control arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any such Person; provided, however, that the ABL Secured Parties will not be liable for any diminution in the value of the Term Priority Collateral caused by the absence of the ABL Priority Collateral therefrom.

(e) The Term Agent and the other Term Secured Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to not hinder or obstruct the ABL Agent and the other ABL Secured Parties from exercising the rights described in Section 3.6(a) hereof.

(f) Subject to the terms hereof, the Term Agent may advertise and conduct public auctions or private sales of the Term Priority Collateral without notice (except as required by applicable law or this Agreement) to any ABL Secured Party, the involvement of or interference by any ABL Secured Party or liability to any ABL Secured Party as long as, in the case of an actual sale, the respective purchaser assumes and agrees in writing to the obligations of the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties under this Section 3.6.

(g) In furtherance of the foregoing in this Section 3.6, the Term Agent, in its capacity as a secured party (or as a purchaser, assignee or transferee, as applicable), and to the extent of its interest therein, hereby grants to the ABL Agent a nonexclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, license or sublicense any and all Intellectual Property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Credit Parties (except to the extent such grant is prohibited by any rule of law, statute or regulation), included as part of the Term Priority Collateral (and including in such license access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and to all computer software and programs used for the compilation or printout thereof) as is or may be necessary or advisable in the ABL Agent’s reasonable judgment for the ABL Agent to process, ship, produce, store, supply, lease, complete, sell, liquidate or otherwise deal with the ABL Priority Collateral, or to collect or otherwise realize upon any Accounts (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) comprising ABL Priority Collateral, in each case solely in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies; provided that (i) any such license shall terminate upon the sale of the applicable ABL Priority Collateral and shall not extend or transfer to the purchaser of such ABL Priority Collateral, (ii) the ABL Agent’s use of such Intellectual Property shall be reasonable and lawful, and (iii) any such license is granted on an “AS IS” basis, without any representation or warranty whatsoever. The Term Agent (i) acknowledges and consents to the grant to the ABL Agent by the Credit Parties of the license referred to in Section 4.01 of the Security Agreement (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) and (ii) agrees that its Liens in the Term Priority Collateral shall be subject in all respects to such license. Furthermore, the Term Agent agrees that, in connection with any Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies conducted by the Term Agent in respect of Term Priority Collateral, (x) any notice required to be given by the Term Agent in connection with such Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies shall contain an acknowledgement of the existence of such license and (y) the Term Agent shall provide written notice to any purchaser, assignee or transferee pursuant to an Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies that the applicable assets are subject to such license.

 

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Section 3.7 Tracing of and Priorities in Proceeds. The ABL Agent, for itself and on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, further agree that prior to an issuance of any notice of Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies by such Secured Party (unless a bankruptcy or insolvency Event of Default then exists), any proceeds of Collateral, whether or not deposited under control agreements, which are used by any Credit Party to acquire other property which is Collateral shall not (solely as between the Agents and the Lenders) be treated as Proceeds of Collateral for purposes of determining the relative priorities in the Collateral which was so acquired. In addition, unless and until the Discharge of the ABL Obligations occurs, the Term Agent and the other Term Secured Parties each consents to the application, prior to the delivery of a Term Cash Proceeds Notice to the ABL Agent, of cash or other proceeds of Collateral deposited under control agreements (other than any cash held in Term Loan Priority Accounts) to the repayment of the ABL Obligations pursuant to the ABL Documents.

Section 3.8 Purchase Right

(a) If (i) after the occurrence of an Event of Default, the ABL Agent shall sell, lease, license or dispose of all or substantially all of the ABL Priority Collateral by private or public sale, (ii) an Insolvency Proceeding with respect to the Borrower or Holdings shall have occurred or shall have been commenced, or (iii) the ABL Obligations under the ABL Credit Agreement shall have been accelerated (including as a result of any automatic acceleration) or shall remain unpaid following the Scheduled Termination Date (as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement), (each such event described in clauses (i) through (iii) herein above, a “Purchase Option Event”), the Term Secured Parties shall have the opportunity to purchase (at par and without premium) all (but not less than all) of the ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8; provided, that such option shall expire if the applicable Term Secured Parties fail to deliver a written notice (a “Purchase Notice”) to the ABL Agent with a copy to the Borrower within ten (10) Business Days following the first date the Term Agent obtains actual knowledge of the occurrence of the earliest Purchase Option Event, which Purchase Notice shall (A) be signed by the applicable Term Secured Parties committing to such purchase (the “Purchasing Creditors”) and indicate the percentage of the ABL Obligations to be purchased by each Purchasing Creditor (which aggregate commitments must add up to 100% of the ABL Obligations) and (B) state that (1) it is a Purchase Notice delivered pursuant to Section 3.8 of this Agreement and (2) the offer contained therein is irrevocable. Upon receipt of such Purchase Notice by the ABL Agent, the Purchasing Creditors shall have from the date of delivery thereof to and including the date that is ten (10) Business Days after the Purchase Notice was received by the ABL Agent to purchase all (but not less than all) of the ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8 (the date of such purchase, the “Purchase Date”).

(b) On the Purchase Date, the ABL Agent and the other ABL Secured Parties shall, subject to any required approval of any Governmental Authority and any limitation in the ABL Credit Agreement, in each case then in effect, if any, sell to the Purchasing Creditors all (but not less than all) of the ABL Obligations. On such Purchase Date, the Purchasing Creditors shall (i)

 

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pay to the ABL Agent, for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties, as directed by the ABL Agent, in immediately available funds the full amount (at par and without premium) of all ABL Obligations then outstanding together with all accrued and unpaid interest and fees thereon, all in the amounts specified by the ABL Agent and determined in accordance with the applicable ABL Documents, (ii) furnish such amount of cash collateral in immediately available funds as the ABL Agent determines is reasonably necessary to secure ABL Secured Parties in connection with any (x) indemnification obligations of the ABL Credit Parties under the ABL Documents, (y) ABL Cash Management Obligations and ABL Hedging Obligations, or (z) issued and outstanding letters of credit issued under the ABL Credit Agreement but, with respect to this clause (z), not in any event in an amount greater than 103% of the aggregate undrawn amount of all such outstanding letters of credit (and in the case of clauses (x), (y) and (z) herein above, any excess of such cash collateral for such indemnification obligations, ABL Cash Management Obligations and ABL Hedging Obligations or letters of credit remaining at such time when there are no longer any such indemnification obligations, ABL Cash Management Obligations and ABL Hedging Obligations or letters of credit outstanding and there are no unreimbursed amounts then owing in respect of such indemnification obligations, ABL Cash Management Obligations and ABL Hedging Obligations or drawings under such letters of credit shall be promptly paid over to the Term Agent) and (iii) agree to reimburse the ABL Secured Parties for any loss, cost, damage or expense (A) resulting from the granting of provisional credit for any checks, wire or ACH transfers that are reversed or not final or other payments provisionally credited to the ABL Obligations under the ABL Credit Agreement and as to which the ABL Agent and ABL Secured Parties have not yet received final payment as of the Purchase Date, or (B) for any indemnification obligations, ABL Cash Management Obligations and ABL Hedging Obligations or letters of credit, to the extent that the cash collateral delivered pursuant to clauses (x), (y) and (z), above, are insufficient to pay such ABL Obligations in full. Such purchase price shall be remitted by wire transfer in immediately available funds to such bank account of the ABL Agent (for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties) as the ABL Agent shall have specified in writing to the Term Agent. Interest and fees shall be calculated to but excluding the Purchase Date if the amounts so paid by the applicable Term Lenders to the bank account designated by the ABL Agent are received in such bank account prior to 1:00 p.m., New York time, and interest shall be calculated to and including such Purchase Date if the amounts so paid by the applicable Term Lenders to the bank account designated by the ABL Agent are received in such bank account after 1:00 p.m., New York time.

(c) Any purchase pursuant to the purchase option set forth in this Section 3.8 shall, except as provided below, be expressly made without representation or warranty of any kind by the ABL Agent or the other ABL Secured Parties as to the ABL Obligations, the collateral or otherwise, and without recourse to the ABL Agent and the other ABL Secured Parties as to the ABL Obligations, the collateral or otherwise, except that the ABL Agent and each of the ABL Secured Parties, as to itself only, shall represent and warrant only (i) the principal amount of the ABL Obligations being sold by it, (ii) that such Person has not created any Lien on any ABL Obligations being sold by it, and (iii) that such Person has the right to assign the ABL Obligations being assigned by it and its assignment agreement has been duly authorized and delivered.

 

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(d) Upon notice to the Credit Parties by the Term Agent that the purchase of ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8 has been consummated by delivery of the purchase price to the ABL Agent, the Credit Parties shall treat the applicable Term Lenders as holders of the ABL Obligations and the Term Agent shall be deemed appointed to act in such capacity as the “agent” or “administrative agent” (or analogous capacity) (the “Replacement Agent”) under the ABL Documents, for all purposes hereunder and under each ABL Document (it being agreed that the ABL Agent shall have no obligation to act as such replacement “agent” or “administrative agent” (or analogous capacity)). In connection with any purchase of ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8, each ABL Lender and ABL Agent agrees to enter into and deliver to the applicable Term Lenders on the Purchase Date, as a condition to closing, an assignment agreement customarily used by the ABL Agent in connection with the ABL Credit Agreement and the ABL Agent and each other ABL Lender shall deliver all possessory collateral (if any), together with any necessary endorsements and other documents (including any applicable stock powers or bond powers), then in its possession or in the possession of its agent or bailee, or turn over control as to any pledged collateral, deposit accounts or securities accounts of which it or its agent or bailee then has control, as the case may be, to the Replacement Agent, and deliver the loan register and participant register, if applicable and all other records pertaining to the ABL Obligations to the Replacement Agent and otherwise take such actions as may be reasonably appropriate to effect an orderly transition to the Replacement Agent. Upon the consummation of the purchase of the ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8, the ABL Agent (and all other agents under the ABL Credit Agreement) shall be deemed to have resigned as an “agent” or “administrative agent” for the ABL Secured Parties under the ABL Documents; provided that the ABL Agent (and all other agents under the ABL Credit Agreement) shall be entitled to all of the rights and benefits of a former “agent” or “administrative agent” under the ABL Credit Agreement.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing purchase of the ABL Obligations by the Purchasing Creditors, the ABL Secured Parties shall retain those contingent indemnification obligations and other obligations under the ABL Documents which by their express terms would survive any repayment of the ABL Obligations pursuant to this Section 3.8.

Section 3.9 Payments Over.

(a) So long as the Discharge of Term Obligations has not occurred, any Term Priority Collateral or Proceeds thereof not constituting ABL Priority Collateral received by the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including set off) relating to the Term Priority Collateral in contravention of this Agreement or otherwise (it being understood that the application of proceeds from any Deposit Account prior to the delivery of a Term Cash Proceeds Notice shall not be deemed in contravention of this Agreement) shall be segregated and held in trust and forthwith paid over to the Term Agent for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The Term Agent is hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for the ABL Agent or any such other ABL Secured Parties. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable until such time as this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.

 

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(b) So long as the Discharge of ABL Obligations has not occurred, any ABL Priority Collateral or Proceeds thereof not constituting Term Priority Collateral received by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Parties in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including set off) relating to the ABL Priority Collateral in contravention of this Agreement or otherwise shall be segregated and held in trust and forthwith paid over to the ABL Agent for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The ABL Agent is hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for the Term Agent or any such Term Secured Parties. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable until such time as this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 4

APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS

Section 4.1 Application of Proceeds.

(a) Revolving Nature of ABL Obligations. The Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) the ABL Credit Agreement includes a revolving commitment, that in the ordinary course of business the ABL Agent and the ABL Lenders will apply payments and make advances thereunder, and that no application of any Collateral or the release of any Lien by the ABL Agent upon any portion of the Collateral in connection with a permitted disposition by the ABL Credit Parties under any ABL Credit Agreement shall constitute the Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies under this Agreement; (ii) the amount of the ABL Obligations that may be outstanding at any time or from time to time may be increased or reduced and subsequently reborrowed, and that the terms of the ABL Obligations may be modified, amended and restated, extended or amended from time to time, and that the aggregate amount of the ABL Obligations may be increased, replaced or refinanced, in each event, without notice to or consent by the Term Secured Parties and without affecting the provisions hereof; and (iii) all Collateral received by the ABL Agent (so long as such receipt is not the result of the exercise of rights or remedies as a Secured Creditor) may be applied, reversed, reapplied, credited, or reborrowed, in whole or in part, to the ABL Obligations at any time; provided, however, that from and after the date on which the ABL Agent (or any ABL Secured Party) or the Term Agent (or any Term Secured Party) commences the Exercise of Any Secured Creditor Remedies, all amounts received by the ABL Agent or any ABL Lender shall be applied as specified in this Section 4.1. The Lien Priority shall not be altered or otherwise affected by any such amendment, modification, supplement, extension, repayment, reborrowing, increase, replacement, renewal, restatement or refinancing of either the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations, or any portion thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any Term Document or any ABL Document, each Credit Party and the Term Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, agrees that (i) only Term Priority Collateral or proceeds of the Term Priority Collateral shall be deposited in the Term Loan Priority Accounts and (ii) prior to the receipt of a Term Cash Proceeds Notice, the ABL Secured Parties are hereby permitted to treat all cash, cash equivalents, Money, collections and payments deposited in any ABL Deposit and Securities Account or otherwise received by any ABL Secured Parties as ABL Priority Collateral, and no such amounts credited to any such ABL Deposit and Securities Account or received by any ABL Secured Parties or applied to the ABL Obligations shall be subject to disgorgement or deemed to be held in trust for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties (and all claims of the Term Agent or any other Term Secured Party to such amounts are hereby waived).

 

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(b) Application of Proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral. The ABL Agent and the Term Agent hereby agree that all ABL Priority Collateral, ABL Priority Proceeds and all other Proceeds thereof, received by either of them in connection with any exercise of secured creditor remedies with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral shall be applied,

first, to the payment of costs and expenses of the ABL Agent in connection with such Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies,

second, to the payment or discharge of the ABL Obligations in accordance with the ABL Documents until the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred,

third, to the payment of the Term Obligations in accordance with the Term Documents until the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred, and

fourth, the balance, if any, to the Credit Parties or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

(c) Application of Proceeds of Term Priority Collateral. The ABL Agent and the Term Agent hereby agree that all Term Priority Collateral, Term Priority Proceeds and all other Proceeds thereof, received by either of them in connection with any exercise of secured creditor remedies with respect to the Term Priority Collateral shall be applied,

first, to the payment of costs and expenses of the Term Agent in connection with such Exercise of Secured Creditor Remedies,

second, to the payment of the Term Obligations in accordance with the Term Documents until the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred,

third, to the payment of the ABL Obligations in accordance with the ABL Documents until the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred; and

fourth, the balance, if any, to the Credit Parties or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

(d) Limited Obligation or Liability. In exercising remedies, whether as a secured creditor or otherwise, the ABL Agent shall have no obligation or liability to the Term Agent or to any Term Secured Party, and the Term Agent shall have no obligation or liability to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party, regarding the adequacy of any Proceeds or for any action or omission, except solely for an action or omission that breaches the express obligations undertaken by each Party under the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, none of the Parties hereto waives any claim that it may have against a Secured Party on the grounds that any sale, transfer or other disposition by the Secured Party was not commercially reasonable in every respect as required by the Uniform Commercial Code.

 

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(e) Turnover of Collateral After Discharge. Upon the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the ABL Agent shall deliver to the Term Agent or shall execute such documents as the Term Agent may reasonably request to enable the Term Agent to have control over any Control Collateral still in the ABL Agent’s possession, custody, or control in the same form as received with any necessary endorsements (in each case, subject to the reinstatement provisions of Section 5.3), or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. Upon the Discharge of Term Obligations, the Term Agent shall deliver to the ABL Agent or shall execute such documents as the ABL Agent may reasonably request to enable the ABL Agent to have control over any Control Collateral still in the Term Agent’s possession, custody or control in the same form as received with any necessary endorsements (in each case, subject to the reinstatement provisions of Section 5.3), or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.

Section 4.2 Specific Performance. Each of the ABL Agent and the Term Agent is hereby authorized to demand specific performance of this Agreement, whether or not the Borrower or any Guarantor shall have complied with any of the provisions of any of the Credit Documents, at any time when the other Party shall have failed to comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement applicable to it. Each of the ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, hereby irrevocably waives any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law that might be asserted as a bar to such remedy of specific performance.

ARTICLE 5

INTERCREDITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 5.1 Notice of Acceptance and Other Waivers.

(a) All ABL Obligations at any time made or incurred by the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be deemed to have been made or incurred in reliance upon this Agreement, and the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, hereby waives notice of acceptance, or proof of reliance by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party of this Agreement, and notice of the existence, increase, renewal, extension, accrual, creation, or non-payment of all or any part of the ABL Obligations. All Term Obligations at any time made or incurred by the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be deemed to have been made or incurred in reliance upon this Agreement, and the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, hereby waives notice of acceptance, or proof of reliance, by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party of this Agreement, and notice of the existence, increase, renewal, extension, accrual, creation, or non-payment of all or any part of the Term Obligations.

(b) None of the ABL Agent, any ABL Secured Party, or any of their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect, or realize upon any of the Collateral or any Proceeds, or for any delay in doing so, or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral or Proceeds thereof or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part or Proceeds thereof, except as specifically provided in this Agreement. If the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party honors (or fails to honor) a request by the Borrower for an extension of credit pursuant to any ABL Credit Agreement or any of the other ABL Documents, whether the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party has knowledge that the honoring of (or failure to honor) any such request would constitute a default under the terms of any Term Credit Agreement or any other Term Document or an act, condition, or event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute such a default, or if the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party otherwise should

 

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exercise any of its contractual rights or remedies under any ABL Documents (subject to the express terms and conditions hereof), neither the ABL Agent nor any ABL Secured Party shall have any liability whatsoever to the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party as a result of such action, omission, or exercise (so long as any such exercise does not breach the express terms and provisions of this Agreement). The ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties shall be entitled to manage and supervise their loans and extensions of credit under any ABL Credit Agreement and any of the other ABL Documents as they may, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Term Agent or any of the Term Secured Parties have in the Collateral, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement. The Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that neither the ABL Agent nor any ABL Secured Party shall incur any liability as a result of a sale, lease, license, application, or other disposition of all or any portion of the Collateral or Proceeds thereof, pursuant to the ABL Documents, so long as such disposition is conducted in accordance with mandatory provisions of applicable law and does not breach the provisions of this Agreement.

(c) None of the Term Agent, any Term Secured Party or any of their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect, or realize upon any of the Collateral or any Proceeds, or for any delay in doing so, or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral or Proceeds thereof or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part or Proceeds thereof, except as specifically provided in this Agreement. If the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party honors (or fails to honor) a request by the Borrower for an extension of credit pursuant to any Term Credit Agreement or any of the other Term Documents, whether the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party has knowledge that the honoring of (or failure to honor) any such request would constitute a default under the terms of any ABL Credit Agreement or any other ABL Document or an act, condition, or event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute such a default, or if the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party otherwise should exercise any of its contractual rights or remedies under the Term Documents (subject to the express terms and conditions hereof), neither the Term Agent nor any Term Secured Party shall have any liability whatsoever to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party as a result of such action, omission, or exercise (so long as any such exercise does not breach the express terms and provisions of this Agreement). The Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties shall be entitled to manage and supervise their loans and extensions of credit under the Term Documents as they may, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party has in the Collateral, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement. The ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that none of the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties shall incur any liability as a result of a sale, lease, license, application, or other disposition of the Collateral or any part or Proceeds thereof, pursuant to the Term Documents, so long as such disposition is conducted in accordance with mandatory provisions of applicable law and does not breach the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.3 Modifications to ABL Documents and Term Documents.

(a) The Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, hereby agrees that, without affecting the obligations of the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties hereunder, the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, in their sole discretion without the consent of or notice to the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party, and without incurring any liability to the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party or impairing or releasing the subordination of Lien Priority provided for herein, amend, restate, supplement, replace, refinance, extend, consolidate, restructure, or otherwise modify any of the ABL Documents in any manner whatsoever (other than in a manner which would contravene the provisions of this Agreement), including, without limitation, to:

(i) change the manner, place, time, or terms of payment or renew, alter or increase, all or any of the ABL Obligations or otherwise amend, restate, supplement, or otherwise modify in any manner, or grant any waiver or release with respect to, all or any part of the ABL Obligations or any of the ABL Documents;

(ii) subject to Section 2.5, retain or obtain a Lien on any Property of any Person to secure any of the ABL Obligations, and in connection therewith to enter into any additional ABL Documents;

(iii) amend, or grant any waiver, compromise, or release with respect to, or consent to any departure from, any guaranty or other obligations of any Person obligated in any manner under or in respect of the ABL Obligations;

(iv) release its Lien on any Collateral or other Property;

(v) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person;

(vi) subject to Section 2.5, retain or obtain the primary or secondary obligation of any other Person with respect to any of the ABL Obligations; and

(vii) otherwise manage and supervise the ABL Obligations as the ABL Agent shall deem appropriate.

(b) The ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, hereby agrees that, without affecting the obligations of the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties hereunder, the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties may, at any time and from time to time, in their sole discretion without the consent of or notice to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party, and without incurring any liability to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party or impairing or releasing the subordination of Lien Priority provided for herein, amend, restate, supplement, replace, refinance, extend, consolidate, restructure, or otherwise modify any of the Term Documents in any manner whatsoever (other than in a manner which would contravene the provisions of this Agreement), including, without limitation, to:

(i) change the manner, place, time, or terms of payment or renew, alter or increase, all or any of the Term Obligations or otherwise amend, restate, supplement, or otherwise modify in any manner, or grant any waiver or release with respect to, all or any part of the Term Obligations or any of the Term Documents;

 

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(ii) subject to Section 2.5, retain or obtain a Lien on any Property of any Person to secure any of the Term Obligations, and in connection therewith to enter into any additional Term Documents;

(iii) amend, or grant any waiver, compromise, or release with respect to, or consent to any departure from, any guaranty or other obligations of any Person obligated in any manner under or in respect of the Term Obligations;

(iv) release its Lien on any Collateral or other Property;

(v) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person;

(vi) subject to Section 2.5, retain or obtain the primary or secondary obligation of any other Person with respect to any of the Term Obligations; and

(vii) otherwise manage and supervise the Term Obligations as the Term Agent shall deem appropriate.

(c) The ABL Obligations and the Term Obligations may be refinanced, in whole or in part, from time to time, in each case, without notice to, or the consent of the ABL Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties, as the case may be, all without affecting the Lien Priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof, provided, however, that the holders of any class or series of such refinancing Indebtedness (or an authorized agent or trustee on their behalf) bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement pursuant to such documents or agreements (including amendments or supplements to this Agreement) as the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, as the case may be, shall reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the ABL Agent or the Term Agent, as the case may be, and any such refinancing transaction shall be in accordance with any applicable provisions of both the ABL Documents and the Term Documents (to the extent such documents survive the refinancing).

Section 5.5 Reinstatement and Continuation of Agreement.

(a) If the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party is required in any Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise to turn over or otherwise pay to the estate of the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person any payment made in satisfaction of all or any portion of the ABL Obligations (an “ABL Recovery”), then the ABL Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such ABL Recovery. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such ABL Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect in the event of such ABL Recovery, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair, or otherwise affect the obligations of the Parties from such date of reinstatement. All rights, interests, agreements, and obligations of the ABL Agent, the Term Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Secured Parties under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue irrespective of the commencement of, or any discharge, confirmation, conversion, or dismissal of, any Insolvency Proceeding by or against the Borrower or any Guarantor or any other circumstance which otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of the

 

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Borrower or any Guarantor in respect of the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations. No priority or right of the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party shall at any time be prejudiced or impaired in any way by any act or failure to act on the part of the Borrower or any Guarantor or by the noncompliance by any Person with the terms, provisions, or covenants of any of the ABL Documents, regardless of any knowledge thereof which the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party may have.

(b) If the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party is required in any Insolvency Proceeding or otherwise to turn over or otherwise pay to the estate of the Borrower, any Guarantor, or any other Person any payment made in satisfaction of all or any portion of the Term Obligations (a “Term Recovery”), then the Term Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such Term Recovery. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such Term Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect in the event of such Term Recovery, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair, or otherwise affect the obligations of the Parties from such date of reinstatement. All rights, interests, agreements, and obligations of the ABL Agent, the Term Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Secured Parties under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue irrespective of the commencement of, or any discharge, confirmation, conversion, or dismissal of, any Insolvency Proceeding by or against the Borrower or any Guarantor or any other circumstance which otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of the Borrower or any Guarantor in respect of the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations. No priority or right of the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party shall at any time be prejudiced or impaired in any way by any act or failure to act on the part of the Borrower or any Guarantor or by the noncompliance by any Person with the terms, provisions, or covenants of any of the Term Documents, regardless of any knowledge thereof which the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party may have.

ARTICLE 6

INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS

Section 6.1 DIP Financing.

(a) If the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be subject to any Insolvency Proceeding at any time prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, and the ABL Agent or the ABL Secured Parties shall seek to provide the Borrower or any Guarantor with, or consent to a third party providing, any financing under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or consent to any order for the use of cash collateral constituting ABL Priority Collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws or under a court order in respect of measures granted with similar effect under any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) (each, a “DIP Financing”), with such DIP Financing to be secured at least in part by all or any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral (including assets that, but for the application of Section 552 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) would be Collateral), then the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that it will raise no objection and will not support any objection to such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral or to the Liens securing the same on the grounds of a failure to provide “adequate protection” for the Liens of the Term Agent securing the Term Obligations or on any other grounds (and will not request any adequate protection with respect to its Lien on the ABL

 

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Priority Collateral solely as a result of such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral that is ABL Priority Collateral other than to the extent permitted under Section 6.3), so long as (i) the Term Agent retains its Lien on the Collateral to secure the Term Obligations (in each case, including Proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of the case under any Debtor Relief Laws) and, as to the Term Priority Collateral only, such Lien has the same priority as existed prior to the commencement of the case under the subject Debtor Relief Laws and any Lien on the Term Priority Collateral securing such DIP Financing is junior and subordinate to the Lien of the Term Agent on the Term Priority Collateral, (ii) all Liens on ABL Priority Collateral securing any such DIP Financing shall be senior to or on a parity with the Liens of the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties securing the ABL Obligations on ABL Priority Collateral, and (iii) the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.1(a) shall not prevent the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties from objecting to any provision in any DIP Financing relating to any provision or content of a plan of reorganization or other plan of similar effect under any Debtor Relief Laws.

(b) If the Borrower or any Guarantor shall be subject to any Insolvency Proceeding at any time prior to the Discharge of Term Obligations, and the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties shall seek to provide the Borrower or any Guarantor with, or shall consent to a third party providing, any DIP Financing, the Term Agent and any Term Secured Party may seek to provide with such DIP Financing to be secured at least in part by all or any portion of the Term Priority Collateral (including assets that, but for the application of Section 552 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) would be Collateral), then the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that it will raise no objection and will not support any objection to such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral or to the Liens securing the same on the grounds of a failure to provide “adequate protection” for the Liens of the ABL Agent securing the ABL Obligations or on any other grounds (and will not request any adequate protection with respect to its Lien on the Term Priority Collateral solely as a result of such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral that is Term Priority Collateral other than to the extent permitted under Section 6.3), so long as (i) the ABL Agent retains its Lien on the Collateral to secure the ABL Obligations (in each case, including Proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of the case under any Debtor Relief Law) and, as to the ABL Priority Collateral only, such Lien has the same priority as existed prior to the commencement of the case under the subject Debtor Relief Laws and any Lien on ABL Priority Collateral securing such DIP Financing furnished by the Term Agent or Term Secured Parties is junior and subordinate to the Lien of the ABL Agent on the ABL Priority Collateral (ii) all Liens on Term Priority Collateral securing any such DIP Financing shall be senior to or on a parity with the Liens of the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties securing the Term Obligations on Term Priority Collateral, and (iii) the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.1(a) shall not prevent the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties from objecting to any provision in any DIP Financing relating to any provision or content of a plan of reorganization or other plan of similar effect under any Debtor Relief Laws.

(c) All Liens granted to the ABL Agent or the Term Agent in any Insolvency Proceeding, whether as adequate protection or otherwise, are intended by the Parties to be and shall be deemed to be subject to the Lien Priority and the other terms and conditions of this Agreement. For clarity, the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties shall not seek to “prime” the Lien of the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties on the Term Priority Collateral and the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties shall not seek to “prime” the Lien of the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties on the ABL Priority Collateral.

 

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Section 6.2 Relief From Stay. Until the Discharge of ABL Obligations has occurred, the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees not to seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency Proceeding in respect of any portion of the ABL Priority Collateral without the ABL Agent’s express written consent. Until the Discharge of Term Obligations has occurred, the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees not to seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency Proceeding in respect of any portion of the Term Priority Collateral without the Term Agent’s express written consent. In addition, neither the Term Agent nor the ABL Agent shall seek any relief from the automatic stay with respect to any Collateral without providing three (3) days’ prior written notice to the other, unless such period is agreed by both the ABL Agent and the Term Agent to be modified or unless the ABL Agent or Term Agent, as applicable, makes a good faith determination that either (A) the ABL Priority Collateral or the Term Priority Collateral, as applicable, will decline speedily in value or (B) the failure to take any action will have a reasonable likelihood of endangering the ABL Agent’s or the Term Agent’s ability to realize upon its Collateral.

Section 6.3 No Contest; Adequate Protection. (a) The Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that, prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, none of them shall seek any form of adequate protection under any or all of §361, §362, §363 or §364 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral, except as set forth in this Section 6.3 or as may otherwise be consented to in writing by the ABL Agent in its sole and absolute discretion. The Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that, prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, none of them shall contest (or support any other Person contesting) (i) any request by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party for adequate protection of its interest in the Collateral (unless in contravention of Section 6.1(c) above), (ii) any proposed provision of DIP Financing by the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties (or any other Person proposing to provide DIP Financing with the consent of the ABL Agent) (unless in contravention of Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(c) above) or (iii) any objection by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party to any motion, relief, action, or proceeding based on a claim by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party that its interests in the Collateral are not adequately protected (or any other similar request under any law applicable to an Insolvency Proceeding), so long as any Liens granted to the ABL Agent as adequate protection of its interests are subject to this Agreement.

(b) The ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that, prior to the Discharge of Term Obligations, none of them shall seek any form of adequate protection under any or all of §361, §362, §363 or §364 of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) with respect to the Term Priority Collateral, except as set forth in this Section 6.3 or as may otherwise be consented to in writing by the Term Agent in its sole and absolute discretion. The ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that, prior to the Discharge of Term Obligations, none of them shall contest (or support any other Person contesting) (i) any request by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party for adequate protection of its interest in the Collateral (unless in contravention of Section 6.1(c) above), (ii) any proposed provision of DIP Financing by the Term Agent and the Term

 

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Secured Parties (or any other Person proposing to provide DIP Financing with the consent of the Term Agent) (unless in contravention of Section 6.1(b) or Section 6.1(c) above) or (iii) any objection by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party to any motion, relief, action or proceeding based on a claim by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party that its interests in the Collateral are not adequately protected (or any other similar request under any law applicable to an Insolvency Proceeding), so long as any Liens granted to the Term Agent as adequate protection of its interests are subject to this Agreement.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions in this Section 6.3, in any Insolvency Proceeding:

(i) if the ABL Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral in the form of additional collateral (even if such collateral is not of a type which would otherwise have constituted ABL Priority Collateral, but provided it does not constitute Term Priority Collateral), then the ABL Agent, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that the Term Agent, on behalf of itself or any of the Term Secured Parties, may seek or request (and the ABL Secured Parties will not oppose such request unless in contravention of Section 6.1(c)) adequate protection with respect to its interests in such Collateral in the form of a Lien on the same additional collateral, which Lien will be subordinated to the Liens securing the ABL Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens of the Term Agent on ABL Priority Collateral; and

(ii) in the event the Term Secured Parties or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in respect of Term Priority Collateral in the form of additional collateral (even if such collateral is not of a type which would otherwise have constituted Term Priority Collateral, but provided it does not constitute ABL Priority Collateral), then the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and any of the Term Secured Parties, agrees that the ABL Agent on behalf of itself or any of the ABL Secured Parties, may seek or request (and the Term Secured Parties will not oppose such request unless in contravention of Section 6.1(c)) adequate protection with respect to its interests in such Collateral in the form of a Lien on the same additional collateral, which Lien will be subordinated to the Liens securing the Term Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens of the ABL Agent on Term Priority Collateral.

(iii) Except as otherwise expressly set forth in Section 6.1(c) or in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral, nothing herein shall limit the rights of the Term Agent or the Term Secured Parties from seeking adequate protection with respect to their rights in the Term Priority Collateral in any Insolvency Proceeding (including adequate protection in the form of a cash payment, periodic cash payments or otherwise). Except as otherwise expressly set forth in Section 6.1(c) or in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to the Term Priority Collateral, nothing herein shall limit the rights of the ABL Agent or the ABL Secured Parties from seeking adequate protection with respect to their rights in the ABL Priority Collateral in any Insolvency Proceeding (including adequate protection in the form of a cash payment, periodic cash payments or otherwise).

 

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Section 6.4 Asset Sales. The Term Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, that it will not oppose any sale consented to by the ABL Agent of any ABL Priority Collateral pursuant to Section 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision under the law applicable to any Insolvency Proceeding or under a court order in respect of measures granted with similar effect under any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) so long as the Term Agent, for the benefit of the Term Secured Parties, shall retain a Lien on the proceeds of such sale (to the extent such proceeds are not applied to the ABL Obligations in accordance with Section 4.1(b)) subject to the relative priorities set forth in Section 2.1. The ABL Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, that it will not oppose any sale consented to by the Term Agent of any Term Priority Collateral pursuant to Section 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision under the law applicable to any Insolvency Proceeding or under a court order in respect of measures granted with similar effect under any foreign Debtor Relief Laws) so long as (i) any such sale is made in accordance with Section 3.6 and (ii) the ABL Agent, for the benefit of the ABL Secured Parties, shall retain a Lien on the proceeds of such sale (to the extent such proceeds are not applied to the Term Obligations in accordance with Section 4.1(c)) subject to the relative priorities set forth in Section 2.1. If such sale of Collateral includes both ABL Priority Collateral and Term Priority Collateral and the Parties are unable after negotiating in good faith to agree on the allocation of the purchase price between the ABL Priority Collateral and Term Priority Collateral, either Party may apply to the court in such Insolvency Proceeding to make a determination of such allocation, and the court’s determination shall be binding upon the Parties.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Term Agent, on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, acknowledges and agrees that in connection with any of the matters described in the foregoing Sections 6.1, 6.2 or 6.3 or in this Section 6.4, the rights of each Term Secured Party that is an ABL Secured Party but not an ABL Lender, in such Term Secured Party’s capacity as an ABL Secured Party, are subject to, and limited as set forth in, Section 11.13(b) of the ABL Credit Agreement.

Section 6.5 Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classification. Each Term Secured Party and each ABL Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that (i) the grants of Liens pursuant to the ABL Collateral Documents and the Term Collateral Documents constitute two separate and distinct grants of Liens and (ii) because of, among other things, their differing rights in the Collateral, the Term Obligations are fundamentally different from the ABL Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization (or other plan of similar effect under any Debtor Relief Laws) proposed, confirmed, or adopted in an Insolvency Proceeding. To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that the claims of the ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral constitute only one secured claim (rather than separate classes of secured claims subject to the relative priorities set forth herein with respect to the Collateral), then the ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that all distributions from the Collateral shall be made as if there were separate classes of ABL Obligation claims and Term Obligation claims against the Credit Parties, with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the ABL Priority Collateral or Term Priority

 

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Collateral, as applicable, is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the other Secured Parties), the ABL Secured Parties or the Term Secured Parties, respectively, shall be entitled to receive, in addition to amounts distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest, fees, and expenses that is available from each pool of Priority Collateral for each of the ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties, respectively, before any distribution is made in respect of the claims held by the other Secured Parties from such applicable pool of Priority Collateral, with the other Secured Parties hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to the respective other Secured Parties amounts otherwise received or receivable by them from such applicable pool of Priority Collateral to the extent necessary to effectuate the intent of this sentence, even if such turnover has the effect of reducing the aggregate recoveries.

Section 6.6 Enforceability. The provisions of this Agreement are intended to be and shall be enforceable under Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision of any foreign Debtor Relief Laws).

Section 6.7 ABL Obligations Unconditional. All rights of the ABL Agent hereunder, and all agreements and obligations of the Term Agent and the Credit Parties (to the extent applicable) hereunder, shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

A. any lack of validity or enforceability of any ABL Document;

B. any change in the time, place or manner of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any portion of the ABL Obligations, or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding or restatement of any ABL Document (but solely to the extent permitted pursuant to Section 5.2(a) hereof);

C. any exchange, release, voiding, avoidance or non perfection of any security interest in any Collateral or any other collateral, or any release, amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding, restatement or increase of all or any portion of the ABL Obligations or any guarantee or guaranty thereof; or

D. any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Credit Party in respect of the ABL Obligations (other than Discharge of ABL Obligations), or of any of the Term Agent or any Credit Party, to the extent applicable, in respect of this Agreement.

Section 6.8 Term Obligations Unconditional. All rights of the Term Agent hereunder, and all agreements and obligations of the ABL Agent and the Credit Parties (to the extent applicable) hereunder, shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

A. any lack of validity or enforceability of any Term Document;

B. any change in the time, place or manner of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any portion of the Term Obligations, or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding or restatement of any Term Document (but solely to the extent permitted pursuant to Section 5.2(a) hereof);

 

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C. any exchange, release, voiding, avoidance or non perfection of any security interest in any Collateral, or any other collateral, or any release, amendment, waiver or other modification, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, or any refinancing, replacement, refunding, restatement or increase of all or any portion of the Term Obligations or any guarantee or guaranty thereof; or

D. any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Credit Party in respect of the Term Obligations (other than Discharge of Term Obligations), or of any of the ABL Agent or any Credit Party, to the extent applicable, in respect of this Agreement.

Section 6.9 Waivers – Bankruptcy Code Section 1111(b)(2).

(a) The Term Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Term Secured Parties, waives any claim it may hereafter have against any ABL Secured Party arising out of the election of any ABL Secured Party of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Debtor Relief Law or out of any grant of a security interest in connection with the ABL Priority Collateral in any Insolvency Proceeding.

(b) The ABL Agent, for itself and on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties, waives any claim it may hereafter have against any Term Secured Party arising out of the election of any Term Secured Party of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Debtor Relief Law or out of any grant of a security interest in connection with the Term Priority Collateral in any Insolvency Proceeding.

Section 6.10 Post-Petition Interest.

(a) Neither the Term Agent nor any Term Secured Party shall oppose or seek to challenge any claim by the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party for allowance in any Insolvency Proceeding of ABL Obligations consisting of post-petition interest, fees, or expenses to the extent of the value of the Lien securing any ABL Secured Party’s claim, without regard to the existence of the Lien of the Term Agent on behalf of the Term Secured Parties on the Collateral.

(b) Neither the ABL Agent nor any other ABL Secured Party shall oppose or seek to challenge any claim by the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party for allowance in any Insolvency Proceeding of Term Obligations consisting of post-petition interest, fees, or expenses to the extent of the value of the Lien securing the Term Secured Party’s claim, without regard to the existence of the Lien of the ABL Agent on behalf of the ABL Secured Parties on the Collateral.

 

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Section 6.11 Reorganization Securities.

If, in any Insolvency Proceeding involving a Borrower or a Guarantor, debt obligations of the reorganized debtor secured by Liens upon any property of the reorganized debtor are distributed pursuant to a plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan, both on account of ABL Obligations and on account of Term Obligations, then, to the extent the debt obligations distributed on account of the ABL Obligations and on account of the Term Obligations are secured by Liens upon the same property, the provisions of this Agreement will survive the distribution of such debt obligations pursuant to such plan and will apply with like effect to the Liens securing such debt obligations.

ARTICLE 7

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 7.1 Rights of Subrogation. The Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, agrees that no payment to the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall entitle the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party to exercise any rights of subrogation in respect thereof until the Discharge of ABL Obligations shall have occurred. Following the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the ABL Agent agrees to execute such documents, agreements, and instruments as the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party may reasonably request to evidence the transfer by subrogation to any such Person of an interest in the ABL Obligations resulting from payments to the ABL Agent by such Person, so long as all costs and expenses (including all reasonable legal fees and disbursements) incurred in connection therewith by the ABL Agent are paid by such Person upon request for payment thereof. The ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, agrees that no payment to the Term Agent or any Term Secured Party pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall entitle the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party to exercise any rights of subrogation in respect thereof until the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred. Following the Discharge of Term Obligations, the Term Agent agrees to execute such documents, agreements, and instruments as the ABL Agent or any ABL Secured Party may reasonably request to evidence the transfer by subrogation to any such Person of an interest in the Term Obligations resulting from payments to the Term Agent by such Person, so long as all costs and expenses (including all reasonable legal fees and disbursements) incurred in connection therewith by the Term Agent are paid by such Person upon request for payment thereof.

Section 7.2 Further Assurances. The Parties will, at their own expense and at any time and from time to time, promptly execute and deliver all further instruments and documents, and take all further action, that may be necessary or desirable, or that either Party may reasonably request, in order to protect any right or interest granted or purported to be granted hereby or to enable the ABL Agent or the Term Agent to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder; provided, however, that no Party shall be required to pay over any payment or distribution, execute any instruments or documents, or take any other action referred to in this Section 7.2, to the extent that such action would contravene any law, order or other legal requirement or any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement, and in the event of a controversy or dispute, such Party may interplead any payment or distribution in any court of competent jurisdiction, without further responsibility in respect of such payment or distribution under this Section 7.2.

 

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Section 7.3 Representations. The Term Agent represents and warrants to the ABL Agent that it has the requisite power and authority under the Term Documents to enter into, execute, deliver, and carry out the terms of this Agreement on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties and that this Agreement shall be binding obligations of the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties, enforceable against the Term Agent and the Term Secured Parties in accordance with its terms. The ABL Agent represents and warrants to the Term Agent that it has the requisite power and authority under the ABL Documents to enter into, execute, deliver, and carry out the terms of this Agreement on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties and that this Agreement shall be binding obligations of the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties, enforceable against the ABL Agent and the ABL Secured Parties in accordance with its terms.

Section 7.4 Amendments. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement nor consent to any departure by any Party hereto shall be effective unless it is in a written agreement executed by the Term Agent and the ABL Agent, and, in the case of any amendment or waiver that would be materially adverse to a Credit Party, the Borrower, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.

It is understood that the ABL Agent and the Term Agent, without the consent of any other ABL Secured Party or Term Secured Party, may in their discretion determine that a supplemental agreement (which may take the form of an amendment and restatement of this Agreement) is necessary or appropriate (i) to facilitate having additional indebtedness or other obligations of any of the Credit Parties become ABL Obligations or Term Obligations, as the case may be, under this Agreement, (ii) to add other parties holding Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing thereof) of any Credit Party or (iii) to effectuate the subordination of Liens securing any Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing thereof) to the Liens on the Term Priority Collateral securing the ABL Obligations and the Term Obligations and to the Liens on the ABL Priority Collateral securing the Term Obligations and the ABL Obligations (the indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses (i) through (iii), Additional Debt), which supplemental agreement shall, except in the case of Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt or any Permitted Refinancing thereof, specify whether such Additional Debt constitutes ABL Obligations or Term Obligations; provided that such Additional Debt is permitted to be incurred under any ABL Credit Agreement and any Term Credit Agreement then extant in accordance with the terms thereof.

Section 7.5 Addresses for Notices. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and may be personally served, telecopied, emailed, or sent by overnight express courier service or United States mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of an email or telecopy or three (3) days after deposit in the United States mail (certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed). For the purposes hereof, the addresses of the Parties hereto (until notice of a change thereof is delivered as provided in this Section) shall be as set forth below or, as to each Party, at such other address as may be designated by such Party in a written notice to all of the other Parties.

 

  ABL Agent:

Bank of America, N.A.

100 Federal Street

Boston, MA 02110

Attention: Richard D. Hill

Telecopier: 617.434.4339

E-mail: rick.hill@baml.com

 

45


  Term Agent:

Bank of America, N.A.

Attention:

Telecopier:

Email:

Section 7.6 No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

Section 7.7 Continuing Agreement, Transfer of Secured Obligations. This Agreement is a continuing agreement and shall (a) remain in full force and effect until the Discharge of ABL Obligations or the Discharge of Term Obligations shall have occurred, (b) be binding upon the Parties and their successors and assigns, and (c) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Parties and their respective successors, transferees and permitted assigns. Except as set forth in Section 7.4, nothing herein is intended, or shall be construed to give, any other Person any right, remedy or claim under, to or in respect of this Agreement or any Collateral. All references to any Credit Party shall include any Credit Party as debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for such Credit Party in any Insolvency Proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (c), the ABL Agent, any ABL Secured Party, the Term Agent, or any Term Secured Party may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations in accordance with the ABL Credit Agreement or the Term Credit Agreement, in each case, as applicable, to any other Person (other than the Borrower, any Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Borrower or any Guarantor and any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Guarantor), and such other Person shall thereupon become vested with all the rights and obligations in respect thereof granted to the ABL Agent, the Term Agent, any ABL Secured Party, or any Term Secured Party, as the case may be, herein or otherwise. The ABL Secured Parties and the Term Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the other parties hereto, to extend credit and other financial accommodations, lend monies and provide Indebtedness to, or for the benefit of, any Credit Party on the faith hereof.

Section 7.8 GOVERNING LAW; ENTIRE AGREEMENT. (a) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES BUT INCLUDING SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto.

 

46


Section 7.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and it is not necessary that the signatures of all Parties be contained on any one counterpart hereof, each counterpart will be deemed to be an original, and all together shall constitute one and the same document. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission (in .pdf or similar format) shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement.

Section 7.10 No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the ABL Agent, ABL Secured Parties, Term Agent and Term Secured Parties. Except for amendments and waivers which require the consent of the Credit Parties pursuant to Section 7.4, no other Person (including the Borrower, any Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Guarantor) shall be deemed to be a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

Section 7.11 Headings. The headings of the articles and sections of this Agreement are inserted for purposes of convenience only and shall not be construed to affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 7.12 Severability. If any of the provisions in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and shall not invalidate the Lien Priority or the application of Proceeds and other priorities set forth in this Agreement. The Parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 7.13 Attorneys’ Fees. The Parties agree that if any dispute, arbitration, litigation, or other proceeding is brought with respect to the enforcement of this Agreement or any provision hereof, the prevailing party in such dispute, arbitration, litigation, or other proceeding shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other costs and expenses incurred in the enforcement of this Agreement, irrespective of whether suit is brought.

Section 7.14 VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER.

(a) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR

 

47


PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY ABL SECURED PARTY OR ANY TERM SECURED PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY TERM DOCUMENTS, OR ANY ABL DOCUMENTS AGAINST ANY CREDIT PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(b) EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (a) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(c) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION. EACH PARTY HERETO REPRESENTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER AND IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

(d) EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 7.5. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Section 7.15 Intercreditor Agreement. This Agreement is the “Intercreditor Agreement” referred to in the ABL Credit Agreement and this Agreement is the “ABL Intercreditor Agreement” referred to in the Term Credit Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to subordinate the obligations due to (i) any ABL Secured Party to the obligations due to any Term Secured Party or (ii) any Term Secured Party to the obligations due to any ABL Secured Party (in each case, whether before or after the occurrence of an Insolvency Proceeding), it being the intent of the Parties that this Agreement shall effectuate a subordination of Liens but not a subordination of Indebtedness.

 

48


Section 7.16 No Warranties or Liability. The Term Agent and the ABL Agent acknowledge and agree that neither has made any representation or warranty with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectability or enforceability of any other ABL Document or any Term Document. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Term Agent and the ABL Agent will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective extensions of credit to any Credit Party in accordance with law and their usual practices, modified from time to time as they deem appropriate.

Section 7.17 Conflicts. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any ABL Document or any Term Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern.

Section 7.18 Costs and Expenses. All costs and expenses incurred by the Term Agent and the ABL Agent, including, without limitation pursuant to Section 3.8(d) and Section 4.1(e) hereunder shall be reimbursed by the Borrower and the Credit Parties as provided in Section 10.04 of the Term Credit Agreement (or any similar provision) and Section 12.3 (or any similar provision) of the ABL Credit Agreement.

Section 7.19 Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Credit Parties.

(a) Each of the Term Agent and the ABL Agent hereby assumes responsibility for keeping itself informed of the financial condition of the Credit Parties and all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the ABL Obligations or the Term Obligations. The Term Agent and the ABL Agent hereby agree that no party shall have any duty to advise any other Party of information known to it regarding such condition or any such circumstances. In the event the Term Agent or the ABL Agent, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any information to any other Party to this Agreement, (a) it shall be under no obligation (i) to provide any such information to such other Party or any other Party on any subsequent occasion, (ii) to undertake any investigation not a part of its regular business routine, or (iii) to disclose any other information, (b) it makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of any such information and shall not be liable for any information contained therein, and (c) the Party receiving such information hereby agrees to hold the other Party harmless from any action the receiving Party may take or conclusion the receiving Party may reach or draw from any such information, as well as from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses to which such receiving Party may become subject arising out of or in connection with the use of such information.

(b) The Credit Parties agree that any information provided to the ABL Agent, the Term Agent, any ABL Secured Party or any Term Secured Party may be shared by such Person with any ABL Secured Party, any Term Secured Party, the ABL Agent or the Term Agent notwithstanding a request or demand by any such Credit Party that such information be kept confidential; provided that such information shall otherwise be subject to the respective confidentiality provisions in the ABL Credit Agreement and the Term Credit Agreement, as applicable.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

 

49


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the ABL Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the ABL Secured Parties, and the Term Agent, for and on behalf of itself and the Term Secured Parties, have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as the ABL Agent

By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as the Term Agent

By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The Borrower and each Guarantor hereby acknowledges that it has received a copy of this Agreement as in effect on the date hereof and consents thereto, agrees to recognize all rights granted thereby to the ABL Agent, the ABL Secured Parties, the Term Agent, and the Term Secured Parties (including pursuant to Section 7.18), and will not do any act or perform any obligation which is not in accordance with the agreements set forth in this Agreement as in effect on the date hereof (and, to the extent the Borrower and Guarantor receive a copy of any amendment hereto, as amended and in effect from time to time). The Borrower and each Guarantor further acknowledges and agrees that, except for amendments for which their consent is required pursuant to Section 7.4, it is not an intended beneficiary or third party beneficiary under this Agreement and (i) as between the ABL Secured Parties, the Borrower and Guarantors, the ABL Documents remain in full force and effect as written and are in no way modified hereby, and (ii) as between the Term Secured Parties, the Borrower and Guarantors, the Term Documents remain in full force and effect as written and are in no way modified hereby.

Without limiting the foregoing or any rights or remedies the Borrower and the other Credit Parties may have, Holdings, the Borrower and the other Credit Parties consent to the rights granted to the ABL Secured Parties, and the performance by the Term Agent of the obligations, set forth in Section 3.6 of this Agreement and acknowledge and agree that neither the Term Agent nor any other Term Secured Party shall ever be accountable or liable for any action taken or omitted by the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party or its or any of their officers, employees, agents successors or assigns in connection therewith or incidental thereto or in consequence thereof, including any improper use or disclosure of any proprietary information or other Intellectual Property by the ABL Agent or any other ABL Secured Party or its or any of their officers, employees, agents, successors or assigns or any other damage to or misuse or loss of any property of the Credit Parties as a result of any action taken or omitted by the ABL Agent or its officers, employees, agents, successors or assigns pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 3.6 of this Agreement.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


CREDIT PARTIES:
JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as Borrower
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, as Holdings and as a Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

joann.com, LLC, as a Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

JAS FABRICS AND CRAFTS, LLC, as a Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement]


JO-ANN STORES SUPPORT CENTER, INC., as a Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

JAS AVIATION, LLC, as a Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement]


EXHIBIT N

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Date: _____________, 20__

Reference is made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, extended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC., an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (capitalized terms used herein have the meanings attributed thereto in the Credit Agreement unless otherwise defined herein).

Pursuant to Section 7.2(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]1 of the Borrower, and not individually, certifies as follows:

1. [Attached hereto as Appendix 1 is a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended [     ], 20[     ], and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Year, together with related notes thereto and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities, management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion has been prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and is not subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the Term Facility, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement), Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement), the Senior Notes and/or the TopCo Notes or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness). Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such Consolidated financial statements.]2

 

1 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

2 

To be included if accompanying annual financial statements only.

 

1


2. [Attached hereto as Appendix 1 is a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of the Fiscal Quarter ended [ 🌑 ], and the related (i) Consolidated statements of income or operations for such Fiscal Quarter and for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended and (ii) Consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding Fiscal Quarter of the previous Fiscal Year and the corresponding portion of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail (collectively, the “Financial Statements”), (together with, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities’ management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations). Such Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes. Also attached hereto as Appendix 1 are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such Consolidated financial statements.]3

3. [Attached hereto as Appendix 2 is a description of all material insurance coverage maintained by the Loan Parties, together with evidence thereof.]4

4. To my knowledge, except as except as set forth in Appendix 3, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

5. [Attached hereto as Appendix 4 is a reasonably detailed calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent Test Period, which calculation is true and accurate.]

6. [Attached hereto as Appendix 5 is a written notice of any change from the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate, (A) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, or (B) in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility).]

7. [Attached hereto as Appendix 6 is a written notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP).]

8. [Attached hereto as Appendix 7 is a report setting forth the information required by Section 3.03(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Effective Date or the date of the last such report).]

9. [Attached hereto as Appendix 8 is a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last Fiscal Quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.9 of the Credit Agreement.]

 

3 

To be included if accompanying quarterly financial statements only.

4 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate.

 

2


10. [Attached hereto as Appendix 9 is a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Effective Date and the date of the last such list.]

11. [Attached hereto as Appendix 10 are reasonably detailed calculations, which calculations are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate, of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the Fiscal Year ended [ 🌑 ] by or on behalf of, Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.9(b) of the Credit Agreement.]

[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer] of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, and not individually, has executed this certificate for and on behalf of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC and has caused this certificate to be delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC

By:

 

 

    Name:
 

Title: [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]

 

Signature Page to Compliance Certificate


APPENDIX 1

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

A-1


APPENDIX 2

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Description, in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of all material insurance coverage maintained by the Loan Parties, together with evidence thereof.

 

A-2


APPENDIX 3

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Except as set forth below, no Default or Event of Default presently exists. [If a Default or Event of Default exists, the following describes the nature of the Default in reasonable detail and the steps being taken or contemplated by the Borrower to be taken on account thereof.]

 

A-3


APPENDIX 4

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Test Period covered by the calculations below: [_______], 20[__] to [_______], 20[__].

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

The ratio of (a) to (b)

 

1. Consolidated EBITDA

   $ ________  

2. Capital Expenditures1

   $ ________  

3. Cash Taxes

   $ ________  

(a) 1 minus 2 minus 3

   $ ________  

(b) Debt Service Charges

   $ ________  

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Test Period is _____: 1:00.

  

Full calculations are attached as Exhibit A hereto.

 

 

1 

This does not include Capital Expenditures financed with proceeds of Indebtedness.

 

A-4


EXHIBIT A

TO APPENDIX 4

 

(A)  Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

  

(1)   Consolidated EBITDA

  

(a)   Consolidated Net Income:

  

(i) the aggregate of the Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding, without duplication:

   $ ____  

(A)  any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC)

   $ ____  

(B)  the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such Test Period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

(C)  effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s Consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated Permitted Acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes

   $ ____  

 

A-i


(D)  any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations

   $ ____  

(E)  any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset Dispositions or other Disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower

   $ ____  

(F)  the Net Income for such Test Period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall include the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such Test Period

   $ ____  

(G)  (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such Test Period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such Test Period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments

   $ ____  

 

A-ii


(H)  any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP

   $ ____  

(I)   any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other Disposition of assets permitted under the Credit Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days)

   $ ____  

(J)   to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption

   $ ____  

 

A-iii


(K)  any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction

   $ ____  

Consolidated Net Income (item (A)(1)(a)(i) minus the sum of items (A)(1)(a)(i)(A) through (K))

   $ ____  

(b)   increased by (without duplication of any such item included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income):

   $ ____  

(i) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 9.6(g) of the Credit Agreement, solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

(ii)  (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

(iii)  Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

 

A-iv


(iv) any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Credit Agreement including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction and the Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

(v)   the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Effective Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Effective Date

   $ ____  

(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Effective Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs

   $ ____  

(vii) any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period)

   $ ____  

 

A-v


(viii) the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 9.8 of the Credit Agreement and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ ____  

(x)   cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to item (A)(1)(c) below for any previous period and not added back

   $ ____  

(xi) any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests)

   $ ____  

(c)   decreased by (without duplication):

   $ ____  

(i) any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with the calculation set forth in this Schedule 1)

   $ ____  

(ii)  any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period

   $ ____  

 

A-vi


(d)   Consolidated EBITDA (Consolidated Net Income plus the sum of items (A)(1)(b)(i) through (xi) minus the sum of items (A)(1)(c)(i) and (ii))1

   $ ____  

(2)   Capital Expenditures

   $ ____  

(a)   (i)     all amounts that would be reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on a Consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

(ii)  the value of all assets under Capitalized Leases incurred by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period

   $ ____  

       provided that Capital Expenditures shall not include (i) expenditures made in connection with the replacement, substitution, restoration or repair of assets to the extent financed with (x) insurance proceeds paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced, substituted, restored or repaired or (y) awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of the assets being replaced, (ii) the purchase of plant, property or equipment or software to the extent financed with the Net Cash Proceeds of Dispositions that are not required to be applied to prepay the Loans the Term Facility or the Senior Notes, (iii) expenditures that are accounted for as capital expenditures by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and that actually are paid for, or reimbursed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash or Cash Equivalents, by a Person other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and for which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has provided or is required to provide or incur, directly or indirectly, any consideration or obligation (other than rent) in respect of such expenditures to such Person or any other Person (whether before, during or after such period), including, without limitation, expenditures which are contractually required to be, and are, reimbursed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in cash by its landlords as tenant allowances during such period, (iv) expenditures to the extent constituting any portion of a Permitted Acquisition, (v) the purchase price of equipment purchased during such period to the extent the

   $ ____  

 

1 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any Test Period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended October 31, 2015, January 30, 2016, April 30, 2016 and July 30, 2016, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $76,000,000, $99,000,000, $47,900,000 and $33,400,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to add-backs and adjustments (without duplication) pursuant to Section 1.8(c) of the Credit Agreement for the applicable Test Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.8 of the Credit Agreement.

 

A-vii


 

       consideration therefor consists of any combination of (A) used or surplus equipment traded in at the time of such purchase, and (B) the Net Cash Proceeds of a concurrent sale of used or surplus equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, provided that such portion of the purchase price in excess of the credit granted by the seller of such equipment for the equipment being traded in at such time or such Net Cash Proceeds, as applicable, shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” under the Credit Agreement, (vi) expenditures relating to the construction, acquisition, replacement, reconstruction, development, refurbishment, renovation or improvement of any property which has been transferred to a Person other than a Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during the same Fiscal Year in which such expenditures were made pursuant to a sale-leaseback transaction, to the extent of the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction, provided that such portion of the expenditures which exceed the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” under the Credit Agreement, or (vii) expenditures financed with the proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or a capital contribution to the Borrower or Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Credit Agreement, to the extent such expenditures were made within 365 days after the receipt of such proceeds.

  

Capital Expenditures

  

(iii)  the sum of items (A)(2)(a)(i) and (ii)

   $ ____  

Cash Taxes

  

(b)   with respect to any Test Period, all taxes paid or payable in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Test Period

   $ ____  

(c)   item (A)(1)(d) minus item (A)(2)(a)(iii) minus item (A)(2)(b)

   $ ____  

(3)   Debt Service Charges

 

with respect to any Person for any Test Period, the sum of:

  

 

A-viii


(a)   Consolidated Interest Charges2

  

(i) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

(ii)  the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under Capitalized Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

(iii)  cash interest income during such period, in each case of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

(iv) item (A)(3)(a)(i) plus (A)(3)(a)(ii) minus item (A)(3)(a)(iii)3

   $ ____  

(b)   Scheduled principal payments made or required to be made on account of Indebtedness of the types set forth in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (f) of the definition of “Indebtedness”, as defined in the Credit Agreement, (excluding the Obligations but including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations) for such Test Period, in each case determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP

   $ ____  

Debt Service Charges

  

 

2 

For purposes of the foregoing, interest expense shall exclude one-time financing fees (including arrangement, amendment and contract fees), debt issuance costs, commissions, expenses and, in each case, the amortization thereof.

3 

For purposes of determining Consolidated Interest Charges for the quarterly periods ending January 28, 2017, April 29, 2017 and July 29, 2017: (a) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended January 28, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the fiscal quarter ended January 28, 2017, multiplied by 4, (b) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended April 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended April 29, 2017, multiplied by 2 and (c) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended July 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the three consecutive fiscal quarters ended July 29, 2017, multiplied by 4/3, respectively.

 

A-ix


(c)   the sum of item (A)(3)(a)(iv) and item (A)(3)(b)

   $ ____  

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

  

item (2)(c) divided by item (3)(c)

   $ ____  

 

A-x


APPENDIX 5

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Written notice of any change from the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate, (A) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, or (B) in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility).

 

A-5


APPENDIX 6

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Written notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP).

 

A-6


APPENDIX 7

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Report setting forth the information required by Section 3.03(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Effective Date or the date of the last such report).

 

A-7


APPENDIX 8

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last Fiscal Quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.9 of the Credit Agreement.

 

A-8


APPENDIX 9

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

List of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Effective Date and the date of the last such list.

 

A-9


APPENDIX 10

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(B)  Net Cash Proceeds

  

with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of:

  

(i) the sum of:

  

(A)  cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received)

     $____  

(ii)  over the sum of:

  

(A)  the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition and that is required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents or the Term Facility Documentation or any Permitted Refinancing of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation)

     $____  

(B)  the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition

     $____  

(C)  in the case of any Disposition by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro-rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this item (C)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof

     $____  

 

A-10


(D)  taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 9.6(g)(i) or (g)(iii) of the Credit Agreement paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), provided that to the extent that the actual taxes are less than such estimate, the excess shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds

   $____

(E)  any funded reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this clause (ii)(E); provided that, so long as no Cash Dominion Period has occurred and is continuing hereunder, no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (ii)(E) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (ii)(E))

   $____
Net Cash Proceeds (item (B)(i)(A) minus the sum of items (B)(ii)(A) through (E))    $___

 

A-11


SCHEDULE I

REVOLVING CREDIT COMMITMENTS

 

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable
Percentage
 

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 100,000,000        25.000000000

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 55,000,000        13.750000000

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 50,000,000        12.500000000

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 50,000,000        12.500000000

Barclays Bank PLC

   $ 35,000,000        8.750000000

BMO Harris Bank, N.A.

   $ 30,000,000        7.500000000

TD Bank, N.A.

   $ 30,000,000        7.500000000

The Huntington National Bank

   $ 25,000,000        6.250000000

PNC Bank, National Association

   $ 25,000,000        6.250000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL

   $ 400,000,000        100.000000000
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
EX-10.1.1

Exhibit 10.1.1

EXECUTION VERSION

FIRST AMENDMENT TO

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) dated as of November 25, 2020 by and among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”),

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”),

the other Loan Parties party hereto,

the Lenders party hereto, and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent;

in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, among others, have entered into a certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of October 21, 2016, (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment, the “Existing Credit Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested to amend certain provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions hereof;

WHEREAS, as of date hereof, JAS Aviation, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Specified Guarantor”) will no longer be designated as a Material Domestic Subsidiary and the Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders release the Specified Guarantor from its Obligations under the Loan Documents, including but not limited to the Guaranty and any Liens or other security interests of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent on the Collateral owned by the Specified Guarantor; and

WHEREAS, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1.

Incorporation of Terms and Conditions of Existing Credit Agreement. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment (the “Amended Credit Agreement”).

 

2.

Representations and Warranties. Each Loan Party hereby represents and warrants that after giving effect to this Amendment, (i) no Default or Event of Default exists under the Amended Credit Agreement or under any other Loan Document, and (ii) all representations and warranties contained in the Amended Credit Agreement and in the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except in the case of any representation and warranty qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect”, which is true and correct in all respects) as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (except in the case of any representation and warranty qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect”, which is true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date.


3.

Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement. The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as following:

 

  a.

Credit Agreement. The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as set forth in Annex A attached hereto such that all of the newly inserted double underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: double-underlined text) and any formatting changes attached hereto shall be deemed to be inserted and all stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following example: stricken text) shall be deemed to be deleted therefrom.

 

  b.

Exhibits to Credit Agreement. Exhibit J (Form of Borrowing Base Certificate) and Exhibit N (Form of Compliance Certificate) to the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby deleted in their entirety and a new Exhibit J and Exhibit N are substituted in their stead as attached hereto as Annex B.

 

  c.

Schedules to Credit Agreement. Each of the schedules to the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby deleted in their entirety and substituted in its stead updated schedules attached hereto as Annex C.

 

4.

Conditions to Effectiveness. This Amendment shall become effective on the date (the “First Amendment Effective Date”) when each of the following conditions precedent has been fulfilled to the reasonable satisfaction of the Administrative Agent:

 

  a.

Amendment. This Amendment shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

 

  b.

Revolving Credit Note. A Revolving Credit Note, or an amended and restated Revolving Credit Note, as applicable, shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Revolving Credit Note and reflecting the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender after giving effect to this Amendment.

 

  c.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements. A (x) Patent Security Agreement, (y) Second Supplement to Copyrights, and (z) Second Supplement to Trademarks, shall each have been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower.

 

  d.

Solvency Certificate. A Solvency Certificate shall have been duly executed and delivered by the chief financial officer of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit O to the Credit Agreement.

 

  e.

Information Certificate. An updated Information Certificate shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Loan Parties.

 

-2-


  f.

Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of (i) searches of the UCC filings (or equivalent filings) and (ii) tax lien searches, made with respect to the Loan Parties in, with respect to searches in respect of clause (i), the states or other jurisdictions of formation of such Persons and, with respect to searches in respect of clause (ii), such other locations as are satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, together with copies of the financing statements (or, in the case of clause (ii), similar documents) disclosed by such searches.

 

  g.

Corporate Action. All action on the part of the Loan Parties necessary for the valid execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of this Amendment shall have been duly and effectively taken. The Administrative Agent shall have received such customary corporate resolutions, good standing certificates, other certificates and other customary corporate documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.

 

  h.

Opinions of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable opinion of (i) Latham & Watkins LLP, special counsel to the Borrower with respect to certain matters of federal and New York law and certain routine matters under Delaware law and (ii) Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties.

 

  i.

No Default. After giving effect to this Amendment, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

  j.

Borrowing Base Certificate; Availability. The Administrative Agent shall have received an executed Borrowing Base Certificate dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date, relating to the fiscal month ending October 31, 2020. The Excess Availability under the Amended Credit Agreement on the First Amendment Effective Date after giving effect to any funding under the Amended Credit Agreement, shall be equal to or greater than $150,000,000, based on the Borrowing Base Certificate delivered on the First Amendment Effective Date.

 

  k.

No Material Adverse Effect. No event shall have occurred after February 1, 2020 that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Loan Parties, taken as a whole.

 

  l.

Beneficial Ownership Certification. At least three (3) Business Days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, any Borrower that qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation shall deliver, to each Lender that so requests, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to such Borrower.

 

  m.

Fees and Expenses. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all applicable fees, including fees under the Fee Letter dated as November 3, 2020, and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, including without limitation, reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees of one counsel, in connection with or relating to this Amendment shall have been reimbursed or paid.

 

  n.

Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents, agreements, or items as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in order to effectuate, or in connection with, the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

-3-


Without limiting the generality of the provisions Section 11.1 of the Amended Credit Agreement, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4, each Lender that has signed this Amendment shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed First Amendment Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

5.

Post-Closing Covenant.

 

  a.

Within ninety (90) days (or such longer period as agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) following the First Amendment Effective Date, the Loan Parties shall deliver to the Administrative Agent any Deposit Account Control Agreements required by Section 8.12 to the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

6.

Confirmation, Ratification and Reaffirmation.

 

  a.

Each of the Loan Parties hereby ratifies and confirms all of its Obligations to the Agents, the Swing Loan Lender, the Issuer, and the Lenders under the Amended Credit Agreement, including, without limitation, the Revolving Loans, Swing Loans and other Credit Extensions, and each of the Loan Parties hereby affirms its absolute and unconditional promise to pay to the Lenders, the Issuer and the Agents, as applicable, the Revolving Loans, other Credit Extensions, reimbursement obligations and all other amounts due or to become due and payable to the Lenders, the Issuer, and the Agents, as applicable, under the Amended Credit Agreement and it is the intent of the parties hereto that nothing contained herein shall constitute a novation or accord and satisfaction. Except as expressly amended hereby, the Existing Credit Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. Each of the Loan Parties hereby further (i) ratifies and confirms all of the terms and conditions of each of the documents, instruments and agreements, including those documents, instruments and agreements set forth on Annex D hereto (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, the “Ancillary Loan Documents”) to which it is a party and executed and delivered in connection with the Existing Credit Agreement, (ii) acknowledges and agrees that each of the Ancillary Loan Documents (including any schedules thereto) remain in full force and effect, and (iii) reaffirms that, after giving effect to the Amended Credit Agreement, all of its warranties and representations set forth in, each of the Ancillary Loan Documents to which it is a party remain true and correct in all material respects as of the First Amendment Effective Date; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, such representations and warranties remain true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates.

 

  b.

Each of the Guarantors hereby acknowledges, confirms and agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations of the Guarantors under, and as defined in, the Guaranty include, without limitation, all Obligations of the Loan Parties at any time and from time to time outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement.

 

-4-


  c.

Without in any manner limiting the foregoing Section 6(a), each Loan Party hereby ratifies and reaffirms its grant of liens on and security interest in any and all Collateral as security for the Obligations arising under or pursuant to and as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement, and confirms and agrees that, after giving effect to the Amended Credit Agreement, such liens and security interests shall continue to secure all Obligations of the Loan Parties at any time and from time to time outstanding under the Amended Credit Agreement and the Ancillary Loan Documents, as such Obligations have been, and may hereafter be, amended, restated, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

7.

Release of Specified Guarantor.

 

  a.

In connection the Specified Guarantor no longer being designated as a Material Domestic Subsidiary as of the date hereof, the Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent release (i) the Specified Guarantor from its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and (ii) the Lien of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent on the Collateral owned by the Specified Guarantor. Accordingly, the Administrative Agent hereby releases as of the date hereof (i) the Specified Guarantor from its Obligations under the Loan Documents (except to the extent such obligations survive such release by their terms), and (ii) all Liens on the Collateral owned by the Specified Guarantor.

 

  b.

Nothing herein shall be deemed a release by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent of (i) any Loan Party (other the Specified Guarantor) from any of its Obligations under the Loan Documents, or (ii) any Liens securing the Obligations (other than Liens on the Collateral owned by the Specified Guarantor). Each of the Loan Parties (other the Specified Guarantor) acknowledges and agrees that the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the Liens granted thereunder remain in full force and effect as of the date hereto.

 

  c.

The Specified Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that it has no offsets, defenses, claims, or counterclaims against any Secured Party or any parents, affiliates, predecessors, successors, or assigns thereof, or their respective officers, directors, employees, attorneys, or representatives, with respect to the Obligations, and that if the Specified Guarantor now has, or ever did have, any offsets, defenses, claims, or counterclaims against such Persons, whether known or unknown, at law or in equity, from the beginning of the world through this date and through the time of execution of this Amendment, all of them are hereby expressly WAIVED, and the Specified Guarantor hereby RELEASES such Persons from any liability therefor.

 

8.

Binding Effect; Integration, Etc. The terms and provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, representatives, successors and assigns. This Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement shall hereafter be read and construed together as a single document, and all references in the Existing Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument related to the Existing Credit Agreement shall hereafter refer to the Amended Credit Agreement. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document.

 

9.

Multiple Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and together which shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of any executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by telecopy or e-mail shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

-5-


10.

Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY AGREES THAT THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 12.12 AND SECTION 12.13 OF THE EXISTING CREDIT AGREEMENT SHALL APPLY TO THIS AMENDMENT.

[Signature Pages Follow.]

 

-6-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by each of the parties hereto as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as the Borrower
By:  

/s/ Matthew Susz

Name: Matthew Susz
Title: Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, as Holdings
By:  

/s/ Matthew Susz

Name: Matthew Susz
Title: Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
JOANN.COM, LLC, as a Guarantor
By:  

_/s/ Matthew Susz

Name: Matthew Susz
Title: Vice President
JO-ANN STORES SUPPORT CENTER, INC., as a Guarantor
By:  

_/s/ Matthew Susz

Name: Matthew Susz
Title: Vice President
CREATIVEBUG, LLC, as a Guarantor
By:  

_/s/ Matthew Susz

Name: Matthew Susz
Title: Vice President

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Brian Lindblom

Name:   Brian Lindblom
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Danielle Baldinelli

Name:   Danielle Baldinelli
Title:   Managing Director

 

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ David Lawrence

Name:   David Lawrence
Title:   Vice President

 

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


BMO Harris Bank N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Jim Vesecky

Name:   Jim Vesecky
Title:   Vice President

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


PNC Bank, as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Ryan Mengel

Name:   Ryan Mengel
Title:   Vice President

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


TD Bank, N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Antimo Barbieri

Name:   Antimo Barbieri
Title:   Vice President

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


JP MORGAN CHASE BANK N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/ Jeffrey C. Miller

Name:   Jeffrey C. Miller
Title:   Executive Director

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


The Huntington National Bank, as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Dennis Hatvany

Name:

 

Dennis Hatvany

Title:

 

Senior Vice President

 

 

[Jo-Ann – Signature Page to First Amendment]


ANNEX A

Composite Credit Agreement

[See Attached]


Execution Version

Annex A

Conformed Amended and Restated Credit Agreement through the First Amendment

$400,000,000500,000,000

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 21, 2016

and as amended on November 25, 2020

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as the Borrower,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Issuer,

and

THE OTHER LENDERS AND ISSUERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Syndication Agents,

BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.,

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

TD BANK, N.A.

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Documentation AgentCo-Documentation Agents,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATION AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

SECTION 1.1

   Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.2

   Other Interpretive Provisions      6070  

SECTION 1.3

   Accounting Terms      6172  

SECTION 1.4

   Rounding      6172  

SECTION 1.5

   Letter of Credit Amounts      6272  

SECTION 1.6

   References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.      6272  

SECTION 1.7

   Times of Day      6273  

SECTION 1.8

   Pro Forma Calculations      6273  

SECTION 1.9

   Limited Condition Acquisitions      6475  

SECTION 1.10

   Interest Rates      76  

ARTICLE II THE FACILITY

     6576  

SECTION 2.1

   The Revolving Credit Commitments      6576  

SECTION 2.2

   Borrowing Procedures      6677  

SECTION 2.3

   Swing Loans      6779  

SECTION 2.4

   Letters of Credit      6981  

SECTION 2.5

   Reduction and Termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments      7587  

SECTION 2.6

   Repayment of Loans      7587  

SECTION 2.7

   Evidence of Indebtedness      7687  

SECTION 2.8

   Optional Prepayments      7688  

SECTION 2.9

   Mandatory Prepayments      7788  

SECTION 2.10

   Interest      7890  

SECTION 2.11

   Conversion/Continuation Option      7890  

SECTION 2.12

   Fees      7991  

SECTION 2.13

   Payments and Computations      8092  

SECTION 2.14

   Special Provisions Governing Eurodollar Rate Loans      8294  

SECTION 2.15

   Revolving Commitment Increase      8294  

SECTION 2.16

   Defaulting Lenders      8496  

SECTION 2.17

   Extensions of Loans      8698  

ARTICLE III TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     90102  

SECTION 3.1

   Taxes      90102  

SECTION 3.2

   Illegality      93105  

SECTION 3.3

   Inability to Determine Rates      93106  

SECTION 3.4

   Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans      94110  

SECTION 3.5

   Funding Losses      95111  

SECTION 3.6

   Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation      96112  

SECTION 3.7

   Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances      96112  

SECTION 3.8

   Survival      98114  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

     98114  

SECTION 4.1

   Conditions Precedent to Effective Date 98Effectiveness of this Agreement      114  

SECTION 4.2

   Conditions Precedent to Each Loan and Letter of Credit      100116  

SECTION 4.3

   Determinations of Effective Date Borrowing Conditions      102117  

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     102118  

SECTION 5.1

   Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws      102118  

SECTION 5.2

   Authorization; No Contravention      102118  

SECTION 5.3

   Governmental Authorization      103119  

SECTION 5.4

   Binding Effect      103119  

SECTION 5.5

   Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect      103119  

SECTION 5.6

   Litigation      103119  

SECTION 5.7

   Labor Matters      104120  

SECTION 5.8

   Ownership of Property; Liens      104120  

SECTION 5.9

   Environmental Matters      104120  

SECTION 5.10

   Taxes      104120  

SECTION 5.11

   ERISA Compliance      104120  

SECTION 5.12

   Subsidiaries      105122  

SECTION 5.13

   Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act      105122  

SECTION 5.14

   Disclosure      106123  

SECTION 5.15

   Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.      106123  

SECTION 5.16

   Solvency      106123  

SECTION 5.17

   OFAC      106123  

SECTION 5.18

   USA PATRIOT Act      106124  

SECTION 5.19

   Collateral Documents      107124  

SECTION 5.20

   Anti-Corruption Laws      107124  

SECTION 5.21

   EEA Financial Institution      107124  

ARTICLE VI FINANCIAL COVENANT

     107125  

SECTION 6.1

   Minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio      107125  

ARTICLE VII REPORTING COVENANTS

     108125  

SECTION 7.1

   Financial Statements, Etc.      108125  

SECTION 7.2

   Certificates; Other Information      110128  

SECTION 7.3

   Notices      113130  

SECTION 7.4

   Borrowing Base Certificate      113131  

ARTICLE VIII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     115132  

SECTION 8.1

   Preservation of Existence, Etc.      115132  

SECTION 8.2

   Compliance with Laws, Etc.      115133  

SECTION 8.3

   Designation of Subsidiaries      115133  

SECTION 8.4

   Payment of Taxes, Etc.      116133  

SECTION 8.5

   Maintenance of Insurance      116134  

SECTION 8.6

   Inspection Rights      116134  

SECTION 8.7

   Books and Records      117135  

SECTION 8.8

   Maintenance of Properties      117135  

SECTION 8.9

   Use of Proceeds      117135  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

SECTION 8.10

   Compliance with Environmental Laws      117135  

SECTION 8.11

   Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security      118135  

SECTION 8.12

   Cash Receipts      119137  

SECTION 8.13

   Further Assurances      121137  

ARTICLE IX NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     121139  

SECTION 9.1

   Liens      122139  

SECTION 9.2

   Investments      125143  

SECTION 9.3

   Indebtedness      128146  

SECTION 9.4

   Fundamental Changes      132150  

SECTION 9.5

   Dispositions      133152  

SECTION 9.6

   Restricted Payments      136155  

SECTION 9.7

   Change in Nature of Business      140159  

SECTION 9.8

   Transactions with Affiliates      140159  

SECTION 9.9

   Burdensome Agreements      142161  

SECTION 9.10

   Accounting Changes; Fiscal Year      144163  

SECTION 9.11

   Prepayment, Etc. of Indebtedness      144163  

SECTION 9.12

   Modification of Debt Agreements      144164  

SECTION 9.13

   Holdings      145164  

ARTICLE X EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     145165  

SECTION 10.1

   Events of Default      145165  

SECTION 10.2

   Remedies upon Event of Default      148168  

SECTION 10.3

   Application of Funds      150169  

SECTION 10.4

   Borrower’s Right to Cure      151170  

SECTION 10.5

   Actions in Respect of Letters of Credit; Cash Collateral      152171  

ARTICLE XI THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     153172  

SECTION 11.1

   Appointment and Authorization      153172  

SECTION 11.2

   Rights as a Lender      154173  

SECTION 11.3

   Exculpatory Provisions      154173  

SECTION 11.4

   Reliance by the Administrative Agent      155175  

SECTION 11.5

   Delegation of Duties      156175  

SECTION 11.6

   Resignation of Administrative Agent      156176  

SECTION 11.7

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents      157177  

SECTION 11.8

   No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc.      158177  

SECTION 11.9

   Intercreditor Agreement      158178  

SECTION 11.10

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim      158178  

SECTION 11.11

   Collateral and Guaranty Matters      159179  

SECTION 11.12

   Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements      160180  

SECTION 11.13

   Indemnification of Agents      161181  

ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS

     162183  

SECTION 12.1

   Amendments, Etc.      162183  

SECTION 12.2

   Successors and Assigns      164185  

SECTION 12.3

   Costs and Expenses      170192  

 

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

SECTION 12.4

   Indemnities      171193  

SECTION 12.5

   Limitation of Liability      172194  

SECTION 12.6

   Right of Set-off      173194  

SECTION 12.7

   Sharing of Payments      173195  

SECTION 12.8

   Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies      174196  

SECTION 12.9

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies      176198  

SECTION 12.10

   Reserved      176198  

SECTION 12.11

   Binding Effect      176198  

SECTION 12.12

   Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process      176198  

SECTION 12.13

   Waiver of Jury Trial      177199  

SECTION 12.14

   Marshaling; Payments Set Aside      178199  

SECTION 12.15

   Execution in Counterparts      178200  

SECTION 12.16

   Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents      178200  

SECTION 12.17

   Confidentiality      179201  

SECTION 12.18

   Use of Name, Logo, etc.      180203  

SECTION 12.19

   USA PATRIOT Act Notice      180203  

SECTION 12.20

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      181203  

SECTION 12.21

   Severability      181204  

SECTION 12.22

   Survival of Representations and Warranties      181204  

SECTION 12.23

   Lender Action      182204  

SECTION 12.24

   Interest Rate Limitation      182205  

SECTION 12.25

   Time of the Essence      182205  

SECTION 12.26

   No Strict Construction      182205  

SECTION 12.27

   Intercreditor Agreement      182205  

SECTION 12.28

   Keepwell      183205  

SECTION 12.29

   Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of EEAAffected Financial Institutions      183206  

SECTION 12.30

   Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs      207  

SECTION  12.3012.31

   Amendment and Restatement      184207  

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule I      -      Revolving Credit Commitments
Schedule II      -      Guarantors
Schedule 1.1C      -      Existing Letters of Credit[Reserved]
Schedule 1.1D      -      Designated Assets
Schedule 1.1E      -      Credit Card Agreements
Schedule 5.12      -      Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments
Schedule 8.12      -      Material Bank Accounts; Credit Card Processors
Schedule 9.1(b)      -      Existing Liens
Schedule 9.2(f)      -      Existing Investments
Schedule 9.3(b)      -      Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 9.8      -      Transactions with Affiliates
Schedule 9.9      -      Burdensome Agreements
Schedule 12.8      -      AdminsistrativeAdministrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices

 

iv


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(CONTINUED)

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A      -      Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B      -      Form of Revolving Credit Note
Exhibit C      -      Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit D      -      Form of Swing Loan Request
Exhibit E      -      Form of Letter of Credit Request
Exhibit F      -      Form of Notice of Conversion or Continuation
Exhibit G-1      -      Form of Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP[Reserved]
Exhibit G-2      -      Form of Opinion of Thompson Hine LLP[Reserved]
Exhibit H      -      Form of Guaranty
Exhibit I      -      Form of Security Agreement
Exhibit J      -      Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit K      -      Form of Intercreditor Agreement
Exhibit L      -      Form of Intercompany Subordination Agreement
Exhibit M      -      Form of United States Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit N      -      Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit O      -      Form of Solvency Certificate

 

v


This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of October 21, 2016, and as amended on November  25, 2020, among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”) under the Loan Documents, and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

Holdings and the Borrower have entered into that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2011 (as amended and in effect, the “Original Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, the Borrower, the “Lenders” as defined therein, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent thereunder.

The Borrower has requested that (i) the Lenders extend credit to the Borrower under the Facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of up to $400,000,000 pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) certain other lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of a Term Facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of $725,000,000 pursuant to the Term Facility Credit Agreement.

The proceeds of the initial Revolving Loans to be made on the Effective Date, together with a portion of the Borrower’s cash on hand, and borrowings under the Term Facility, will be used (i) for working capital and other general corporate purposes, (ii) to finance the repayment of all amounts outstanding under the Existing Term Facility and the repurchase or redemption of $271,825,000 of the Senior Notes, and (iii) to pay fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

The applicable Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend, and the Issuers have indicated their willingness to issue Letters of Credit, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, and to amend and restate the Original Credit Agreement in accordance with Section 12.1 of the Original Credit Agreement.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree that the Original Credit Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATION AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.1 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Account” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.


Account Debtor” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

ACH” means automated clearing house transfers.

Additional Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Adjustment Date” means the first day of each Fiscal Quarter commencing January29, 2017 (the first full quarter ending after the Effective Date)beginning with May 2, 2021.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 12.8, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affected Financial Institution any EEA Financial Institution or UK Financial Institution.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Arrangers, the Agents or their respective lending affiliates or any entity acting as an Issuer hereunder shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 12.8(d).

Agent-Related Persons” means the Agents, together with their respective Affiliates, and the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorney-in-fact, partners, trustees and advisors of such Persons and of such Persons’ Affiliates.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each of the Co-Syndication Agents, the Documentationeach of the Co-Documentation Agent, each co-agent or sub-agent (if any) appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 11.5 and the Arrangers.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Revolving Credit Commitments of all the Lenders. As of the First Amendment Effective Date, the Aggregate Commitments are $400,000,000500,000,000.

 

2


Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, modified, replaced, extended, renewed or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

Allocated Trade” has the meaning specified in Section 2.9(c).

Annual Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Saturday closest to each of January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014February 1, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the Fiscal Years then ended.

Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Weighted Average Life to Maturity”.

Applicable Margin” means a percentage per annum equal to (a) from and after the First Amendment Effective Date until the first Adjustment Date, (i) for Eurodollar Rate Loans, 1.502.00%, (ii) for Base Rate Loans, 0.501.00% and (iii) for Letter of Credit fees, (A) in the case of Standby Letters of Credit, 1.502.00% and (B) in the case of Documentary Letters of Credit, 0.751.00%, and (b) thereafter, the following percentages per annum, based upon Average Historical Excess Availability as of the most recent Adjustment Date:

 

Level

  

Average

Historical

Excess

Availability

   Eurodollar
Rate for
Loans and
Letter of
Credit
Fees
(Standby
Letters of
Credit)
    Base Rate     Letter of
Credit Fees
(Documentary
Letters of
Credit)
 
I    Greater than or equal to 4066.67% of the Maximum Credit      1.251.75     0.250.75     0.6250.875
II    Less than 4066.67% of the Maximum Credit but greater than or equal to 33.33% of the Maximum Credit      1.502.00     0.501.00     0.751.00
III    Less than 33.33% of the Maximum Credit      2.25 %      1.25 %      1.125 % 

 

3


The Applicable Margin shall be adjusted quarterly in accordance with the table above on each Adjustment Date for the period beginning on such Adjustment Date based upon the Average Historical Excess Availability as the Administrative Agent shall determine in good faith within ten (10) Business Days after such Adjustment Date. Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Average Historical Excess Availability shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the Adjustment Date. If any Borrowing Base Certificates are at any time restated or otherwise revised or if the information set forth in any Borrowing Base Certificates otherwise proves to be false or incorrect such that the Applicable Margin would have been higher than was otherwise in effect during any period, without constituting a waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising as a result thereof, interest due under this Agreement shall be immediately recalculated at such higher rate for any applicable periods and shall be due and payable on demand.

Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16(a)(iv). If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 10.2(a)(i) or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule I or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

Applicable Unused Commitment Fee Rate” means, for any day, a percentage per annum equal to 0.25% per annum.

Approved Account Bank” means a financial institution at which the Borrower or a Guarantor maintains an Approved Deposit Account.

Approved Deposit Account” means each Deposit Account in respect of which a Loan Party shall have entered into a Deposit Account Control Agreement.

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Fund that is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

Approved Securities Account” means each Securities Account in respect of which the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have entered into a Securities Account Control Agreement.

 

4


Approved Securities Intermediary” means a securities intermediary at which the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor maintains an Approved Securities Account.

Arrangers” means Bank of America, N.A. (or any of its designated affiliates), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner under this Agreement.

Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Attorney Costs” means all reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of one counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders taken as a whole and, if necessary, of one local counsel in any relevant jurisdiction material to the interest of the Lenders and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole of the affected parties.

Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

Availability Reserves” means, without duplication of any other reserves or items that are otherwise addressed or excluded through eligibility criteria, such reserves as the Administrative Agent from time to time determines in its Permitted Discretion as being appropriate (a) to reflect the impediments to the Collateral Agent’s ability to realize upon the Current Asset Collateral, (b) to reflect claims and liabilities that the Administrative Agent determines will need to be satisfied in connection with the realization upon the Current Asset Collateral, or (c) to reflect criteria, events, conditions, contingencies or risks which adversely affect any component of the Borrowing Base, the Current Asset Collateral or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any material remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder or thereunder, or (d) to reflect the impediments to the Collateral Agents ability to realize upon the Collateral to the extent that an Event of Default then exists. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Availability Reserves may include (but are not limited to) reserves based on: (i) rent; provided that, as long as no Event of Default is continuing, such Availability Reserves shall be limited to an amount not to exceed the sum of (x) past due rent for all of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ leased locations plus (y) one (1) month’s rent for all of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors’ leased locations (A) located in the states of Washington, Virginia, Pennsylvania and all other Landlord Lien States or (B) that are distribution centers or warehouses, other than, in each case, such locations, distribution centers or warehouses with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received a Collateral Access Agreement; (ii) customs duties, and other costs to release Inventory which is being imported into the United States; (iii) outstanding Taxes and other governmental charges, including, without limitation, ad valorem, real estate, personal property, sales, and other Taxes

 

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which would have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Current Asset Collateral; (iv) during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period, salaries, wages and benefits due to employees of the Borrower, (v) Customer Credit Liabilities and customer deposits; (vi) warehousemen’s or bailee’s charges and other Liens permitted under Section 9.1 which would have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Current Asset Collateral; (vii) reserves in respect of Cash Management Obligations, provided that reserves of the type described in this clause (vii) in respect of such Cash Management Obligations shall not be established unless either Excess Availability is less than $75,000,000 or an Event of Default is continuing; and (viii) reserves in respect of Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements, provided that, reserves of the type described in this clause (viii) in respect of such Obligations shall not be established unless either Excess Availability is less than $75,000,000 or an Event of Default is continuing. The amount of any Availability Reserve established or increased by the Administrative Agent shall (i) have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition or other matter that is the basis for the Availability Reserve and (ii) be limited to such Availability Reserves and changes as the Administrative Agent determines, in its Permitted Discretion, are appropriate based on the analysis of facts or events first occurring or first discovered by the Administrative Agent after the First Amendment Effective Date or that differ from facts or events occurring and known to the Administrative Agent on the First Amendment Effective Date. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Availability Reserves shall not duplicate eligibility criteria contained in the definition of Eligible Credit Card Receivables, Eligible In-Transit Inventory, Eligible Inventory or Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory.

Average Historical Excess Availability” means, at any Adjustment Date, the average daily Excess Availability for the Fiscal Quarter immediately preceding such Adjustment Date (or, in the case of the first Adjustment Date on January 29, 2017, the period from and including the Effective Date through the date immediately preceding such first Adjustment Date).

Average Revolving Loan Utilization means, at any Adjustment Date, the average daily aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure (excluding any Revolving Credit Exposure resulting from any outstanding Swing Loans) for the Fiscal Quarter immediately preceding such Adjustment Date (or, in the case of the first Adjustment Date on January 29, 2017, the period from and including the Effective Date through the date immediately preceding such first Adjustment Date) divided by the Aggregate Commitments at such time.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule. and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

 

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Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A., a national banking association, acting in its individual capacity, and its successors and assigns.

Banker’s Acceptance” means a time draft or bill of exchange or other deferred payment obligation relating to a Documentary Letter of Credit which has been accepted by the Issuer.

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate for an Interest Period of one month plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change. If the Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof, then the Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

Beneficial Ownership Certification means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulationmeans 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period.

 

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Borrowing Base” means, at any time of calculation, an amount equal to:

(a) the face amount of Eligible Credit Card Receivables multiplied by the Credit Card Advance Rate; plus

(b) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible Inventory (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory and Eligible In-Transit Inventory), multiplied by the Inventory Advance Rate multiplied by the Cost of Eligible Inventory (other than, for the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory and Eligible In-Transit Inventory), net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible Inventory; plus

(c) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory multiplied by the Letter of Credit Advance Rate, multiplied by the Cost of Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory, net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory; plus

(d) the Net Recovery Percentage of Eligible In-Transit Inventory multiplied by the In-Transit Advance Rate, multiplied by the Cost of Eligible In-Transit Inventory, net of Inventory Reserves attributable to Eligible In-Transit Inventory; minus

(e) the then amount of all Availability Reserves.

The Borrowing Base at any time shall be determined by reference to the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.4, as adjusted to give effect to Availability Reserves following such delivery; provided, that such Availability Reserves shall not be established or changed except upon not less than three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Borrower (during which period the Administrative Agent shall be available to discuss any such proposed Availability Reserve with the Borrower and the Borrower may take such action as may be required so that the event, condition or matter that is the basis for such Availability Reserve no longer exists, in a manner and to the extent reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent); provided further that, during such three (3) Business Day period, Credit Extensions hereunder shall be subject to the Borrowing Base as if such new or modified Availability Reserves were given effect; provided further that no such prior notice shall be required for changes to any Availability Reserves resulting solely by virtue of mathematical calculations of the amount of the Availability Reserve in accordance with the methodology of calculation previously utilized (such as, but not limited to, rent and Customer Credit Liabilities) or if an Event of Default is continuing.

Borrowing Base Certificate” means a certificate of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit J.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the jurisdiction where the Administrative Agent’s Office with respect to Obligations is located and if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or any other dealings to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

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Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of (a) all amounts that would be reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on a Consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP and (b) the value of all assets under Capitalized Leases incurred by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period; provided that the term “Capital Expenditures” shall not include (i) expenditures made in connection with the replacement, substitution, restoration or repair of assets to the extent financed with (x) insurance proceeds paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced, substituted, restored or repaired or (y) awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of the assets being replaced, (ii) the purchase of plant, property or equipment or software to the extent financed with the Net Cash Proceeds of Dispositions that are not required to be applied to prepay the Loans, the Term Facility or the Senior NotesFacilities, (iii) expenditures that are accounted for as capital expenditures by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and that actually are paid for, or reimbursed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash or Cash Equivalents, by a Person other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and for which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has provided or is required to provide or incur, directly or indirectly, any consideration or obligation (other than rent) in respect of such expenditures to such Person or any other Person (whether before, during or after such period), including, without limitation, expenditures which are contractually required to be, and are, reimbursed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in cash by its landlords as tenant allowances during such period, (iv) expenditures to the extent constituting any portion of a Permitted Acquisition, (v) the purchase price of equipment purchased during such period to the extent the consideration therefor consists of any combination of (A) used or surplus equipment traded in at the time of such purchase, and (B) the Net Cash Proceeds of a concurrent sale of used or surplus equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, provided that such portion of the purchase price in excess of the credit granted by the seller of such equipment for the equipment being traded in at such time or such Net Cash Proceeds, as applicable, shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” hereunder, (vi) expenditures relating to the construction, acquisition, replacement, reconstruction, development, refurbishment, renovation or improvement of any property which has been transferred to a Person other than a Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during the same Fiscal Year in which such expenditures were made pursuant to a sale-leaseback transaction, to the extent of the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction, provided that such portion of the expenditures which exceed the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” hereunder, or (vii) expenditures financed with the proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or a capital contribution to the Borrower or Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder, to the extent such expenditures are made within 365 days after the receipt of such proceeds.

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

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Capitalized Lease shall be the Capitalized Lease Obligation

 

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with respect thereto; provided further that any lease that would be characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP on the Effective Date (whether or not such operating lease was in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as an operating lease (and not as a Capitalized Lease) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the Effective Date that would otherwise require such lease to be recharacterized (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) as a Capitalized Lease.

Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to “Cash Collateralize” and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, an Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for Letter of Credit Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances or, if the applicable Issuer or Swing Loan Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender (as applicable).

Cash Dominion Period” means (a) each period beginning on the date that Excess Availability shall have been less than the greater of (x) 10% of the Maximum Credit and (y) $35,000,000, in either case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, and ending on the date Excess Availability shall have been equal to or greater than the greater of (x) 10% of the Maximum Credit and (y) $35,000,000, in each case, for twenty (20) consecutive calendar days or (b) upon the occurrence of a Specified Event of Default, the period that such Specified Event of Default shall be continuing; provided that a Cash Dominion Period shall be deemed continuing (even if Excess Availability exceeds the required amounts for twenty (20) consecutive calendar day) if a Cash Dominion Period has occurred and been discontinued on five (5) occasions in any twelve month period. The termination of a Cash Dominion Period as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Cash Dominion Period in the event that the conditions set forth in this definition again arise.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(a) Dollars;

(b) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business and not for speculation;

(c) readily marketable direct obligations issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

 

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(d) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, demand deposits, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic or foreign commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000;

(e) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (c) and (d) above or clause (g) below entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (d) above;

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

(g) marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

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

(i) Investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency); and

(j) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (i) above.

In the case of Investments by any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary or Investments made in a country outside the United States, Cash Equivalents shall also include (i) investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (a) through (j) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parents of such obligors) have ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (ii) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments analogous to the foregoing investments in clauses (a) through (j) and in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clause (a) above, provided that such amounts are converted into Dollars as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

 

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Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement or arrangement to provide Cash Management Services

Cash Management Bank” means, as of any date of determination, any Person that is an Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on such date.

Cash Management Obligations” means obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated by the Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent as “Cash Management Obligations”.

Cash Management Services” means any agreement or arrangement to provide (i) cash management services, including automated clearinghouse transfers, controlled disbursement accounts, treasury, depository, overdraft, credit card processing or credit or debit card, purchase card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements and (ii) supply chain financing services.

Cash Receipts” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.12(c).

Cash Taxes” means, with respect to any Test Period, all taxes paid or payable in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty (excluding the taking effect after the date of this Agreement of a law, rule, regulation or treaty adopted prior to the date of this Agreement), (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

(a) (i) at any time prior to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders ceasing to own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings; or

(ii) at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO (1) any Person (other than a Permitted Holder) or (2) Persons (other than one or more Permitted Holders) constituting a “group” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but

 

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excluding any employee benefit plan of such Person and its Subsidiaries, and any Person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under such Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests representing more than forty percent (40%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings and the percentage of aggregate ordinary voting power so held is greater than the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Equity Interests of Holdings beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate by the Permitted Holders;

unless, in the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; or

(b) any “Change of Control” (or any comparable term) in any document pertaining to theany Term Facility, the Senior Notes, the Senior Notes Indenture, any indenture governing notes issued in a Permitted Refinancing of the Senior Notes; or

(c) the Borrower ceases to be a direct wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings (or any successor under Section 9.4(a)).

Class” (a) when used with respect to commitments, refers to whether such commitment is a Revolving Credit Commitment or an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of a given Extension Series or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, (b) when used with respect to Loans or a Borrowing, refers to whether such Loans, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans, Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series or Loans under New Revolving Credit Commitments, and (c) when used with respect to Lenders, refers to whether such Lenders have a Loan or commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or commitments.

Co-Documentation Agents” means BMO Harris Bank, N.A., PNC Bank, National Association, TD Bank, N.A. and U.S. Bank National Association, each as a Co-Documentation Agent under this Agreement.

Co-Investor” means (a) the assignees, if any, of the equity commitments of any Sponsor who became holders of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) on or around March 18, 2011 (the “Original LBO Closing Date”) and (b) the transferees, if any, that acquired, within 60 days of the Original LBO Closing Date, any Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) held by any Sponsor as of the Original LBO Closing Date.

Co-Syndication Agents” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each as a Co-Syndication Agent under this Agreement.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations thereunder.

Collateral” means all the “Collateral” (or equivalent term) as defined in any Collateral Document.

 

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Collateral Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Collateral Access Agreement” means an agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent executed by, as the case may be, (a) a bailee or other Person in possession of Collateral, and (b) any landlord of any premises leased by any Loan Party, pursuant to which, except as the Administrative Agent otherwise may agree, such Person (i) acknowledges the Collateral Agent’s Lien on the Collateral, (ii) releases or subordinates such Person’s Liens in the Collateral held by such Person or located on such premises, (iii) agrees to provide the Collateral Agent with access to the Collateral held by such bailee or other Person or located in or on such premises for the purpose of conducting field exams, appraisals or a Liquidation, and (iv) makes such other agreements with the Collateral Agent as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) each Collateral Document required to be delivered on the Effective Date pursuant to Section 4.1(a)(iv) or, pursuant to Section 8.11, Section 8.12 or Section 8.13 at such time and pursuant to Section 4 of the First Amendment required to be delivered on the First Amendment Effective Date, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto, or (ii) a ratification of each Collateral Document delivered on or prior to the Effective Date or the First Amendment Effective Date (to the extent such Collateral Document shall remain in effect as of the Effective Date or the First Amendment Effective Date, as applicable);

(b) all Obligations shall have been unconditionally guaranteed by Holdings, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary and not an Excluded Subsidiary, including those Subsidiaries that are listed on Schedule II hereto (each such guarantor, a “Guarantor”) and any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that Guarantees the Senior Notes, any Indebtedness pursuant to the Term FacilityFacilities, any Junior Financing (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof) shall be a Guarantor hereunder;

(c) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a first-priority perfected security interest in substantially all Current Asset Collateral of the Loan Parties, in each case, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents and Section 8.12 shall have been complied with;

(d) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (subject in priority only to the Lien of the First Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the First Lien Term Facility, the Second Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the Second Lien Term Facility, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit AgreementAgreements as in effect on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date or, subject to prior consent of the Administrative Agent, as in effect after the First Amendment Effective Date) or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and to any non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1) in (i) all Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) all

 

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Equity Interests of each direct Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary described in the following clause (iii)(A)) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, and (iii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of (A) each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor and substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and (B) each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(e) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (subject in priority only to the Lien of the First Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the First Lien Term Facility, the Second Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent to secure the obligations under the Second Lien Term Facility, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit AgreementAgreements as in effect on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date or, subject to prior consent of the Administrative Agent, as in effect after the First Amendment Effective Date) or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and to any non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1) (to the extent such security interest may be perfected by delivering certificated securities, filing financing statements under the UCC or making any necessary filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office) in substantially all other tangible and intangible personal property of the Borrower and each Guarantor other than the Current Asset Collateral, in each case subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

The foregoing definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals with respect to, (i) any real property or (ii) any other particular assets if and for so long as, in the case of this clause (ii) in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets or obtaining title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals in respect of such assets shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.

The Administrative Agent may grant extensions of time for the perfection of security interests in particular assets (including extensions beyond the Effective Date for the perfection of security interests in the assets of the Loan Parties on such date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that perfection cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreements, the Security Agreement Supplements, security agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.1(a)(iv), Section 8.11, Section 8.12 or Section 8.13, the Guaranty, each Lien Acknowledgment Agreement, the Intercreditor Agreement, the Securities Account Control Agreements (if any), the Deposit Account Control Agreements, and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien or Guarantee in favor of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

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Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

Communication” has the meaning specified in Section  12.6.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit N and which certificate shall in any event be a certificate of the chief financial officer (a) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and, if applicable, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (b) setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the most recently completed Test Period, and (c) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations, in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 7.1 of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the applicable period by or on behalf of, Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.9(b).

Concentration Account” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12(c).

Consolidated” means, with respect to any Person, the consolidation of accounts of such Person and any other Person in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs for such period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any Test Period, the Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period:

(a) increased by (without duplication):

(i) (A) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 9.6(g), solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ii) (A) total interest expense (including (A) imputed interest on Capitalized Lease Obligations and Attributable Indebtedness (which, in each case, will be deemed to accrue at the interest rate reasonably determined by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligations or Attributable Indebtedness), (B) commissions, discounts and other fees, charges and expenses owed with respect to letters of credit, bankers acceptance financing, surety and

 

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performance bonds and receivables financings, (C) amortization and write-offs of deferred financing fees, debt issuance costs, debt discounts, commissions, fees, premium and other expenses, as well as expensing of bridge, commitment or financing fees, (D) payments made in respect of hedging obligations or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk, (E) cash contributions to any employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such contributions are used by such plan or trust to pay interest or fees to any Person (other than such Person or a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary) in connection with Indebtedness incurred by such plan or trust, (F) all interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued operations, (G) the interest portion of any deferred payment obligations) and (H) all interest on any Indebtedness that is (x) Indebtedness of others secured by any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person or its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, but limited to the fair market value of such property, (y) contingent obligations in respect of Indebtedness; provided that such interest expense shall be calculated after giving effect to Hedge Agreements related to interest rates (including associated costs), but excluding unrealized gains and losses with respect to such Hedge Agreements or (z) fee and expenses paid to the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such and for its own account) pursuant to the Loan Documents and fees and expenses paid to the administrative agent, the collateral agent, trustee or other similar Persons for any other Indebtedness permitted by Section 9.3) of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iii) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iv) any fees, expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment, restatement or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction and the Refinancing Transactionsincurred in connection with the First Amendment and any amendment or refinancing of the Term Facilities, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(v) (1) the amount of any restructuring charge, cost, loss, expense or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including charges, costs, losses, expenses or reserves related to: (A) restructuring (including restructuring charges or reserves, whether or not classified as such under GAAP), severance, relocation, consolidation, integration or other

 

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similar items, (B) strategic and/or business initiatives, business optimization (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, without limitation, implementation of operational and reporting systems and technology initiatives; strategic initiatives; retention; severance; systems establishment costs; systems conversion and integration costs; contract termination costs; recruiting and relocation costs and expenses; costs, expenses and charges incurred in connection with curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefits plans; costs to start-up, pre-opening, opening, closure, transition and/or consolidation of distribution centers, operations, officers and facilities) including in connection with any Investment permitted hereunder, and new systems design and implementation, as well as consulting fees and any one-time expense relating to enhanced accounting function, (C) business or facilities (including greenfield facilities) start-up, opening, transition, consolidation, shut-down and closing, (D) signing, retention and completion bonuses, (E) severance, relocation or recruiting, (F) public company registration, listing, compliance, reporting and related expenses, (G) charges and expenses incurred in connection with litigation (including threatened litigation), any investigation or proceeding (or any threatened investigation or proceeding) by a regulatory, governmental or law enforcement body (including any attorney general), and (H) expenses incurred in connection with casualty events or asset sales outside the ordinary course of business and (2) any one-time costs, expenses or charges incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions or other Investments permitted hereunder after the Effective Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the First Amendment Effective Date; provided that the aggregate amount added back pursuant to this clause (v) when taken together with the aggregate amount added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (xiii) shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period (calculated after giving effect to any increase to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (v) and clause (xiii)); plus

(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the First Amendment Effective Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs, plus

(vii) any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash

 

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charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), including the following: (A) non-cash expenses in connection with, or resulting from, stock option plans, employee benefit plans or agreements or post-employment benefit plans or agreements, or grants or sales of stock, stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock, preferred stock or other similar rights, (B) non-cash currency translation losses related to changes in currency exchange rates (including re-measurements of Indebtedness (including intercompany Indebtedness) and any net non-cash loss resulting from hedge agreements for currency exchange risk), (C) non-cash losses, expenses, charges or negative adjustments attributable to the movement in the mark-to-market valuation of hedge agreements or other derivative instruments, including the effect of FASB Accounting Standards Codification 815 and International Accounting Standard No. 9 and their respective related pronouncements and interpretations, (D) non-cash charges for deferred tax asset valuation allowances, (E) any non-cash impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down related to intangible assets (including goodwill), long-lived assets, and Investments in debt and equity securities, (F) any non-cash charges or losses resulting from any purchase accounting adjustment or any step-ups with respect to re-valuing assets and liabilities in connection with any Investments permitted hereunder, (G) all non-cash losses from Investments permitted hereunder recorded using the equity method and (H) the excess of GAAP rent expense over actual cash rent paid during such period due to the use of straight line rent for GAAP purposes and (z) any non-cash interest expense); plus

(viii) the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 9.8 and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income; plus

(x) [reserved]Public Company Costs, plus

(xi) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to paragraph (b) below for any previous period and not added back, plus

(xii) any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any

 

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other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests); plus

(xiii) the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and other cost synergies that are projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken no later than 12 months after the end of such Test Period (which amounts will be determined by the Borrower in good faith and calculated on a pro forma basis as though such amounts had been realized on the first day of the Test Period for which Consolidated EBITDA is being determined), net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such Test Period from such actions; provided that, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower such cost savings are reasonably identifiable, reasonably anticipated to be realized and factually supportable (it being agreed such determinations need not be made in compliance with Regulation S-X or other applicable securities law); provided that the aggregate amount added back pursuant to this clause (xiii) when taken together with the aggregate amount added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (v) shall not exceed shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period (calculated after giving effect to any increase to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (xiii) and clause (v)), plus

(xiv) proceeds of business interruption insurance actually received (to the extent not counted in any prior period in anticipation of such receipt) or, to the extent not counted in any prior period, reasonably expected to be received, and

(b) decreased by (without duplication):

(i) any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with this definition), plus

(ii) any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any Test Period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended October 31, 2015, January 30, 2016, April 30, 2016 and July 30, 2016, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $76,000,000, $99,000,000, $47,900,000 and $33,400,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to add-backs and adjustments (without duplication) pursuant to Section  1.8(c) for the applicable Test Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section   1.8.

 

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Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, for any Test Period, the ratio of (a) (i) Consolidated EBITDA for such period, minus (ii) Capital Expenditures made during such period and not financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness, minus (iii) Cash Taxes during such period to (b) Debt Service Charges of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any Test Period, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under Capitalized Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, minus (c) cash interest income during such period, in each case of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of the foregoing, interest expense shall exclude one-time financing fees (including arrangement, amendment and contract fees), debt issuance costs, commissions, expenses and, in each case, the amortization thereof.

For purposes of determining Consolidated Interest Charges for the quarterly periods ending January 28, 2017, April 29, 2017 and July 29, 2017: (a) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended January 28, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the fiscal quarter ended January 28, 2017, multiplied by 4, (b) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended April 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended April 29, 2017, multiplied by 2 and (c) the Consolidated Interest Charges for the four fiscal quarter period ended July 29, 2017, shall be deemed to be the Consolidated Interest Charges for the three consecutive fiscal quarters ended July 29, 2017, multiplied by 4/3, respectively.

Consolidated Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (a) Consolidated Total Debt, minus (b) the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet.

Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any Test Period, the aggregate of the Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that, without duplication,

(a) any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), shall be excluded,

 

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(b) the Net Income for such Test Period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such Test Period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP,

(c) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s Consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated Permitted Acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded,

(d) any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations shall be excluded,

(e) any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset Dispositions or the other Disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower, shall be excluded

(f) the Net Income for such Test Period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall include the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such Test Period,

(g) (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such Test Period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such Test Period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments, shall be excluded,

(h) any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded,

 

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(i) any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other Disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days), shall be excluded,

(j) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded, and

(k) any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction, shall be excluded.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (A) the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments; provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (ii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

Constituent Documents” means (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating or limited liability company agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

 

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Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Cost” means the cost of purchases of Inventory determined according to the accounting policies used in the preparation of the Borrower’s financial statements.

Covenant Trigger Event” means that Excess Availability on any day is less than the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 10% of the Maximum Credit. For purposes hereof, the occurrence of a Covenant Trigger Event shall be deemed to be continuing until Excess Availability is equal to or greater than the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 10% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for thirty (30) consecutive calendar days, in which case a Covenant Trigger Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement. The termination of a Covenant Trigger Event as provided herein shall in no way limit, waive or delay the occurrence of a subsequent Covenant Trigger Event in the event that the conditions set forth in this definition again arise.

Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Covered Party” has the meaning specified in Section  12.30.

Credit Card Advance Rate” means 90%.

Credit Card Agreements” means all agreements or arrangements now or hereafter entered into by the Borrower or any Guarantor for the benefit of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case with any Credit Card Issuer or any Credit Card Processor, as the same now exist or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced, including, but not limited to, the agreements or arrangements set forth on Schedule 1.1E hereto.

Credit Card Issuer” means any Person (other than the Borrower or a Guarantor) who issues or whose members issue credit cards, including, without limitation, MasterCard or VISA bank credit or debit cards or other bank credit or debit cards issued through MasterCard International, Inc., Visa, U.S.A., Inc. or Visa International and American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Carte Blanche and other non-bank credit or debit cards, including, without limitation, credit or debit cards issued by or through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., and Novus Services, Inc.

 

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Credit Card Notification” means, collectively, the notices to Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors who are parties to Credit Card Agreements in substantially the form delivered under the Original Credit Agreement, which Credit Card Notifications shall require the ACH or wire transfer no less frequently than each Business Day (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations) to an Approved Deposit Account of all payments due from Credit Card Processors.

Credit Card Processor” means any servicing or processing agent or any factor or financial intermediary who facilitates, services, processes or manages the credit authorization, billing transfer and/or payment procedures with respect to the Borrower’s or any Guarantor’s sales transactions involving credit card or debit card purchases by customers using credit cards or debit cards issued by any Credit Card Issuer.

Credit Card Receivables” means, collectively, (a) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any Guarantor to payment from any Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor or other third party arising from sales of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit or debit card and (b) all present and future rights of the Borrower or any Guarantor to payment from any Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor or other third party in connection with the sale or transfer of Accounts arising pursuant to the sale of goods or rendition of services to customers who have purchased such goods or services using a credit card or a debit card, including, but not limited to, all amounts at any time due or to become due from any Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor under the Credit Card Agreements or otherwise, in each case above calculated net of prevailing interchange charges.

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) a L/C Credit Extension.

Cure Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 10.4.

Current Asset Collateral” means all the “ABL Priority Collateral” as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement.

Customer Credit Liabilities” means, at any time, the aggregate remaining balance at such time of (a) outstanding gift certificates and gift cards of the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor entitling the holder thereof to use all or a portion of the certificate or gift card to pay all or a portion of the purchase price for any Inventory and (b) outstanding merchandise credits of the Borrower or such Subsidiary Guarantor, in each case, net of any dormancy reserves maintained by the Borrower on its books and records in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices.

Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement” means an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent among a Loan Party, a customs broker, freight forwarder, consolidator, or other carrier, and the Collateral Agent, in which the customs broker, freight forwarder, consolidator, or carrier acknowledges that it has control over and holds the documents evidencing ownership of, or other shipping documents relating to, the subject Inventory or other property for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and agrees, upon notice from the Collateral Agent (which notice shall be delivered only upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default), to hold and dispose of the subject Inventory and other property solely as directed by the Collateral Agent.

 

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Debt Service Charges” means for any Test Period, the sum of (a) Consolidated Interest Charges paid, or required to be paid, in cash for such Test Period, plus (b) scheduled principal payments made or required to be made on account of Indebtedness of the types set forth in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (f) of the definition of “Indebtedness” (excluding the Obligations but including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations) for such Test Period, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, arrangement, adjustment, composition, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

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

Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Margin applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to the outstanding principal amount of any Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such Loan (giving effect to Section 2.10) plus 2.0% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender that, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Loans, within three (3) Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit generally, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations (provided that any Lender that has failed to give such timely confirmation shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender under this clause (c) upon receipt of such confirmation by the Administrative Agent), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) become subject to a Bail-In Action or had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.

 

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Deposit Account” means any checking or other demand deposit account maintained by the Loan Parties, including any “deposit accounts” within the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC. All funds in such Deposit Accounts shall be conclusively presumed to be Collateral and proceeds of Collateral and the Agents and the Lenders shall have no duty to inquire as to the source of the amounts on deposit in the Deposit Accounts, subject to the Security Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement.

Deposit Account Control Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12(a).

Designated Assets” means the assets set forth on Schedule 1.1D.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value of non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a Disposition pursuant to Section 9.5(j) that is designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation (which amount will be reduced by the fair market value of the portion of the non-cash consideration converted to cash within one-hundred eighty (180) days following the consummation of the applicable Disposition).

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (in one transaction or in a series of transactions and whether effected pursuant to a Division or otherwise) of any property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in a Restricted Subsidiary) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments and all outstanding Letters of Credit (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Issuer)), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable

 

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for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after Latest Maturity Date at the time of issuance; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

Disqualified Institution” means:

(1) any Person that is a competitor of the Borrower and identified by the Borrower in good faith in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time after the Effective Date;

(2) those banks, financial institutions, other institutional lenders and investors and other entities that were identified by the Borrower as such in writing to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Effective Date; and

(3) any Affiliates of Persons described in the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) that are readily identifiable as such solely on the basis of their names (other than any such Affiliate that is a bank, financial institution or fund (other than a Person described in clause (2) above) that regularly invest in commercial loans or similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business and for which no personnel involved with the relevant competitor or Person referred to in clause (2) above make investment decisions);

provided that in no event shall any update to the list of Disqualified Institutions (A) be effective prior to two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent or (B) apply retroactively to disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement or that is party to a pending trade.

Notwithstanding anything in the Loan Documents to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible (or have any liability) for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions thereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (1) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (2) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Revolving Credit Exposure or Revolving Credit Commitments, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution. The list of Disqualified Institutions may be made available by the Administrative Agent on the Platform and to prospective assignees and Participants (including Public Lenders).

Dividing Person” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “Division.”

Division” means the division of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations of a Person (the “Dividing Person”) among two or more Persons (whether pursuant to a “plan of division” or similar arrangement), which may or may not include the Dividing Person and pursuant to which the Dividing Person may or may not survive.

 

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Division Successor” means any Person that, upon the consummation of a Division of a Dividing Person, holds all or any portion of the assets, liabilities and/or obligations previously held by such Dividing Person immediately prior to the consummation of such Division. A Dividing Person which retains any of its assets, liabilities and/or obligations after a Division shall be deemed a Division Successor upon the occurrence of such Division.

Document” has the meaning set forth in Article 9 of the UCC.

Documentary Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit that is drawable upon presentation of documents evidencing the sale or shipment of goods purchased by the Borrower or a Guarantor in the ordinary course of its business.

Documentation Agent means U.S. Bank National Association, as Documentation Agent under this Agreement.

Dollar Equivalent” of any amount means, at the time of determination thereof, (a) if such amount is expressed in Dollars, such amount or (b) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent using any method of determination it reasonably deems appropriate.

Dollars” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary organized under the Laws of Puerto Rico or any other territory).

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section  4.1 were satisfied or waived in accordance with Section  12.1.

Effective Date Quarterly Financial Statements” means the unaudited Consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income, and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent Fiscal Quarters after the date of the Effective Date Annual Financial Statements (other than the fourth Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower’s Fiscal Year) and ended at least forty-five (45) days before the Effective Date (and the corresponding period of the prior Fiscal Year).

 

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Effective Date Annual Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Saturday closest to each of January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the Fiscal Years then ended.

Effective DateElectronic Copy” has the meaning specified in Section  4.112.6.

Electronic Record” has the meaning specified in Section  12.6.

Electronic Signature” has the meaning specified in Section  12.6.

Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender or any of its Affiliates; (b) a bank, insurance company, or company engaged in the business of making commercial loans, which Person, together with its Affiliates, has a combined capital and surplus in excess of $250,000,000; (c) an Approved Fund; (d) any Person to whom a Lender assigns its rights and obligations under this Agreement as part of an assignment and transfer of such Lender’s rights in and to a material portion of such Lender’s portfolio of asset based credit facilities, and (e) any other Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 12.2(b)(iv) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 12.2(b)(iii)).

Eligible Credit Card Receivables” means Credit Card Receivables due to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor on a non-recourse basis from Visa, Mastercard, American Express Co., Discover and other major credit card processors reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as arise in the ordinary course of business, which have been earned by performance and are deemed by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion to be eligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base. Without limiting the foregoing, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Administrative Agent, none of the following shall be deemed to be Eligible Credit Card Receivables:

(a) Any Credit Card Receivable that has been outstanding for more than five (5) Business Days from the date of sale of the Inventory giving rise to such Credit Card Receivable;

(b) Credit Card Receivables with respect to which the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor does not have good, valid and marketable title thereto, free and clear of any Lien (other than (i) Liens granted to the Collateral Agent, for its benefit and the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the Collateral Documents and (ii) (A) Liens permitted under Section 9.1 having priority by operation of applicable Laws over the Liens of the Collateral Agent, and (B) Liens under Section 9.1(w) securing obligations under the Term FacilityFacilities and any Permitted Refinancings thereof));

(c) Credit Card Receivables that are not subject to a first priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of itself and the Secured Parties (it being the intent that chargebacks in the ordinary course by the credit card processors shall not be deemed violative of this clause); or

 

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(d) Credit Card Receivables which are disputed, are with recourse, or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback has been asserted (to the extent of such claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback).

Any Credit Card Receivables which are not Eligible Credit Card Receivables shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

Eligible In-Transit Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, without duplication of other Eligible Inventory, Inventory (a) located outside of the United States or in transit within or outside of the United States to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor from vendors and suppliers for receipt by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor within sixty (60) days of the date of determination that has not yet been received into a distribution center or store of such Person, (b) for which the purchase order for such Inventory is in the name of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor and title has passed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, (c) which has been consigned to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor (along with delivery to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor of the documents of title with respect thereto), (d) as to which a Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, is in effect or with respect to which Inventory Reserves have been established by the Administrative Agent, and (e) which otherwise would constitute Eligible Inventory; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its Permitted Discretion, permit Inventory which does not meet the criteria set forth in clause (d) above but which meets the criteria set forth in clauses (a) through (c) and clause (e) above to be Eligible In-Transit Inventory for a period of ninety (90) days (as such time period may be extended by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion) following the Effective Date so long as the Borrower is using commercially reasonable efforts during such time period to obtain a Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement with respect to such Inventory; and provided further that the Administrative Agent may, in its Permitted Discretion, andand upon notice to the Borrower, exclude any particular Inventory from the definition of “Eligible In-Transit Inventory” in the event that the Administrative Agent determines in its Permitted Discretion and upon notice to the Borrower that such Inventory is subject to any Person’s right or claim which is (or is capable of being) senior to, or pari passu with, the Lien of the Collateral Agent (such as, without limitation, a right of reclamation or stoppage in transit), as applicable, and maywould be reasonably likely to adversely impact the ability of the Collateral Agent to realize upon such Inventory.

Eligible Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, (a) Eligible In-Transit Inventory, (b) Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory but only if and to the extent that the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion determines to include such as Eligible Inventory, and (c) items of Inventory of the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor that are finished goods, merchantable and readily saleable to the public in the ordinary course deemed by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion to be eligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base. Without limiting the foregoing, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Administrative Agent, none of the following shall be deemed to be Eligible Inventory:

(a) Inventory that is not owned solely by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor, or is leased or on consignment or the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor does not have good and valid title thereto;

 

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(b) Inventory (including any portion thereof in transit from vendors, other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory) that is not located at a warehouse facility used by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in the ordinary course or at a property that is owned or leased by the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor;

(c) Inventory that is comprised of goods which (i) are damaged, defective, “seconds,” or otherwise unmerchantable, (ii) are to be returned to the vendor, (iii) are obsolete or slow moving, or custom items, work-in-process, raw materials, or that constitute spare parts, promotional, marketing, packaging and shipping materials or supplies used or consumed in the Borrower’s or a Subsidiary Guarantor’s business, (iv) are not in compliance in all material respects with all standards imposed by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Inventory, its use or sale, or (v) are bill and hold goods;

(d) Inventory that is not located in the United States of America (excluding territories and possessions thereof) other than Eligible In-Transit Inventory;

(e) Inventory that is not subject to a perfected first-priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (subject only to Liens permitted under Section 9.1 having priority by operation of applicable Law over the Liens of the Collateral Agent);

(f) Inventory which consists of samples, labels, bags, packaging, and other similar non-merchandise categories;

(g) Inventory as to which insurance in compliance with the provisions of Section 8.5 hereof is not in effect;

(h) Inventory which has been sold but not yet delivered or as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor has accepted a deposit;

(i) Inventory which is being Disposed of in a Store closing, “going-out-of-business” or similar sale; and

(j) Inventory acquired in a Permitted Acquisition, unless and until the Collateral Agent has completed or received (A) an appraisal of such Inventory from appraisers satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and has established Inventory Reserves (if applicable) therefor, and (B) such other due diligence as the Administrative Agent may require, all of the results of the foregoing to be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Any Inventory which is not Eligible Inventory shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.

 

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Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory” means, as of the date of determination thereof, without duplication of other Eligible Inventory, Inventory (a) which does not constitute Eligible In-Transit Inventory and for which no documents of title have then been issued, (b) the purchase of which is supported by a Documentary Letter of Credit or Banker’s Acceptance having an expiry within sixty (60) days of such date of determination, which Documentary Letter of Credit or Banker’s Acceptance provides that it may be drawn only after the Inventory is completed and after documents of title have been issued for such Inventory reflecting the Borrower, a Subsidiary Guarantor or the Collateral Agent as consignee of such Inventory, and (c) which otherwise would constitute Eligible Inventory. For the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Letter of Credit Inventory is without duplication of Eligible In-Transit Inventory.

Entitlement Holder” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Entitlement Order” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Environmental Claim means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) in the ordinary course of such Person’s business or (b) as required in connection with a financing transaction or an acquisition or disposition of real estate) or proceedings with respect to any Environmental Liability (hereinafter “Claims”), including (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Laws relating to the protection of the environment or, to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials, human health.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities) of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that together with any Loan Party is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan, written notification of any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or written notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; (d) the filing under Section 4041(c) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan, the treatment of a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, other than for the payment of plan contributions or PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates; (f) the failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) with respect to a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, (g) the application for a minimum funding waiver under Section 302(c) of ERISA with respect to a Pension Plan; (h) the imposition of a lien under Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan; or (i) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA).

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate” means the higher of:

(i) the LIBOR Floor, and

(ii)(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR ) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent,as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period (“LIBOR ) as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two BusinessLondon Banking Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;.

 

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provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent; provided, further that the Eurodollar Rate shall be no less than 0.00%.

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 10.1.

Excess Availability” means, at any time, (a) the Maximum Credit at such time minus (b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings at such time.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Accounts” means deposit or securities accounts (a) established (or otherwise maintained)(including deposit accounts that are that are zero balance accounts) by the Loan Parties that do not have cash balances at any time exceeding $5,000,000 in the aggregate for all such accounts, (b) solely containing cash allocated as proceeds of the sale of Term Priority Collateral (as such term is defined in the Intercreditor Agreement), (c) payroll, trust and tax withholding accounts, (d) used by the Loan Parties exclusively for disbursements and payments in the ordinary course of business, or (e) that are located outside of the United States.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Guarantor, (b) any Foreign Subsidiary, (c) any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries, (d) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary, (e) any Subsidiary that is prohibited or restricted by applicable Law from providing a Guaranty or if such Guaranty would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization, (f) any special purpose securitization vehicle (or similar entity), (g) any Subsidiary that is a not-for-profit organization, (h) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent (confirmed in writing by notice to the Borrower), the cost or other consequences (including any adverse tax consequences) of providing the Guaranty shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom and (i) each Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Loan Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guaranty of such Loan Party under the Guaranty of, or the grant under a Loan Document by such Loan Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Loan Party’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in

 

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the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 12.28 hereof and any and all guarantees of such Loan Party’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the guaranty of such Loan Party, or grant by such Loan Party of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such guaranty or security interest becomes illegal.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Agent, any Lender, any Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) any tax on such recipient’s net income or profits (or franchise tax or minimum tax imposed in lieu of such tax on net income or profits) imposed by a jurisdiction as a result of such recipient being organized or having its principal office or applicable Lending Office located in such jurisdiction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any backup withholding in respect of such a tax under section 3406 of the Code) or as a result of any other present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction (including as a result of such recipient carrying on a trade or business, having a permanent establishment or being a resident for tax purposes in such jurisdiction), other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents, (b) any branch profits tax under Section 884(a) of the Code, or any similar tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in (a), (c) with respect to any Foreign Lender (other than any Foreign Lender becoming a party hereto pursuant to the Borrower’s request under Section 3.7), any U.S. federal withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to a Law in effect at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or where the Foreign Lender is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, pursuant to a Law in effect on the later of the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto or the date on which the affected partner becomes a partner of such Foreign Lender) or designates a new Lending Office or experiences a change in circumstances (other than a Change in Law), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment or change in circumstances), to receive additional amounts from a Loan Party with respect to such U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.1, (d) any withholding tax attributable to such recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.1(c), (e) any tax imposed as a result of such recipient’s failure to establish a complete exemption under FATCA and (f) any interest, additions to taxes and penalties with respect to any taxes described in clauses (a) through (e) of this definition.

Existing Letter of Credit means any letter of credit previously issued for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Original Credit Agreement that is (a) outstanding on the Effective Date and (b) listed on Schedule 1.1C.

Existing Revolver Tranche” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Existing Term Facility means that certain term loan facility evidenced by the Credit Agreement dated as of March 18, 2011, among Holdings, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the other Loan Documents as defined in such Credit Agreement.

 

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Extended Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Extending Revolving Credit Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

Extension” means any establishment of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.17 and the applicable Extension Amendment.

Extension Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(d).

Extension Election” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

Extension Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Extension Series” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(a).

Facility” means the Revolving Credit Commitments and the provisions herein related to the Revolving Loans, Swing Loans and Letters of Credit, Loans under Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and Loans under New Revolving Credit Commitments.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as in effect on the date hereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agreements between governmental authorities implementing such provisions, any law implementing such agreements and any of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code) and any amended or successor provisions that are substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with (and, in each case, any regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof).and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities entered into in connection with the implementation of the foregoing.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as publishedcalculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as sobased on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b)  if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded

 

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upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to the Administrative Agent on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Fee Letter” means, collectively, (a) the Fee Letter dated September 20, 2016, among the Borrower, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Bank of America and (b) the Fee Letter dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date, among the Borrower and Bank of America, as amended and in effect from time to time.

Field Examination” has the meaning specified in Section 7.4(d).

Financial Asset” has the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Financial Statements” means the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries delivered in accordance with Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b).

First Amendment” means that certain First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement by and among the Borrower, the other Loan Parties party hereto, the Lenders party thereto, and the Administrative Agent dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date.

First Amendment Effective Date” means November 25, 2020.

First Lien Term Facility” means the credit facilities under the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

First Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent means Bank of America, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement” means that certain credit agreement dated as of October 21, 2016, among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement.

First Lien Term Facility Documentation” means the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

 

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First Lien Term Facility Lenders” means the lenders from time to time party to the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Fiscal Quarter” means a fiscal quarter of any Fiscal Year.

Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on the Saturday closest to January 31 in the following calendar year.

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Foreign Plan” means any material employee benefit plan, program or agreement maintained or contributed to by, or entered into with, Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings with respect to employees employed outside the United States (other than benefit plans, programs or agreements that are mandated by applicable Laws).

Foreign Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to an Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations to the extent that such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations has not been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv) or Cash Collateralized pursuant to Section 2.16(c), and (b) with respect to the Swing Loan Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Loans to the extent that such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Loans has not been reallocated pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv) or Cash Collateralized pursuant to Section 2.16(c).

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that (a) accounting for leases shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the Effective Date and (b) if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Effective Date in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS) on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Requisite Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS), then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,

 

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authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(g).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Effective Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantors” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”. For avoidance of doubt, the Borrower may cause any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to Guarantee the Obligations by causing such Restricted Subsidiary to execute a joinder to the Guaranty in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor hereunder for all purposes.

Guaranty” means (a) the guaranty made by Holdings and the other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” substantially in the form of Exhibit H, and (b) each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 8.11.

 

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Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, all substances, wastes, contaminants or pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas, regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Hedge Bank” means, as of any date of determination, (a) any Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on such date or (b) any Person who (i) was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time the applicable Swap Contract was entered into and who is no longer a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, (ii) is, and at all times remains, in compliance with the provisions of Section 11.12(b)(i), and (iii) agrees in writing that the Agents and the other Secured Parties shall have no duty to such Person (other than the payment of any amounts to which such Person may be entitled under Section 10.3 hereof and acknowledges that the Agents and the other Secured Parties may deal with the Loan Parties and the Collateral as they deem appropriate (including the release of any Loan Party or all or any portion of the Collateral) without notice or consent from such Person, whether or not such action impairs the ability of such Person to be repaid the Secured Obligations under the Secured Hedge Agreements) and agrees to be bound by Sections 11.12, in each case such Person being a party to a Secured Hedge Agreement.

Holdings” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.

Impacted Loans” has the meaning specified in Section  3.3(a).

In-Transit Advance Rate” means (a) during the period from September 1 of any Fiscal Year through and including November 30 of such Fiscal Year, 92.5% and (b) at all other times, 90%.

Incremental Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Incremental Availability” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Incremental Facility Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) the maximum amount (after giving effect to any prior drawings or reductions that may have been reimbursed) of all outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

 

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(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and accrued expenses payable in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any earn-out obligation until such obligation is not paid after becoming due and payable and (iii) accruals for payroll and other liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of business), to the extent that the same would be required to be shown as a long-term liability on the balance sheet for such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP;

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse, provided that if such Indebtedness has not been assumed by such Person, the amount of Indebtedness under this clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) the fair market value (as determined by such Person in good faith) of the property encumbered thereby;

(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;

(g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, (x) the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is otherwise limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt, (y) the amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date, and (z) loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties which have a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll over or extensions of terms) and which are made in the ordinary course of business shall not be deemed “Indebtedness” hereunder (except for purposes of Sections 9.2(c)(iv) and 9.3(d)) solely to the extent that such intercompany loans and advances are evidenced by one or more notes in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and pledged as Collateral.. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness will not include (1) contingent obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business unless and until such obligations are non-contingent, (2) earn-outs, purchase price holdbacks or similar obligations in connection with any Permitted Acquisition, (3) intercompany liabilities in the ordinary course of business, (4) Indebtedness of any direct or indirect parent company appearing on the balance sheet of such Person solely by reason of push down accounting under GAAP and (5) lease obligations other than in respect of a Capitalized Lease.

 

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Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 12.4.

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 12.4.

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

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 12.17.

Intellectual Property” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Intercompany Subordination Agreement” means an agreement executed by each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit L.

Intercreditor Agreement” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of the Effective DateMay 21, 2018, among Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Term Facility Administrative AgentAgents, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit K, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance therewith and herewith.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, or to the extent consented to by each applicable Lender, twelve months (or such period of less than one month as may be consented to by each applicable Lender), as selected by the Borrower in its Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion or Continuation; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period (other than an Interest Period having a duration of less than one month) that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the applicable Scheduled Termination Date of the Class of Loans of which the Eurodollar Rate Loan is a part.

Inventory” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

 

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Inventory Advance Rate” means (a) during the period from September 1 of any Fiscal Year through and including November 30 of such Fiscal Year, 92.5% and (b) at all other times, 90%.

Inventory Appraisal” has the meaning specified in Section 7.4(c).

Inventory Reserves” means (a) such reserves as may be established from time to time by the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, with respect to changes in the determination of the saleability, at retail, of the Eligible Inventory or which reflect such other factors as negatively affect the market value of the Eligible Inventory, (b) Shrink Reserves, and (c) contra Inventory load.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition (including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions, including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment at any time shall be the amount actually invested (measured at the time made (which, in the case of any Investment constituting the contribution of an asset or property, shall be based on the Borrower’s good faith estimate of the fair market value of such asset or property at the time such Investment is made)), without adjustment for subsequent changes in the value of such Investment, net of any return representing a return of capital with respect to such Investment.

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 nationally recognized statistical rating agency selected by the Borrower.

IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.15.

IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service of the United States.

ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or such successor thereto.

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

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Issue” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, to issue, extend the expiry of, amend, renew or increase the maximum face amount (including by deleting or reducing any scheduled decrease in such maximum face amount) of, such Letter of Credit. The terms “Issued”, “Issuing” and “Issuance” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Issuer” means Bank of America and each other Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that (a) is listed on the signature pages hereof as an “Issuer” or (b) hereafter becomes an Issuer with the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by agreeing pursuant to an agreement with and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to be bound by the terms hereof applicable to Issuers (and in the case of any resignation, subject to and in accordance with Section 12.2(h)).

Issuer Documents” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Request, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by an Issuer and the Borrower (or any of its Subsidiaries) or in favor of such Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

Junior Financing” means the Senior Notes or any otherany Indebtedness that is unsecured or subordinated to the Obligations expressly by its terms (other than Indebtedness among Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries).

Junior Financing Documentation” means any documentation governing any Junior Financing.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or increase of the amount thereof.

Landlord Lien State” means any state in which, at any time, a landlord’s claim for rent has priority (notwithstanding any contractual provision to the contrary) by operation of applicable Law over the lien of the Collateral Agent in any of the Collateral.

Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest Scheduled Termination Date applicable to any Loan or Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest termination date of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or New Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Laws” means, collectively, all applicable international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities and executive orders, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

Leases” means, with respect to any Person, all of those leasehold estates in real property of such Person, as lessee, as such may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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Lender” means the Swing Loan Lender, each Revolving Credit Lender and each other financial institution or other entity that (a) is listed on the signature pages hereof as a “Lender” or (b) from time to time becomes a party hereto by execution of an Assignment and Assumption or, in connection with a Revolving Commitment Increase, an Incremental Amendment or, in connection with an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, an Extension Amendment.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Letter of Credit” means any Banker’s Acceptance or any letter of credit Issued (or deemed Issued) pursuant to Section 2.4 and any Existing Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a Documentary Letter of Credit or a Standby Letter of Credit.

Letter of Credit Advance Rate” means 90%.

Letter of Credit Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit that has not been reimbursed on the applicable Reimbursement Date or refinanced as a Revolving Loan.

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(b).

Letter of Credit Obligations” means, at any time, the aggregate of all liabilities at such time of any Loan Party to all Issuers with respect to Letters of Credit, whether or not any such liability is contingent, including, without duplication, the sum of (a) the Reimbursement Obligations at such time and (b) the Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts at such time.

Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement” has the meaning specified in clause (vi) of the proviso to clause (a) of Section 2.4.

Letter of Credit Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.4(c).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means $125,000,000, as such amount may be increased or reduced in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts” means, at any time, the aggregate undrawn face amount of all Letters of Credit outstanding at such time.

LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.

LIBOR Floor” means 0.75% per annum.

LIBOR Replacement Date” has the meaning specified in Section  3.3(c).

LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

 

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LIBOR Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section  3.3(c).

LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other technical, administrative or operational matters (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the definition of Business Day, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices and length of lookback periods) as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption and implementation of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and any other Loan Document).

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided, that in no event shall an operating lease in and of itself be deemed a Lien.

Lien Acknowledgment Agreement” means each Collateral Access Agreement and Customs Broker/Carrier Agreement.

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Investment or acquisition (whether by way of merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or the acquisition of Equity Interests or otherwise) by the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by this Agreement whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing and which is designated as a Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in writing to the Administrative Agent on or before the Transaction Agreement Date.

Liquidation” means the exercise by the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent of those rights and remedies accorded to the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents and applicable Law as a creditor of the Loan Parties with respect to the realization on the Collateral, including (after the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default) the conduct by the Loan Parties acting with the consent of the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent, of any public, private or “going out of business” sale or other disposition of the Collateral for the purpose of liquidating the Collateral. Derivations of the word “Liquidation” (such as “Liquidate”) are used with like meaning in this Agreement.

 

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Loan” means any loan made by any Lender pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, Swing Loans and any Loans made in respect of any Revolving Commitment Increase.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Notes, any Incremental Amendment and any Extension Amendment, the Guaranty, the Fee Letter, each Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, the Collateral Documents, the Issuer Documents, the Ratification Agreement and each certificate, agreement or document executed by a Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with or pursuant to any of the foregoing.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, (a) Holdings, (b) the Borrower and (c) each other Guarantor.

London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Management Stockholders” means the members of management of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries who are investors in Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof.

Margin Stock” has the meaning set forth in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Market Capitalization” means an amount equal to (i) the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Equity Interests of Holdings or the applicable public company Parent Entity on the date of the declaration or making of the relevant Restricted Payment multiplied by (ii) the arithmetic mean of the closing prices per share of such Equity Interests for the 30 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of declaration or making of such Restricted Payment.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance or condition that has had a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their respective material payment obligations under any Loan Document to which any of the Loan Parties is a party or (c) the rights and remedies of the Lenders, the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent (taken as a whole) under any Loan Document.

Material Bank Accounts” has the meaning specified in Section 8.12.

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Domestic Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the Consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case

 

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determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time after the Effective Date, Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors solely because they do not meet the thresholds set forth in clauses (a) or (b) comprise in the aggregate more than 5.0% of Total Assets as of the end of the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower or more than 5.0% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending as of the last day of such Fiscal Quarter, then the Borrower shall, not later than forty-five (45) days after the date by which financial statements for such quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement (or such longer period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion), (i) designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Domestic Subsidiaries as “Material Domestic Subsidiaries” to the extent required such that the foregoing condition ceases to be true and (ii) comply with the provisions of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13 applicable to such Subsidiary. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Borrower may, at any time, designate (by written notice to the Administrative Agent) a Subsidiary which would not otherwise constitute a “Material Domestic Subsidiary” as such a Material Domestic Subsidiary and shall thereupon comply with the provisions of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13 applicable to such Subsidiary.

Material Foreign Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Foreign Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the Consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness having an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $35,000,00045,000,000 or more.

Material Subsidiary” means any Material Domestic Subsidiary or any Material Foreign Subsidiary.

Maximum Credit” means, at any time, the lesser of (i) the Revolving Credit Commitments in effect at such time and (ii) the Borrowing Base at such time.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 12.24.

Monthly Borrowing Base Certificate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.4(a).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA and subject to Title IV of ERISA, to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

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Net Cash Proceeds” means:

(a) with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition and that is required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents or the Term Facility Documentation or any Permitted Refinancing of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation), (B) the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition, (C) in the case of any Disposition by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (C)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof, (D) taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 9.6(g)(i) or (g)(iii) paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), provided that to the extent that the actual taxes are less than such estimate, the excess shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds, and (E) any funded reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this clause (E); provided that, so long as no Cash Dominion Period has occurred and is continuing hereunder, no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a)); and

(b) (i) with respect to the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Permitted Equity Issuance by the Borrower, the excess, if any, of (A) the sum of the cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such incurrence or issuance over (B) the investment banking fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, costs and other out-of-pocket expenses and other customary expenses, incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such incurrence or issuance and (ii) with respect to any Permitted Equity Issuance by any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, the amount of cash from such Permitted Equity Issuance contributed to the capital of the Borrower.

 

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Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

Net Recovery Percentage” means the fraction, expressed as a percentage, (a) the numerator of which is the amount equal to the recovery on the aggregate amount of the Inventory at such time on a “going out of business sale” basis as set forth in the most recent appraisal of Inventory received by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 7.4, net of operating expenses, liquidation expenses and commissions, and (b) the denominator of which is the applicable original cost of the aggregate amount of the Inventory subject to appraisal. The Net Recovery Percentage for any category of Inventory used in determining the Borrowing Base shall be based on the applicable percentage in the most recent appraisal conducted as set forth in Section 7.4.

New Revolving Commitment Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(c).

New Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning specified in Section  2.17(c).

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 3.7.

Non-Excluded Taxes” means all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes.

Non-Loan Party” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party.

Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.2.

Notice of Conversion or Continuation” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

Notice of Intent to Cure” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2(a).

Obligations” means all (a) advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, (b) obligations of any Loan Party arising under any Secured Hedge Agreement, and (c) Cash Management Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (and any of their Subsidiaries to the extent they have

 

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obligations under the Loan Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document; provided that Obligations of a Loan Party shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

OID” means original issue discount.

Original Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document excluding, in each case, any such tax that result from an Assignment and Assumption, grant of a participation, transfer or assignment to or designation of a new applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving payments under any Loan Document (an “Assignment Tax”), but only if (1) such Assignment Tax is imposed as a result of a present or former connection of the assignor or assignee and the jurisdiction imposing such Assignment Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents) and (2) the assignment, participation, etc., giving rise to such Assignment Tax did not take place at the request of the Borrower.

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to the Revolving Loans and Swing Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Revolving Loans (including any refinancing of Letter of Credit Obligations as a Revolving Loan) and Swing Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit Obligations on any date, the amount of such Letter of Credit Obligations on such date after giving effect to any related extension of any Letter of Credit occurring on such date and any other changes thereto as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations (including any refinancing of outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations under related Letters of Credit or related extensions of any Letters of Credit as a Revolving Loan) or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under related Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

Overadvance” means a Credit Extension to the extent that, immediately after its having been made, Excess Availability is less than zero.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent, an Issuer, or the Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

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Parent Entity” has the meaning specified in Section 7.1.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(e).

Payment Conditions” means, at any time of determination, that (a) (x) with respect to any Permitted Acquisition that is a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or Section 10.1(f) shall have occurred and be continuing on the Transaction Agreement Date, and (y) with respect to any other Permitted Acquisition or other Specified Payment, no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and (b) either (i) (x) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, Excess Availability shall be greater than the greater of (A) 12.5% of the Maximum Credit and (B) $40,000,000 and (y) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, in each case, as of the end of the most recently ended Test Period shall be greater than or equal to 1.0 to 1.0 after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be as if such Specified Payment (if applicable to such calculation) had been made as of the first day of such Test Period, or (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment or Permitted Acquisition, as the case may be, Excess Availability shall be greater than 17.5% of the Maximum Credit. In each case with respect to the above conditions, the Borrower shall have delivered in accordance with Section 7.2(f) hereof, to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the conditions in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b)(i) or (ii), as applicable, have been satisfied.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates or to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions in the preceding five plan years.

Permitted Acquisition” means the purchase or other acquisition by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of property and assets or businesses of any Person or of assets constituting a business unit, a line of business or division of such Person, a Store or Equity Interests in a Person that, upon the consummation thereof, will be a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (including as a result of a merger or consolidation); provided that, with respect to each such purchase or other acquisition:

(i) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall constitute Collateral and each applicable Loan Party and any newly

 

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created or acquired Subsidiary (and, to the extent required under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Subsidiaries of such created or acquired Subsidiary) shall be Guarantors, except for any (A) Foreign Subsidiary or (B) Domestic Subsidiaries up to an acquisition amount not to exceed the greater of (i) $55,000,000 and (ii) 2.50% of Total Assets in the aggregate for all such Domestic Subsidiaries, and shall have complied with the requirements of Section 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13, within the times specified therein (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (i) shall not override any provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement); provided that the formation of any Subsidiary that is a Division Successor shall be deemed to constitute the acquisition of a Restricted Subsidiary for all purposes of this definition;

(ii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, no later than five (5) Business Days before the date on which any such purchase or other acquisition is consummated, a certificate of a Responsible Officer, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, certifying that all of the requirements set forth in this definition have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the consummation of such purchase or other acquisition; and

(iii) the Borrower is in compliance, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such transaction, with the Payment Conditions.

Permitted Discretion” means a determination made by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent (as applicable) in good faith in the exercise of its reasonable (from the perspective of an asset-based lender) business judgment.

Permitted Equity Issuance” means any sale or issuance of any Qualified Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder.

Permitted Holder” means any of (a) the Sponsor, (b) the Management Stockholders and (c) the Co-Investors, provided that for purposes of the definition of Change of Control (i) in each of clause (a)(i), the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii) and the proviso to clause (a), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders at any time that they hold voting power equal to more than 20% of the ordinary voting power of all Equity Interests collectively held by the Sponsor, the Management Stockholders and the Co-Investors, (ii) in the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders if they are part of the group referred to in clause (a)(ii)(2) of the definition of Change of Control and (iii) in the parenthetical in each of clauses (a)(ii)(1) and (2), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders..

Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon plus fees and expenses (including upfront fees and OID)

 

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reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(b) and (e), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(e), at the time thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,[reserved], (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, (i) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (ii) the terms and conditions (excluding as to subordination, pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees) and (iii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by the Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and no additional obligors become liable for such Indebtedness, and (e) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect of theany Term Facility, such Permitted Refinancing is secured only by assets pursuant to one or more security agreements permitted by and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement (or another intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement); provided, that, a repayment of the Second Lien Term Facility with the net proceeds of a Permitted Refinancing of the First Lien Term Facility shall constitute a Permitted Refinancing of the Second Lien Term Facility.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any material “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), other than a Foreign Plan, established by any Loan Party or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any of their respective ERISA Affiliates.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

 

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Pledged Debt” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pre-Adjustment Successor Ratehas the meaning specified in Section  3.3(c).

“Pro Forma Basis” and “Pro Forma Effect” mean, with respect to compliance with any test or covenant or calculation hereunder, or the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA hereunder, the determination or calculation of such test, covenant, ratio or Consolidated EBITDA (including in connection with Specified Transactions) in accordance with Section 1.8.

Proceeds” has the meaning given to such term in Article 9 of the UCC.

Projections” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.1(d).

Protective Advances” means an Overadvance made or deemed to exist by the Administrative Agent, in its discretion, which:

(a) is made to maintain, protect or preserve the Collateral and/or the Loan Parties’ rights under the Loan Documents or which is otherwise for the benefit of the Loan Parties; or

(b) is made to enhance the likelihood of, or to maximize the amount of, repayment of any Obligation; or

(c) is made to pay any other amount chargeable to any Loan Party hereunder; and

(d) together with all other Protective Advances then outstanding, shall not (i) exceed fiveten percent (510%) of the Borrowing Base at any time or (ii) unless a Liquidation is taking place, remain outstanding for more than forty-five (45) consecutive Business Days, unless in each case, the Requisite Lenders otherwise agree;

provided however, that the foregoing shall not (i) modify or abrogate any of the provisions regarding the Lenders’ obligations with respect to Letters of Credit or with respect to Swing Line Loans, or (ii) result in any claim or liability against the Administrative Agent (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for Unintentional Overadvances, and such Unintentional Overadvances shall not reduce the amount of Permitted OveradvancesProtective Advances allowed hereunder.

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Public Company Costs” means costs relating to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and other expenses arising out of or incidental to Holdings’ status (or any relevant Parent Entity’s status) as a reporting company, including costs, fees and expenses (including legal, accounting and other professional fees) relating to compliance with provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, the rules of

 

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securities exchange companies with listed equity securities, directors’ compensation, fees and expense reimbursement, shareholder meetings and reports to shareholders, directors’ and officers’ insurance and other executive costs, legal and other professional fees, and listing fees. “Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.2.

QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

Public LenderQFC Credit Support” has the meaning specified in Section 7.212.30.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Qualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Holding Company Debt” means unsecured Indebtedness of Holdings (A) that is not subject to any Guarantee by any Subsidiary of Holdings, (B) that will not mature prior to the date that is six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of issuance or incurrence thereof, (C) that has no scheduled amortization of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (it being understood that such Indebtedness may have mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption provisions satisfying the requirements of clause (E) below), (D) that does not require any payments in cash of interest or other amounts in respect of the principal thereof prior to the earlier to occur of (1) the date that is four (4) years from the date of the issuance or incurrence thereof and (2) the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of such issuance or incurrence, and (E) that has mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption, covenant, default and remedy provisions customary for senior discount notes of an issuer that is the parent of a borrower under senior secured credit facilities, and in any event, with respect to covenant, default and remedy provisions, no more restrictive (taken as a whole) than those set forth in this Agreement (other than provisions customary for senior discount notes of a holding company); provided that the Borrower shall have delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement (and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided further that any such Indebtedness shall constitute Qualified Holding Company Debt only if immediately after giving effect to the issuance or incurrence thereof and the use of proceeds thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

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Qualifying IPO” means the issuancefirst offering and sale by Holdings, any direct or indirect parent of Holdings or any Permitted Holder of the common Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings of its common Equity Interests in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering).

Quarterly Financial Statements” means the unaudited Consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income, and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent Fiscal Quarters after the date of the Annual Financial Statements (other than the fourth Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower’s Fiscal Year) and ended at least forty-five (45) days before the First Amendment Effective Date (and the corresponding period of the prior Fiscal Year).

Ratable Portion”, “Pro Rata Share”, “ratable share” or (other than in the expression “equally and ratably”) “ratably” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Class of such Lender by (b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Lenders of such Class (or, at any time after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, the percentage obtained by dividing the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Revolving Credit Outstandings of such Class owing to such Lender by the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Revolving Credit Outstandings owing to all Lenders of such Class).

Ratification Agreement” means the Joinder, Confirmation and Ratification Agreement dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date by and among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent.

Refinancing Transactions means the refinancing transactions described in the Preliminary Statements.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(c).

Reimbursement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.4(h).

Reimbursement Obligations” means, as and when matured, the obligation of any Loan Party to pay, on the date payment is made or scheduled to be made to the beneficiary under each such Letter of Credit (or at such other date as may be specified in the applicable Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement) and in the currency drawn (or in such other currency as may be specified in the applicable Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement), all amounts of each drafts and other requests for payments drawn under Letters of Credit, and all other matured reimbursement or repayment obligations of any Loan Party to any Issuer with respect to amounts drawn under Letters of Credit.

 

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Related Adjustment” means, in determining any LIBOR Successor Rate, the first relevant available alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent applicable to such LIBOR Successor Rate:

(A) the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the relevant Pre-Adjustment Successor Rate (taking into account the interest period, interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated and/or tenor thereto) and which adjustment or method (x) is published on an information service as selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time in its reasonable discretion or (y) solely with respect to Term SOFR, if not currently published, which was previously so recommended for Term SOFR and published on an information service acceptable to the Administrative Agent; or

(B) the spread adjustment that would apply (or has previously been applied) to the fallback rate for a derivative transaction referencing the ISDA Definitions (taking into account the interest period, interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated and/or tenor thereto).

Related Indemnified Person” of an Indemnitee means (a) any controlling person or controlled affiliate of such Indemnitee, (b) the respective directors, officers, or employees of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates and (c) the respective agents of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates, in the case of this clause (c), acting at the instructions of such Indemnitee, controlling person or such controlled affiliate; provided that each reference to a controlled affiliate or controlling person in this definition shall pertain to a controlled affiliate or controlling person involved in the negotiation or syndication of the Facility, theany Term Facility or any Junior Financing.

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Reportable Event” means, with respect to any Pension Plan, any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Requisite Lenders” means, collectively, Lenders having more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments or, after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings; provided that the unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Loans and outstanding Letters of Credit held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender or Disqualified Institution shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Requisite Lenders.

Resolution Authority” an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

 

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Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or Holdings’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof) other than (i) the payment of compensation in the ordinary course of business to holders of any such Equity Interests who are employees or service providers of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Subsidiary solely in their capacity as employees or service providers and (ii) other than payments of intercompany indebtedness permitted under this Agreement, unless such payments are made in the form of dividends or other distributions that would otherwise be classified as Restricted Payments hereunder.

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Revolving Commitment Increase” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Revolving Commitment Increase Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).

Revolving Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans and acquire interests in other Revolving Credit Outstandings expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Loans to be made by such Lender under this Agreement, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to this Agreement and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (ii) a Revolving Commitment Increase, (iii) a New Revolving Credit Commitment or (iv) an Extension. The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment is set forth on Schedule I under the caption “Revolving Credit Commitment,” as amended to reflect each Assignment and Assumption, Incremental AgreementAmendment or Extension Amendment, in each case executed by such Lender. The aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments as of the First Amendment Effective Date is $400,000,000500,000,000.

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to each Lender, the sum of the Outstanding Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans (including any Protective Advances), its Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit Obligations and its Pro Rata Share of the Swing Loan Obligations at such time.

Revolving Credit Lender” means each Lender that (a) has a Revolving Credit Commitment, (b) holds a Revolving Loan or (c) participates in any Letter of Credit.

Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of any Revolving Credit Lender in a principal amount equal to the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Loans of a given Class owing to such Lender.

Revolving Credit Outstandings” means, at any particular time, the sum of (a) the principal amount of the Loans outstanding at such time, (b) the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at such time and (c) the principal amount of the Swing Loans outstanding at such time.

Revolving Credit Termination Date” means the earliest of (a) the Scheduled Termination Date, (b) the date of termination of all of the Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to Section 2.5 and (c) the date on which the Obligations become due and payable pursuant to Section 10.2.

Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.1(a).

RP Conditions” means, at any time of determination, that (a) no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment, and (b) either (i) (x) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment, and for the thirty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment, Excess Availability shall be greater than the greater of (A) 15% of the Maximum Credit and (B) $50,000,000 and (y) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio as of the end of the most recently ended Test Period shall be greater than or equal to 1.0 to 1.0 after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment as if such Specified Payment (if applicable to such calculation) had been made as of the first day of such Test Period, or (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Specified Payment, and for the thirty-daysixty-day period immediately preceding such Specified Payment, Excess Availability shall be greater than 20% of the Maximum Credit. In each case with respect to the above conditions, the Borrower shall have delivered in accordance with Section 7.2(f) hereof, to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the conditions in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b)(i) or (ii), as applicable, have been satisfied.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Rating Services and any successor thereto.

Same Day Funds” means disbursements and payments in immediately available funds.

Sanctioned Person” has the meaning specified in Section  5.17.

 

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Sanctions” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Scheduled Termination Date” means the date that is the earliest of (x) five (5) years after the First Amendment Effective Date, as may be extended pursuant to Section 12.1(b) or Section 2.17 hereof, (y) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the Senior NotesFirst Lien Term Facility (or, if refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such Senior NotesFirst Lien Term Facility) to the extent the Senior NotesFirst Lien Term Facility (or such other debt instrument) havehas not been retired in full by such date, or (z) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the TopCo NotesSecond Lien Term Facility (or, if the TopCo NotesSecond Lien Term Facility are refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such TopCo NotesSecond Lien Term Facility) to the extent the TopCo NotesSecond Lien Term Facility (or such other debt instrument) havehas not been retired in full by such date; provided that, in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, the Scheduled Termination Date shall be the Business Day immediately preceding such day.

Scheduled Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.3(c).

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Second Lien Term Facility” means the credit facilities under the Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Second Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreementmeans that certain credit agreement dated as of May 21, 2018, among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement.

Second Lien Term Facility Documentation” means the Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

Second Lien Term Facility Lenders” means the lenders from time to time party to the Second Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

 

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Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Cash Management Bank.

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Section 9.3(f) that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank and designated in writing by the Hedge Bank and the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Secured Hedge Agreement.”

Secured Obligations” means, in the case of the Borrower, the Obligations and, in the case of any other Loan Party, the obligations of such Loan Party under the Guaranty and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party.

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Lenders, the Issuers, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each Hedge Bank, each Cash Management Bank and each co-agent or sub-agent (if any) appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 11.5.

Securities Account” means all securities accounts of any Loan Party, including “securities accounts” within the meaning given to such term in Article 8 of the UCC.

Securities Account Control Agreement” means an effective securities account control agreement with an Approved Securities Intermediary, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Security” means any Equity Interest, voting trust certificate, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of Indebtedness, whether secured, unsecured, convertible or subordinated, or any certificate of interest, share or participation in, any temporary or interim certificate for the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing, but shall not include any evidence of the Obligations.

Security Agreement” means, collectively, the Security Agreement executed by the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit I, together with each Security Agreement Supplement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 8.11.

Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Senior Notes means $450,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Borrowers senior unsecured notes due 2019 outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date.

Senior Notes Indenture means the Indenture for the Senior Notes, dated March 18, 2011, between the Borrower, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, replaced or refinanced to the extent not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

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Shrink Reserve” means an amount reasonably estimated by the Administrative Agent to be equal to that amount which is required in order that the shrink reflected in current books and records of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be reasonably equivalent to the shrink calculated as part of the Borrower’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries most recent physical Inventory (it being understood and agreed that no Shrink Reserve established by the Administrative Agent shall be duplicative of any shrink as so reflected in the current books and records of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or estimated by the Borrower for purposes of computing the Borrowing Base).

SOFR” with respect to any Business Day means the secured overnight financing rate published for such day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of the benchmark (or a successor administrator) on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website (or any successor source) at approximately 8:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the immediately succeeding Business Day and, in each case, that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the assets of such Person exceeds its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured and (d) such Person is not engaged in, and is not about to engage in, business for which it has unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability.

SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 12.2(g).

Specified Event of Default” means any Event of Default (a) of the type described in Section 10.1(a), 10.1(b)(i)(A), 10.1(b)(ii), 10.1(b)(iii), 10.1(d) (with respect to any Borrowing Base Certificate) or 10.1(f).

Specified Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 12.28).

Specified Payment” means any Investment, incurrence of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment or payment made pursuant to Section 9.11 that in each case is subject to the satisfaction of the Payment Conditions or the RP Conditions, as applicable.

Specified Representations” shall mean those representations and warranties made by the Borrower in Sections 5.1(a) (with respect to organizational existence only), 5.1(b)(ii), 5.2(a), 5.2(b)(i), 5.2(b)(iii), 5.4, 5.13, 5.16, 5.18 and 5.19.

Specified Transaction” means any Investment that results in a Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, any designation of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an

 

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Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Permitted Acquisition, any Disposition that results in a Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower, any Investment constituting an acquisition of assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of another Person or a Store or any Disposition of a business unit, line of business or division or a Store of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case whether by merger, consolidation, amalgamation or otherwise, incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), and any Restricted Payment or Incremental LoanRevolving Commitment Increase that by the terms of this Agreement requires such test to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect.”

Sponsor” means Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and any of its Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by it or any of its Affiliates but not including, however, any portfolio company of any of the foregoing.

Sponsor Management Agreement” means the management agreement between certain of the management companies associated with the Sponsor or its advisors and Holdings and the Borrower, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, but only to the extent that any such amendment, modification, supplement or other modification does not, directly or indirectly, increase the obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to make any payments thereunder.

Sponsor Termination Fees” means the one-time payment under the Sponsor Management Agreement of a termination fee to one or more of the Sponsors in the event of either a Change of Control or the completion of a Qualifying IPO.

Standby Letter of Credit” means any Letter of Credit that is not a Documentary Letter of Credit.

Stated Amount” means at any time the maximum amount for which a Letter of Credit may be honored.

Store” means any retail store (which includes any real property, fixtures, equipment, Inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Store Accounts” means Deposit Accounts established for the purpose of receiving receipts from a Store location of a Loan Party.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, charitable foundations) of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

 

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Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor other than Holdings.

Successor Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 9.4(d).

Supermajority Lenders” means, collectively, Lenders having more than 66.67% of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments or, after the Revolving Credit Termination Date, more than 66.67% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings; provided that the unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Loans and outstanding Letters of Credit held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Supermajority Lenders.

Supported QFC” has the meaning specified in Section 12.30.

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Loan Party any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swing Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.3(a).

 

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Swing Loan Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as the Swing Loan Lender hereunder.

Swing Loan Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Swing Loans.

Swing Loan Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.3(b).

Swing Loan Sublimit” means the lesser of (a) $25,000,00030,000,000 and (b) the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments. The Swing Loan Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Revolving Credit Commitments.

Taxes” means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment, charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature and whatever called, imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax and penalties applicable thereto.

Tax Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1(e).

Term Facility” means the credit facilities under the Term Facility Credit AgreementFacilities means the First Lien Term Facilities and the Second Lien Term Facilities.

Term Facility Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Facility Credit Agreement, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the Agents means the First Lien Term Facility Administrative Agent and the Second Lien Term Facility Credit AgreementAdministrative Agent.

Term Facility Credit Agreement means that certain credit agreement dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, Holdings, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreements means the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement and the IntercreditorSecond Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement.

Term Facility Documentation” means the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewithDocumentation and Second Lien Term Facility Documentation.

Term Facility Lenders” means the lenders from time to time party to theFirst Lien Term Facility Credit AgreementLenders and the Second Lien Term Facility Lenders.

 

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Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate for any period that is approximately (as determined by the Administrative Agent) as long as any of the Interest Period options set forth in the definition of “Interest Period” and that is based on SOFR and that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body, in each case as published on an information service as selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time in its reasonable discretion.

Test Period” in effect at any time means the most recent period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters of the Borrower ended on or prior to such time (taken as one accounting period) for which financial statements are available after the use of commercially reasonable efforts by the Borrower to provide same. A Test Period may be designated by reference to the last day thereof (i.e., the “January 2829, 20172021 Test Period” refers to the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters of the Borrower ended January 2829, 20172021), and a Test Period shall be deemed to end on the last day thereof.

TopCo Notes means Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.s 9.75%/10.50% senior PIK toggle notes due 2019 in aggregate principal amount of $274,465,000 outstanding on the Effective Date.

“Threshold Amount” means $45,000,000.

Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) or 7.1(b).

Transaction means the merger of Needle Merger Sub Corp. an Ohio corporation, with and into the Borrower on March 18, 2011 and the transactions related thereto.

Transaction Agreement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1.9.

Transaction Expenses” means the fees or expenses incurred or paid by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction and the transactions contemplated thereby.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

UK Financial Institutions” any BRRD Undertaking (as defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any Person subject to IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

 

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UK Resolution Authority” the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

Unintentional Overadvance” means an Overadvance which, to the Administrative Agent’s knowledge, did not constitute an Overadvance when made but which has become an Overadvance resulting from changed circumstances beyond the control of the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders, including, without limitation, a reduction in the Net Recovery Percentage of property or assets included in the Borrowing Base or misrepresentation by the Loan Parties.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

United States Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.1(c).

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the board of directors of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.3 subsequent to the date hereofEffective Date, in each case, until such Person ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance with Section 8.3 or ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless none of its assets are included in the calculation of Borrowing Base immediately prior to such Subsidiary’sSubsidiarys being designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Unused Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

U.S. Lender” means any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” has the meaning specified in Section 12.30.

USA PATRIOT Act” means The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended or modified from time to time.

Weekly Monitoring Event” means (a) a Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (b) the Borrower has failed to maintain, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, Excess Availability of the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 12.5% of the Maximum Credit; provided that a Weekly Monitoring Event shall be deemed continuing until the date on which, as applicable, in the case of the foregoing clause (a), such Specified Event of Default is cured in accordance with Section 10.4 or waived in accordance with Section 12.1, or, in the case of the foregoing clause (b), Excess Availability has been greater than or equal to the greater of (i) $35,000,000 and (ii) 12.5% of the Maximum Credit, in each case under clauses (i) and (ii), for at least twenty (20) consecutive calendar days.

 

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Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining scheduled installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required scheduled payments of principal, including payment at final scheduled maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided, that for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Indebtedness that is being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended (the “Applicable Indebtedness”), the effects of any prepayments or amortization made on such Applicable Indebtedness prior to the date of the applicable modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be disregarded.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of a Person means a Subsidiary of such Person, all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability” means the liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such term is defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powersmeans, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority,(a) the write-down and conversion powers of suchthe applicable EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.; or (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that Person or any other Person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

SECTION 1.2 Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

(b) (i) The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

 

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(ii) References in this Agreement to an Exhibit, Schedule, Article, Section, clause or sub-clause refer (A) to the appropriate Exhibit or Schedule to, or Article, Section, clause or sub-clause in this Agreement or (B) to the extent such references are not present in this Agreement, to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

(iii) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation, except when used in the computation of time periods.

(iv) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

(v) Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, the words “above” and “below”, when following a reference to a clause or a sub-clause of any Loan Document, refer to a clause or sub-clause within, respectively, the same Section or clause.

(c) The terms “Lender,” “Swing Loan Lender”, “Issuer”, “Administrative Agent” and “Collateral Agent” include, without limitation, their respective successors.

(d) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”, the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(e) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(f) Any reference herein or in any other Loan Document to the satisfaction, repayment, or payment in full of the Obligations shall mean the repayment in Dollars in full in cash or immediately available funds (or, in the case of contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, providing Cash Collateralization) of all of the Obligations (including the payment of any termination amount then applicable (or which would or could become applicable as a result of the repayment of the other Obligations) under Swap Contracts) other than (i) unasserted contingent indemnification Obligations, and any Obligations relating to Swap Contracts that, at such time, are allowed by the applicable Hedge Bank to remain outstanding without being required to be repaid.

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

 

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SECTION 1.3 Accounting Terms.

(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. For purposes of calculating any consolidated amounts necessary to determine compliance by any Person and, if applicable, its Restricted Subsidiaries with any ratio or other financial covenant in this Agreement, Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded.

(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Requisite Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Requisite Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (A) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (B) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Annual Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

SECTION 1.4 Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number)

SECTION 1.5 Letter of Credit Amounts.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms of any Issuer Documents related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the Stated Amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum Stated Amount is in effect at such time.

SECTION 1.6 References to Agreements, Laws, Etc. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Constituent Documents, agreements (including the

 

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Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all appendices, exhibits and schedules thereto and all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto (but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are permitted by any Loan Document); and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

SECTION 1.7 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

SECTION 1.8 Pro Forma Calculations; Reclassification; IP Matters.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or test, including the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated in the manner prescribed by this Section 1.8; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.8, when calculating the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for purposes of determining actual compliance (and not compliance on a Pro Forma Basis) with Section 6.1, the events described in this Section 1.8 that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period shall not be given Pro Forma Effect.

(b) For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or tests, including the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Specified Transactions (and the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith) that have been made (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to such Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Specified Transactions (and any increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA and the component financial definitions used therein attributable to any Specified Transaction) had occurred on the first day of the applicable Test Period. If since the beginning of any applicable Test Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such Test Period shall have made any Specified Transaction that would have required adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.8, then the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated to give pro forma effect thereto in accordance with this Section 1.8.

(c) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs (including by assumption or guarantees) or repays (including by redemption, repayment, retirement or extinguishment) any Indebtedness included in the calculations of the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as the case may be (in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made, then the Net Leverage Ratio and the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, to the extent required, as if the same had occurred on the last day of the applicable Test Period.

 

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(d) Whenever Pro Forma Effectpro forma effect is to be given to a Specified Transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the BorrowerResponsible Officer and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and, synergies, material changes to amounts to be paid by or received by Loan Parties projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of specified actions taken, committed to be taken or reasonably expected to be taken (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergiesamounts had been realized on the first day of such periodTest Period and as if any such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized during the entirety of such period) relating to such Specified Transaction, and “run rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any actionnet of the amount of actual benefits realized during such period from such actions (such amounts, “Specified Transaction Adjustments”); provided that (i) such Specified Transaction Adjustments are reasonably identifiable and quantifiable in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, (ii) such actions are taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken (including any savings expected to result from the elimination of a public target’s compliance costs with public company requirements), net of the amount of actual benefits theretofore realized during such period from such actions; provided that any such projected “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall only be permitted tono later than twelve months after the date of such Specified Transaction, and (iii) no amounts shall be included pursuant to this clause (c) to the extent consistent with the requirements applicable to pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.duplicative of any amounts that are otherwise included in calculating Consolidated EBITDA, whether through a pro forma adjustment or otherwise, with respect to any Test Period.

(e) 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 date of the event for which the calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any hedging obligations applicable to such Indebtedness). 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 Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurodollar interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be determined to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Borrower may designate.

(f) The Borrower (i) shall in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith, determine under which category such Lien (other than Liens securing the Obligations or the Term Facilities) or Specified Payment (other than Indebtedness incurred under the Loan Documents or the Term Facility Documentation) is permitted and (ii) shall be permitted, in its sole discretion, to make any redetermination and/or to divide, classify or

 

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reclassify under which category or categories such Lien or Specified Payment is permitted from time to time as it may determine and without notice to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, so long as at the time of such redesignation the Loan Parties would be permitted to incur such Lien or Specified Payment under such category or categories, as applicable; provided, that, if Payment Conditions or RP Conditions, as applicable, were not satisfied at the time of such Lien or Specified Payment, the Borrower may not make any redetermination and/or divide, classify or reclassify such Lien or Specified Payment as being made under a category that is or categories that are subject to the satisfaction of Payment Conditions or RP Conditions, as applicable.

(g) In the event of any Investment pursuant to Section  9.2, Disposition pursuant to Section  9.5 or Restricted Payment pursuant to Section  9.6 that results in the transfer by a Loan Party to an Unrestricted Subsidiary, non-Loan Party or third party of IP Rights necessary in connection with the Current Asset Collateral, the purchaser, assignee or other transferee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by a non-exclusive royalty-free worldwide license of such IP Rights in favor of such Loan Party, which license shall be in a form that enables the Administrative Agent to exercise rights and remedies on behalf of the Secured Parties; provided, that, in the case of a Disposition of IP Rights by a Loan Party or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries to a third party, the transferee thereof shall be required to provide such a license only to the extent (x) to which the applicable license gives it a right to do so and (y) a Loan Party or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries has entered into an arrangement with such purchaser, assignee or other transferee for a license back of such IP Rights.

SECTION 1.9 Limited Condition Acquisitions.

In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition for purposes of determining:

(a) whether any Indebtedness that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in compliance with Section 9.3 or Section 2.15;

(b) whether any Lien being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in accordance with Section 9.1;

(c) whether any other transaction undertaken or proposed to be undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition complies with the covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; and

(d) any calculation of the ratios or baskets, including the Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or pro forma cost savings and baskets determined by reference to Consolidated EBITDA or Total Assets and whether a Default or Event of Default exists in connection with the foregoing;

at the option of the Borrower, the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into (the “Transaction Agreement Date”) may be used as the applicable date of determination, as the case may be, in each case with such pro forma

 

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adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Pro Forma Basis” or “Consolidated EBITDA.” For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower elects to use the Transaction Agreement Date as the applicable date of determination in accordance with the foregoing, (a) any fluctuation or change in the Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or Total Assets of the Borrower from the Transaction Agreement Date to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition will not be taken into account for purposes of determining whether any Indebtedness or Lien that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred, or whether any other transaction undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries complies with the Loan Documents and (b) after the Transaction Agreement Date and until such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire, such Limited Condition Acquisition and all transactions proposed to be undertaken in connection therewith (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens) will be given Pro Forma Effect when determining compliance of other transactions (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition) that are consummated after the Transaction Agreement Date and on or prior to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition and any such transactions (including without limitation any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) will be deemed to have occurred on the Transaction Agreement Date and be outstanding thereafter for purposes of calculating any baskets or ratios under the Loan Documents after the Transaction Agreement Date and before the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition (or the date the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire); provided that solely with respect to Restricted Payments only (and only until such time as the applicable Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated or the definitive documentation for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated), such calculation shall also be made on a standalone basis without giving effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions in connection therewith.

SECTION 1.10 Interest Rates. The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate” or with respect to any rate that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any of such rate (including, without limitation, any LIBOR Successor Rate) or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes.

ARTICLE II

THE FACILITY

SECTION 2.1 The Revolving Credit Commitments.

(a) On the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, each Lender severally agrees to make loans in Dollars (each, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until

 

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the Revolving Credit Termination Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding for all such loans by such Lender not to exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment; provided, however, that at no time shall any Lender be obligated to make a Revolving Loan in excess of such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the Maximum Credit. Within the limits of the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Lender, amounts of Loans repaid may be reborrowed under this Section 2.1.

(b) Subject to the limitations set forth below (and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.2), the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrower and the Lenders, from time to time in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion (but shall have absolutely no obligation), to make Revolving Loans (which may be a Swing Loan) to the Borrower, on behalf of all Lenders at any time that any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.2 has not been satisfied or waived, which the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, deems necessary or desirable for the purposes specified in the definition of “Protective Advances”. Any Protective Advance may be made in a principal amount that would cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure to exceed the Borrowing Base; provided that the aggregate amount of outstanding Protective Advances plus the aggregate of all other Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments; provided further that the foregoing shall not result in any claim or liability against the Administrative Agent (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for Unintentional Overadvances, and such Unintentional Overadvances shall not reduce the amount of Protective Advances allowed hereunder. Protective Advances may be made even if the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have not been satisfied or waived. Each Protective Advance shall be secured by the Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent in and to the Collateral and shall constitute Obligations hereunder. The Administrative Agent’s authorization to make Protective Advances may be revoked at any time by the Requisite Lenders. Any such revocation must be in writing and shall become effective prospectively upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt thereof. The making of a Protective Advance on any one occasion shall not obligate the Administrative Agent to make any Protective Advance on any other occasion. At any time that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied or waived, the Administrative Agent may request the Lenders to make a Revolving Loan to repay a Protective Advance. At any other time, the Administrative Agent may require the Lenders to fund their risk participations described in Section 2.1(c).

(c) Upon the making of a Protective Advance by the Administrative Agent (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default), each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, unconditionally and irrevocably to have purchased from the Administrative Agent without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Protective Advance in proportion to its Applicable Percentage. From and after the date, if any, on which any Lender is required to fund its participation in any Protective Advance purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Protective Advance.

SECTION 2.2 Borrowing Procedures.

(a) Each Borrowing shall be made on notice given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent not later than (i) 11:00 a.m. on the same Business Day, in the case of a

 

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Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, and (ii) 12:00 noon three (3) Business Days, in the case of a Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans, prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such notice shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit C (a “Notice of Borrowing”), specifying (A) the date of such proposed Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day, (B) the aggregate amount of such proposed Borrowing, (C) whether any portion of the proposed Borrowing will be of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, (D) the initial Interest Period or Interest Periods for any such Eurodollar Rate Loans, (E) the Class of the proposed Borrowing, and (F) with respect to any Borrowing the proceeds of which will be used to fund a Restricted Payment subject to the satisfaction of the RP Conditions, an additional solvency representation and warranty of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) after giving effect to such Borrowing and the use of proceeds thereof. The Loans shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless, subject to Section 2.14, the Notice of Borrowing specifies that all or a portion thereof shall be Eurodollar Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of Base Rate Loan shall be in an aggregate amount of not less than $500,000 or an integral multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof and the aggregate amount of each Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans for each Interest Period must be in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall give to each Lender prompt notice of the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Notice of Borrowing and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are properly requested in such Notice of Borrowing, the applicable interest rate determined pursuant to Section 2.14(a). Each Lender shall, before (x) 1:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing (other than a Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date) and (y) 12:00 p.m. on the Effective Date with respect to any Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date,, make available to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 12.8, in Same Day Funds, such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such proposed Borrowing. Upon fulfillment (or due waiver in accordance with Section 12.1) (i) on the Effective Date, of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.1 and (ii) at any time (including the Effective Date), of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.2, and, subject to clause (c) below, after the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds, the Administrative Agent shall make such funds available to the Borrower as promptly as reasonably practicable.

(c) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any proposed Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Borrowing (or any portion thereof), the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such Ratable Portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with this Section 2.2 and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such Ratable Portion available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day and thereafter at the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such corresponding amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan as part of such

 

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Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement. If the Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such payment shall not relieve such Lender of any obligation it may have hereunder to the Borrower.

(d) The failure of any Defaulting Lender to make on the date specified any Loan or any payment required by it, including any payment in respect of its participation in Swing Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations, shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations to make such Loan or payment on such date but, except to the extent otherwise provided herein, no such other Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any Defaulting Lender to make a Loan or payment required under this Agreement.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; provided that after the establishment of any new Class of Loans pursuant to an Extension Amendment, the number of Interest Periods otherwise permitted by this Section 2.2(e) shall increase by three (3) Interest Periods for each applicable Class so established.

SECTION 2.3 Swing Loans.

(a) On the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, the Swing Loan Lender shall make, in Dollars, loans (each, a “Swing Loan”) otherwise available to the Borrower under the Facility from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Revolving Credit Termination Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding (together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of any other Loan made by the Swing Loan Lender hereunder in its capacity as the Swing Loan Lender) not to exceed the Swing Loan Sublimit; provided, however, that at no time shall the Swing Loan Lender make any Swing Loan to the extent that, after giving effect to such Swing Loan, the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Maximum Credit; provided further that in the event that the Swing Loan Lender and the Administrative Agent are not the same Person, then the Swing Loan Lender shall only make a Swing Loan after having given prior notice thereof to the Administrative Agent; provided further that the Swing Loan Lender shall not be required to make any Swing Loan to the extent that such Swing Loan Lender reasonably believes that any Lender is a Defaulting Lender unless, after giving effect to the requested Swing Loan, there would exist no Fronting Exposure (in the good faith determination of the Swing Loan Lender and the Administrative Agent). Each Swing Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan and must be repaid in full in Dollars within seven (7) days after its making or, if sooner, upon any Borrowing hereunder and shall in any event mature no later than the Revolving Credit Termination Date (without giving effect to any extensions of the type referred to in the proviso to Section 12.1(b) hereof). Within the limits set forth in the first sentence of this clause (a), amounts of Swing Loans repaid may be reborrowed under this clause (a).

(b) In order to request a Swing Loan, the Borrower shall telecopy (or forward by electronic mail or similar means) to the Administrative Agent a duly completed request in substantially the form of Exhibit D, setting forth the requested amount and date of such Swing Loan (a “Swing Loan Request”), to be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day of the proposed borrowing. The Administrative Agent shall promptly

 

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notify the Swing Loan Lender of the details of the requested Swing Loan. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Swing Loan Lender shall make a Swing Loan available to the Administrative Agent and, in turn, the Administrative Agent shall make such amounts available to the Borrower as promptly as reasonably practicable on the date set forth in the relevant Swing Loan Request. The Swing Loan Lender shall not make any Swing Loan (other than a Protective Advance) in the period commencing on the first Business Day after it receives written notice from the Administrative Agent or any Lender that one or more of the conditions precedent contained in Section 4.2 shall not on such date be satisfied, and ending when such conditions are satisfied. The Swing Loan Lender shall not otherwise be required to determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied in connection with the making of any Swing Loan.

(c) The Swing Loan Lender may demand at any time (and shall demand, not less frequently than weekly unless such Swing Loan is repaid in accordance with Section 2.3(a) hereof), that each Lender pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swing Loan Lender, in the manner provided in clause (d) below, such Lender’s Ratable Portion of all or a portion of the outstanding Swing Loans, which demand shall be made through the Administrative Agent, shall be in writing and shall specify the outstanding principal amount of Swing Loans demanded to be paid.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall forward each demand referred to in clause (c) above to each Lender on the day such notice or such demand is received by the Administrative Agent (except that any such notice or demand received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. on any Business Day or any such notice or demand received on a day that is not a Business Day shall not be required to be forwarded to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent until the next succeeding Business Day), together with a statement prepared by the Administrative Agent specifying the amount of each Lender’s Ratable Portion of the aggregate principal amount of the Swing Loans stated to be outstanding in such notice or demanded to be paid pursuant to such demand, and, notwithstanding whether or not the conditions precedent set forth in Sections 4.2 and 2.1 shall have been satisfied (which conditions precedent the Lenders hereby irrevocably waive), each Lender shall, before 11:00 a.m. on the Business Day next succeeding the date of such Lender’s receipt of such notice or demand, make available to the Administrative Agent, in Same Day Funds in Dollars, for the account of the Swing Loan Lender, the amount specified in such statement. Upon such payment by a Lender, such Lender shall, except as provided in clause (e) below, be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower in the amount of such payment. The Administrative Agent shall use such funds to repay the Swing Loans to the Swing Loan Lender.

(e) Upon the occurrence of a Default under Section 10.1(f), each Lender shall acquire, without recourse or warranty, an undivided participation in each Swing Loan otherwise required to be repaid by such Lender pursuant to clause (d) above, which participation shall be in a principal amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Swing Loan, by paying to the Swing Loan Lender on the date on which such Lender would otherwise have been required to make a payment in respect of such Swing Loan pursuant to clause (d) above, in Same Day Funds, an amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Swing Loan. If all or part of such amount is not in fact made available by such Lender to the Swing Loan Lender on such date, the Swing Loan Lender shall be entitled to recover any such unpaid amount on demand

 

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from such Lender together with interest accrued from such date at the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day after such payment was due and thereafter at the rate of interest then applicable to Base Rate Loans.

(f) From and after the date on which any Lender (i) is deemed to have made a Revolving Loan pursuant to clause (d) above with respect to any Swing Loan or (ii) purchases an undivided participation interest in a Swing Loan pursuant to clause (e) above, the Swing Loan Lender shall promptly distribute to such Lender such Lender’s Ratable Portion of all payments of principal and interest received by the Swing Loan Lender on account of such Swing Loan other than those received from a Lender pursuant to clause (d) or (e) above.

SECTION 2.4 Letters of Credit.

(a) Subject to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Agreement, each Issuer agrees to Issue at the request of the Borrower, for the account of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary (provided that any Letter of Credit issued for the benefit of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not the Borrower shall be issued naming the Borrower as the account party on any such Letter of Credit but such Letter of Credit may contain a statement that it is being issued for the benefit of such Restricted Subsidiary), one or more Letters of Credit from time to time on any Business Day during the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the earlier of the Revolving Credit Termination Date and five (5) Business Days prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (without giving effect to any extension of the type referred to in the proviso to Section 12.1(b) hereof) (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day), or such later date as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion; provided, however, that no Issuer shall be under any obligation to Issue (and, upon the occurrence of any of the events described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v)(A) below, shall not Issue) any Letter of Credit upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(i) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator having binding powers shall purport by its terms to enjoin or restrain such Issuer from Issuing such Letter of Credit or any Law applicable to such Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuer shall prohibit, or request that such Issuer refrain from, the Issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction or reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuer is not otherwise compensated) not in effect on the Effective Date or result in any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable, in effect or known to such Issuer as of the Effective Date and that such Issuer in good faith deems material to it (for which such Issuer is not otherwise compensated);

(ii) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

(iii) such Issuer shall have received any written notice of the type described in clause (d) below;

 

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(iv) after giving effect to the Issuance of such Letter of Credit, (A) the aggregate Revolving Credit Outstandings would exceed the Maximum Credit at such time, (B) the Letter of Credit Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit or (C) the Revolving Credit Outstandings of any Lender would exceed such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment;

(v) such Letter of Credit is requested to be denominated in any currency other than Dollars, except as may be approved by the Administrative Agent and such Issuer, each in their reasonable discretion;

(vi) (A) any fees due in connection with a requested Issuance have not been paid, (B) such Letter of Credit is requested to be Issued in a form that is not acceptable to such Issuer or (C) the Issuer for such Letter of Credit shall not have received, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to it and, if applicable, duly executed by the Borrower, applications, agreements and other documentation (collectively, a “Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement”) such Issuer generally employs in the ordinary course of its business for the Issuance of letters of credit of the type of such Letter of Credit;

(vii) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless (i) after giving effect to the requested Issuance, there would exist no Fronting Exposure (in the good faith determination of the applicable Issuer) or (ii) the applicable Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the applicable Issuer (in its reasonable discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate such Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or any other Letter of Credit Obligations as to which such Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

None of the Lenders (other than the Issuers in their capacity as such) shall have any obligation to Issue any Letter of Credit. Any Letter of Credit which has been or deemed Issued hereunder may be amended at any time to reduce the amount outstanding thereunder.

(b) In no event shall (i) the expiration date of (A) any Documentary Letter of Credit be more than 210 days after the date of issuance thereof, or (B) any Standby Letter of Credit be more than one (1) year after the date of issuance thereof; provided, however, that any Standby Letter of Credit with a term less than or equal to one (1) year may provide for the renewal thereof for additional periods less than or equal to one (1) year, as long as, on or before the expiration of each such term and each such period, the Borrower and the Issuer of such Standby Letter of Credit shall have the option to prevent such renewal or (ii) the expiration date of any Letter of Credit be later than the date that is five (5) Business Days before the Scheduled Termination Date; provided further, that, for any Letter of Credit having an expiration date after the Scheduled Termination Date, the Borrower agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Scheduled Termination Date a letter of credit or letters of credit in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent issued by a bank acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in each case in its sole discretion, and/or cash collateral in an amount equal to 103% of the maximum drawable amount of any such Letter of Credit.

 

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(c) In connection with the Issuance of each Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall give the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent at least two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice, in substantially the form of Exhibit E (or in such other written or electronic form as is acceptable to such Issuer), of the requested Issuance of such Letter of Credit (a “Letter of Credit Request”). Such notice shall specify the Issuer of such Letter of Credit, the face amount of the Letter of Credit requested, the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which date shall be a Business Day) and, in the case of an issuance, the Person for whose benefit the requested Letter of Credit is to be issued. Such notice, to be effective, must be received by the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. on the last Business Day on which such notice can be given under the first sentence of this clause (c); provided that the relevant Issuer and the Administrative Agent may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion to a later time and date.

(d) Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in this Section 2.4, the relevant Issuer shall, on the requested date, Issue a Letter of Credit on behalf of the Borrower in accordance with such Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. No Issuer shall Issue any Letter of Credit in the period commencing on the first Business Day after it receives written notice from any Lender that one or more of the conditions precedent contained in Section 4.2 or clause (a) above are not on such date satisfied or duly waived and ending when such conditions are satisfied or duly waived. No Issuer shall otherwise be required to determine that, or take notice whether, the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 have been satisfied in connection with the Issuance of any Letter of Credit. Each Letter of Credit shall be Issued in Dollars.

(e) The Borrower agrees that, if requested by the Issuer of any Letter of Credit prior to the issuance of a Letter of Credit, it shall execute a Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement in respect to any Letter of Credit Issued hereunder. In the event of any conflict between the terms of any Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

(f) Each Issuer shall comply with the following:

(i) give the Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice confirmed promptly thereafter in writing), which writing may be a telecopy or electronic mail, of the Issuance of any Letter of Credit Issued by it, all drawings under any Letter of Credit Issued by it and of the payment (or the failure to pay when due) by the Borrower of any Reimbursement Obligation when due (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly transmit by telecopy, electronic mail or similar transmission to each Lender);

(ii) upon the request of any Lender, furnish to such Lender copies of any Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement to which such Issuer is a party and such other documentation as may reasonably be requested by such Lender; and

(iii) on the first Business Day of each calendar week, provide to the Administrative Agent (and the Administrative Agent shall provide a copy to each Lender requesting the same) and the Borrower separate schedules for Documentary Letters of Credit and Standby Letters of Credit issued by it, in form and substance reasonably

 

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satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, setting forth the aggregate Letter of Credit Obligations, in each case outstanding at the end of each month, and any information requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent relating thereto.

(g) Immediately upon the issuance by an Issuer of a Letter of Credit in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, such Issuer shall be deemed to have sold and transferred to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed irrevocably and unconditionally to have purchased and received from such Issuer, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such Lender’s Ratable Portion, in such Letter of Credit and the obligations of the Borrower with respect thereto (including all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto) and any security therefor and guaranty pertaining thereto.

(h) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Issuer of any Letter of Credit the amount of all Reimbursement Obligations owing to such Issuer under any Letter of Credit issued for its account no later than (x) the Business Day following the date that the Borrower receives written notice from such Issuer that payment has been made under such Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms if such notice is received by the Borrower by 11:00 a.m. and (y) on the second Business Day after which the Borrower receives written notice from such Issuer that payment has been made under such Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms if such notice is received by the Borrower after 11:00 a.m. (such date described in clause (x) or (y) above, the “Reimbursement Date”), irrespective of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against such Issuer or any other Person. In the event that any Issuer makes any payment under any Letter of Credit in accordance with its terms and the Borrower shall not have repaid such amount to such Issuer pursuant to this clause (h) (directly or by application of the deemed Loans described below in this clause (h) or by virtue of the penultimate sentence of this clause (h)) or any such payment by the Borrower is rescinded or set aside for any reason, such Reimbursement Obligation shall be payable on demand with interest thereon computed (i) from the date on which such Reimbursement Obligation arose to the Reimbursement Date, at the rate of interest applicable during such period to Loans that are Base Rate Loans and (ii) from the Reimbursement Date until the date of repayment in full, at the rate of interest applicable during such period to past due Loans that are Base Rate Loans, and such Issuer shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent, which shall promptly notify each Lender of such failure, and each Lender shall promptly and unconditionally pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer the amount of such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such payment in Same Day Funds in Dollars. If the Administrative Agent so notifies such Lender prior to 11:00 a.m. on any Business Day, such Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer its Ratable Portion of the amount of such payment on such Business Day in Same Day Funds. Upon such payment by a Lender, such Lender shall, except during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default under Section 10.1(f) and notwithstanding whether or not the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.2 shall have been satisfied (which conditions precedent the Lenders hereby irrevocably waive), be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan to the Borrower in the principal amount of such payment. Whenever any Issuer receives from the Borrower a payment of a Reimbursement Obligation as to which the Administrative Agent has received for the account of such Issuer any payment from a Lender pursuant to this clause (h), such Issuer shall pay over to the Administrative Agent any amount received in excess of such Reimbursement Obligation and, upon receipt of such amount, the

 

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Administrative Agent shall promptly pay over to each Lender, in Same Day Funds, an amount equal to such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the amount of such payment adjusted, if necessary, to reflect the respective amounts the Lenders have paid in respect of such Reimbursement Obligation. (A) In the absence of written notice to the contrary from the Borrower, and subject to the other provisions of this Agreement (but without regard to the conditions to borrowing set forth in Section 4.2), Reimbursement Obligations shall be financed when due with a Base Rate Loan or Swing Loan to the Borrower in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Base Rate Loan or Swing Loan, and (B) in the event that the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent that it will not so finance any such payments, the Borrower will make payment directly to the applicable Issuer when due. The Administrative Agent shall promptly remit the proceeds from any Loans made pursuant to clause (A) above in reimbursement of a draw under a Letter of Credit to the applicable Issuer.

(i) Each Defaulting Lender agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer forthwith on demand any such unpaid amount together with interest thereon, for the first Business Day after payment was first due at the Federal Funds Rate and, thereafter, until such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuer, at a rate per annum equal to the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans under the Facility.

(j) The Borrower’s obligations to pay each Reimbursement Obligation and the obligations of the Lenders to make payments to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuers with respect to Letters of Credit shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, under any and all circumstances whatsoever, including the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, and irrespective of any of the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document, or any term or provision therein;

(ii) any amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the provisions of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document;

(iii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower, any other party guaranteeing, or otherwise obligated with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof or any other Person may at any time have against the beneficiary under any Letter of Credit, any Issuer, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other related or unrelated agreement or transaction;

(iv) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

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(v) payment by the Issuer under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not strictly comply, but that does substantially comply, with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by an Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

(vi) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind of any Issuer, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or any other Person or any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section 2.4, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder; or

(vii) the fact that any Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Any action taken or omitted to be taken by the relevant Issuer under or in connection with any Letter of Credit, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct, shall not result in any liability of such Issuer to the Borrower or any Lender. In determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof, the Issuers may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary and, in making any payment under any Letter of Credit, the Issuers may rely exclusively on the documents presented to it under such Letter of Credit as to any and all matters set forth therein, including reliance on the amount of any draft presented under such Letter of Credit, whether or not the amount due to the beneficiary thereunder equals the amount of such draft and whether or not any document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be insufficient in any respect, if such document on its face appears to be in order, and whether or not any other statement or any other document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be forged or invalid or any statement therein proves to be inaccurate or untrue in any respect whatsoever, and any noncompliance in any immaterial respect of the documents presented under such Letter of Credit with the terms thereof shall, in each case, be deemed not to constitute willful misconduct or gross negligence of the applicable Issuer.

Each Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and each Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article XI with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article XI included such Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to such Issuer.

(k) Applicability of ISP and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the relevant Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to

 

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each Standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance, shall apply to each Documentary Letter of Credit.

(l) All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

SECTION 2.5 Reduction and Termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments.

The Borrower may, upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate in whole or reduce in part ratably the unused portions of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders without premium or penalty other than any amount required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.5; provided, however, that each partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of not less than $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof provided, further, that no reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments having a later maturity shall be permitted on a greater than pro rata basis with commitments having an earlier maturity. Except as set forth in the following sentence, each such notice of reduction or termination shall be irrevocable when given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments if such termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

SECTION 2.6 Repayment of Loans.

The Borrower promises to repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans (including any Letter of Credit Borrowings) and the Swing Loans on the Revolving Credit Termination Date or earlier, if otherwise required by the terms hereof.

SECTION 2.7 Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) The Loans made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and maintained by the Administrative Agent, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be prima facie evidence absent manifest error of the amount of the Loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. After the end of each month, the Administrative Agent shall send to the Borrower a statement accounting for the charges, loans, advances and other transactions occurring among and between the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower during that month. The monthly statements shall, absent manifest error, be an account stated, which is final, conclusive and binding on the Borrower.

 

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(b) Reserved

(c) The entries made in the Register and in the accounts therein maintained pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above and Section 12.2 hereof shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligations of the Borrower to repay the Loans or perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Documents in accordance with their terms. In addition, the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender or as an Issuer, as applicable, for all purposes of this Agreement. Information contained in the Register with respect to any Lender or Issuer shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuer at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, in the event that any Lender requests that the Borrower execute and deliver a promissory note or notes payable to such Lender in order to evidence the Indebtedness owing to such Lender by the Borrower hereunder, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver a Revolving Credit Note or Revolving Credit Notes to such Lender evidencing the Loans of such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Revolving Credit Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto; provided that the failure to do so shall in no way affect the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party under any Loan Document.

SECTION 2.8 Optional Prepayments.

The Borrower may prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Swing Loans in whole or in part at any time; provided, however, that if any prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan is made by the Borrower other than on the last day of an Interest Period for such Loan, the Borrower shall also pay any amount owing pursuant to Section 3.5.

SECTION 2.9 Mandatory Prepayments.

(a) If at any time, the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Outstandings exceeds the aggregate Maximum Credit at such time, the Borrower shall forthwith, upon notification by the Administrative Agent, prepay the Swing Loans first and then the other Loans then outstanding in an amount equal to such excess. If any such excess remains after repayment in full of the aggregate outstanding Swing Loans and the other Loans, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations in the manner set forth in Section 10.5 in an amount equal to 103% of such excess.

(b) If (x) at any time during a Cash Dominion Period or (y) in respect of any Disposition that would result in the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Period, any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries receives any Net Cash Proceeds arising from any Disposition in

 

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respect of any Current Asset Collateral outside of the ordinary course of business, the Borrower shall promptly (but in any event within five (5) Business Days of such receipt) prepay the Loans in an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds (and, to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds exceed the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding, Cash Collateralize Letters of Credit in an amount equal to up to 103% of the aggregate maximum drawable amount of such Letters of Credit).

(b) [Reserved].

(c) If the aggregate amount of cash and Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties, measured as of the end of each Business Day, at any time when there are any Revolving Credit Outstandings, exceeds $100,000,000, the Borrower shall promptly prepay the Loans but in any event within two (2) Business Days (without a permanent reduction in Revolving Credit Commitments) in an aggregate amount equal to such excess (or such lesser amount to the extent the outstanding Loans are less than the amount of such excess); provided that any amount allocated (which shall not require notice to the Administrative Agent) for a trade buyback (an “Allocated Trade”) to be made within sixty (60) days after such allocation (or such longer period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) that either (i) is held in a third party cash collateral account or (ii) is set aside in an account of the Loan Parties for Allocated Trades established solely for such Allocated Trades and not comingled with other cash or Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties shall not be subject to prepayment under this clause (c); provided further that upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall provide such information on any Allocated Trade as requested by the Administrative Agent;

(d) (c) Subject to Section 3.5 hereof, all such payments in respect of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be without premium or penalty. All interest accrued on the principal amount of the Loans paid pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be paid, or may be charged by the Administrative Agent to any loan account(s) of the Borrower, at the Administrative Agent’s option, on the date of such payment. Interest shall accrue and be due, until the next Business Day, if the amount so paid by the Borrower to the bank account designated by the Administrative Agent for such purpose is received in such bank account after 3:00 p.m.

(e) (d) At all times after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period and notification thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (subject to the provisions of Section 10.3 and to the terms of the Security Agreement), on each Business Day, at or before 1:00 p.m., the Administrative Agent shall apply all Same Day Funds credited to the Concentration Account and all amounts received pursuant to Section 2.9(b), first to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations, Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements or any Revolving Commitment Increases), pro rata, second to pay interest due and payable in respect of any Loans (including Swing Loans) and any Protective Advances that may be outstanding, pro rata, third to prepay the principal of any Protective Advances that may be outstanding, pro rata, and fourth to prepay the principal of the Loans (including Swing Loans) and to Cash Collateralize outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations, pro rata.

 

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SECTION 2.10 Interest.

(a) Rate of Interest. AllSubject to the provisions of Section 3.3(c) , all Loans and the outstanding amount of all other Obligations owing under the Loan Documents shall bear interest, in the case of any Class of Loans, on the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date such Loans are made and, in the case of such other Obligations, from the date such other Obligations are due and payable until, in all cases, paid in full, except as otherwise provided in clause (c) below, as follows:

(i) if a Base Rate Loan or such other Obligation (other than a Eurodollar Rate Loan), at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Base Rate as in effect from time to time and (B) the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans; and

(ii) if a Eurodollar Rate Loan, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Eurodollar Rate determined for the applicable Interest Period and (B) the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans in effect from time to time during such Interest Period.

(b) Interest Payments. (i) Interest accrued on each Base Rate Loan (other than Swing Loans) shall be payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarterJanuary, April, July and October, commencing on the first such day following the making of such Base Rate Loan and (B) if not previously paid in full, at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) of such Base Rate Loan, (ii) interest accrued on Swing Loans shall be payable in arrears on the first Business Day of the immediately succeeding calendar month,each January, April, July and October, (iii) interest accrued on each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be payable in arrears (A) on the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three (3) months, on each date during such Interest Period occurring every three (3) months from the first day of such Interest Period, (B) upon the payment or prepayment thereof in full or in part and (C) if not previously paid in full, at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) of such Eurodollar Rate Loan and (iv) interest accrued on the amount of all other Obligations shall be payable on demand from and after the time such Obligation becomes due and payable (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

(c) Default Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on past due amounts hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

SECTION 2.11 Conversion/Continuation Option.

(a) The Borrower may elect (i) at any time on any Business Day, to convert Base Rate Loans (other than Swing Loans) or any portion thereof to Eurodollar Rate Loans and (ii) at the end of any applicable Interest Period, to convert Eurodollar Rate Loans or any portion thereof into Base Rate Loans or to continue such Eurodollar Rate Loans or any portion thereof for an additional Interest Period; provided, however, that the aggregate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans for each Interest Period must be in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each conversion or continuation shall be allocated

 

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among the Loans of each Lender in accordance with such Lender’s Ratable Portion. Each such election shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit F (a “Notice of Conversion or Continuation”) and shall be made by giving the Administrative Agent at least two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice specifying (A) the amount and type of Loan being converted or continued, (B) in the case of a conversion to or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, the applicable Interest Period and (C) in the case of a conversion, the date of such conversion.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of a Notice of Conversion or Continuation and of the options selected therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent or the Requisite Lenders may require, by notice to the Borrower, that no conversion in whole or in part of Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans and no continuation in whole or in part of Eurodollar Rate Loans upon the expiration of any applicable Interest Period shall be permitted at any time at which (A) an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or (B) the continuation of, or conversion into, a Eurodollar Rate Loan would violate any provision of Section 2.14. If, within the time period required under the terms of this Section 2.11, the Administrative Agent does not receive a Notice of Conversion or Continuation from the Borrower containing a permitted election to continue any Eurodollar Rate Loans for an additional Interest Period or to convert any such Loans, then, upon the expiration of the applicable Interest Period, such Loans shall be automatically converted to Base Rate Loans. Each Notice of Conversion or Continuation shall be irrevocable.

SECTION 2.12 Fees.

(a) Unused Commitment Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay in Same Day Funds in Dollars to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee (the “Unused Commitment Fee”) on the average daily amount by which the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender exceeds such Lender’s Ratable Portion of the sum of (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans for the applicable Class, and (ii) the outstanding amount of the aggregate Letter of Credit Undrawn Amounts from the Effective Date through the Revolving Credit Termination Date at the Applicable Unused Commitment Fee Rate, payable in arrears (x) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarterJanuary, April, July and October, commencing on the first such Business Day following the Effective Date and (y) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date. For the avoidance of doubt, any Swing Loans outstanding shall reduce the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Swing Loan Lender in its capacity as a Lender.

(b) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay the following amounts with respect to Letters of Credit issued by any Issuer:

(i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Issuer of a Letter of Credit, with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuer, an issuance fee equal to 0.125% per annum of the average daily maximum undrawn face amount of such Letter of Credit for the immediately preceding calendar quarter (or portion thereof), payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarterJanuary, April, July and October, commencing on the first such Business Day following the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (B) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date;

 

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(ii) to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, with respect to each Letter of Credit, a fee accruing in Dollars at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of each Standby Letter of Credit, the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) in the case of each Documentary Letter of Credit, 50% of the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans (each such fee, a “Letter of Credit Fee”), in each case multiplied by the daily Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit for the immediately preceding calendar quarter (or portion thereof), payable in arrears (A) on the first Business Day of each calendar quarterJanuary, April, July and October, commencing on the first such Business Day following the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (B) on the Revolving Credit Termination Date; provided, however, that any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the applicable Issuer pursuant to Section 2.4 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.16(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the applicable Issuer for its own account; and

(iii) to the Issuer of any Letter of Credit, with respect to the issuance, amendment or transfer of each Letter of Credit and each drawing made thereunder, customary documentary and processing charges in accordance with such Issuer’s standard schedule for such charges in effect at the time of issuance, amendment, transfer or drawing, as the case may be.

(c) Additional Fees. The Borrower has agreed to pay to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers additional fees, the amount and dates of payment of which are embodied in the Fee Letter.

SECTION 2.13 Payments and Computations.

(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. The Borrower shall make each payment and prepayment hereunder (including fees and expenses) not later than 2:00 p.m. on the day when due, in Dollars to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office for payment and in Same Day Funds without condition or deduction for any defense, recoupment, set-off or counterclaim. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall, in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

(b) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 days or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).

 

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Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall bear interest for one (1) day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(c) Each payment by the Borrower of any Loan and Reimbursement Obligation (including interest and fees in respect thereof) and each reimbursement of costs, expenses and other Obligations owing under any Loan Document shall be made in Dollars.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, the due date for such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or fees, as the case may be; provided, however, that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of any Eurodollar Rate Loan to be made in the next calendar month, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. All repayments of any Loans shall be applied as follows: first, to repay any such Loans outstanding as Base Rate Loans and then, to repay any such Loans outstanding as Eurodollar Rate Loans, with those Eurodollar Rate Loans having earlier expiring Interest Periods being repaid prior to those having later expiring Interest Periods.

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower to the Lenders prior to the date on which any payment is due hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent that the Borrower shall not have made such payment to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds in Dollars, each Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the portion of such assumed amount that was made available to such Lender in Same Day Funds in Dollars, together with interest thereon (at the Federal Funds Rate for the first Business Day and thereafter at the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans) for each day from and including the date such amount is was made available to such Lender until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds in Dollars.

(f) Except for payments and other amounts received by the Administrative Agent and applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.2(b) below (or required to be applied in accordance with Section 2.9), all payments and any other amounts received by the Administrative Agent from or for the benefit of the Borrower shall be applied as follows: first, to pay principal of, and interest on, any portion of the Loans the Administrative Agent may have advanced pursuant to the express provisions of this Agreement on behalf of any Lender, for which the Administrative Agent has not then been reimbursed by such Lender or the Borrower, second, to pay all other Obligations then due and payable and third, as the Borrower so designates. Payments in respect of Swing Loans received by the Administrative Agent shall be distributed to the Swing Loan Lender; payments in respect of Loans received by the Administrative Agent shall be distributed to each Lender in accordance with such Lender’s

 

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Ratable Portion; and all payments of fees and all other payments in respect of any other Obligation shall be allocated among such of the Lenders and Issuers as are entitled thereto and, for such payments allocated to the Lenders, in proportion to their respective Ratable Portions.

(g) At the option of the Administrative Agent, principal on the Swing Loans, Reimbursement Obligations, interest, fees, expenses and other sums due and payable in respect of the Loans and Protective Advances may be paid from the proceeds of Swing Loans or the Revolving Loans unless the Borrower makes such payments on the next succeeding Business Day after the Borrower receives written notice from the Administrative Agent requesting such payments. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Swing Loan Lender to make such Swing Loans pursuant to Section 2.3(a) and the Lenders to make such Loans pursuant to Section 2.2(a) from time to time in the amounts of any and all principal payable with respect to the Swing Loans, Reimbursement Obligations, interest, fees, expenses and other sums payable in respect of the Loans and Protective Advances, and further authorizes the Administrative Agent to give the Lenders notice of any Borrowing with respect to such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans and to distribute the proceeds of such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans to pay such amounts. The Borrower agrees that all such Swing Loans and the Revolving Loans so made shall be deemed to have been requested by it (irrespective of the satisfaction of the conditions in Section 4.2, which conditions the Lenders irrevocably waive) and directs that all proceeds thereof shall be used to pay such amounts.

SECTION 2.14 Special Provisions Governing Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Determination of Interest Rate.

The Eurodollar Rate for each Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the procedures set forth in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.” The Administrative Agent’s determination shall be presumed to be correct and binding on the Loan Parties, absent manifest error.

(b) Interest Rate Unascertainable, Inadequate or Unfair.

In the event that (i) the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that adequate and fair means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable interest rates by reference to which the Eurodollar Rate then being determined is to be fixed or (ii) the Requisite Lenders reasonably determine and notify the Administrative Agent that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period will not adequately reflect the cost to the Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans for such Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall automatically, on the last day of the current Interest Period for such Loan, convert into a Base Rate Loan and the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower that the Requisite Lenders have determined that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

SECTION 2.15 Revolving Commitment Increase.

(a) The Borrower may at any time or from time to time after the First Amendment Effective Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent (whereupon the

 

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Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request one or more increases in the amount of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (each such increase, a “Revolving Commitment Increase”); provided that subject to the Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, at the time of any such Revolving Commitment Increase (and after giving effect thereto), no Default or Event of Default (or, in the case of any Revolving Commitment Increase to be used to fund a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or Section 10.1(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date) shall exist. Each Revolving Commitment Increase shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $20,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $20,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the next sentence). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitment Increases shall not exceed $100,000,000 (the “Incremental Availability”), and the Borrower may make a maximum of five (5) such requests. Each notice from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall set forth the requested amount and proposed terms of the relevant Revolving Commitment Increases. Revolving Commitment Increases may be provided by any existing Lender (it being understood that no existing Lender will have an obligation to provide a portion of any Revolving Commitment Increase), in each case on terms permitted in this Section 2.15 and otherwise on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) or by any other Person constituting an Eligible Assignee (any such other Person being called an “Additional Lender”), provided that the Administrative Agent shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to such Lender’s or Additional Lender’s providing such Revolving Commitment Increases if such consent would be required under Section 12.2(b) for an assignment of Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments to such Lender or Additional Lender. Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of Revolving Commitment Increases shall become Revolving Credit Commitments (or in the case of a Revolving Commitment Increase to be provided by an existing Lender, an increase in such Lender’s applicable Revolving Credit Commitment) under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (an “Incremental Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by Holdings, the Borrower, each Lender agreeing to provide such Revolving Credit Commitment, if any, each Additional Lender, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section. The effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof (each, an “Incremental Facility Effective Date”) of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 (it being understood that all references to “the date of such Loan or Issuance” or similar language in such Section 4.2 shall be deemed to refer to the effective date of such Incremental Amendment) and such other conditions as the parties thereto shall agree. The representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents (or, in the case of any Revolving Commitment Increase used to fund a Permitted Acquisition or similar permitted Investment (including any Limited Condition Acquisition), the Specified Representations) shall be accurate in all material respects (or, if qualified by “materiality”, “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language, in all respects (after giving effect to such qualification)) before and after the effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment referred to below and any Revolving Commitment Increase shall be documented as an increase to the Facility and shall be on terms identical to those applicable to the Facility, except with respect to any commitment, arrangement, upfront or similar fees that may be agreed

 

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to among the Borrower and the lenders agreeing to participate in such Revolving Commitment Increase. The Borrower shall use Revolving Commitment Increases only as permitted pursuant to Section 8.9 hereof. Upon each increase in the Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.15, (x) each Lender of the applicable Class immediately prior to such increase will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assigned to each Lender providing a portion of the Revolving Commitment Increase of the applicable Class (each a “Revolving Commitment Increase Lender”) in respect of such increase, and each such Revolving Commitment Increase Lender will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assumed, a portion of such Lender’s participations hereunder in outstanding Letters of Credit and Swing Loans such that, after giving effect to each such deemed assignment and assumption of participations, the percentage of the aggregate outstanding (i) participations hereunder in Letters of Credit, (ii) participations hereunder in Swing Loans held by each Lender of the applicable Class and (iii) participations in Protective Advances held by each Lender of the applicable Class (including each such Revolving Commitment Increase Lender) will equal the percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Lenders of such Class represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (y) if, on the date of such increase, there are any Revolving Loans of such Class outstanding, such Revolving Loans shall on or prior to the effectiveness of such Revolving Commitment Increase be prepaid from the proceeds of additional Revolving Loans of such Class made hereunder (reflecting such increase in Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class), which prepayment shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the Revolving Loans of such Class being prepaid and any costs incurred by any Lender in accordance with Section 3.5. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that the minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

(b) This Section 2.15 shall supersede any provisions in Section 12.1 or Section 12.7 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.16 Defaulting Lenders.

(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. That Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 12.1.

(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article X or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 12.6), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to any

 

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Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, to be held as cash collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any Swing Loan or Letter of Credit; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or Letter of Credit Borrowings in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or Letter of Credit Borrowings were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and Letter of Credit Borrowings owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or Letter of Credit Borrowings owed to, that Defaulting Lender. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees. That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.12(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender for such period) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.12(b).

(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Swing Loans or Letters of Credit pursuant to Sections 2.3 and 2.4, the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Revolving Credit Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, at the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default exists; and (ii) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans shall not exceed the

 

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positive difference, if any, of (1) the Revolving Credit Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans (including Protective Advances) of that Lender.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swing Loan Lender and the Issuers agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Revolving Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower for the period that such Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided further that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

(c) Cash Collateral. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

SECTION 2.17 Extensions of Loans.

(a) Extension of Revolving Credit Commitments. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Class (each, an “Existing Revolver Tranche”) be amended to extend the Scheduled Termination Date with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Revolving Credit Commitments (any such Revolving Credit Commitments which have been so amended, “Extended Revolving Credit Commitments”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.17; provided that there shall be no more than two (2) Classes of Loans and Commitments outstanding at any time. In order to establish any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders under the applicable Existing Revolver Tranche) (each, a “Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms (which shall be determined in consultation with the Administrative Agent) of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments to be established, which shall (x) be identical as offered to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche (including as to the proposed interest rates and fees payable) and offered pro rata to each Lender under such Existing Revolver Tranche and (y) be identical to the Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche from which such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments are to be amended, except that: (i) the Scheduled Termination

 

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Date of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be later than the Scheduled Termination Date of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Existing Revolver Tranche, (ii) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that (I) apply solely to any period after the Latest Maturity Date that is in effect on the effective date of the Extension Amendment (immediately prior to the establishment of such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments) or (II) are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, not require the consent of any Lender); and (iii) all borrowings under the Revolving Credit Commitments and repayments thereunder shall be made on a pro rata basis (except for (I) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings) and (II) repayments required upon the Revolving Credit Termination Date of the non-extending Revolving Credit Commitments); provided, further, that (A) the conditions precedent to a Borrowing set forth in Section 4.2 shall be satisfied as of the date of such Extension Amendment and at the time when any Loans are made in respect of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment, (B) in no event shall the final maturity date of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of a given Extension Series at the time of establishment thereof be earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date of any other Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder, (C) any such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and the Liens securing the same) shall be permitted by the terms of the Intercreditor Agreements (to the extent any Intercreditor Agreement is then in effect) and (D) all documentation in respect of the such Extension Amendment shall be consistent with the foregoing. Any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended pursuant to any Extension Request shall be designated a series (each, a “Extension Series”) of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments amended from an Existing Revolver Tranche may, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, be designated as an increase in any previously established Extension Series with respect to such Existing Revolver Tranche. Each Extension Series of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments incurred under this Section 2.17 shall be in an aggregate principal amount equal to not less than 50% of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments outstanding at the time such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments become effective.

(b) Extension Request. The Borrower shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least ten (10) Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior to the date on which Lenders under the Existing Revolver Tranche are requested to respond, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably, to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.17. No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to provide any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Revolving Credit Lender (each, an “Extending Revolving Credit Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche subject to such Extension Request amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall notify the Administrative Agent (each, an “Extension Election”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Revolving Credit Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche which it has elected to request be amended into Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Administrative Agent). In the event that the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit

 

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Commitments under the Existing Revolver Tranche in respect of which applicable Revolving Credit Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Request exceeds the amount of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments requested to be extended pursuant to the Extension Request, Revolving Credit Commitments subject to Extension Elections shall be amended to reflect allocations of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, which Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall be allocated as agreed by Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

(c) New Revolving Commitment Lenders. Following any Extension Request made by the Borrower in accordance with this Section 2.17, if the Lenders shall have declined to agree during the period specified in Section 2.17(b) above to provide Extended Revolving Credit Commitments in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount requested by the Borrower in such Extension Request, the Borrower may request that banks, financial institutions or other institutional lenders or investors other than the Lenders or ExtendedExtending Revolving Credit Lenders (the “New Revolving Commitment Lenders”), which New Revolving Commitment Lenders may elect to provide an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder (the “New Revolving Credit Commitment”); provided that such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of such New Revolving Commitment Lenders (i) shall be in an aggregate principal amount for all such New Revolving Commitment Lenders not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments so declined to be provided by the existing Lenders and (ii) shall be on identical terms to the terms applicable to the terms specified in the applicable Extension Request (and any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments provided by existing Lenders in respect thereof); provided further that, as a condition to the effectiveness of any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment of any New Revolving Commitment Lender, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender shall have consented (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) to each New Revolving Commitment Lender if such consent would be required under Section 12.2(b)(iii) for an assignment of Revolving Credit Commitments to such Person. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Extended Revolving Credit Commitment provided by New Revolving Commitment Lenders shall be pro rata to each New Revolving Commitment Lender. Upon effectiveness of the Extension Amendment to which each such New Revolving Commitment Lender is a party, (a) the Revolving Credit Commitments of all existing Revolving Credit Lenders of each Class specified in the Extension Amendment in accordance with this Section 2.17 will be permanently reduced pro rata by an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of such New Revolving Commitment Lenders and (b) the Revolving Credit Commitment of each such New Revolving Commitment Lender will become effective. The Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of New Revolving Commitment Lenders will be incorporated as Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder in the same manner in which Extended Revolving Credit Commitments of existing Lenders are incorporated hereunder pursuant to this Section 2.17, and for the avoidance of doubt, all Borrowings and repayments of Revolving Loans from and after the effectiveness of such Extension Amendment shall be made pro rata across all Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments including such New Revolving Commitment Lenders (based on the outstanding principal amounts of the respective Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments) except for (x) payments of interest and fees at different rates for each Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (and related Outstanding Amounts) and (y) repayments required on the Revolving Credit Termination Date for any particular Class of Revolving Credit Commitments. Upon the effectiveness of each New Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to this Section 2.17(c), (a)

 

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each Revolving Credit Lender of all applicable existing Classes of Revolving Credit Commitments immediately prior to such effectiveness will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assigned to each New Revolving Commitment Lender, and each such New Revolving Commitment Lender will automatically and without further act be deemed to have assumed, a portion of such Revolving Credit Lender’s participations hereunder in outstanding Letters of Credit and Swing Loans such that, after giving effect to each such deemed assignment and assumption of participations, subject to Section 2.16, the percentage of the outstanding (i) participations hereunder in Letters of Credit and (ii) participations hereunder in Swing Loans held by each Revolving Credit Lender of each Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (including each such New Revolving Commitment Lender) will equal the percentage of the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of all Classes of Revolving Credit Lenders represented by such Revolving Credit Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and (b) if, on the date of such effectiveness, there are any Revolving Loans outstanding, such Revolving Loans shall on or prior to the effectiveness of such New Revolving Credit Commitment be prepaid from the proceeds of Revolving Loans made hereunder under the New Revolving Credit Commitments, which prepayment shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the Revolving Loans being prepaid and any costs incurred by any Lender in accordance with Section 3.5. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that the minimum borrowing, pro rata borrowing and pro rata payment requirements contained elsewhere in this Agreement shall not apply to the transactions effected pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

(d) Extension Amendment. Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and New Revolving Credit Commitments shall be established pursuant to an amendment (each, an “Extension Amendment”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Extending Revolving Credit Lender and each New Revolving Commitment Lender, if any, providing an Extended Revolving Credit Commitment or a New Revolving Credit Commitment, as applicable, thereunder, which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 2.17(a, (b)) and (c) above (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). The effectiveness of any Extension Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Sections 4.2(a) and (b) and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of (i) legal opinions, board resolutions and officers’ certificates consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date other than changes to such legal opinion resulting from a Change in Law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) reaffirmation agreements and/or such amendments to the Collateral Documents as may be reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent in order to ensure that the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or the New Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, are provided with the benefit of the applicable Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Extension Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended pursuant to an Extension Amendment, without the consent of any other Lenders, to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to (i) reflect the existence and terms of the Extended Revolving Credit Commitments or the New Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, incurred pursuant thereto, (ii) make such other changes to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (without the consent of the Requisite Lenders) and (iii) effect such other amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section, and the Requisite Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any such Extension Amendment.

 

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(e) No conversion of Loans pursuant to any Extension in accordance with this Section 2.17 shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory payment or prepayment for purposes of this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

SECTION 3.1 Taxes. For purposes of this Section 3.1, the term “applicable Law” or “Law” includes FATCA.

(a) All sums payable by any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Agent, Issuer or any Lender shall (except to the extent required by Law) be paid free and clear of, and without any deduction or withholding on account of, any Taxes.

(b) If any Loan Party or any Agent, Issuer or Lender is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Non-Excluded Tax or Other Taxes from any sum paid or payable by any Loan Party to any Lender, Issuer or Agent under any of the Loan Documents: (i) the applicable Loan Party (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall notify the applicable Agent of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as such Loan Party becomes aware of it; (ii) the applicable Loan Party or Agent, Issuer or Lender, as applicable, shall make such deduction or withholding and pay to the relevant Governmental Authority, in accordance with applicable Law, any such Non-Excluded Tax or Other Tax before the date on which penalties attach thereto; (iii) the sum payable to such Lender, Issuer or Agent (as applicable) shall be increased by such Loan Party to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of any required deduction or withholding (including any deductions or withholdings attributable to any payments required to be made under this Section 3.1), thesuch Lender, Issuer or the Agent (as applicable), receives on the due date a net sum equal to what it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required or made; and (iv) within thirty days after paying any sum from which it is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty days after the due date of payment of any Tax which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, the Loan Party making such payments (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the other affected parties of such deduction or withholding and of the remittance thereof to the relevant Governmental Authority.

(c) Each Lender shall, at such times as are reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, provide the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with any documentation prescribed by Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent certifying as to any entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, any withholding Tax with respect to any payments to be made to such Lender under any Loan Document. Each such Lender shall, whenever a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders such documentation (including any specific documentation required below in this Section 3.1(c)) obsolete, expired or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver

 

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promptly to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of its inability to do so.

Without limiting the foregoing:

(1) Each U.S. Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(2) Each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

(B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

(C) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or Section 881(c) of the Code, (A) two properly completed and duly signed certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit M (any such certificate, a “United States Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor forms),

(D) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Foreign Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), two properly completed duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Foreign Lender, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable United States Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, Form W-8IMY or any other required information (or any successor forms) from each beneficial owner that would be required under this Section 3.1(c) if such beneficial owner were a Lender, as applicable (provided that, if one or more beneficial owners are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the United States Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Foreign Lender on behalf of such beneficial owner), or

(E) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable U.S. federal income tax Laws (including the Treasury Regulations) as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, United States federal withholding tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents.

 

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(3) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document maywould be subject to U.S. federal withholding taxTax imposed by Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including any successor provisionsFATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the CodeFATCA and to determine whetherthat such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under such Sections and, if necessary, toFATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (3), FATCA shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause (c), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

(d) In addition to the payments by a Loan Party required by Section 3.1(b), the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

(e) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender, each Issuer and each Agent (each a “Tax Indemnitee”), within 20 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Non-Excluded Taxes paid or payable by such Tax Indemnitee that is imposed on or in respect of any payment under or with respect to any Loan Document, and any Other Taxes payable by such Tax Indemnitee (including Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.1), whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared in good faith and delivered by the Tax Indemnitee or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of another Tax Indemnitee, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(f) If and to the extent that a Tax Indemnitee, in its sole discretion (exercised in good faith), determines that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes in respect of which it has received additional payments under this Section 3.1, then such Tax Indemnitee shall pay to the relevant Loan Party the amount of such refund, net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Tax Indemnitee (including any Taxes imposed with respect to such refund), and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Tax Indemnitee, agrees to repay the amount paid over by the Tax Indemnitee (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Tax Indemnitee if the Tax Indemnitee is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

 

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(g) In the event that a Loan Party makes an indemnification payment to a Tax Indemnitee with respect to Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 3.1 or a Loan Party is required to repay to a Tax Indemnitee an amount in respect of a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes previously paid over to such Loan Party pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 3.1, such Tax Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with all reasonable requests of such Loan Party, at the sole expense of such Loan Party, if (i) in the reasonable judgment of the Tax Indemnitee such cooperation shall not subject such Tax Indemnitee, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed third party cost or expense or otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Tax Indemnitee and (ii) there is a reasonable basis for such Loan Party to contest with the applicable Governmental Authority the imposition of such Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes or the repayment of such refund. Any resulting refund shall be governed by Section 3.1(f). This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(h) For purposes of determining withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA, from and after the First Amendment Effective Date, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to treat) this Agreement as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

SECTION 3.2 Illegality. IfSubject to the provisions set forth in Section 3.3(c) below, if any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans and shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such

 

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day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate with respect to any Base Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 3.3 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Requisite Lenders reasonably determine that for any reason

(a) Subject to Section 3.3(c) below, if in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (aA) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollarEurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (bB) (x) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) and (y) the circumstances described in Section 3.3(c)(i) do not apply (in each case with respect to this clause (i), Impacted Loans), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Requisite Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon theor, in the case of a determination by the Requisite Lenders described in clause (ii) of Section 3.3(a), until the Administrative Agent upon instruction of the Requisite Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (i) of Section 3.3(a), the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower and Requisite Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (i) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (i) of the first sentence of Section 3.3(a), (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Requisite Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or

 

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(iii) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrower written notice thereof.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Requisite Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Requisite Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Requisite Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any Interest Period hereunder or any other tenors of LIBOR, including, without limitation, because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or

(ii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent or such administrator has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans, provided that, at the time of such statement, there is no successor administrator that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, that will continue to provide LIBOR after such specific date (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”); or

(iii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over such administrator has made a public statement announcing that all Interest Periods and other tenors of LIBOR are no longer representative; or

(iv) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section 3.3, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR,

then, in the case of clauses (i)-(iii) above, on a date and time determined by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower (any such date, the “LIBOR Replacement Date”), which date shall be at the end of an Interest Period or on the relevant interest payment date, as applicable, for interest calculated and shall occur reasonably promptly upon the occurrence of any of the events or circumstances under clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above and, solely with respect to clause (ii) above, no later than the Scheduled Unavailability Date, LIBOR will be replaced hereunder and under any Loan Document with, subject to the proviso below, the first available alternative set forth in the order below for any payment period for interest calculated that can be determined by the Administrative Agent, in each case, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other

 

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party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “LIBOR Successor Rate”; and any such rate before giving effect to the Related Adjustment, the “Pre-Adjustment Successor Rate”):

(x) Term SOFR plus the Related Adjustment; and

(y) SOFR plus the Related Adjustment;

and in the case of clause (iv) above, the Borrower and Administrative Agent may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing LIBOR under this Agreement and under any other Loan Document in accordance with the definition of “LIBOR Successor Rate” and such amendment will become effective at 5:00 p.m., on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have notified all Lenders and the Borrower of the occurrence of the circumstances described in clause (iv) above unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Requisite Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Requisite Lenders object to the implementation of a LIBOR Successor Rate pursuant to such clause;

provided that, if the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower determines that Term SOFR has become available, is administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent and would have been identified as the Pre-Adjustment Successor Rate in accordance with the foregoing if it had been so available at the time that the LIBOR Successor Rate then in effect was so identified, and the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and each Lender of such availability, then from and after the beginning of the Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, in each case, commencing no less than thirty (30) days after the date of such notice, the Pre-Adjustment Successor Rate shall be Term SOFR and the LIBOR Successor Rate shall be Term SOFR plus the relevant Related Adjustment.

The Administrative Agent will promptly (in one or more notices) notify the Borrower and each Lender of (x) any occurrence of any of the events, periods or circumstances under clauses (i) through (iii) above, (y) a LIBOR Replacement Date and (z) the LIBOR Successor Rate.

Any LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such LIBOR Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.

Notwithstanding anything else herein, if at any time any LIBOR Successor Rate as so determined would otherwise be less than the LIBOR Floor, the LIBOR Successor Rate will be deemed to be the LIBOR Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

In connection with the implementation of a LIBOR Successor Rate, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any

 

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other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement; provided that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Administrative Agent shall post each such amendment implementing such LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes to the Borrower and the Lenders reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.

If the events or circumstances of the type described in 3.3(c)(i)-(iii) have occurred with respect to the LIBOR Successor Rate then in effect, then the successor rate thereto shall be determined in accordance with the definition of “LIBOR Successor Rate.”

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) after any such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of any such notice described under Section 3.3(c)(i)-(iii), as applicable, if the Administrative Agent determines that none of the LIBOR Successor Rates is available on or prior to the LIBOR Replacement Date, (ii) if the events or circumstances described in Section 3.3(c)(iv) have occurred but none of the LIBOR Successor Rates is available, or (iii) if the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.3(c)(i)-(iii) have occurred with respect to the LIBOR Successor Rate then in effect and the Administrative Agent determines that none of the LIBOR Successor Rates is available, then in each case, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing LIBOR or any then current LIBOR Successor Rate in accordance with this Section 3.3 at the end of any Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, as applicable, with another alternate benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar U.S. dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks and, in each case, including any Related Adjustments and any other mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar U.S. dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such benchmarks, which adjustment or method for calculating such adjustment shall be published on an information service as selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time in its reasonable discretion and may be periodically updated. For the avoidance of doubt, any such proposed rate and adjustments shall constitute a LIBOR Successor Rate. Any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Requisite Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Requisite Lenders object to such amendment.

(e) If, at the end of any Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined in accordance with clauses (c) or (d) of this Section 3.3 and the circumstances under clauses (c)(i) or (c)(iii) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans, Interest Periods, interest payment dates or payment periods), and (y) the Eurodollar Rate

 

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component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate, until the LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined in accordance with clauses (c) or (d). Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans, Interest Periods, interest payment dates or payment periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified therein.

SECTION 3.4 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender) or any Issuer;

(ii) subject any Lender or any Issuer to any Tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the Issuer in respect thereof (except for any Excluded Taxes or any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes indemnified or otherwise paid under Section 3.1); or

(iii) impose on any Lender or any Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein, in each case that is not otherwise accounted for in this clause (a);

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, from time to time within fifteen (15) days after demand by such Lender or Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail such increased costs (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or any Issuer reasonably determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or such Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Lender or the Loans

 

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made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuer or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender or such Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail the charge and the calculation of such reduced rate of return (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuer or such Lender’s or such Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or an Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 3.4 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.4 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.4 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or such Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180 day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

SECTION 3.5 Funding Losses. Upon written demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, which demand shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.7;

 

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including any loss or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits or margin) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.

SECTION 3.6 Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.4, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, any Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or any Issuer pursuant to Section 3.1, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.2, then such Lender or such Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or such Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.4, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.2, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or such Issuer, as the case may be in any material economic, legal or regulatory respect.

(b) Suspension of Lender Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under Section 3.4, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans from one Interest Period to another Interest Period, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.6(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

(c) Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans. If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in Sections 3.2, 3.3 or 3.4 hereof that gave rise to the conversion of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Loans no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurodollar Rate Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans of a given Class held by the Lenders of such Class holding Eurodollar Rate Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

SECTION 3.7 Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances.

If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.4 or ceases to make Eurodollar Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.2 or Section 3.4, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.1, (iii) any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender or (iv) any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon

 

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notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 12.2), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to one or more Eligible Assignees that shall assume such obligations (any of which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 12.2(b)(iv);

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.5) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) such Lender being replaced pursuant to this Section 3.7 shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans, and (ii) deliver any Revolving Credit Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or Administrative Agent (or a lost or destroyed note indemnity in lieu thereof); provided that the failure of any such Lender to execute an Assignment and Assumption or deliver such Revolving Credit Notes shall not render such sale and purchase (and the corresponding assignment) invalid and such assignment shall be recorded in the Register and the Revolving Credit Notes shall be deemed to be canceled upon such failure;

(d) pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption, (i) the Eligible Assignee shall acquire all or a portion, as the case may be, of the assigning Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and outstanding Loans, (ii) the Eligible Assignee shall purchase, at par, all Loans, accrued interest, accrued fees and other amounts owing to the assigning Lender as of the date of replacement and (iii) upon such payment (regardless of whether such replaced Lender has executed an Assignment and Assumption or delivered its Revolving Credit Notes to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), the Eligible Assignee shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Revolving Credit Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender;

(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.4 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.1, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(f) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

In the event that (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent has requested that the Lenders consent to a departure or waiver of any provisions of the Loan Documents or agree to any amendment thereto, (ii) the consent, waiver or amendment in question requires the agreement of each Lender, all affected Lenders or all the Lenders or all affected Lenders with respect to a

 

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certain Class or Classes of the Loans and (iii) the Requisite Lenders or the requisite Lenders of the applicable Class or Classes of the Loans, have agreed to such consent, waiver or amendment, then any Lender who does not agree to such consent, waiver or amendment shall be deemed a “Non-Consenting Lender.”

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 3.8 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

SECTION 4.1 Conditions Precedent to Effective DateEffectiveness of this Agreement.

The effectiveness of this Agreement shall beon the Effective Date was subject to the satisfaction or due waiver in accordance with Section 12.1 of each of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (the date on which such conditions arewere satisfied or waived being herein in accordance with Section 12.1 shall be the “Effective Date”):

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles or other electronic image scan transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif ” via e-mail) (in each case followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Ratification Agreement;

(ii) a Revolving Credit Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender that has requested a Revolving Credit Note at least two (2) Business Days in advance of the Effective Date;

(iii) evidence that all UCC financing statements required by Law to be filed, registered or recorded to create or perfect the Lien of the Collateral Agent on the Collateral have been so filed, registered or recorded;

(iv) such certificates of good standing from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, copies of each Loan Party’s Constituent Documents, certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as

 

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the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the authority of each Loan Party to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party and the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party on the Effective Date;

(v) an opinion from Latham & Watkins LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1, and an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2;

(vi) a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the Refinancing Transactions) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit O;

(vii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents as of the Effective Date, has been obtained and is in effect and that the Collateral Agent has been named as lender loss payee and/or additional insured, as applicable, under each insurance policy with respect to such insurance as to which the Collateral Agent shall have requested to be so named;

(viii) copies of a recent Lien and judgment search in each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Loan Parties;

(ix) a Borrowing Base Certificate, certified as complete and correct in all material respects, which calculates the Borrowing Base as of the last Business Day of the most recent month ended at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Effective Date; and

(x) to the extent not previously delivered in connection with the Original Credit Agreement, copies of Credit Card Notifications which have been executed on behalf of such Loan Party to be delivered to such Loan Party’s Credit Card Processors listed on Schedule 8.12.

(b) All fees and expenses required to be paid hereunder and invoiced at least two (2) Business Days before the Effective Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower) shall have been paid in full in cash.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence that (i) substantially concurrently with the funding under the Term Facility, an amount equal to $271,825,000 in principal amount of Senior Notes shall have been redeemed, and (ii)the Borrower shall have received at least $725,000,000 in gross cash proceeds from borrowings under the First Lien Term Facility, and substantially concurrently therewith, all amounts due and owing under the Existing Term Facility shall have been repaid and the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the arrangements in place to ensure all Liens securing the Existing Term Facility shall have been terminated..

 

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(d) The Intercreditor Agreement and theintercreditor agreement, dated as of the Effective Date, and the First Lien Term Facility Documentation required to be delivered under the First Lien Term Facility Credit Agreement on the Closing Date (as defined therein) shall have been duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, and shall be in full force and effect.

(e) After giving effect to the Refinancing Transactions, Excess Availability shall be not less than $200,000,000.

(f) The Arrangers shall have received (i) the Effective Date Annual Financial Statements, (ii) the Effective Date Quarterly Financial Statements.

(g) The Arrangers shall have received at least five days prior to the Effective Date all documentation and other information reasonably requested in writing by them at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Effective Date in order to allow the Arrangers and the Lenders to comply with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.3, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.1, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

SECTION 4.2 Conditions Precedent to Each Loan and Letter of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender on any date to make any Loan and of each Issuer on any date to Issue any Letter of Credit is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Request for Borrowing or Issuance of Letter of Credit. With respect to any Loan, the Administrative Agent shall have received a duly executed Notice of Borrowing (or, in the case of Swing Loans, a duly executed Swing Loan Request), and, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuer shall have received a duly executed Letter of Credit Request.

(b) Representations and Warranties; No Defaults. The following statements shall be true on the date of such Loan or Issuance, both immediately before and immediately after giving effect thereto and, in the case of any Loan, giving effect to the application of the proceeds thereof:

(i) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document (or, if the

 

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applicable Loan is being incurred in connection with a Revolving Commitment Increase the proceeds of which are to fund a Permitted Acquisition or similar permitted Investment, the Specified Representations) shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates; and

(ii) (x) except in the case of the initial Credit Extension on the Effective Date, no Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, and (y) no Event of Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

(c) Borrowing Base. After giving effect to the Loans or Letters of Credit requested to be made or Issued on any such date and the use of proceeds thereof, the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Maximum Credit at such time.

Each submission by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Borrowing or a Swing Loan Request and the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of each Loan requested therein, and each submission by the Borrower to an Issuer of a Letter of Credit Request, and the Issuance of each Letter of Credit requested therein, shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the conditions specified in clause (b) above have been satisfied on and as of the date of the making of such Loan or the Issuance of such Letter of Credit.

The conditions set forth in this Section 4.2 are for the sole benefit of the Secured Parties but until the Requisite Lenders otherwise direct the Administrative Agent to cease making Loans, the Lenders will fund their Applicable Percentage of all Loans and Letter of Credit Borrowings and participate in all Swing Loans and Letters of Credit whenever made or issued, which are requested by the Borrower and which, notwithstanding the failure of the Loan Parties to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.2, are agreed to by the Administrative Agent, provided, however, the making of any such Loans or the issuance of any Letters of Credit shall not be deemed a modification or waiver by any Secured Party of the provisions of this Section 4.2 on any future occasion or a waiver of any rights or the Secured Parties against the Loan Parties as a result of any such failure to comply.

SECTION 4.3 Determinations of Effective Date Borrowing Conditions.

For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 4.1, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved, accepted or be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer of the Administrative Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents shall have received notice

 

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from such Lender prior to the Borrowing on the Effective Date, borrowing of Swing Loans or Issuance or deemed Issuance hereunder specifying its objection thereto and such Lender shall not have made available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Ratable Portion of such Borrowing or Swing Loans.

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

To induce the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent to enter into this Agreement, each of Holdings and the Borrower represents and warrants each of the following to the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent, on and as of the First Amendment Effective Date and after giving effect to the making of the Loans and the other financial accommodations on the First Amendment Effective Date and on and as of each date as required by Section 4.2(b)(i):

SECTION 5.1 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Material Subsidiary (a) is a Person duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), (b) has all corporate or other organizational power and authority to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all applicable Laws, orders, writs, injunctions and orders and (e) has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case referred to in clause (c), (d) or (e), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.2 Authorization; No Contravention. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action. (b) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party nor the consummation of the Refinancing Transactionstransactions contemplated by the First Amendment will (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Constituent Documents, (ii) result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Person or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than as permitted under Section 9.1) under (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any applicable Law; except with respect to any breach, contravention or violation (but not creation of Liens) referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent that such breach, contravention or violation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 5.3 Governmental Authorization. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for (i) filings necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings that have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect and (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.4 Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

SECTION 5.5 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) (i) The Annual Financial Statements and the Quarterly Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, (A) except as otherwise expressly noted therein and (B) subject, in the case of the Quarterly Financial Statements, to changes resulting from, normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(b) Since the Effective Datedate of the Annual Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The forecasts of consolidated balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, copies of which have been furnished to the Administrative Agent prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, and all Projections delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(d) have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time made, it being understood that projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and actual results may vary materially from such forecasts.

SECTION 5.6 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Holdings, the Borrower, or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 5.7 Labor Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes or other labor disputes against any of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened and (b) since February 2, 20132017, hours worked by and payment made based on hours worked to employees of each of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries have not been in material violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Laws dealing with wage and hour matters.

SECTION 5.8 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and except where the failure to have such title or other interest would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.9 Environmental Matters.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries and their respective operations is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (including having obtained all Environmental Permits) and (ii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has become subject to any pending, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened Environmental Claim or any other Environmental Liability.

(b) None of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has released, treated, stored, transported, arranged for transport or disposed of Hazardous Materials at or from any currently or formerly owned or operated real estate or facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.10 Taxes. Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (i) have timely filed all federal and state and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and (ii) have timely paid all federal and state and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges (including satisfying its withholding tax obligations) levied or imposed on their properties, income or assets or otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.

SECTION 5.11 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state Laws.

(b) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan; (iii) none of

 

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the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 et seq. or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; (iv) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or has been determined to be in “endangered” or critical status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA) and no such Multiemployer Plan is expected to be insolvent or endangered or critical status, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.11(b), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except where noncompliance or the incurrence of an obligation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Foreign Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of any and all applicable laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders, and neither Holdings nor any Subsidiary has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign Plan.

(d) Borrower represents and warrants, as of the First Amendment Effective Date and throughout the term of this Agreement, at least one of the following is and will be true with respect to the Borrower:

(i) the Borrower is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to the Borrower’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Revolving Credit Commitments or this Agreement,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to the Borrower’s entering into and performance of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Revolving Credit Commitments and each action or obligation hereunder and thereunder,

(iii) (A) the Borrower is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Borrower to enter into and perform this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Revolving Credit Commitments

 

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and each action or obligation hereunder and thereunder, (C) the entering into and performance of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Revolving Credit Commitments and each action or obligation hereunder and thereunder, each satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of the Borrower, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to the Borrower’s entering into and performance of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Revolving Credit Commitments and each action or obligation hereunder and thereunder, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and the Borrower.

(e) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (d) is true with respect to the Borrower or (2) the Borrower has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (d), the Borrower further represents and warrants, as of the date hereof and throughout the term of this Agreement, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of the Borrower involved in the Borrower’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Revolving Credit Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

SECTION 5.12 Subsidiaries. As of the First Amendment Effective Date, neither Holdings nor any other Loan Party has any Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.12, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have been validly issued and are fully paid and (if applicable) nonassessable, and all Equity Interests owned by Holdings or any other Loan Party are owned free and clear of all security interests of any person except (i) those created under the Collateral Documents or under the Term Facility Documentation and secured Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation (which Liens shall be subject to the Intercreditor Agreement) and (ii) any nonconsensual Lien that is permitted under Section 9.1. As of the First Amendment Effective Date, Schedule 5.12 (a) sets forth the name and jurisdiction of each Subsidiary, (b) sets forth the ownership interest of Holdings, the Borrower and any other Subsidiary in each Subsidiary, including the percentage of such ownership and (c) identifies each Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which are required to be pledged on the First Amendment Effective Date pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

SECTION 5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) As of the First Amendment Effective Date, none of the Collateral is comprised of any Margin Stock. No Loan Party is engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Federal Reserve Board), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, and no proceeds of any Borrowings will be used for any purpose that violates Regulation U.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

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SECTION 5.14 Disclosure. None of the information and data heretofore or contemporaneously furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party to any Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) when taken as a whole contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make such information and data (taken as a whole), in the light of the circumstances under which it was delivered, not materially misleading; it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5.14, such information and data shall not include projections and pro forma financial information or information of a general economic or general industry nature. As of the First Amendment Effective Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects.

SECTION 5.15 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or a valid license or right to use, all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, technology, software, know-how, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to have any such rights, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, the operation of the respective businesses of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon, misuse, misappropriate or violate any IP Rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misuses, misappropriations or violations individually or in the aggregate, that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No written claim or litigation regarding any IP Rights is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against any Loan Party or Subsidiary, that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.16 Solvency. After giving effect to the Refinancing Transactionstransactions contemplated by the First Amendment, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated basis, are Solvent.

SECTION 5.17 OFAC; Sanctions. Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, Affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction. (a Sanctioned Person). No proceeds of any Loan made or Letter of Credit issued hereunder will be used directly, or to the Borrowers knowledge, indirectly, to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in, or make any payments to, a

 

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Sanctioned Person, or otherwise used in any manner that would result in a violation of any applicable Sanctions by any Person (including any Secured Party or other individual or entity participating in any transaction).

SECTION 5.18 USA PATRIOT Act. To the extent applicable, each of Holdings and its Subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto and (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act. No part of the proceeds of the Loans or any Letters of Credit will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in any jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.19 Collateral Documents. The provisions of the Collateral Documents, together with such filings and other actions required to be, and when, taken hereby or by the applicable Collateral Documents (including the delivery to Collateral Agent of any Pledged Debt and any Pledged Equity required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Collateral Documents), are, and will be, effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a legal, valid and enforceable first priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement) on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral described therein.

SECTION 5.20 Anti-Corruption Laws.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws in all material respects.

SECTION 5.21 EEA Financial Institution.

No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

 

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ARTICLE VI

FINANCIAL COVENANT

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuer), the Borrower agrees with the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent to the following:

SECTION 6.1 Minimum Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

At any time that a Covenant Trigger Event shall be in effect, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the Test Period ending on the last day of the most recent Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries were required to have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b), as applicable, and each subsequent Test Period during the continuance of such Covenant Trigger Event, shall be not less than 1.0 to 1.0 and the Borrower shall immediately deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of the chief financial officer setting forth reasonably detailed calculations of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

ARTICLE VII

REPORTING COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3) cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 7.1 Financial Statements, Etc.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender each of the following and shall take the following actions:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety-five (95) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Year, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Year together with related notes thereto and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities, management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any explanatory statement (other than an “emphasis of matter” paragraph) or any “going concern” or like qualification or

 

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exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the Term Facility, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), the Senior Notes and/or the TopCo Notes or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness);or exception resulting from or relating to (i) an actual or anticipated breach of the financial covenant set forth in Section 6.1, (ii) an upcoming maturity date or (iii) any Unrestricted Subsidiary);

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within fifty (50) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each of the first three (3) Fiscal Quarters of each Fiscal Year of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal Quarter, and the related (i) Consolidated statements of income or operations for such Fiscal Quarter and for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended and (ii) Consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding Fiscal Quarter of the previous Fiscal Year and the corresponding portion of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (together with and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities’ management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations);

(c) as soon as available, but in any eventfor each month ending after the date on which Excess Availability is less than 20% of the Maximum Credit then in effect for five (5) consecutive Business Days (the “Specified Trigger Date”) until the date on which Excess Availability has been at least 20% of the Maximum Credit then in effect for twenty (20) consecutive calendar days, then within thirty (30) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each of the first two months of each Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower, a Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such month, and the related Consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows and a summary of Capital Expenditures, for such month and the elapsed portion of its Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding month of the previous Fiscal Year and the corresponding portion of the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail and fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes, and so long as provided to the holders of the Borrowers or any of its direct or indirect parent companies debt securities together with managements discussion and analysis describing results of operations; (the Monthly Financial Statements); provided that after the occurrence of the Specified Trigger Date, the Borrower shall be required to deliver the Monthly Financial Statements for at least one month;

 

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(d) within ninety (90) days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree) after the end of each Fiscal Year, a reasonably detailed Consolidated budget for the following Fiscal Year as customarily prepared by management of the Borrower for its internal use (including a projected Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following Fiscal Year, the related Consolidated statements of projected operations, projected cash flow, projected income and projected Excess Availability and setting forth the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) in each case on a monthly basis (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material;

(e) simultaneously with the delivery of each set of Consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) above, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such Consolidated financial statements; and

(f) quarterly, at a time mutually agreed with the Administrative Agent that is promptly after the delivery of the information required pursuant to clause (a) above and the information delivered pursuant to clause (b) above for each Fiscal Quarter, participate in a conference call for Lenders to discuss the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently-ended period for which financial statements have been delivered, which requirement may be satisfied by including the Lenders and the Administrative Agent on quarterly conference calls with the Term Facility Lenders or the noteholders in respect of the Senior Notes or any other debt securities of Holdings or the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 7.1 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower that holds all of the Equity Interests of the Borrower (a Parent Entity) or (B) the Borrower’s or such entity’s Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that, with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Borrower (or such parent), on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 7.1(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit other than as permitted by Section 7.1(a).

 

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SECTION 7.2 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender:

(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1(a) and Section 7.1(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower; provided that if such Compliance Certificate demonstrates an Event of Default of any financial covenant pursuant to Section 6.1, any of the Permitted Holders may deliver, prior to or together with such Compliance Certificate, a notice of their intent to cure (a “Notice of Intent to Cure”) pursuant to Section 10.4 to the extent permitted thereunder;

(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports, proxy statements and registration statements which Holdings or the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary files with the SEC or with any Governmental Authority that may be substituted therefor or with any national securities exchange, as the case may be (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8), and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 7.2;

(c) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statements or material reports furnished to any holder of any class or series of debt securities of any Loan Party having an aggregate outstanding principal amount greater than $35,000,000the Threshold Amount or pursuant to the terms of the Term Facility Credit Agreement or the Senior Notes IndentureAgreements, in each case, so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereunder is greater than $35,000,000the Threshold Amount and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 7.2;

(d) together with the delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) and each Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 7.2(a), (i) a report setting forth the information required by Section 3.033.3(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Effective Date or the date of the last such report), (ii) a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last Fiscal Quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.9 and (iii) a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Effective Date and the date of the last such list;

(e) on the date on which the delivery of financial statements is required to be made pursuant to Section 7.1(a), the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent a description, in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of all material insurance coverage maintained by the Loan Parties, together with evidence thereof;

 

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(f) prior to the making of any Specified Payment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio and applicable Excess Availability as required pursuant to clausesclause (b) and (c) of the definitions of “Payment Conditions” or “RP Conditions,” as applicable, together with a certification that no Event of Default exists or would arise as a result of the making of the subject Specified Payment, and in the case of a Permitted Acquisition, that the requirements of the definition of “Permitted Acquisition” have been satisfied;

(g) furnish to the Agents (i) prompt written notice of any change (A) in any Loan Party’s corporate name, (B) in any Loan Party’s identity or corporate structure or jurisdiction of formation or (C) in any Loan Party’s Federal Taxpayer Identification Number; and (ii) with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate, written notice of any change from the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate, (A) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, or (B) in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility);

(h) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.1(a), Section 7.1(b) and Section 7.1(c)(if applicable), notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP);

(i) concurrently with the delivery of each Borrowing Base Certificate pursuant to Section 7.4, notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent but only to the extent that such changes materially affect the calculation of the Borrowing Base (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP);

(j) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, legal, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender reasonably request.; and

(k) promptly following any request therefor, provide information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the USA PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or (b) or Section 7.2(c) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 12.8; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or

 

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another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 12.17); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information”; and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”

SECTION 7.3 Notices.

Promptly after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent who shall promptly thereafter notify each Lender:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

(b) of (i) any dispute, litigation, investigation or proceeding between any Loan Party and any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, (ii) the filing or commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws or in respect of IP Rights, the occurrence of any noncompliance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with, or liability under, any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit, or

 

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(iii) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, in any such case referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c) any termination, withdrawal or resignation of Holdings’ or any BorrowersBorrower s Registered Public Accounting Firm.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 7.3 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Section 7.3(a), (b) or (c) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 7.4 Borrowing Base Certificate.

(a) Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with the following documents in a form and detail reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agentto be generally consistent with the form and detail of such documents provided in past practices as soon as possible after the end of each calendar month (but in any event within fifteen (15) Business Days after the end thereof) for prompt further distribution to each Lender: a Borrowing Base Certificate setting forth the calculation of the Borrowing Base and of Excess Availability as of the last Business Day of the immediately preceding calendar month, duly completed and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, together with all schedules required pursuant to the terms of the Borrowing Base Certificate duly completed (such certification, a “Monthly Borrowing Base Certificate”); provided that the Borrower may elect, at its option, to deliver more frequent Borrowing Base Certificates, in which case such Borrowing Base Certificates shall be computed in accordance with the requirements in respect of Borrowing Base Certificates required to be delivered during the continuance of a Weekly Monitoring Event and the Borrower shall continue to deliver Borrowing Base Certificates on a weekly basis until January 15th of the next succeeding calendar year.

(b) At any time during the occurrence and continuation of a Weekly Monitoring Event, the Borrower shall furnish a Borrowing Base Certificate calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the immediately preceding calendar week, on Wednesday of each week (or, if Wednesday is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day).

(c) The Borrower shall also cooperate with (and cause its Subsidiaries to cooperate with) the Administrative Agent, in connection with appraisals of Inventory that shall be in form and detail and from third-party appraisers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (each, an “Inventory Appraisal”) for the purpose of determining the amount of the Borrowing Base attributable to Inventory; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, (x) (i) one (1) Inventory Appraisal during any twelve month period, (ii) at any time on or after the date on which Excess Availability has been less than the greater of (A) $55,000,000 and (B) 20% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, two (2) Inventory Appraisals in any twelve month period, and (iii) at any time during the continuation of a Specified Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the

 

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Borrower’s expense, Inventory Appraisals as frequently as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion and (y) in addition to the foregoing clause (x), the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Lenders’ expense, one (1) additional Inventory Appraisal in any twelve month period. The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent any information that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request regarding the determination and calculation of the Borrowing Base including correct and complete copies of any invoices, underlying agreements, instruments or other documents and the identity of all Account Debtors in respect of Accounts referred to therein.

(d) The Administrative Agent may carry out investigations and reviews of each Loan Party’s property at the reasonable expense of the Borrower (including field audits conducted by the Administrative Agent) (“Field Examination”); provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, (x) (i) one (1) Field Examination in any twelve month period, (ii) at any time on or after the date on which Excess Availability has been less than the greater of (A) $55,000,000 and (B) 20% of the Maximum Credit, in each case, for five (5) consecutive Business Days, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, two (2) Field Examinations in any twelve month period, and (iii) at any time during the continuation of a Specified Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Borrower’s expense, Field Examinations as frequently as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion and (y) in addition to the foregoing clause (x), the Administrative Agent may carry out, at the Lenders’ expense, one (1) additional Field Examination in any calendar year. The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent any information that the Administrative Agent may reasonably request regarding the determination and calculation of the Borrowing Base including correct and complete copies of any invoices, underlying agreements, instruments or other documents and the identity of all Account Debtors in respect of Accounts referred to therein.

ARTICLE VIII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall, and shall cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 8.1 Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) take all reasonable action to obtain, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clause (a) or (b) to the extent (other than with respect to the

 

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preservation of the existence of Holdings and the Borrower) that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or is pursuant to any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or Disposition permitted by Article IX.

SECTION 8.2 Compliance with Laws, Etc.

Comply in all material respects with its Constituent Documents and the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected individually or in the aggregate to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 8.3 Designation of Subsidiaries.

The board of directors of the Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such designation for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 is less than or equal to 5.25 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (and, as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of any such designation, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations demonstrating satisfaction of such test) and (iii) no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, after such designation, it would be a “Restricted Subsidiary” for the purpose of theany Term Facility, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing or any other Indebtedness for borrowed money of any Loan Party in a principal amount in excess of $35,000,00045,000,000. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary after the Effective Date may not be subsequently re-designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 8.4 Payment of Taxes, Etc.

Timely pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy, as the same shall become due and payable, all of its obligations and liabilities in respect of taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its property,

 

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except, in each case, to the extent (i) any such tax, assessment, charge or levy is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP or (ii) the failure to pay or discharge the same would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 8.5 Maintenance of Insurance.

Maintain with insurance companies that the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of its management) are financially sound and reputable at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, 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 (after giving effect to any self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, and will furnish to the Lenders, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. Each such policy of insurance shall, as appropriate, (i) name the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and/or (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a lenders loss payable clause or endorsement reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent that names the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as the lenders loss payee thereunder (it being agreed and acknowledged that the lenders loss payable clause or endorsement in effect as of the First Amendment Effective Date is reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent).

SECTION 8.6 Inspection Rights.

In addition to the requirements pursuant to Section 7.4, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lenderthe Requisite Lenders to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants (subject to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures), all at the reasonable expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Requisite Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Requisite Lenders under this Section 8.6 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two (2) times during any calendar year absent the existence of an Event of Default and only one (1) such time shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided further that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lenderthe Requisite Lenders (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8.6, none of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or

 

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other matter that (a) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (b) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by Law or any bona fide arm’s length third party contract, or (c) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

SECTION 8.7 Books and Records.

Maintain proper books of record and account, in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

SECTION 8.8 Maintenance of Properties.

Except if the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment used in the operation of its business in good working order, repair and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and casualty or condemnation excepted.

SECTION 8.9 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit only in compliance with (and not in contravention of) applicable Laws and, with each Loan Document, including to refinance Indebtedness in connection with the Refinancing Transactions and to pay costs and expenses relating thereto. and with the representations set forth in Sections 5.17 and 5.18 regarding use of proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit.

SECTION 8.10 Compliance with Environmental Laws.

Except, in each case, to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) comply, and take all reasonable actions to cause any lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; (b) obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and, (c) in each case to the extent required by applicable Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, in accordance with the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws.

SECTION 8.11 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security.

At the Borrower’s expense, subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitation in any Collateral Document, take all action necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement continues to be satisfied, including, upon (x) the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary (in each case, other than an Excluded Subsidiary) by any Loan

 

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Party, the designation in accordance with Section 8.3 of any existing direct or indirect Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Subsidiary becoming a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Domestic Subsidiary or (y) the acquisition of any material assets by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or (z) with respect to any Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Loan Party, for any material assets held by such Subsidiary (in each case, other than assets constituting Collateral under a Collateral Document that becomes subject to the Lien created by such Collateral Document upon acquisition thereof (without limitation of the obligations to perfect such Lien)):

(a) within forty-five (45) days after such formation, acquisition or designation or, in each case, such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion:

(i) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent Security Agreement Supplements, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other security agreements and documents, as reasonably requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (consistent with the Security Agreement, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other Collateral Documents in effect on the First Amendment Effective Date), in each case granting Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(ii) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to deliver any and all certificates representing Equity Interests (to the extent certificated) that are required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank (or any other documents customary under local law) and instruments evidencing the intercompany Indebtedness held by such Material Domestic Subsidiary and required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents, indorsed in blank to the Collateral Agent;

(iii) (1) take and cause any applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary and each direct or indirect parent of such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to take whatever action (including the filing of UCC financing statements and delivery of stock and membership interest certificates to the extent certificated) may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, enforceable against all third parties in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law) and (2) comply with the requirements of Section 8.12 with respect to all Deposit Accounts; and

(b) within forty-five (45) days after the request therefor by the Administrative Agent (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion),

 

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deliver to the Administrative Agent a signed copy of an opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, of counsel for the Loan Parties reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to such matters set forth in this Section 8.11 as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

SECTION 8.12 Cash Receipts.

(a) Use commercially reasonable efforts to enter into as soon as possible, and in any event on or prior to the date that occurs ninety (90) days after theFirst Amendment Effective Date (or such longer period following such date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), enter into an effective account control agreement (a “Deposit Account Control Agreement”) with each Approved Account Bank, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with respect to each Deposit Account in which material amounts (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) of funds of any of the Loan Parties are concentrated (including those existing as of the First Amendment Effective Date and listed on Schedule 8.12 attached hereto, andbut excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, petty cash, payroll, trust and tax withholding accounts) any Excluded Account (collectively, all Deposit Accounts required to become subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement being referred to as the “Material Bank Accounts”).

(b) Each Loan Party shall (i) instruct each Account Debtor or other Person obligated to make a payment to any of them under any Account to make payment, or to continue to make payment, to an Approved Deposit Account, (ii) deposit in (A) a Store Account all Cash Receipts received in the Stores, and (B) an Approved Deposit Account promptly upon receipt all other Cash Receipts (as defined below) received by any Loan Party from any other Person, (iii) deliver to the Administrative Agent, onprior to the First Amendment Effective Date, Credit Card Notifications (it being agreed and acknowledged that as of the First Amendment Effective Date the Administrative Agent has received such Credit Card Notifications) and (iv) instruct each depository institution for a Deposit Account (including, without limitation, Store Accounts) to cause all amounts on deposit and available at the close of each Business Day in such Deposit Account to be swept to one of the Loan Parties’ Approved Deposit Accounts no less frequently than on a daily basis, such instructions to be irrevocable unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent; provided that the Loan Parties shall not be required to sweep, and may maintain, an amount not to exceed $1,000,0002,000,000 in the aggregate in all of the Store Accounts. So long as no Cash Dominion Period is continuing, the Loan Parties may direct, and shall have sole control over, the manner of disposition of funds in the Approved Deposit Accounts, in each case subject to the other provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(c) Each Credit Card Notification and Deposit Account Control Agreement shall require (without further consent of the Loan Parties), and the Loan Parties shall cause, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period and subject to the Intercreditor Agreement, the ACH or wire transfer no less frequently than daily (and whether or not there are then any outstanding Obligations) to the concentration account maintained at Bank of America (or at another financial institution acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) by and in the name of the Borrower (the “Concentration Account”), of all cash receipts and collections, including, without limitation, the following (collectively, the “Cash Receipts”):

(i) all available cash receipts from the sale of Inventory and other Collateral or casualty insurance proceeds arising from any of the foregoing;

 

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(ii) all proceeds of collections of Accounts (including, without limitation, Credit Card Receivables);

(iii) the then contents of each Deposit Account (including, without limitation, any Approved Deposit Account subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement and any Store Account) (net of any minimum balance as may be required to be kept in the subject Deposit Account by the institution at which such Deposit Account is maintained);

(iv) the cash proceeds of all credit card charges; and

(v) all cash proceeds of any other Collateral.

(d) The Concentration Account shall at all times be under the sole dominion and control of the Collateral Agent. The Loan Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that (i) the Loan Parties have no right of withdrawal from the Concentration Account, (ii) the funds on deposit in the Concentration Account shall at all times be collateral security for all of the Obligations, and (iii) the funds on deposit in the Concentration Account shall be applied as provided in this Agreement and in the Intercreditor Agreement. In the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8.12, any Loan Party receives or otherwise has dominion and control of any such proceeds or collections during a Cash Dominion Period, such proceeds and collections shall be held in trust by such Loan Party for the Collateral Agent, shall not be commingled with any of such Loan Party’s other funds or deposited in any account of such Loan Party and shall, not later than the Business Day after receipt thereof, be deposited into the Concentration Account or dealt with in such other fashion as such Loan Party may be instructed by the Administrative Agent. Any amounts received in the Concentration Account at any time when all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full shall be remitted to the operating account of the Loan Parties maintained with the Administrative Agent.

(e) From and after the First Amendment Effective Date, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Loan Documents, each Loan Party shall maintain all Material Bank Accounts with the Administrative Agent or another financial institution reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent that has executed and delivered such Deposit Account Control Agreements in respect of each such Material Bank Account.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall promptly (but in any event shall use its commercially reasonable efforts within one (1) Business Day to) furnish written notice to each Approved Account Bank at which any Approved Deposit Account which is subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement is maintained) of any termination of a Cash Dominion Period.

 

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SECTION 8.13 Further Assurances.

Subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitations in any Collateral Document and in each case at the expense of the Loan Parties:

(a) Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or as may be required by applicable law (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral, and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents;

(b) In the event that any Loan Parties grants a Lien permitted under Section 9.1 hereof on any property which does not constitute Current Asset Collateral, or in the event that any Loan Party Disposes of any such property used or useful in connection with the Current Asset Collateral, the Loan Parties shall, upon the request of the Collateral Agent, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Lienholder or such purchaser or transferee, as applicable, to execute and deliver an agreement in favor of the Collateral Agent granting the Collateral Agent the right to use such property on terms and for periods of time substantially consistent with the provisions of Section 3.6 of the Intercreditor Agreement.

(b) [Reserved].

ARTICLE IX

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding (unless the Outstanding Amount of the Letter of Credit Obligations related thereto has been Cash Collateralized or back-stopped by a letter of credit in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall not (and, with respect to Section 9.13, only Holdings shall not), nor shall the Borrower permit any Restricted Subsidiary to:

SECTION 9.1 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

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(b) Liens existing on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 9.1(b);

(c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP;

(d) statutory or common law Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens or other customary Liens (other than in respect of Indebtedness) in favor of landlords, so long as, in each case, such Liens arise in the ordinary course of business that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or, if more than thirty (30) days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(e) (i) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, and (ii) pledges and deposits in the ordinary course of business securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and title defects affecting real property that, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the use of the property for its intended purpose;

(h) Liens arising from judgments or orders for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 10.1(g);

(i) (i) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(e); provided that (A) such Liens attach concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after completion of the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (as applicable) of the property subject to such Liens, (B) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, replacements thereof and additions and accessions to such property

 

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and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits, (C) such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for additions and accessions to such assets, replacements and products thereof and customary security deposits) other than the assets subject to, or acquired, constructed, repaired, replaced or improved with the proceeds of such Indebtedness; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender, and (D) if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Loan Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the holder of such Lien to enter into a Collateral Access Agreement, and (ii) Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries that are Non-Loan Parties securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to Section 9.3(l);

(j) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

(k) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Liens (i) on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 9.2(i) or Section 9.2(m) to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or (ii) consisting of an agreement to Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 9.5, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(m) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(n) Liens on property of any Foreign Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Sections 9.3(b), (l), (r) or (v);

(o) Liens in favor of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(d);

(p) Liens existing on property (other than Current Asset Collateral unless the Liens thereon are subordinated to the Lien of the Collateral Agent in a manner consistent with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement) at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 8.3), in each case after the First Amendment Effective Date (other than Liens on the Equity Interests of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after-acquired property of such acquired Restricted Subsidiary), and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 9.3(e) or (v);

 

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(q) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor or secured by a lessor’s, sublessor’s, licensor’s or sublicensor’s interest under leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or licenses entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(r) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(s) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under Section 9.2 and reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(t) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement not prohibited hereunder;

(u) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are located;

(v) purported Liens evidenced by the filing of precautionary UCC financing statements or similar public filings;

(w) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(p) and other obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Cash Management Obligation (in each case, as defined in each of the Term Facility Credit AgreementAgreements) permitted under Section 9.3(p), which Liens shall be subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement (or, in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect thereof, another intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement);

(x) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-208 of the UCC on the items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodities brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(y) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(z) the modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Lien permitted by clauses (b), (i) and (o) of this Section 9.1; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or

 

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incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3(e), and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens is permitted by Section 9.3;

(aa) rights of set-off against credit balances of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors or amounts owing by such Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, but not rights of set-off against any other property or assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the agreements with such Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors (as in effect on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date) to secure the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors as a result of fees and chargebacks;

(bb) without duplication of, or aggregation with, any other Lien permitted under any other clause of this Section 9.1, other Liens (not covering Current Asset Collateral unless the Liens thereon are subordinated to the Lien of the Collateral Agent in a manner consistent with the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement) securing Indebtedness permitted under (i) Section 9.3(s) (subject to the requirements set forth therein) or (ii) any other clause contained in Section 9.3 outstanding in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of $40,000,00050,000,000 and 2.003.50% of Total Assets at any time outstanding;

(cc) deposits of cash with the owner or lessor of premises leased and operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and such Subsidiary to secure the performance of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under the terms of the lease for such premises; and

(dd) Liens that are contractual rights of setoff (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks or other financial institutions not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness or (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

SECTION 9.2 Investments.

Make or hold any Investments, except:

(a) Investments by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in assets that are cash and Cash Equivalents;

(b) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof; provided that, to the

 

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extent such loans or advances are made in cash, the amount of such loans and advances used to acquire such Equity Interests shall be contributed to Holdings in cash) and (iii) for any other purpose, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding under this clause (b) not to exceed $17,500,00022,000,000;

(c) Investments (i) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, (ii) by any Non-Loan Party in any other Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) by any Non-Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and (iv) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.2, by any Loan Party in any Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) any such Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) in the form of intercompany loans shall be evidenced by notes that have been pledged (individually or pursuant to a global note) to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders (it being understood and agreed that any Investments permitted under this clause (iv) that are not so evidenced as of the Effective Date are not required to be so evidenced and pledged until the date that is sixty (60) days after the Effective Date (or such later date as may be acceptable to the Administrative Agent)) and (B) the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) shall not exceed $22,500,00028,500,000 at any time outstanding unless the Payment Conditions have been met at the time of, and after giving effect to, each such Investment (in which event the $22,500,00028,500,000 limit shall not apply to such Investment);

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments consisting of Liens, Indebtedness, fundamental changes, Dispositions and Restricted Payments permitted under Sections 9.1, 9.3 (other than 9.3(c)(ii) or (d)), 9.4 (other than 9.4(c)(ii), or (e)), 9.5 (other than 9.5(d) or (e)) and 9.6 (other than 9.6(d) or (g)(iv)), respectively;

(f) Investments existing on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date or made pursuant to legally binding written contracts in existence on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date, in each case, set forth on Schedule 9.2(f) and any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension of any of the foregoing; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 9.2(f) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the First Amendment Effective Date except pursuant to the terms of such Investment as of the First Amendment Effective Date or as otherwise permitted by another clause of this Section 9.2;

(g) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 9.3;

 

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(h) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration that is permitted to be received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 9.5;

(i) Permitted Acquisitions;

(j) Investments made to effect the Transaction[Reserved];

(k) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment;

(l) loans and advances to Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to Holdings (or such direct or indirect parent) in accordance with Section 9.6(f) or (g);

(m) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.2, other Investments that do not exceed $22,500,00028,500,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding, determined as of the date of such Investment;

(n) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

(o) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof)

(p) Investments held by a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the First Amendment Effective Date or of a Person merged into the Borrower or merged or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 9.4 after the First Amendment Effective Date (other than existing Investments in subsidiaries of such Subsidiary or Person, which must comply with the requirements of Section 9.2(i) or (m)) to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

(q) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of UCC Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(r) Investments made by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the extent such Investments are financed with the proceeds received by such Restricted Subsidiary from an Investment made pursuant to clauses (c)(iv), (i) or (m) of this Section 9.2;

 

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(s) Guarantees by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(t) Investments received in connection with (i) a Disposition permitted by Section 9.5(m) or (ii) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 9.6(k); and

(u) without duplication of, or aggregation with, any Investment made under any other clause of this Section 9.2, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may make other Investments as long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto.

SECTION 9.3 Indebtedness.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or issue any Disqualified Equity Interest, other than:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) (i) Indebtedness existing on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date set forth on Schedule 9.3(b) and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (ii) intercompany Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Non-Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(c) (i) Guarantees by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries otherwise permitted hereunder (except that a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may not, by virtue of this Section 9.3(c), Guarantee Indebtedness that such Restricted Subsidiary could not otherwise incur under this Section 9.3); provided that (A) no Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary of any Junior Financing shall be permitted unless such Restricted Subsidiary shall have also provided a Guarantee of the Obligations substantially on the terms set forth in the Guaranty, and (B) if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness, and (ii) any Guaranty by a Loan Party of Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that would have been permitted as an Investment by such Loan Party in such Restricted Subsidiary under Section 9.2(c);

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries owing to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary to the extent constituting an Investment permitted by Section 9.2; provided that (i) all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement and (ii) in the event of any such Indebtedness in respect of the sale, transfer or assignment of Current Asset Collateral, such Indebtedness shall be duly noted on the books and records of the Loan Parties as being owing in respect of Current Asset Collateral;

 

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(e) (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Capitalized Leases) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after the applicable acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate principal amount pursuant to this sub-clause (i) not to exceed the greater of $55,000,00070,000,000 and 2.504.75% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions (other than sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets) with respect to properties acquired after the First Amendment Effective Date and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate amount outstanding pursuant to this sub-clause (ii) at any time not to exceed the greater of (x) $55,000,00070,000,000 and (y) 2.504.75% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, and (iii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(f) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts designed to hedge against Holdings, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s exposure to interest rates, foreign exchange rates or commodities pricing risks incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and Guarantees thereof;

(g) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(h) Indebtedness to current or former officers, directors, managers, consultants and employees, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) permitted by Section 9.6;

(i) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in a Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case to the extent constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earn-outs) or other similar adjustments;

(j) Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred compensation or other similar arrangements with employees incurred by such Person in connection with the Transaction and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

(k) Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections, employee credit card programs and other cash management and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees thereof;

 

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(l) Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $75,000,00095,000,000 and 3.506.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence); provided that a maximum of the greater of $25,000,00035,000,000 and 1.252.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence) in aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness may be incurred by Non-Loan Parties;

(m) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(n) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(o) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(a) (p) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed (i) $725,000,000 at any time outstanding under the Term Facility900,000,000 plus (ii) the amount of (A) clauses (y) and (z) of the Maximum Incremental Amount (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreements as in effect on the First Amendment Effective Date or, subject to prior consent of the Administrative Agent, as in effect after the First Amendment Effective Date), (B) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, (C) Secured Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements, and not incurred in violation of Section 9.3(f) , (D) Obligations under Secured Cash Management Agreements and (E) Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (A), (B), (C) and, (D)  and (E), as capitalized terms not defined herein are defined in each of the Term Facility Credit Agreement)Agreements), in each case, at any time outstanding and not incurred in violation of Section 9.3(f), in each case and, in respect of clauses (i) and (ii), any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(q) (i) Indebtedness in respect of the Senior Notes (including any guarantees thereof) and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(b) [Reserved];

(c) (r) Indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness of all such Foreign Subsidiaries incurred pursuant to this clause (r) and then outstanding, does not exceed the greater of $25,000,00035,000,000 and 1.252.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of incurrence);

 

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(d) (s) other secured, unsecured or subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof), so long as (A) the Payment Conditions shall have been satisfied after giving effect thereto, (B) the maturity date and Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Indebtedness is at least six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, and (C) if such Indebtedness is secured, (i) any such Liens with respect to any Current Asset Collateral shall be junior to the Liens securing the Obligations and (ii) such Indebtedness is subject to an intercreditor agreement containing terms that are at least as favorable to the Secured Parties as those contained in the Intercreditor Agreement;

(e) (t) [Reserved] ;

(f) (u) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit issued for the account of any of the Subsidiaries of Holdings to finance the purchase of Inventory so long as (x) such Indebtedness is unsecured, and (y) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed $40,000,00050,000,000 at any time;

(g) (v) Indebtedness (i) of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date, which Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and is not incurred in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary that is non-recourse to the Borrower, Holdings or any other Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary of such Person that is a Subsidiary on the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date) and is either (A) unsecured or (B) secured only by the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary by Liens permitted under Section 9.1(p) and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and (ii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition that is secured only by Liens permitted under Section 9.1(p) (and any Permitted Refinancing of the foregoing) and so long as the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness and all Indebtedness resulting from any Permitted Refinancing thereof at any time outstanding pursuant to clause (v)(ii) does not exceed $55,000,00070,000,000; and

(h) (w) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (a) through (v) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Restricted Subsidiary that is a Non-Loan Party will guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money of a Loan Party unless such Restricted Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor.

For purposes of determining compliance with any Dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the Dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange

 

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rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance, such 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 extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased.

The principal amount of any non-interest bearing Indebtedness or other discount security constituting Indebtedness at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the Borrower dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Term FacilityFacilities (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof) may only be incurred pursuant to Section 9.3(p).

SECTION 9.4 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person (including, in each case, pursuant to a Division; provided that the formation of any Subsidiary that is a Division Successor shall be deemed to constitute the acquisition of a Restricted Subsidiary for all purposes of this Section  9.4), except that:

(a) Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with the Borrower (including a merger, the purpose of which is to reorganize the Borrower into a new jurisdiction); provided that (x) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (y) such merger or consolidation does not result in the Borrower ceasing to be organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (z) in the case of a merger or consolidation of Holdings with and into the Borrower, Holdings shall not be an obligor in respect of any Qualified Holding Company Debt or other Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall not be an obligor in respect of any Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall have no direct Subsidiaries at the time of such merger or consolidation other than the Borrower and, after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, the direct parent of the Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(b) (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party, (iii) any merger the sole

 

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purpose of which is to reincorporate or reorganize a Loan Party in another jurisdiction in the United States shall be permitted and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or change its legal form if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv) of this paragraph (b), that (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom, (B) no Change of Control shall result therefrom and (C) the surviving Person (or, with respect to clause (iv), the Person who receives the assets of such dissolving or liquidated Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) shall be a Loan Party;

(c) any Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than clause (e) thereof) and must be a permitted Disposition in accordance with Section 9.5;

(d) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (A) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof, (B) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Guaranty confirmed that its Guarantee of the Obligations shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (D) each Loan Party, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Security Agreement confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, and (E) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement;

(e) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)); provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the applicable requirements of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 8.13; and

 

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(f) so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom, a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or Disposition, the purpose of which is to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 9.5 (other than Section 9.5(e)).

SECTION 9.5 Dispositions. Make any Disposition except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete, worn out, used or surplus property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) Dispositions of inventory and goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Current Asset Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Current Asset Collateral.

(d) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party (i) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)) or (iii) to the extent constituting a Disposition to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such Disposition is for fair value and any promissory note or other non-cash consideration received in respect thereof is a permitted investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)); provided that if the property being disposed of constitutes Current Asset Collateral and is being transferred to a Subsidiary which is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, such disposition shall be made only if the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto;

(e) Dispositions permitted by Sections 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)), 9.4 (other than Section 9.4(g)) and 9.6 (other than Section 9.6(d)) and Liens permitted by Section 9.1(other than Section 9.1(l)(ii));

(f) Dispositions of property (other than Current Asset Collateral) pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions;

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

(h) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

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(i) Dispositions of property other than Current Asset Collateral subject to Casualty Events (as such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit AgreementAgreements);

(j) Dispositions of property (other than Current Asset Collateral) not otherwise permitted under this Section 9.5; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no Default exists), no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition; (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (j) for a purchase price in excess of $15,000,00020,000,000, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than nonconsensual Liens permitted by Section 9.1 and Liens permitted by Sections 9.1(a), (m), (s), (t), (x), (w), (dd)(i) and (dd)(ii)); and (iii) if the property continues to be used by the Loan Parties in the conduct of their business and holds any Current Asset Collateral on the premises thereof, and if requested by the Administrative Agent, the Loan Parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the transferee of such property to enter into a Collateral Access Agreement; provided, however, that for the purposes of clause (ii), (A) any liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, (B) any securities received by such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by such Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value (as determined by the Borrower in good faith), taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $25,000,00035,000,000 and 1.252.50% 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 be deemed to be cash; and (iv) proceeds of such Dispositions are applied in accordance with the Term Facility Credit AgreementAgreements;

(k) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

(l) bulk sales or other dispositions of the Inventory of a Borrower not in the ordinary course of business in connection with Store closings, at arm’s length, provided, that such Store closures and related Inventory dispositions shall not exceed (i) in any Fiscal Year, twentytwenty-five percent (2025%) of the number of the Borrowers’Borrower’s Stores as of the beginning of such Fiscal Year (net of new Store

 

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openings) and (ii) in the aggregate from and after the First Amendment Effective Date, fifty percent (50%) of the number of the BorrowersB orrower’s Stores in existence as of the First Amendment Effective Date (net of new Store openings), provided further that all sales of Inventory in connection with store closings shall be in accordance with liquidation agreements and with professional liquidators reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, provided further that all Net Cash Proceeds received in connection therewith are applied to the Obligations if then required in accordance with Section 2.9 hereof;

(m) the unwinding of any Swap Contract;

(n) the lapse or abandonment in the ordinary course of business of any registrations or applications for registration of any IP Rights;

(o) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code (or comparable or successor provision), any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon permitted by such provision) for use in any business conducted by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not in contravention of Section 9.7;

(p) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof, provided that no disposition of Eligible AccountsCredit Card Receivables shall be permitted pursuant to this clause (p) unless the Borrower shall have (i) delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice of such disposition in reasonable detail and (ii) if requested by the Administrative Agent, delivered to the Administrative Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate;

(q) sales or other dispositions by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets in connection with the closing or sale of a Store (including a factory Store) in the ordinary course of the business of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary which consist of leasehold interests in the premises of such Store, the equipment and fixtures located at such premises and the books and records relating exclusively and directly to the operations of such Store (but excluding any Current Asset Collateral); provided that as to each and all such sales and closings, (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom and (B) such sale shall be on commercially reasonable prices and terms in a bona fide arm’s length transaction; and

(r) so long as no Event of Default is continuing, Dispositions of Cash Equivalents.; and

(s) Dispositions of Excluded Property by non-Loan Parties and Dispositions of Excluded Property by Loan Parties for fair market value.

provided that (i) any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 9.5 (except pursuant to Sections 9.5(a), (e), (i), (k), (m) and (o) and except for Dispositions from the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party), shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition as determined by the Borrower in good faith. To, (ii) in the case of any such Disposition of any Current Asset Collateral the value of which exceeds $25,000,000, the

 

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Borrower shall deliver to Administrative Agent an updated Borrowing Base Certificate as of the date thereof and giving effect thereto, and (iii) to the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 9.5 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, upon the certification by the Borrower that such Disposition is permitted by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

SECTION 9.6 Restricted Payments.

Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

(a) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower and to its other Restricted Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, to the Borrower and any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests);

(b) the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests not otherwise permitted by Section 9.3) of such Person;

(c) [reserved];

(d) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Section 9.2 (other than Section 9.2(e)), 9.4 (other than a merger or consolidation of Holdings and the Borrower) or 9.8 (other than Section 9.8(a), (j) or (k));

(e) repurchases of Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or similar rights if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants or similar rights;

(f) the Borrower may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow Holdings or the direct parent of Holdings to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of Holdings (or of any direct or indirect parent thereof) held by any future, present or former employee, director, consultant or distributor (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of Holdings (or the direct or indirect parent of Holdings), the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee or director stock option plan or any other employee or director benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, director, consultant or distributor of Holdings

 

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(or the direct or indirect parent of Holdings), the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount after the First Amendment Effective Date together with the aggregate amount of loans and advances to Holdings made pursuant to Section 9.2(l) in lieu of Restricted Payments permitted by this clause (f) not to exceed $17,500,00022,000,000 in any calendar year with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to the next two succeeding calendar years; provided, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the First Amendment Effective Date;

(g) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to Holdings (or to the direct parent of Holdings):

(i) the proceeds of which will be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct parent of Holdings to pay) the tax liability to each foreign, federal, state or local jurisdiction in respect of which a consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated return is filed by Holdings (or the direct parent of Holdings) that includes the activities of the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries, to the extent such tax liability does not exceed the lesser of (A) the taxes that would have been payable by the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries as a stand-alone group with the Borrower the regarded corporate parent of the group and (B) the actual tax liability of Holdings’ consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated group (or, if Holdings is not the parent of the actual group, the taxes that would have been paid by Holdings, the Borrower and/or the Borrower’s Subsidiaries as a stand-alone group with Holdings the regarded corporate parent of the group), reduced by any such taxes paid or to be paid directly by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;

(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct parent of Holdings to pay) the operating costs (including Public Company Costs) and expenses of Holdings (or its direct or indirect parent) incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business, attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(iii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay franchise taxes and other fees, taxes and expenses required to maintain its (or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings’) corporate existence;

(iv) to finance any Investment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 9.2; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) Holdings and the Borrower shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be contributed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in

 

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Section 9.4) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 8.11, 8.12 and 9.2;

(v) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or to make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent of Holdings to pay) costs, fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement; and

(vi) the proceeds of which (A) shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of Holdings (or the direct parent of Holdings) to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or (B) shall be used to make payments permitted under Sections 9.8(e), (k) and (p) (but, in the case of this clause (B), only to the extent such payments have not been and are not expected to be made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary), or (C) shall be used to make payments permitted under Section 9.8(h); and

(vii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay withholding or other similar taxes payable upon repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement of Equity Interests of Holdings or a Parent Entity or its Subsidiaries or otherwise pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee or director stock option or profits interest plan or any other employee or director benefit plan or any agreement;

(h) Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries may pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition;

(i) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Borrower’s common stock following the first public offering of the Borrower’s common stock or the common stock of any of its direct or indirect parents after the First Amendment Effective Date, of the greater of (i) up to 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by or contributed to the Borrower in or from any such public offering, other than public offerings with respect to the Borrower’s common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8 and (ii) an amount equal to 7% of the Market Capitalization of the applicable public company parent of the Borrower;

(j) repurchases of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur on the exercise of options by the delivery of Equity Interests in satisfaction of the exercise price of such options and (ii) in consideration of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing), including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options;

 

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(k) without duplication of any other clauses of this Section 9.6, other Restricted Payments that, together with any prepayment, redemption, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness made pursuant to Section 9.11(ii), do not exceed the greater of $25,000,00035,000,000 and 1.252.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of such Restricted Payment) in the aggregate at any time outstanding, so long as the Payment Conditions shall have been satisfied after giving effect thereto;

(l) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) in an amount equal to regularly scheduled payments of interest on the TopCo Notes (including any refinancing thereof);payments or distributions of a Restricted Payment within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof if at the date of declaration such Restricted Payment would have been permitted hereunder;

(m) so long as (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) the Net Leverage Ratio after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of the subject Restricted Payments (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 4.90 to 1.0, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) from the proceeds of Permitted Ratio Debt, Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as each such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) in an aggregate amount equal to the principal amount required for the repurchase, redemption, retirement or other satisfaction of the TopCo Notes, and any premium, fees, costs or expenses associated therewith; provided that, no such Restricted Payment may be made with the proceeds of Incremental Loans or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as each such term is defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) unless the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Term Facility Credit Agreement) (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 3.60 to 1.0; and

(m) the Borrower may (or may make Restricted Payments to permit any Parent Entity to) (i) redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire in whole or in part any Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Equity Interests of any Parent Entity (“Treasury Equity Interests”), in exchange for, or with the proceeds (to the extent contributed to Holdings or the Borrower substantially concurrently) of the sale or issuance (other than to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) of, other Equity Interests or rights to acquire its Equity Interests (“Refunding Equity Interests”) and (ii) declare and pay dividends on any Treasury Equity Interests out of any such proceeds;

(n) redemptions in whole or in part of any of its Equity Interests for another class of its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests, except to the extent issued by the Borrower to a Restricted Subsidiary) or with proceeds from substantially concurrent equity contributions or issuances of new Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests, except to the extent issued by the Borrower to a Restricted Subsidiary); and

 

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(o) (n) other Restricted Payments so long as the RP Conditions shall have been satisfied.

SECTION 9.7 Change in Nature of Business.

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Effective Date or any business reasonably related or ancillary thereto.

SECTION 9.8 Transactions with Affiliates.

Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of any Loan Party, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, in excess of $10,000,00012,500,000, other than:

(a) transactions between or among (i) the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction, and (ii) the Loan Parties,

(b) transactions on terms substantially as favorable to such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,

(c) [reserved],

(d) [reserved],

(c) the Transaction and the payment of fees and expenses (including the Transaction Expenses) related to the Transaction,

(d) the issuance of Equity Interests of Holdings to any officer, director, employee or consultant of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in connection with the Transaction,

(e) (x) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees accrued in any prior year) and any Sponsor Termination Fees pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement; provided, that any such management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees not paid due to the existence of any such Event of Default or otherwise deferred (i) shall continue to accrue notwithstanding the existence of any such Event of Default and (ii) may be paid when no such Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately arise as a result of such payment and (y) indemnities and expenses to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid indemnities and expenses accrued in any prior year),

 

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(f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business and transactions pursuant to stock option plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements,

(g) the non-exclusive licensing of trademarks, copyrights or other IP Rights in the ordinary course of business to permit the commercial exploitation of IP Rights between or among Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Holdings or the Borrower,

(h) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, officers and employees of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(i) any agreement, instrument or arrangement as in effect as of the First Amendment Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 9.8, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the First Amendment Effective Date),

(j) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 9.6,

(k) so long as no Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, customary payments by the Borrower and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith; provided, that any such customary payments not paid due to the existence of any such Specified Event of Default or otherwise deferred (i) shall continue to accrue (to the extent applicable) notwithstanding the existence of any such Specified Event of Default and (ii) may be paid when no such Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would immediately arise as a result of such payment,

(l) transactions in which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of clause (b) of this Section 9.8,

(m) the issuance or transfer of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings to any Permitted Holder or to any former, current or future director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses,

 

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successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent thereof to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement and to the extent such issuance or transfer would not give rise to a Change of Control,

(n) investments by the Sponsor or the Co-Investors in securities of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries so long as (A) the investment is being offered generally to other investors on the same or more favorable terms and (B) the investment constitutes less than 5.0% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities,

(o) payments to or from, and transactions with, Joint Venturesjoint ventures (to the extent any such Joint Venturejoint venture is only an Affiliate as a result of Investments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiary in such Joint Venturejoint venture) in the ordinary course of business to the extent otherwise permitted under Section 9.2,

(p) the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to registration rights and indemnities provided to shareholders of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof pursuant to the stockholders agreement or the registration and participation rights agreement entered into on the First Amendment Effective Date in connection therewith,

(q) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments pursuant thereto, to the extent permitted by Section 9.6(g)(i),

(r) the payment of any dividend or distribution within sixty (60) days after the date of declaration thereof, if at the date of declaration (i) such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) no Event of Default occurred and was continuing, and

(s) to the extent not otherwise prohibited under this Agreement, payments by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any of their respective Indebtedness or Equity Interests that are payable to holders of such Indebtedness or Equity Interests generally (including Affiliates that may from time to time own such Indebtedness or Equity Interests).

SECTION 9.9 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that prohibits, restricts, imposes any condition on or limits the ability of (a) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to make Restricted Payments to (directly or indirectly) or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or to Guarantee the Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or (b) any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person for the benefit of the Lenders with respect to the Facility and the Obligations under the Loan Documents; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations that:

(i) (x) exist on the date hereofFirst Amendment Effective Date and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 9.9) are listed on Schedule 9.9 hereto and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such Contractual Obligation,

 

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(ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary,

(iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party that is permitted by Section 9.3,

(iv) (A) are customary restrictions that arise in connection with any (x) any Lien permitted by Sections 9.1(a), (l), (s), (t), (w), (x) and (dd) and relate to the property subject to such Lien or (y) Disposition permitted by Section 9.5 applicable pending such Disposition solely to the assets subject to such Disposition,

(v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 9.2 and applicable solely to such joint venture entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 9.3 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness and the proceeds and products thereof and, in the case of the Term FacilityFacilities and any Permitted Refinancing thereof, permit the Liens securing the Obligations without restriction (subject to the Intercreditor Agreement),

(vii) are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto,

(viii) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 9.3(e), (m)(i), (p), (r) or (u) to the extent that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or to the Restricted Subsidiary party to such Indebtedness,

(ix) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(x) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business,

 

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(xi) are restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xii) are restrictions contained in the Term Facility Credit Agreement,Agreements and the Term Facility Documentation, the Senior Notes Indenture and the Senior Notes, and any documentation governing a Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing, or

(xiii) arise in connection with cash or other deposits permitted under Section 9.1; or

(xiv) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement governing Indebtedness entered into after the First Amendment Effective Date and permitted under Section 9.3 that are, taken as a whole, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, no more restrictive with respect to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary than customary market terms for Indebtedness of such type, so long as the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such restrictions will not affect its obligation or ability to make any payments required hereunder.

SECTION 9.10 Accounting Changes; Fiscal Year.

Make any change in Fiscal Year; provided, however, that Holdings and the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its Fiscal Year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

SECTION 9.11 Prepayment, Etc. of Indebtedness.

Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of regularly scheduled principal and interest and mandatory prepayments of principal and interest shall be permitted) any Indebtedness constituting Junior Financing (other than the Senior Notes, and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Term FacilityFacilities and any Permitted Refinancing thereof), except (i) so long as the RP Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto, any prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness; (ii) so long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied after giving effect thereto, any other prepayment, redemption, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness that, together with any Restricted Payment made pursuant to Section 9.6(k), do not exceed the greater of $25,000,00035,000,000 and 1.252.50% of Total Assets (determined at the time of such Restricted Payment) in the aggregate at any time outstanding; (iii) the refinancing of any Indebtedness with the Net Cash Proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing, to the extent not required to be applied to prepayments pursuant to the Term FacilityFacilities; (iv) the conversion (or exchange) of any Indebtedness to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) or Indebtedness of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parents; (v) the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owed to Holdings, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or the prepayment, redemption,

 

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purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of any Indebtedness with the proceeds of any other Indebtedness otherwise permitted by Section 9.3; (vi) any Permitted Refinancing of any Indebtedness; (vii) any prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction with the Net Cash Proceeds of any Permitted Equity Issuance; and (viii) the prepayment of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clauses (e), (f), (g), (h), (k) and (v) of Section 9.3;

SECTION 9.12 Modification of Debt Agreements.

Amend, modify or change in any manner (i) materially adverse to the interest of the Lenders any term or condition of any Material Indebtedness (other than as a result of a Permitted Refinancing thereof and in any event excluding the Term Facility, the Senior NotesFacilities and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and any Indebtedness hereunder) without the consent of the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) or (ii) with respect to the Term Facility Documentation or the Senior Notes or any amendment to any Permitted Refinancing thereof to the extent that such amendment, modification or change would (A) shorten the maturity date of theany Term Facility or the Senior Notes, or such refinancing Indebtedness to a date which is prior to ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date, (B) shorten the date scheduled for any principal payment or increase the amount of any required principal payment[reserved], or (C) violate the Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 9.13 Holdings. In the case of Holdings, conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than the following (and activities incidental thereto): (i) its ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (iii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Loan Documents, theany Term Facility, any Senior Notes or any Qualified Holding Company Debt, (iv) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance of its Equity Interests or makemaking payments or restricted payments with any amounts received in any transaction permitted under Section 9.6, (v) the incurrence of Qualified Holding Company Debt and, the issuance of securities, and the incurrence of Qualified Equity Interests, (vi) making contributions to the capital of its Subsidiaries, (vii) guaranteeing the obligations of its Subsidiaries in each case solely to the extent such obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are permitted hereunder, (viii) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and the Borrower, (ix) holding any cash or property received in connection with Restricted Payments made by the Borrower in accordance with Section 9.6 pending application thereof by Holdings, (x) providing indemnification to officers and directors and, (xi) making investments in Cash Equivalents in the ordinary course of business, and (xii) activities incidental to the businesses or activities described in clauses (i) to (xxi) of this Section 9.13.

 

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ARTICLE X

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 10.1 Events of Default.

Each of the events referred to in clauses (a) through (m) of this Section 10.1 shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or (iii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants.

(i) The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or, in the case of Section 9.13, Holdings, fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in (A) Article VI; provided, that, any failure to comply with Article VI shall be subject to cure to the extent provided in Section 10.4, (B) Section 7.1(a), Section 7.1(b), Section 7.1(c), Section 7.1(d), Section 7.2(a), Section 7.3(a), Section 8.1(a), Section 8.5, Section 8.9 or (C) Article IX;

(ii) during the continuance of any Cash Dominion Period, the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 8.12; or

(iii) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(a)) and such failure continues for five (5) Business Days; or

(iv) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(b), and such failure continues for two (2) Business Days; or

(v) the Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to perform or observe (or to cause to be performed or observed) any covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.4(c) or Section 7.4(d), as applicable, and, in either case, such failure continues for five (5) Business Days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 10.1(a) or (b) above), and, for the purposes of clarity, including any failure to perform or observe any covenant or agreement contained in Section 8.12 other than during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period, contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

 

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(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be untrue in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an aggregate outstanding principal amount (individually or in the aggregate with all other Indebtedness as to which such a failure shall exist) of not less than $35,000,000the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts and not as a result of any default thereunder by any Loan Party) the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(B) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness or (ii) the conversion of, or the satisfaction of any condition to the conversion of, any Indebtedness that is convertible or exchangeable for Equity Interests; provided further that such failure is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the Aggregate Commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Section 10.2; provided that no such event under the Term FacilityFacilities (other than a payment default or any default relating to insolvency or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law) shall constitute an Event of Default under this Section 10.1(e) until the earliest to occur of (x) the acceleration of the Indebtedness under theany Term Facility and (y) the exercise of any remedies by theany Term Facility Administrative Agent or collateral agent or any lenders under thesuch Term Facility in respect of any Collateral; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without

 

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the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any RestrictedMaterial Subsidiary a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding $35,000,000the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied or failed to acknowledge coverage thereof) and such judgment or order shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending an appeal for a period of sixty (60) consecutive calendar days; or

(h) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates under Title IV of ERISA in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its Withdrawal Liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) with respect to a Foreign Plan a termination, withdrawal or noncompliance with applicable law or plan terms that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

(i) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any material provision of any Loan Document at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5) or the satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document (other than as a result of repayment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Aggregate Commitments), or purports in writing to revoke or rescind any Loan Document; or

(j) Collateral Documents. Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.1 or 8.11 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5) cease to create, or any Lien purported to be created by any Collateral Document shall be asserted in writing by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected lien, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents (or other security purported to be created on the applicable Collateral) on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, subject to Liens permitted under Section 9.1, except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from the failure of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents or

 

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to file UCC continuation statements and except as to Collateral consisting of real property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied coverage; or

(k) Junior Financing Documentation. (i) Any of the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents for any reason shall cease to be “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) or “Senior Secured Financing” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in any Junior Financing Documentation governing Junior Financing subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under the Loan Documents with an aggregate principal amount of not less than $35,000,000the Threshold Amount or (ii) the subordination provisions set forth in any Junior Financing Documentation governing Junior Financing subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations under the Loan Documents with an aggregate principal amount of not less than $35,000,000the Threshold Amount shall, in whole or in part, cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and enforceable against the holders of any such Junior Financing, if applicable; or

(l) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

SECTION 10.2 Remedies upon Event of Default.

(a) If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent may, and, at the request of the Requisite Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions:

(i) declare Revolving Credit Commitments of each Lender and any obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such Revolving Credit Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(ii) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

(iii) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and

(iv) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

provided that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the Revolving Credit Commitments of each Lender and any obligation of the Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and

 

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payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the Letter of Credit Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives the right to direct the application of any and all payments in respect of the Obligations and any proceeds of Collateral after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and agrees that during the continuance of a Specified Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may in its sole discretion, or upon the written direction of the Requisite Lenders, deliver a notice to each Approved Account Bank instructing them to cease complying with any instructions from any Loan Party and to transfer all funds therein to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall apply all payments in respect of any Obligations and all funds on deposit in the Concentration Account and all other proceeds of Collateral in the order specified in Section 10.3 hereof.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, if the only Events of Default then having occurred and continuing are the failure to comply with Section 6.1 with respect to the Test Period most recently ended, then the Administrative Agent may not take any of the actions set forth in subclauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of Section 10.2(a) during the period commencing on the date that the Administrative Agent receives a Notice of Intent to Cure and ending on the Cure Expiration Date with respect thereto in accordance with and to the extent permitted by Section 10.4.

SECTION 10.3 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 10.2 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the Letter of Credit Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 10.2), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, ratably, pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent or any Issuer from the Borrower (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations or Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements);

Second, ratably, to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Revolving Credit Lenders from the Borrower (other than in connection with Cash Management Obligations or Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements);

Third, to pay interest due and payable in respect of any Loans (including any Swing Loans) and any Protective Advances, ratably;

Fourth, ratably, to pay the principal of the Protective Advances and the Swing Loans;

Fifth, to pay principal on the Loans (other than the Protective Advances and Swing Loans) and unreimbursed Letter of Credit Borrowings, ratably;

 

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Sixth, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to 103% of the Letter of Credit Obligations on such date, to be held in the Concentration Account as cash collateral for such Obligations;

Seventh, to pay any amounts owing with respect to Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations, ratably;

Eighth, to the payment of any other Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Borrower;

Ninth, as provided for under the Intercreditor Agreement; and

Tenth, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as the Borrower shall direct or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Sections 2.4, 2.16, 8.12 and 10.5, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Sixth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as cash collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above and, if no Obligations remain outstanding, to the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if sufficient funds are not available to fund all payments to be made in respect of any Secured Obligation described in any of clauses First through Eighth above, the available funds being applied with respect to any such Secured Obligation (unless otherwise specified in such clause) shall be allocated to the payment of such Secured Obligation ratably, based on the proportion of the Administrative Agent’s and each Lender’s or Issuer’s interest in the aggregate outstanding Secured Obligations described in such clauses; provided, however, that payments that would otherwise be allocated to the Lenders shall be allocated first to repay Protective Advances and Swing Loans pro rata until such Protective Advances and Swing Loans are paid in full and then to repay the Loans. The order of priority set forth in clauses First through Eighth above may at any time and from time to time be changed by the agreement of all Lenders without necessity of notice to or consent of or approval by the Borrower, any Secured Party that is not a Lender or Issuer or by any other Person that is not a Lender or Issuer. The order of priority set forth in clauses First through Eighth above may be changed only with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent in addition to that of all Lenders. Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to the Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.

SECTION 10.4 Borrower’s Right to Cure.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 10.1, in the event of any Event of Default under any covenant set forth in Article VI and until the expiration of the tenth (10th) Business Day after the date on which the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio calculation would be required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.1 or Section 7.2(a) (such date, the “Cure Expiration Date”), following delivery of a Notice of Intent to Cure in accordance herewith, the Borrower may designate any portion of the Net Cash

 

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Proceeds of any issuance of common Equity Interests of the Borrower or any cash capital contribution to the common equity of the Borrower as an increase to Consolidated EBITDA with respect to such applicable quarter; provided that all such Net Cash Proceeds to be so designated (i) are actually received by the Borrower as cash common equity (including through capital contribution of such Net Cash Proceeds to the Borrower) after the date of such notice and before the Cure Expiration Date and (ii) the aggregate amount of such Net Cash Proceeds or cash capital contribution that are so designated shall not exceed 100% of the aggregate amount necessary to cure such Event of Default under Article VI for any applicable period.

(b) Upon receipt by the Borrower of any such designated Net Cash Proceeds or cash capital contribution (the “Cure Amount”) in accordance with this Section 10.4, Consolidated EBITDA for any period of calculation which includes the last Fiscal Quarter of the Test Period ending immediately prior to the date on which such Cure Amount was received shall be increased, solely for the purpose of calculating any financial ratio set forth in Article VI, by an amount equal to the Cure Amount. The resulting increase to Consolidated EBITDA and any reduction in Indebtedness, if applicable, from designation of a Cure Amount shall not result in any adjustment to Consolidated EBITDA or any other financial definition for any purpose under this Agreement other than for purposes of calculating the financial ratio set forth in Article VI and for additional clarification shall not adjust the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA for purposes of determining the Net Leverage Ratio or Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (other than for purposes of actual compliance with Article VI as of the end of any applicable Test Period).

(c) If, after giving effect to the foregoing recalculations, the Borrower shall then be in compliance with the requirements of Article VI, the Borrower shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of Article VI as of the relevant date of determination with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith at such date, and the applicable existing breach or default of Article VI shall be deemed cured for this purpose of the Agreement.

(d) In each period of four Fiscal Quarters, there shall be at least two (2) Fiscal Quarters for which Consolidated EBITDA is not increased by exercise of a cure pursuant to Section 10.4(a). Consolidated EBITDA may not be increased by exercise of a cure pursuant to Section 10.4(a) more than four (4) times during the term hereof.

SECTION 10.5 Actions in Respect of Letters of Credit; Cash Collateral.

(a) At any time (i) upon the Revolving Credit Termination Date, (ii) after the Revolving Credit Termination Date when the aggregate funds on deposit in the Concentration Account to Cash Collateralize Letter of Credit Obligations shall be less than 103% of the Letter of Credit Obligations and (iii) as may be required by Section 2.9 or Section 2.16, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s office referred to in Section 12.8, for deposit in the Concentration Account, (x) in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, the amount required to that, after such payment, the aggregate funds on deposit in the Concentration Account counts equals or exceeds 103% of the sum of all outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations and (y) in the case of clause (iii) above, the amount required by Section 2.9. The Administrative Agent may, from time to time after funds are deposited in the Concentration Account, apply funds then held in the Concentration Account to the payment of any amounts, in

 

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accordance with Section 2.9 and Section 10.2(b), as shall have become or shall become due and payable by the Borrower to the Issuers or Lenders in respect of the Letter of Credit Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall promptly give written notice of any such application; provided, however, that the failure to give such written notice shall not invalidate any such application. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, the Borrower or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.

(b) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 10.5 or Sections 2.4, 2.9, 2.13 or 10.2 in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Loans shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific Letter of Credit Obligations, Swing Loans, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.

(c) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 12.2(b)(vi)) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 10.5 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 10.3), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the applicable Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

ARTICLE XI

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 11.1 Appointment and Authorization.

(a) Each of the Lenders and the Issuers hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article XI (other than Sections 11.6 and 11.11) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any such provision.

 

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(b) The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Hedge Bank and/or Cash Management Bank) and the Issuers hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of (and to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or in trust for) such Lender and such Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 11.5 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent, shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article XI and Article XII (including, without limitation, Sections 11.3, 11.13, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to execute any and all documents (including releases) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto (including the Intercreditor Agreement), as contemplated by and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents and acknowledge and agree that any such action by any Agent shall bind the Lenders.

SECTION 11.2 Rights as a Lender.

Any Person serving as an Agent (including as Administrative Agent) hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include each Person serving as an Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, any Agent or its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that no Agent shall be under any obligation to provide such information to them.

SECTION 11.3 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, an Agent (including the Administrative Agent):

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express)

 

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obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law and instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that such Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that no Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by any Person serving as an Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 12.1 and 12.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein.

The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an Issuer. Upon the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Requisite Lenders. Unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such direction, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to any such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interest of the Secured Parties. In no event shall the Administrative Agent be required to comply with any such directions to the extent that the Administrative Agent believes that its compliance with such directions would be unlawful.

No Agent-Related Person shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, or (vii) to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof.

 

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SECTION 11.4 Reliance by the Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the applicable Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Requisite Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Requisite Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law.

SECTION 11.5 Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Documents by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Agent-Related Persons. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Agent-Related Persons of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

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SECTION 11.6 Resignation of Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuers and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Requisite Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a Lender or a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such Lender or bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Requisite Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, may on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuers, appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuers under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor of such Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Issuer directly, until such time as the Requisite Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section 11.6. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, hereunder and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Requisite Lenders may request, in order to (i) continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents or (ii) otherwise ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement is satisfied, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 11.6). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Sections 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable.

(b) Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as an Issuer and Swing Loan Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the

 

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retiring Issuer and Swing Loan Lender, (ii) the retiring Issuer and Swing Loan Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (iii) the successor Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit issued by Bank of America, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

SECTION 11.7 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents.

Each Lender and each Issuer acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to each Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of, and investigation into, the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereunder. Each Lender and each Issuer also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Agent-Related Persons and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.

SECTION 11.8 No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers, Co-Syndication Agents or the Documentation AgentCo-Documentation Agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or a Lender hereunder and such Persons shall have the benefit of this Article XI. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any agency or fiduciary or trust relationship with any Lender, Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

 

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SECTION 11.9 Intercreditor Agreement. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are authorized to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement, and the parties hereto acknowledge that the Intercreditor Agreement is binding upon them. Each Lender (a) hereby consents to the subordination of the Liens on the Collateral other than the Current Asset Collateral securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in the Intercreditor Agreement, (b) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement and (c) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into the Intercreditor Agreement or other intercreditor agreement contemplated hereunder or under any Loan Document with the collateral agent or other representative of the holders of Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien on Collateral that is not prohibited (including with respect to priority) under this Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations to the provisions thereof. The foregoing provisions are intended as an inducement to the Secured Parties to extend credit to the Borrower and such Secured Parties are intended third-party beneficiaries of such provisions and the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 11.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or Letter of Credit Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, Letter of Credit Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuers and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12, 12.3 and 12.4) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuers, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.12, 12.3 and 12.4.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to credit bid any of the Obligations without the consent of the RequiredRequisite Lenders or

 

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authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or any Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or any Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or any Issuer in any such proceeding.

SECTION 11.11 Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

Each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) and the Issuers irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent (including in its capacity as Collateral Agent) to, and the Administrative Agent agrees that it will:

(a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (x) obligations and liabilities under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Hedge Bank or Cash Management Bank, respectively shall have been made and (y) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each applicable Issuer shall have been made), (ii) at the time the property subject to such Lien is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection with any transfer permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (iii) subject to Section 12.1, if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Requisite Lenders, or (iv) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Guarantor, upon release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guaranty pursuant to clause (c) below;

(b) release or subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 9.1(i);

(c) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if (i) in the case of any Subsidiary, such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder or (ii) in the case of Holdings, as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of theany Term Facility, Senior Notes or any Junior Financing; and

(d) if any Guarantor shall cease to be a Material Domestic Subsidiary (as certified in writing by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower), and the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that it wishes such Guarantor to be released from its obligations under the Guaranty and provides the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent such certifications or documents as either such Agent shall reasonably request, (i) release such Subsidiary from its obligations under the Guaranty and (ii) release any Liens granted by such Subsidiary or Liens on the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary continues to be a guarantor in respect of theany Term Facility, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing.

 

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Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Requisite Lenders will confirm in writing the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 11.11. In each case as specified in this Section 11.11, the applicable Agent will (and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the applicable Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release or subordination of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 11.11.

SECTION 11.12 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Guaranty or any Collateral Document, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 10.3, any Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

(b) Each Secured Party hereby agrees (i) that, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Period (and thereafter at such frequency as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in writing), it will provide to the Administrative Agent, promptly upon the written request of the Administrative Agent, a summary of all Obligations owing to it under this Agreement and (ii) that the benefit of the provisions of the Loan Documents directly relating to the Collateral or any Lien granted thereunder shall extend to and be available to any Secured Party that is not an Agent, a Lender or an Issuer party hereto as long as, by accepting such benefits, such Secured Party agrees, as among Agent and all other Secured Parties, that such Secured Party is bound by (and, if requested by Agent, shall confirm such agreement in a writing in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Agent) this Article XI and Sections 3.1, Sections 12.4, 12.6, 12.19, 12.23 and 12.26 and the Intercreditor Agreement, and the decisions and actions of any Agent and the Requisite Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, a greater proportion of the Lenders or other parties hereto as required herein) to the same extent a Lender is bound; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing clause (ii), (x) such Secured Party shall be bound by the

 

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provisions set forth above only to the extent of liabilities, reimbursement obligations, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses, or disbursements with respect to or otherwise relating to the Liens and Collateral held for the benefit of such Secured Party, in which case the obligations of such Secured Party thereunder shall not be limited by any concept of pro rata share or similar concept, (y) each of the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuers party hereto shall be entitled to act at its sole discretion, without regard to the interest of such Secured Party, regardless of whether any Obligation to such Secured Party thereafter remains outstanding, is deprived of the benefit of the Collateral, becomes unsecured or is otherwise affected or put in jeopardy thereby, and without any duty or liability to such Secured Party or any such Obligation and (z) such Secured Party shall not have any right to be notified of, consent to, direct, require or be heard with respect to, any action taken or omitted in respect of the Collateral or under any Loan Document.

SECTION 11.13 Indemnification of Agents.

Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), pro rata, and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Requisite Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Loan Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 11.13. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 11.13 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto, provided further that the failure of any Lender to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation in respect thereof. The undertaking in this Section 11.13 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer.

 

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SECTION 11.14 Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Aggregate Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Aggregate Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Aggregate Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative

 

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Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Aggregate Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 12.1 Amendments, Etc. Except Subject to Section 3.3(c) and except  as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Requisite Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that (i) a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.2 and (ii) the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date scheduled for, or reduce the amount of, any payment of principal or interest under Section 2.6 or 2.10 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, it being understood that the waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Loans or any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.2 shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest;

(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or Letter of Credit Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iii) of the second proviso to this Section 12.1) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that any change to any component of “Excess Availability” shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest); provided that only the consent of the Requisite Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;

(d) change any provision of this Section 12.1, the definition of “Requisite Lenders”, “Supermajority Lenders” or any other provision specifying the number of Lenders or portion of the Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments required to take any action under the Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby;

 

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(e) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5, release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender;

(f) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 9.4 or 9.5, release all or substantially all of the aggregate value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender;

(g) change the definition of the term “Borrowing Base” or any component definition thereof, but excluding the definition of “Eligible Accounts Advance Rate”, “Credit Card Advance Rate”, “Letter of Credit Advance Rate”, “Eligible Inventory Advance Rate” or “In-Transit Advance Rate”, in each case the amendment or modifications of which shall be subject to clause (h) below, if as a result thereof the amounts available to be borrowed by the Borrower would be increased, without the written consent of the Supermajority Lenders, provided that the foregoing shall not limit the discretion of the Administrative Agent to change, establish or eliminate any Availability Reserves, Inventory Reserves or Shrink Reserves without the consent of any Lenders; or

(h) increase the numerical percentage contained in Eligible Accounts Advance Rate, Credit Card Advance Rate, Letter of Credit Advance Rate, Eligible Inventory Advance Rate or In-Transit Advance Rate without the written consent of each Lender; provided that the foregoing shall not limit the discretion of the Administrative Agent to change, establish or eliminate any Availability Reserves, Inventory Reserves or Shrink Reserves without the consent of any Lenders;

(i) except as provided by operation of applicable Law or in the Intercreditor Agreement, without the prior written consent of all Lenders directly affected thereby, (i) subordinate the Obligations hereunder to any other Indebtedness, or (ii) subordinate the Liens granted hereunder or under the other Loan Documents to any other Lien; or

(j) change the order of the application of funds specified in Section 10.3 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

and provided further that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of an Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Loan Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Loan Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) Section 12.2(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of

 

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whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) the consent of Requisite Lenders shall be required with respect to any amendment that by its terms adversely affects the rights of the Lenders under such Facility in respect of payments hereunder in a manner different than such amendment affects other Revolving Loan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 12.1, guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, amended and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to cure ambiguities or defects or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

If any Lender does not consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender and that has been approved by the Requisite Lenders, the Borrower may replace such non-consenting Lender in accordance with Section 3.7; provided that such amendment, waiver, consent or release can be effected as a result of the assignment contemplated by such Section (together with all other such assignments required by the Borrower to be made pursuant to this paragraph).

No Lender or Issuer consent is required to effect any amendment or supplement to any Intercreditor Agreement or any other intercreditor agreement that is for the purpose of adding the holders of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (as defined in any of the Term Loan Facility Agreements) (or a debt representative with respect to any Indebtedness with respect to which it is a representative or agent) as parties thereto, as expressly contemplated by the terms of such intercreditor agreement (it being understood that any such amendment or supplement may make such other changes to the applicable intercreditor agreement as, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, are required to effectuate the foregoing).

SECTION 12.2 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither Holdings nor the Borrower may, except as permitted by Section 9.4, assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder

 

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without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and in Swing Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and the Loans of any Class at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Revolving Credit Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or (f), solely with respect to the Borrower, has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

 

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(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Revolving Credit Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to rights in respect of the Swing Loan Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Loans;

(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 10.1(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 10.1(f), has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender;

(C) the consent of the Issuers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and

(D) the consent of the Swing Loan Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment;

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The Eligible Assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. All assignments shall be by novation.

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries (including the Sponsor), or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), (C) to a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person or (D) any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform.

 

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(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Revolving Credit Note, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Revolving Credit Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Revolving Credit Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agents and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all

 

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purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. This Section 12.2(c) and Section 2.7 shall be construed so that all Loans are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury regulations (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury regulations).

(d) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person, any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Credit Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and/or Swing Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Agents, the other Lenders and the Issuers shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 12.1 (other than clause (d) thereof) that directly affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled (through the applicable Lender) to the benefits of Sections 3.1, 3.4 and 3.5 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.6(a) and 3.7, as if the Participant were a Lender) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 12.6 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 12.7 as though it were a Lender.

(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.1, 3.4 or 3.5 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.1 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant, the applicable Lender (acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower) maintains a register complying with the requirements of Sections 163(f), 871(h) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder

 

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relating to the exemption from withholding for portfolio interest on which is entered the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”) and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply and does in fact comply with Section 3.1 as though it were a Lender. No Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans or its other obligations under this Agreement) except to the extent that the relevant parties, acting reasonably and in good faith, determine that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury regulations. Unless otherwise required by the IRS, any disclosure required by the foregoing sentence shall be made by the relevant Lender directly and solely to the IRS. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

(f) Any Lender may, at any time, pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Revolving Credit Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Revolving Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Revolving Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Revolving Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Revolving Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is required under Section 2.13(e). Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Sections 3.1, 3.4 and 3.5, but such obligations under Section 3.1 as to an SPC will only exist if the SPC satisfies the requirements of Section 3.1 as if it were a Lender), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Revolving Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Revolving Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other

 

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Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Revolving Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Revolving Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

(h) Resignation as Issuer or Swing Loan Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America or any other Issuer assigns all of its Revolving Credit Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America or the applicable Issuer may, (i) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as Issuer and/or (ii) if applicable, upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Loan Lender. In the event of any such resignation as Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor Issuer or Swing Loan Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America or the applicable Issuer as Issuer or (as applicable) Swing Loan Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America or the applicable Issuer resigns as Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of an Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as Issuer and all Letter of Credit Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in unreimbursed amounts under Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.4). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Loan Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Loan Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Loans pursuant to Section 2.3. Upon the appointment of a successor Issuer and/or Swing Loan Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuer or Swing Loan Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America or the applicable Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America or the applicable Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Disqualified Institution that purports to become a Lender hereunder (notwithstanding the provisions of this Agreement that prohibit Disqualified Institutions from becoming Lenders) shall be entitled to any of the rights or privileges enjoyed by the other Lenders with respect to voting, information and lender meetings. In addition, if any assignment or participation is made to any Disqualified Institution without the Borrower’s express prior written consent (which consent shall state expressly that the Borrower acknowledges that the assignee Lender is a Disqualified Institution) in violation of clause (v) of Section  12.2(b), the Borrower may, in addition to any other rights and remedies that it may have against such Disqualified Institution, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified

 

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Institution and the Administrative Agent, (A) in the case of outstanding Loans held by Disqualified Institutions, purchase or prepay such Loan by paying the lesser of (x) the principal amount thereof and (y) the amount that such Disqualified Institution paid to acquire such Loans, in each case plus accrued interest, accrued fees and all other amounts (other than principal amounts) payable to it hereunder and/or (B) require such Disqualified Institution to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 12.2 ), all of its interest, rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Assignees at the lesser of (x) the principal amount thereof and (y) the amount that such Disqualified Institution paid to acquire such interests, rights and obligations, in each case plus accrued interest, accrued fees and all other amounts (other than principal amounts) payable to it hereunder.

(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the provisions of this Section  12.2 shall not apply retroactively to disqualify any person that has previously acquired an assignment or interest in any of the Loans with respect to amounts previously acquired to the extent such party was not a Disqualified Institution at the time of the applicable assignment but for only so long as such person continues to hold such Loans.

SECTION 12.3 Costs and Expenses.

The Borrower agrees (a) if the Effective Date occurs, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, syndication and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, includingand in the case of legal fees and expenses, limited to all Attorney Costs of Riemer & BraunsteinMorgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole, and (b) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and includingin the case of legal fees and expenses, limited to all Attorney Costs of one counsel to the Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders taken as a whole (and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in any relevant material jurisdiction and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole of the affected parties)). The agreements in this Section 12.3 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations. All amounts due under this Section 12.3 shall be paid promptly following receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail and such supporting material as the Borrower may reasonably request. If any Loan Party fails to pay when due any costs, expenses or other amounts payable by it hereunder or under any Loan Document, such amount may be paid on behalf of such Loan Party by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

 

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SECTION 12.4 Indemnities.

The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, each Lender, each Issuer, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, trustees or advisors and other representatives (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements (including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to all Indemnitees taken as a whole and, if reasonably necessary, a single local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to the interest of the Lenders, and solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Indemnitees similarly situated taken as a whole) (i) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) any Revolving Credit Commitment, Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), or (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or any Environmental Liabilities arising out of the activities or operations of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or of any affiliate, director, officer, employee or agent of such Indemnitee, (y) a material breach of any obligations under any Loan Document by such Indemnitee or of any Related Indemnified Person, in each case as determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an administrative agent or arranger or any similar role under the Facility and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates. To the extent that the undertakings to indemnify and hold harmless set forth in this Section 12.4 may be unenforceable in whole or in part because they are violative of any applicable law or public policy, the Borrower shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted to pay and satisfy under applicable law to the payment and satisfaction of all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, nor shall any Indemnitee or any Loan Party have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages

 

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relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Effective Date) (other than, in the case of any Loan Party, in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party). In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 12.4 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, its directors, stockholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents is consummated. All amounts due under this Section 12.4 shall be paid within twenty (20) Business Days after written demand therefor. The agreements in this Section 12.4 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Loan Lender or any Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. This Section 12.4 shall not apply to Taxes, which shall be governed by Section 3.1. This Section 12.4 also shall not apply to Other Taxes or to Taxes covered by Section 3.4.

SECTION 12.5 Limitation of Liability.

The Loan Parties agree that no Indemnitee shall have any liability (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) to any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries or any of their respective equity holders or creditors for or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and in the other Loan Documents, except to the extent such liability is determined in a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnitee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct or bad faith or breach by such Indemnitee of its material obligations under this Agreement. In no event, shall any party hereto or any Indemnitee be liable on any theory of liability for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (including, without limitation, any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings). Each party hereto hereby waives, releases and agrees (each for itself and on behalf of its Subsidiaries) not to sue upon any such claim for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, whether or not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in its favor.

SECTION 12.6 Right of Set-off.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such other Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right

 

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of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

SECTION 12.7 Sharing of Payments.

If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on account of the Loans made by it, or the participations in Letter of Credit Obligations and Swing Loans held by it (in each case, whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them and/or such subparticipations in the participations in Letter of Credit Obligations or Swing Loans held by them, as the case may be, as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment of principal of or interest on such Loans or such participations, as the case may be, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 12.14 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further interest thereon. The provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Sections 10.3 and 10.5. For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement as in effect from time to time or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant permitted hereunder. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off, but subject to Section 12.6) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 12.7 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 12.7 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

 

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SECTION 12.8 Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.

(a) General. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, an Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 12.8; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuers hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Receipt. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

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(d) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Agent-Related Persons or any Arranger (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, any Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(e) Change of Address. Each of Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and the Swing Loan Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

(f) Reliance by Administrative Agent, Issuers and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the Issuers and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Notices of Borrowing or Swing Loan Requests) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified

 

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herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuer, each Lender and the Agent-Related Persons of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

SECTION 12.9 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.

No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

SECTION 12.10 [Reserved.]

SECTION 12.11 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, Holdings and the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender, Swing Loan Lender and each Issuer that each such Lender, Swing Loan Lender and Issuer has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, Holdings, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 12.12 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) THE BORROWER AND HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO

 

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AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS (BUT NOT THE BORROWER OR HOLDINGS) RETAINS THE RIGHT TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE BORROWER OR HOLDINGS IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXERCISE OF ANY RIGHTS UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT.

(c) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 12.8. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 12.13 Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 12.14 Marshaling; Payments Set Aside.

None of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuer shall be under any obligation to marshal any assets in favor of the Loan Parties or any other party or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of

 

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set-off, and such payment or the proceeds of such set-off or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such set-off had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

SECTION 12.15 Execution in Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Sections 4.1 and 4.3, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 12.16 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.

The words “execute, execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (includingor related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Notice of Borrowing, Swing Loan Request, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable lawLaw, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it.

 

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This Agreement and any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice, certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement (each a “Communication”), including Communications required to be in writing, may, if agreed by the Administrative Agent, be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures, including, without limitation, facsimile and/or .pdf. The Loan Parties agree that any Electronic Signature (including, without limitation, facsimile or .pdf) on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on the Loan Parties to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Parties enforceable against the Loan Parties in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered to the Administrative Agent. Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance by the Administrative Agent of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of the Administrative Agent’s business, and destroy the original paper document. All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, each Secured Party shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party without further verification and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed, original counterpart. For purposes hereof, “Electronic Record” and “Electronic Signature” shall have the meanings assigned to them, respectively, by 15 USC §7006, as it may be amended from time to time.

SECTION 12.17 Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuers agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information in accordance with its customary procedures (set forth below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners); provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees

 

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that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable prior to any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by applicable Laws, or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of such disclosure unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions at least as restrictive as those of this Section 12.17, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be an Additional Lender (other than to a Disqualified Institution; provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions may be provided) or (ii) any actual or prospective direct or indirect counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower; (h) to any rating agency when required by it (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to the Loan Parties received by it from the Administrative Agent or such Lender); or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuer, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, and which source is not known by such Agent or Lender to be subject to a confidentiality restriction in respect thereof in favor of the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, it being understood that all information received from Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereofEffective Date, shall be deemed confidential unless such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as not being confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so in accordance with its customary procedures if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

 

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SECTION 12.18 Use of Name, Logo, etc.

Each Loan Party consents to the publication in the ordinary course by Administrative Agent or the Arrangers of customary advertising material relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement using such Loan Party’s name, product photographs, logo or trademark. Such consent shall remain effective until revoked by such Loan Party in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers. The Administrative Agent and the Arrangers reserve the right to provide to industry trade organizations information necessary and customary for inclusion in league table measurements.

SECTION 12.19 USA PATRIOT Act Notice; Foreign Asset Control Regulations.

Each Lender that is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

Neither the advance of the Loans nor the use of the proceeds of any thereof will violate the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., as amended) (the “Trading With the Enemy Act”) or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) (the “Foreign Assets Control Regulations”) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto (which for the avoidance of doubt shall include, but shall not be limited to (a) Executive Order 13224 of September 21, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)) (the “Executive Order”)) or the USA PATRIOT Act. Furthermore, none of the Loan Parties or their Affiliates (a) is or will become a “blocked person” as described in the Executive Order, the Trading With the Enemy Act or the Foreign Assets Control Regulations or (b) engages or will engage in any dealings or transactions, or be otherwise associated, with any such “blocked person” or in any manner violative of any such order.

SECTION 12.20 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrower and Holdings acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Agents and the Arrangers are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, Holdings and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agents and the Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrower and Holdings has consulted its own legal,

 

203


accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Borrower and Holdings is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Agents, the Arrangers and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Agents, the Arrangers, the Lender and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, Holdings their respective Affiliates, and none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and Holdings hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

SECTION 12.21 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 12.21, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the applicable Issuer or the Swing Loan Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

SECTION 12.22 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent, each Issuer and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent, any Issuer or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuer or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

SECTION 12.23 Lender Action. Each Lender agrees that it shall not take or institute any actions or proceedings, judicial or otherwise, for any right or remedy against any Loan Party under any of the Loan Documents or the Secured Hedge Agreements (including the exercise of any right of set-off, rights on account of any banker’s lien or similar claim or other

 

204


rights of self-help), or institute any actions or proceedings, or otherwise commence any remedial procedures, with respect to any Collateral or any other property of any such Loan Party, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be withheld in contravention of Section 11.4). The provision of this Section 12.23 are for the sole benefit of the Lenders and shall not afford any right to, or constitute a defense available to, any Loan Party.

SECTION 12.24 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If any Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by an Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

SECTION 12.25 Time of the Essence.

Time is of the essence in the Loan Documents.

SECTION 12.26 No Strict Construction.

The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this Agreement.

SECTION 12.27 Intercreditor Agreement.

Each of Holdings, the Borrower, the Agents, the Issuers and the Lenders acknowledge that the exercise of certain of the Administrative Agents’ rights and remedies hereunder may be subject to, and restricted by, the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement. Except as specified herein, nothing contained in the Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to modify any of the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, which, as among the Loan Parties, the Agents, the Issuers and the Lenders shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12.28 Keepwell.

Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified

 

205


Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under the Guaranty voidable under applicable Laws relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 12.28 shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

SECTION 12.29 Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of EEAAffected Financial Institutions.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any suchthe parties, each party hereto (including each Secured Party) acknowledges that, with respect to any Secured Party that is an Affected Financial Institution, any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institutionsuch Secured Party arising under anya Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEAWrite-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority, and each party hereto agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:,

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEAthe applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunderliability which may be payable to it by any Lender or Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institutionsuch Secured Party; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including (i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability; (ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEAAffected Financial Institution, its parent undertakingentity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or (iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers.

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

206


SECTION 12.30 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs.

To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Contract or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, theU.S. Special Resolution Regimes) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, aCovered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

SECTION 12.31 SECTION 12.30 Amendment and Restatement.

This Agreement is an amendment and restatement of the Original Credit Agreement, it being acknowledged and agreed that as of the Effective Date all obligations outstanding under or in connection with the Original Credit Agreement and any of the other Loan Documents (such obligations, collectively, the “Existing Obligations”) constitute obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement is in no way intended to constitute a novation of the Original Credit Agreement or the Existing Obligations. With respect to (i) any date or time period occurring and ending prior to the Effective Date, the Original Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall govern the respective rights and obligations of any party or parties hereto also party thereto and shall for such purposes remain in full force and effect; and (ii) any date or time period occurring or ending on or after the Effective Date, the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the exhibits and schedules hereto) and the other Loan Documents. From and after the Effective Date, any reference to the Original Credit

 

207


Agreement in any of the other Loan Documents executed or issued by and/or delivered to any one or more parties hereto pursuant to or in connection therewith shall be deemed to be a reference to this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between such provisions and those of the Original Credit Agreement.

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208


ANNEX B

Updated Exhibits to Credit Agreement

[See Attached]


EXHIBIT N

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Date: __________, 20__

Reference is made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (capitalized terms used herein have the meanings attributed thereto in the Credit Agreement unless otherwise defined herein).

Pursuant to Section 7.2(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower, and not individually, certifies as follows:

1. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 1 IS A CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET OF THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED [_____], 20[__], AND THE RELATED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME OR OPERATIONS, STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY AND CASH FLOWS FOR SUCH FISCAL YEAR, TOGETHER WITH RELATED NOTES THERETO AND, SO LONG AS PROVIDED TO THE HOLDERS OF THE BORROWER’S OR ANY OF ITS DIRECT OR INDIRECT PARENT COMPANIES’ DEBT SECURITIES, MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS DESCRIBING RESULTS OF OPERATIONS, SETTING FORTH IN EACH CASE IN COMPARATIVE FORM THE FIGURES FOR THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, ALL IN REASONABLE DETAIL AND PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP, AUDITED AND ACCOMPANIED BY A REPORT AND OPINION OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, OR ANY OTHER INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDING, WHICH REPORT AND OPINION HAS BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (OTHER THAN AN “EMPHASIS OF MATTER” PARAGRAPH) OR ANY “GOING CONCERN” OR LIKE QUALIFICATION OR EXCEPTION OR ANY QUALIFICATION OR EXCEPTION AS TO THE SCOPE OF SUCH AUDIT (OTHER THAN A “GOING CONCERN” QUALIFICATION OR EXCEPTION RESULTING FROM OR RELATING TO (I) AN ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED BREACH OF THE FINANCIAL COVENANT SET FORTH IN SECTION 6.1, (II) AM UPCOMING MATURITY DATE OR (III) ACTIVITIES, OPERATIONS, FINANCIAL RESULTS OR LIABILITIES OF ANY UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY). ALSO ATTACHED HERETO AS EXHIBIT A ARE THE RELATED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFLECTING THE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE THE ACCOUNTS OF UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES (IF ANY) FROM SUCH CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.]1

 

1 

To be included if accompanying annual financial statements only.

 

2


2. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 1 IS A CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET OF THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL QUARTER ENDED [_____], AND THE RELATED (I) CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME OR OPERATIONS FOR SUCH FISCAL QUARTER AND FOR THE PORTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR THEN ENDED AND (II) CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE PORTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR THEN ENDED, SETTING FORTH IN EACH CASE IN COMPARATIVE FORM THE FIGURES FOR THE CORRESPONDING FISCAL QUARTER OF THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR AND THE CORRESPONDING PORTION OF THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, ALL IN REASONABLE DETAIL (COLLECTIVELY, THE “FINANCIAL STATEMENTS”), (TOGETHER WITH, SO LONG AS PROVIDED TO THE HOLDERS OF THE BORROWER’S OR ANY OF ITS DIRECT OR INDIRECT PARENT COMPANIES’ DEBT SECURITIES’ MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS DESCRIBING RESULTS OF OPERATIONS). SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FAIRLY PRESENT IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS THE FINANCIAL CONDITION, RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND CASH FLOWS OF THE BORROWER AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP, SUBJECT ONLY TO NORMAL YEAR-END ADJUSTMENTS AND THE ABSENCE OF FOOTNOTES. ALSO ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 1 ARE THE RELATED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFLECTING THE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE THE ACCOUNTS OF UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES (IF ANY) FROM SUCH CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.]2

3. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 2 IS A DESCRIPTION OF ALL MATERIAL INSURANCE COVERAGE MAINTAINED BY THE LOAN PARTIES, TOGETHER WITH EVIDENCE THEREOF.]3

4. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, EXCEPT AS EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN APPENDIX 3, NO DEFAULT OR EVENT OF DEFAULT HAS OCCURRED AND IS CONTINUING.

5. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 4 IS A REASONABLY DETAILED CALCULATION OF THE CONSOLIDATED FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE RATIO OF THE BORROWER AND ITS RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES AS OF THE END OF THE MOST RECENT TEST PERIOD, WHICH CALCULATION IS TRUE AND ACCURATE.]

 

2 

To be included if accompanying quarterly financial statements only.

3 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate.

 

3


6. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 5 IS A WRITTEN NOTICE OF ANY CHANGE FROM THE MOST RECENTLY DELIVERED COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE, (A) IN THE LOCATION OF ANY LOAN PARTY’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE, ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS, OR (B) IN THE LOCATION OF ANY OFFICE IN WHICH ANY LOAN PARTY MAINTAINS BOOKS OR RECORDS RELATING TO COLLATERAL OWNED BY IT OR ANY OFFICE OR FACILITY AT WHICH COLLATERAL OWNED BY IT IS LOCATED (INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ANY SUCH NEW OFFICE OR FACILITY).]

7. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 6 IS A WRITTEN NOTICE OF ANY MATERIAL CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES OR FINANCIAL REPORTING PRACTICES BY ANY LOAN PARTY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF SINCE THE DATE OF THE MOST RECENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DELIVERED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT (OTHER THAN CHANGES MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH GAAP).]

8. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 7 IS A REPORT SETTING FORTH THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY SECTION 3.3(C) OF THE SECURITY AGREEMENT (OR CONFIRMING THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN SUCH INFORMATION SINCE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OR THE DATE OF THE LAST SUCH REPORT).]

9. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 8 IS A DESCRIPTION OF EACH EVENT, CONDITION OR CIRCUMSTANCE DURING THE LAST FISCAL QUARTER COVERED BY SUCH COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE REQUIRING A MANDATORY PREPAYMENT UNDER SECTION 2.9 OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT.]

10. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 9 IS A LIST OF EACH SUBSIDIARY OF THE BORROWER THAT IDENTIFIES EACH SUBSIDIARY AS A RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY OR AN UNRESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY AS OF THE DATE OF DELIVERY OF SUCH COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE OR A CONFIRMATION THAT THERE IS NO CHANGE IN SUCH INFORMATION SINCE THE LATER OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND THE DATE OF THE LAST SUCH LIST.]

11. [ATTACHED HERETO AS APPENDIX 10 ARE REASONABLY DETAILED CALCULATIONS, WHICH CALCULATIONS ARE TRUE AND ACCURATE ON AND AS OF THE DATE OF THIS CERTIFICATE, OF THE NET CASH PROCEEDS RECEIVED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED [____] BY OR ON BEHALF OF, HOLDINGS OR ANY OF ITS RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES IN RESPECT OF ANY DISPOSITION SUBJECT TO PREPAYMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.9(B) OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT.]

[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the Chief Financial Officer of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, and not individually, has executed this certificate for and on behalf of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC and has caused this certificate to be delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:     Chief Financial Officer

Signature Page to Compliance Certificate


APPENDIX 1

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

[Please see attached.]

 

A-1


APPENDIX 2

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Description, in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of all material insurance coverage maintained by the Loan Parties, together with evidence thereof.

 

A-2


APPENDIX 3

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Except as set forth below, no Default or Event of Default presently exists. [If a Default or Event of Default exists, the following describes the nature of the Default in reasonable detail and the steps being taken or contemplated by the Borrower to be taken on account thereof.]

 

A-3


APPENDIX 4

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Test Period covered by the calculations below: [_____], 20[__] to [_____], 20[__].

 

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio   
The ratio of (a) to (b)   

1.   Consolidated EBITDA

   $______

2.   Capital Expenditures4

   $______

3.   Cash Taxes

   $______

(a)   1 minus 2 minus 3

   $______

(b)   Debt Service Charges

   $______

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Test Period is _____: 1:00.

Full calculations are attached as Exhibit A hereto.

 

4 

This does not include Capital Expenditures financed with proceeds of Indebtedness.

 

A-4


EXHIBIT A

TO APPENDIX 4

 

(A)  Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

  

(1)   Consolidated EBITDA

  

(a)   Consolidated Net Income:

  

(i)  the aggregate of the Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such Test Period on a Consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding, without duplication:

   $_____

(A)  any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and fees and expenses in connection with relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs, severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC)

   $_____

(B)  the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such Test Period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

(C)  effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s Consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to any consummated Permitted Acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes

   $_____

(D)  any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-i


(E)  any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset Dispositions or other Disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower

   $_____

(F)  the Net Income for such Test Period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall include the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such Test Period

   $_____

(G)  (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such Test Period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such Test Period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments

   $_____

(H)  any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-ii


(I)   any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other Disposition of assets permitted under the Credit Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days)

   $_____

(J)   to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption

   $_____

(K)  any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries

   $_____

ConsolidatedNet Income (item (A)(1)(a)(i) minus the sum of items (A)(1)(a)(i)(A) through (K))

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-iii


(b)   increased by (without duplication of any such item included in the calculation of Consolidated Net Income):

  

(i)  provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 9.6(g) of the Credit Agreement, solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

(ii)  (A) total interest expense (including (A) imputed interest on Capitalized Lease Obligations and Attributable Indebtedness (which, in each case, will be deemed to accrue at the interest rate reasonably determined by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capitalized Lease Obligations or Attributable Indebtedness), (B) commissions, discounts and other fees, charges and expenses owed with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance financing, surety and performance bonds and receivables financings, (C) amortization and write-offs of deferred financing fees, debt issuance costs, debt discounts, commissions, fees, premium and other expenses, as well as expensing of bridge, commitment or financing fees, (D) payments made in respect of hedging obligations or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk, (E) cash contributions to any employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such contributions are used by such plan or trust to pay interest or fees to any Person (other than such Person or a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary) in connection with Indebtedness incurred by such plan or trust, (F) all interest paid or payable with respect to discontinued operations, (G) the interest portion of any deferred payment obligations) and (H) all interest on any Indebtedness that is (x) Indebtedness of others secured by any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person or its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, but limited to the fair market value of such property, (y) contingent obligations in respect of Indebtedness; provided that such interest expense shall be calculated after giving effect to Hedge Agreements related to interest rates (including associated costs), but excluding unrealized gains and losses with respect to such Hedge Agreements or (z) fee and expenses paid to the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as such and for its own account) pursuant to the Loan Documents and fees and expenses paid to the administrative agent, the collateral agent, trustee or other similar Persons for any other Indebtedness permitted by Section 9.3) of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this Clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under Clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-iv


(iii)   Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

(iv) any fees, expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Credit Agreement including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment, restatement or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges incurred in connection with the First Amendment and any amendment or refinancing of the Term Facilities, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-v


(v)   (1) the amount of any charge, cost, loss, expense or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including charges, costs, losses, expenses or reserves related to: (A) restructuring (including restructuring charges or reserves, whether or not classified as such under GAAP), severance, relocation, consolidation, integration or other similar items, (B) strategic and/or business initiatives, business optimization (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, without limitation, implementation of operational and reporting systems and technology initiatives; strategic initiatives; retention; severance; systems establishment costs; systems conversion and integration costs; contract termination costs; recruiting and relocation costs and expenses; costs, expenses and charges incurred in connection with curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefits plans; costs to start-up, pre-opening, opening, closure, transition and/or consolidation of distribution centers, operations, officers and facilities) including in connection with any Investment permitted under the Credit Agreement, and new systems design and implementation, as well as consulting fees and any one-time expense relating to enhanced accounting function, (C) business or facilities (including greenfield facilities) start-up, opening, transition, consolidation, shut-down and closing, (D) signing, retention and completion bonuses, (E) severance, relocation or recruiting, (F) public company registration, listing, compliance, reporting and related expenses, (G) charges and expenses incurred in connection with litigation (including threatened litigation), any investigation or proceeding (or any threatened investigation or proceeding) by a regulatory, governmental or law enforcement body (including any attorney general), and (H) expenses incurred in connection with casualty events or asset sales outside the ordinary course of business and (2) any one-time costs, expenses or charges incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions or other Investments permitted under the Credit Agreement after the Effective Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the First Amendment Effective Date; provided that the aggregate amount added back pursuant to this Clause (v) when taken together with the aggregate amount added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to Clause (xiii) shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period (calculated after giving effect to any increase to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this Clause (v) and Clause (xiii))

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-vi


(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the First Amendment Effective Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs

   $_____

(vii)  any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), including the following: (A) non-cash $ expenses in connection with, or resulting from, stock option plans, employee benefit plans or agreements or post-employment benefit plans or agreements, or grants or sales of stock, stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock, preferred stock or other similar rights, (B) non-cash currency translation losses related to changes in currency exchange rates (including re-measurements of Indebtedness (including intercompany Indebtedness) and any net non-cash loss resulting from hedge agreements for currency exchange risk), (C) non-cash losses, expenses, charges or negative adjustments attributable to the movement in the mark-to-market valuation of hedge agreements or other derivative instruments, including the effect of FASB Accounting Standards Codification 815 and International Accounting Standard No. 9 and their respective related pronouncements and interpretations, (D) non-cash charges for deferred tax asset valuation allowances, (E) any non-cash impairment charge or asset write-off or write-down related to intangible assets (including goodwill), long-lived assets, and Investments in debt and equity securities, (F) any non-cash charges or losses resulting from any purchase accounting adjustment or any step-ups with respect to re-valuing assets and liabilities in connection with any Investments permitted under the Credit Agreement, (G) all non-cash losses from Investments permitted under the Credit Agreement recorded using the equity method and (H) the excess of GAAP rent expense over actual cash rent paid during such period due to the use of straight line rent for GAAP purposes and (z) any non-cash interest expense)

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-vii


(viii)  the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 9.8 of the Credit Agreement and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $_____

(x)   Public Company Costs

   $_____

(xi) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to item (A)(1)(c) below for any previous period and not added back

   $_____

(xii)  any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests)

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-viii


(xiii)  the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and other cost synergies that are projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken no later than 12 months after the end of such Test Period (which amounts will be determined by the Borrower in good faith and calculated on a pro forma basis as though such amounts had been realized on the first day of the Test Period for which Consolidated EBITDA is being determined), net of the amount of actual benefits realized during such Test Period from such actions; provided that, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower such cost savings are reasonably identifiable, reasonably anticipated to be realized and factually supportable (it being agreed such determinations need not be made in compliance with Regulation S-X or other applicable securities law); provided that the aggregate amount added back pursuant to this Clause (xiii) when taken together with the aggregate amount added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to Clause (v) shall not exceed shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period (calculated after giving effect to any increase to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this Clause (xiii) and Clause (v))

   $_____

(xiv) proceeds of business interruption insurance actually received (to the extent not counted in any prior period in anticipation of such receipt) or, to the extent not counted in any prior period, reasonably expected to be received

   $_____

(c)   decreased by (without duplication):

  

(i)  any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with the calculation set forth in this Schedule 1)

   $_____

(ii)  any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period

   $_____

(d)   Consolidated EBITDA (Consolidated Net Income plus the sum of items (A)(1)(b)(i) through (xiv) minus the sum of items (A)(1)(c)(i) and (ii))

   $_____

(2)   Capital Expenditures

  

(a)     (i)   all amounts that would be reflected as additions to property, plant or equipment on a Consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

(ii)  the value of all assets under Capitalized Leases incurred by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period

   $_____

 

Exhibit A-ix


provided that Capital Expenditures shall not include (i) expenditures made in connection with the replacement, substitution, restoration or repair of assets to the extent financed with (x) insurance proceeds paid on account of the loss of or damage to the assets being replaced, substituted, restored or repaired or (y) awards of compensation arising from the taking by eminent domain or condemnation of the assets being replaced, (ii) the purchase of plant, property or equipment or software to the extent financed with the Net Cash Proceeds of Dispositions that are not required to be applied to prepay the Loans the Term Facilities, (iii) expenditures that are accounted for as capital expenditures by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and that actually are paid for, or reimbursed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in cash or Cash Equivalents, by a Person other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and for which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary has provided or is required to provide or incur, directly or indirectly, any consideration or obligation (other than rent) in respect of such expenditures to such Person or any other Person (whether before, during or after such period), including, without limitation, expenditures which are contractually required to be, and are, reimbursed to the Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor in cash by its landlords as tenant allowances during such period, (iv) expenditures to the extent constituting any portion of a Permitted Acquisition, (v) the purchase price of equipment purchased during such period to the extent the consideration therefor consists of any combination of (A) used or surplus equipment traded in at the time of such purchase, and (B) the Net Cash Proceeds of a concurrent sale of used or surplus equipment, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, provided that such portion of the purchase price in excess of the credit granted by the seller of such equipment for the equipment being traded in at such time or such Net Cash Proceeds, as applicable, shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” under the Credit Agreement, (vi) expenditures relating to the construction, acquisition, replacement, reconstruction, development, refurbishment, renovation or improvement of any property which has been transferred to a Person other than a Loan Party or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during the same Fiscal Year in which such expenditures were made pursuant to a sale-leaseback transaction, to the extent of the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction, provided that such portion of the expenditures which exceed the Net Cash Proceeds received by a Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such sale-leaseback transaction shall not be excluded as “Capital Expenditures” under the Credit Agreement, or (vii) expenditures financed with the proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower or a capital contribution to the Borrower or Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Credit Agreement, to the extent such expenditures were made within 365 days after the receipt of such proceeds.

  

 

Exhibit A-x


Capital Expenditures

  

(iii) the sum of items (A)(2)(a)(i) and (ii)

   $_____

Cash Taxes

  

(b)   with respect to any Test Period, all taxes paid or payable in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Test Period

   $_____

(c)   item (A)(1)(d) minus item (A)(2)(a)(iii) minus item (A)(2)(b)

   $_____

(3)   Debt Service Charges

  

with respect to any Person for any Test Period, the sum of:

  

(a)   Consolidated Interest Charges5

  

(i)  all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

(ii)  the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under Capitalized Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

(iii)   cash interest income during such period, in each case of or by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the most recently completed Test Period in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

(iv) item (A)(3)(a)(i) plus (A)(3)(a)(ii) minus item (A)(3)(a)(iii)

   $_____

(b)   Scheduled principal payments made or required to be made on account of Indebtedness of the types set forth in Clauses (a), (b), (c) and (f) of the definition of “Indebtedness”, as defined in the Credit Agreement, (excluding the Obligations but including, without limitation, Capitalized Lease Obligations) for such Test Period, in each case determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP

   $_____

Debt Service Charges

  

(c)   the sum of item (A)(3)(a)(iv) and item (A)(3)(b)

   $_____

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

                             item (2)(c) divided by item (3)(c)

   ___: 1.00

 

  

 

5 

For purposes of the foregoing, interest expense shall exclude one time financing fees (including arrangement, amendment and contract fees), debt issuance costs, commissions, expenses and, in each case, the amortization thereof.

 

Exhibit A-xi


APPENDIX 5

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Written notice of any change from the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate, (A) in the location of any Loan Party’s chief executive office, its principal place of business, or (B) in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it or any office or facility at which Collateral owned by it is located (including the establishment of any such new office or facility).


APPENDIX 6

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Written notice of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered to the Administrative Agent (other than changes made in accordance with GAAP).


APPENDIX 7

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Report setting forth the information required by Section 3.3(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Effective Date or the date of the last such report).


APPENDIX 8

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

Description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last Fiscal Quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.9 of the Credit Agreement.


APPENDIX 9

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

List of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Effective Date and the date of the last such list.


APPENDIX 10

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(B)  Net Cash Proceeds

  

with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of:

   $_____

(i)  the sum of:

  

(A)  cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received)

   $_____

(ii)  over the sum of:

  

(A)  the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition and that is required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents or the Term Facility Documentation or any Permitted Refinancing of the Indebtedness under the Term Facility Documentation)

   $_____

(B)  the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition

   $_____

(C)  in the case of any Disposition by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro-rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this item (C)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof

   $_____

(D)  taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 9.6(g)(i) or (g)(iii) of the Credit Agreement paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), provided that to the extent that the actual taxes are less than such estimate, the excess shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds

   $_____


(E)  any funded reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this Clause (ii)(E); provided that, so long as no Cash Dominion Period has occurred and is continuing under the Credit Agreement, no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this Clause (ii)(E) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this Clause (ii)(E))

   $_____
Net Cash Proceeds (item (B)(i)(A) minus the sum of items (B)(ii)(A) through (E))    $_____


ANNEX C

Updated Schedules to Credit Agreement

[See Attached]


SCHEDULE I

REVOLVING CREDIT COMMITMENTS

 

Lender

   Commitment      Applicable Percentage  

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 140,000,000        28.000000000

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 75,000,000        15.000000000

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 60,000,000        12.000000000

BMO Harris Bank, N.A.

   $ 60,000,000        12.000000000

PNC Bank, National Association

   $ 50,000,000        10.000000000

TD Bank, N.A.

   $ 50,000,000        10.000000000

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $ 40,000,000        8.000000000

Huntington National Bank

   $ 25,000,000        5.000000000

TOTAL

   $ 500,000,000        100.000000000
EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

$725,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as the Borrower,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

and

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Co-Syndication Agents,

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. and

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

          Page  
ARTICLE I   

Definitions and Accounting Terms

  

SECTION 1.01

   Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.02

   Other Interpretive Provisions      55  

SECTION 1.03

   Accounting Terms      56  

SECTION 1.04

   Rounding      56  

SECTION 1.05

   References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.      56  

SECTION 1.06

   Times of Day      56  

SECTION 1.07

   Available Amount Transactions      57  

SECTION 1.08

   Pro Forma Calculations      57  

SECTION 1.09

   Currency Equivalents Generally      58  

SECTION 1.10

   Limited Condition Acquisitions      58  

ARTICLE II

  

The Commitments and Borrowings

  

SECTION 2.01

   The Loans      59  

SECTION 2.02

   Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans      59  

SECTION 2.03

   Prepayments      62  

SECTION 2.04

   Termination or Reduction of Commitments      74  

SECTION 2.05

   Repayment of Loans      74  

SECTION 2.06

   Interest      74  

SECTION 2.07

   Fees      75  

SECTION 2.08

   Computation of Interest and Fees      75  

SECTION 2.09

   Evidence of Indebtedness      75  

SECTION 2.10

   Payments Generally      76  

SECTION 2.11

   Sharing of Payments      77  

SECTION 2.12

   Incremental Borrowings      78  

SECTION 2.13

   Refinancing Amendments      79  

SECTION 2.14

   Extensions of Loans      80  

SECTION 2.15

   Loan Repricing Protection      81  

ARTICLE III

  

Taxes, Increased Costs Protection and Illegality

  

SECTION 3.01

   Taxes      82  

SECTION 3.02

   Illegality      85  

SECTION 3.03

   Inability to Determine Rates      85  

SECTION 3.04

   Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans      86  

 

i


SECTION 3.05

  

Funding Losses

     87  

SECTION 3.06

  

Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation

     87  

SECTION 3.07

  

Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances

     88  

SECTION 3.08

  

Survival

     89  
ARTICLE IV   
Conditions Precedent to Borrowings   

SECTION 4.01

  

Conditions to Initial Borrowing

     89  

SECTION 4.02

  

Conditions to All Borrowings After the Closing Date

     92  
ARTICLE V   

SECTION 5.01

  

Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws

     92  

SECTION 5.02

  

Authorization; No Contravention

     92  

SECTION 5.03

  

Governmental Authorization

     93  

SECTION 5.04

  

Binding Effect

     93  

SECTION 5.05

  

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

     93  

SECTION 5.06

  

Litigation

     93  

SECTION 5.07

  

Labor Matters

     94  

SECTION 5.08

  

Ownership of Property; Liens

     94  

SECTION 5.09

  

Environmental Matters

     94  

SECTION 5.10

  

Taxes

     94  

SECTION 5.11

  

ERISA Compliance

     95  

SECTION 5.12

  

Subsidiaries

     95  

SECTION 5.13

  

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

     95  

SECTION 5.14

  

Disclosure

     96  

SECTION 5.15

  

Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

     96  

SECTION 5.16

  

Solvency

     96  

SECTION 5.17

  

OFAC

     96  

SECTION 5.18

  

USA PATRIOT Act

     96  

SECTION 5.19

  

Collateral Documents

     97  

SECTION 5.20

  

Anti-Corruption Laws

     97  

SECTION 5.21

  

EEA Financial Institution

     97  
ARTICLE VI   
Affirmative Covenants   

SECTION 6.01

  

Financial Statements

     97  

SECTION 6.02

  

Certificates; Other Information

     99  

SECTION 6.03

  

Notices

     101  

SECTION 6.04

  

Payment of Taxes

     101  

SECTION 6.05

  

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

     101  

SECTION 6.06

  

Maintenance of Properties

     102  

SECTION 6.07

  

Maintenance of Insurance

     102  

 

ii


SECTION 6.08

  

Compliance with Laws

     102  

SECTION 6.09

  

Books and Records

     102  

SECTION 6.10

  

Inspection Rights

     102  

SECTION 6.11

  

Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security

     103  

SECTION 6.12

  

Compliance with Environmental Laws

     105  

SECTION 6.13

  

Further Assurances and Post-Closing Conditions

     105  

SECTION 6.14

  

Designation of Subsidiaries

     107  

SECTION 6.15

  

Maintenance of Ratings

     107  
ARTICLE VII   
Negative Covenants   

SECTION 7.01

  

Liens

     107  

SECTION 7.02

  

Investments

     111  

SECTION 7.03

  

Indebtedness

     114  

SECTION 7.04

  

Fundamental Changes

     118  

SECTION 7.05

  

Dispositions

     120  

SECTION 7.06

  

Restricted Payments

     122  

SECTION 7.07

  

Change in Nature of Business

     125  

SECTION 7.08

  

Transactions with Affiliates

     126  

SECTION 7.09

  

Burdensome Agreements

     127  

SECTION 7.10

  

Use of Proceeds

     129  

SECTION 7.11

  

Accounting Changes

     129  

SECTION 7.12

  

Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness

     129  

SECTION 7.13

  

Holdings

     130  
ARTICLE VIII   
Events of Default and Remedies   

SECTION 8.01

  

Events of Default

     131  

SECTION 8.02

  

Remedies upon Event of Default

     133  

SECTION 8.03

  

Application of Funds

     134  
ARTICLE IX   
Administrative Agent and Other Agents   

SECTION 9.01

  

Appointment and Authorization of the Administrative Agent

     134  

SECTION 9.02

  

Rights as a Lender

     135  

SECTION 9.03

  

Exculpatory Provisions

     135  

SECTION 9.04

  

Reliance by the Administrative Agent

     136  

SECTION 9.05

  

Delegation of Duties

     137  

SECTION 9.06

  

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents

     137  

SECTION 9.07

  

Indemnification of Agents

     138  

 

iii


SECTION 9.08

  

No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc.

     138  

SECTION 9.09

  

Resignation of Administrative Agent

     139  

SECTION 9.10

  

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

     140  

SECTION 9.11

  

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

     141  

SECTION 9.12

  

Appointment of Supplemental Administrative Agents

     142  

SECTION 9.13

  

Intercreditor Agreements

     143  

SECTION 9.14

  

Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements

     143  

SECTION 9.15

  

Withholding Taxes

     144  
ARTICLE X   
Miscellaneous   

SECTION 10.01

  

Amendments, Etc.

     144  

SECTION 10.02

  

Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies

     147  

SECTION 10.03

  

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

     149  

SECTION 10.04

  

Attorney Costs and Expenses

     149  

SECTION 10.05

  

Indemnification by the Borrower

     149  

SECTION 10.06

  

Marshaling; Payments Set Aside

     151  

SECTION 10.07

  

Successors and Assigns

     151  

SECTION 10.08

  

Confidentiality

     157  

SECTION 10.09

  

Setoff

     158  

SECTION 10.10

  

Interest Rate Limitation

     158  

SECTION 10.11

  

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

     159  

SECTION 10.12

  

Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents

     159  

SECTION 10.13

  

Survival of Representations and Warranties

     159  

SECTION 10.14

  

Severability

     159  

SECTION 10.15

  

GOVERNING LAW

     159  

SECTION 10.16

  

WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY

     160  

SECTION 10.17

  

Binding Effect

     161  

SECTION 10.18

  

Lender Action

     161  

SECTION 10.19

  

Use of Name, Logo, etc.

     161  

SECTION 10.20

  

USA PATRIOT Act

     161  

SECTION 10.21

  

Service of Process

     161  

SECTION 10.22

  

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     161  

SECTION 10.23

  

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     162  

SCHEDULES

 

I   

Guarantors

1.01A   

Certain Security Interests and Guarantees

1.01B   

Designated Assets

1.01F   

Mortgaged Properties

2.01   

Commitment

 

iv


5.12

  

Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments

7.01(b)

  

Existing Liens

7.02(f)

  

Existing Investments

7.03(b)

  

Existing Indebtedness

7.08

  

Transactions with Affiliates

7.09

  

Existing Restrictions

10.02

  

Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices EXHIBITS

Form of

A    Committed Loan Notice

B

  

Note

C

  

Compliance Certificate

D

  

Assignment and Assumption

E

  

Guaranty

F

  

Security Agreement

G-1

  

Legal Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP

G-2

  

Legal Opinion of Thompson Hine LLP

H-1

  

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement

H-2

  

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

I

  

United States Tax Compliance Certificate

J

  

Intercompany Subordination Agreement

K

  

Solvency Certificate

L

  

Discount Range Prepayment Notice

M

  

Discount Range Prepayment Offer

N

  

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice

O

  

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice

P

  

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice

Q

  

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer

R

  

Specified Discount Prepayment Response

 

 

v


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of October 21, 2016 among JOANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”) under the Loan Documents, and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

Holdings and the Borrower are parties to that certain (i) Credit Agreement (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Term Loan Agreement”), dated as of March 18, 2011, with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the lenders party thereto and (ii) Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2011, with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, the lenders party thereto and the other parties thereto.

The Borrower has requested that (i) the Lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of Initial Loans on the Closing Date in an initial aggregate principal amount of $725,000,000 pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) certain other lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of ABL Facilities in an initial aggregate principal amount of $400,000,000 pursuant to the ABL Credit Agreement.

The proceeds of the Initial Loans and, if applicable, borrowings under the ABL Credit Agreement, together with a portion of cash on hand, will be used to (i) repay all principal, interest and other amounts owing under the Existing Term Loan Agreement, (ii) repurchase or redeem $271,825,000 of the Senior Notes (as defined herein) and (iii) pay fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

The Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

ABL Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the ABL Facilities Documentation, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the ABL Facilities Documentation.


ABL Credit Agreement” means that Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date among the Borrower, Holdings, the guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and the ABL Administrative Agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreement and the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

ABL Facilities” means the asset-based revolving credit facilities under the ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Facilities Documentation” means the ABL Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of the Closing Date among the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the ABL Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties or any other intercreditor agreement among the ABL Administrative Agent, one or more Senior Representatives of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt or Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent on terms, taken as a whole, reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be not materially adverse to the Lenders compared to those contained in the intercreditor agreement described above, as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time.

Acceptable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(2).

Acceptable Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice” means a notice of the Borrower’s acceptance of the Acceptable Discount in substantially the form of Exhibit O.

Acceptance Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(2).

Additional Lender” means, at any time, any bank, other financial institution, institutional investor or, subject to Sections 10.07(h) and (i), Affiliated Lender that, in any case, is not an existing Lender and that agrees to provide any portion of any (a) Incremental Loan in accordance with Section 2.12 or (b) Other Loans pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment in accordance with Section 2.13; provided that each Additional Lender (other than any Person that is an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund of a Lender at such time or an Affiliated Lender) shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), in each case to the extent any such consent would be required from the Administrative Agent under Section 10.07(b)(iii)(B) for an assignment of Loans to such Additional Lender.

 

2


Administrative Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Arrangers, the Agents or their respective lending affiliates shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

Affiliated Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that is the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Sponsor (other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries) at such time.

Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 10.02(d).

Agent-Related Persons” means the Agents, together with their respective Affiliates, and the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorney-in-fact, partners, trustees and advisors of such Persons and of such Persons’ Affiliates.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each CoSyndication Agent, the Supplemental Administrative Agents (if any) and the Arrangers.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, modified, replaced, extended, renewed or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

All-In Yield” means, as to any Indebtedness, the yield thereof, whether in the form of interest rate, margin, OID, upfront fees, a Eurodollar Rate or Base Rate floor greater than 1.00% or 2.00%, respectively (with such increased amount being equated to interest margins for purposes of determining any increase to the Applicable Rate), or otherwise; provided that (i) OID and upfront fees on floating rate Indebtedness shall be equated to an interest rate assuming a 4-year life to maturity (or, if less, the stated life to maturity at the time of the incurrence of the applicable Indebtedness) and (ii) “All-In Yield” with respect to any fixed rate indebtedness shall be determined in accordance with bond market convention (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) and adjusted to a floating rate yield (based on mid-rate swaps having a term equivalent to such fixed rate Indebtedness at the time of issuance thereof as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent); provided, further, that “All-In Yield” shall not include

 

3


arrangement fees, structuring fees or underwriting or similar fees paid to arrangers for such Indebtedness.

Annual Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Saturday closest to each of January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the fiscal years then ended.

Applicable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(2).

Applicable ECF Builder Percentage” means (i) for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended January 28, 2017, 50% and (ii) for any fiscal quarter of the Borrower thereafter, 100% minus the ECF Percentage for the fiscal year in which such fiscal quarter occurs (provided, that prior to the date of determination of the ECF Percentage for any fiscal year, such ECF Percentage shall be deemed to be 50%).

Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Weighted Average Life to Maturity.”

Applicable Rate” means a percentage per annum equal to (i) for Eurodollar Rate Loans, 5.00% and (ii) for Base Rate Loans, 4.00%.

Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, with respect to Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class.

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Fund that is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

Arrangers” means Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Barclays Bank PLC, each in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner under this Agreement.

Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

Assignment and Assumption” means an Assignment and Assumption substantially in the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Attorney Costs” means all reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external legal counsel.

Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

Auction Agent” means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any other financial institution or advisor employed by the Borrower (whether or not an Affiliate of the

 

4


Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Discounted Loan Prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv); provided that the Borrower shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent); provided, further, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Affiliates may act as the Auction Agent.

Available Amount” means, at any time (the “Reference Date”), the sum of:

(a) (i) $50,000,000 plus (ii) an amount equal to the Available Excess Cash Flow Amount; plus

(b) the amount of any capital contributions or Net Cash Proceeds from Permitted Equity Issuances (or issuances of debt securities that have been converted into or exchanged for Qualified Equity Interests) received or made by the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof and contributed by such parent to the Borrower) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

(c) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above or (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment, the aggregate amount of all dividends, distributions, returns of principal, interest, profits on sale and similar amounts received in cash or Cash Equivalents by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Minority Investments, Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(n) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

(d) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above or (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment, the aggregate amount of all repayments of principal, interest or similar amounts received in cash or Cash Equivalents by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Minority Investments or Unrestricted Subsidiaries and the fair market value of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary (to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made in reliance on the Available Amount) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date in respect of loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to such Minority Investments or Unrestricted Subsidiaries; plus

(e) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above, (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment or (C) required to be applied to prepay Loans in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii), the aggregate amount of all Net Cash Proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the sale, transfer or other disposition of its ownership interest in any Minority Investment or Unrestricted Subsidiary during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

 

5


(f)    the aggregate amount of mandatory prepayments declined pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(vi); minus

(g)    the aggregate amount of any Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(c)(iv)(B)(y), 7.02(i)(B)(ii) and Section 7.02(n)(ii), any Restricted Payment made pursuant to Section 7.06(k)(ii) or any payment made pursuant to Section 7.12(a)(D)(2) during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the Reference Date (and, for purposes of this clause (g), without taking account of the intended usage of the Available Amount on such Reference Date in the contemplated transaction).

Available Excess Cash Flow Amount” means, on any Reference Date (i) the Applicable ECF Builder Percentage multiplied by the Excess Cash Flow for each full fiscal year of the Borrower after the Closing Date (commencing with the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018) for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) on or prior to the applicable Reference Date, plus, without duplication (ii) the Applicable ECF Builder Percentage multiplied by the Excess Cash Flow for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended January 28, 2017 after financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) in respect of the fiscal year of the Borrower ended January 28, 2017 on or prior to the applicable Reference Date and that is not included in clause (i) above on such Reference Date; provided that in no event shall the amount determined pursuant to clause (i) or clause (ii) above at any time be less than zero.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America, N.A. as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America, N.A. based upon various factors including Bank of America, N.A.’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America, N.A. shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

6


Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment” means the offer by the Borrower to make a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a specified discount to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B).

Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by the Borrower of offers for, and the corresponding acceptance, if any, by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a specified range of discounts to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C).

Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by the Borrower of offers for, and the subsequent acceptance, if any, by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a discount to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D).

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period.

Borrowing Base” means, on any date, the sum of (x) 90% of 10% of the net sales of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, for the most recent fiscal month for which internal financial statements are available at such time plus (y) 80% of the book value of inventory of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as of the last day of the most recent fiscal month of the Borrower for which internal financial statements are available at such time.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the jurisdiction where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or any other dealings to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capitalized Leases) by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are required to be included as capital expenditures on the consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

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

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Capitalized Lease shall be the Capitalized Lease Obligation with respect

 

7


thereto; provided further that any lease that would be characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP on the Closing Date (whether or not such operating lease was in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as an operating lease (and not as a Capitalized Lease) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the Closing Date that would otherwise require such lease to be recharacterized (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) as a Capitalized Lease.

Cash Collateral Account” means an account held at, and subject to the sole dominion and control of, the Collateral Agent.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(a) Dollars;

(b) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business and not for speculation;

(c) readily marketable direct obligations issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(d) certificates of deposit, time deposits and Eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, demand deposits, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic or foreign commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000;

(e) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (c) and

(f) above or clause (g) below entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (d) above;

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

(h) marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

(i) readily marketable direct obligations issued by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof having an Investment Grade Rating from either Moody’s or S&P (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor

 

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S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency) with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

(j) Investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA(or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency); and

(k) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (i) above.

In the case of Investments by any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary or Investments made in a country outside the United States of America, Cash Equivalents shall also include (i) investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (a) through (j) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parents of such obligors) have ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (ii) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments analogous to the foregoing investments in clauses (a) through (j) and in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clause (a) above, provided that such amounts are converted into Dollars as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

Cash Management Bank” means any Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Closing Date or at the time it provides any Cash Management Services, whether or not such Person subsequently ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

Cash Management Obligations” means obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated by the Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent as “Cash Management Obligations.”

Cash Management Services” means any agreement or arrangement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit card processing, credit or debit card, purchase card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

Casualty Event” means any event that gives rise to the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of any equipment, fixed assets or real property (including any improvements thereon) to replace or repair, or as compensation for the taking of, such equipment, fixed assets or real property.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following:

 

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(a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty (excluding the taking effect after the date of this Agreement of a law, rule, regulation or treaty adopted prior to the date of this Agreement), (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

(a) (i) at any time prior to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders ceasing to own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings; or

(ii) at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, (1) any Person (other than a Permitted Holder) or (2) Persons (other than one or more Permitted Holders) constituting a “group” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person and its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under such Act), directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests representing more than forty percent (40%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings and the percentage of aggregate ordinary voting power so held is greater than the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Equity Interests of Holdings beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate by the Permitted Holders;

unless, in the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; or

(b) any “Change of Control” (or any comparable term) in any document pertaining to the ABL Facilities, the Senior Notes, the Senior Notes Indenture or any indenture governing notes issued in a Permitted Refinancing of the Senior Notes; or

(c) the Borrower ceases to be a direct wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings (or any Successor Holdings or other successor under 7.04(a)).

Class” when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Initial Loans, Incremental Loans, Other Loans or Extended Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a

 

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Commitment in respect of Initial Loans, Other Term Commitment (and, in the case of an Other Term Commitment, the Class of Loans to which such commitment relates), or a Commitment in respect of a Class of Loans to be made pursuant to an Incremental Amendment or an Extension Offer and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or Commitments. Other Term Commitments, Other Loans, Incremental Loans and Extended Loans that have different terms and conditions shall be construed to be in different Classes.

Closing Date” means the first date on which all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.

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

Co-Investor” means (a) the assignees, if any, of the equity commitments of any Sponsor who became holders of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) on or around March 18, 2011 (the “Original LBO Closing Date”) and (b) the transferees, if any, that acquired, within 60 days of the Original LBO Closing Date, any Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) held by any Sponsor as of the Original LBO Closing Date.

Collateral” means all the “Collateral” (or equivalent term) as defined in any Collateral Document and shall include the Mortgaged Properties.

Collateral Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Collateral Agent shall have received each Collateral Document required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(iv) or pursuant to Section 6.11 or Section 6.13 at such time, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto;

(b) all Obligations shall have been unconditionally guaranteed by Holdings, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary and not an Excluded Subsidiary including those that are listed on Schedule I hereto (each, a “Guarantor”), and any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that Guarantees the Senior Notes, any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower pursuant to the ABL Facilities (or is a co-borrower with the Borrower thereunder), any Junior Financing or any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof) shall be a Guarantor hereunder;

(c) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a first-priority security interest (subject to non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 7.01) in (i) all the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) all Equity Interests of each direct, wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary described in the following clause (iii)(A)) that is directly owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor and (iii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of (A) each wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor and substantially all of the assets of

 

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which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and (B) each wholly owned Foreign Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(d) except to the extent otherwise provided hereunder, including subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, or under any Collateral Document, the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (to the extent such security interest may be perfected by delivering certificated securities, filing financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code or making any necessary filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office) in substantially all tangible and intangible personal property of the Borrower and each Guarantor (including accounts (other than deposit accounts, other bank or securities accounts or any Securitization Assets), inventory, equipment, investment property, contract rights, applications and registrations of intellectual property filed in the United States, other general intangibles, and proceeds of the foregoing), in each case, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents, in each case subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents; provided that any such security interests in Current Asset Collateral shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement; and

(e) the Collateral Agent shall have received, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, (i) counterparts of a Mortgage with respect to each Material Real Property listed on Schedule 1.01F or required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.11 and 6.13(b) (the “Mortgaged Properties”) duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such property, (ii) fully paid Mortgage Policies in form and substance, with endorsements available in the applicable jurisdiction and in amount, reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent (not to exceed the fair market value of the real properties covered thereby), issued, coinsured and reinsured by title insurers reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, insuring the Mortgages to be valid subsisting Liens on the property described therein, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, and providing for such other affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances under the Loan Documents) and such coinsurance and direct access reinsurance as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request and is available in the applicable jurisdiction, (iii) such surveys, abstracts and appraisals and such customary opinions of local counsel and other documents as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgaged Property, including evidence of payment by any applicable Loan Party of all title policy premiums, and related charges, mortgage recording taxes, fees and expenses required in connection with recording the Mortgages and issuing the Mortgage Policies, copies of all leases in which any Loan Party holds the lessor’s interest, if any, and (iv) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof.

The foregoing definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals with respect to, particular assets if and for so long as, in the reasonable judgment of the Collateral

 

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Agent and the Borrower, the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets or obtaining title insurance, surveys abstracts or appraisals in respect of such assets shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.

The Collateral Agent may grant extensions of time for the perfection of security interests in or the obtaining of title insurance and surveys with respect to particular assets (including extensions beyond the Closing Date for the perfection of security interests in the assets of the Loan Parties on such date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that perfection cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreements, the Mortgages, Security Agreement Supplements, security agreements, pledge agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Agents and the Lenders pursuant to Sections 4.01(a)(iv), 6.11 or 6.13, the Guaranty, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any), the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien or Guarantee in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make a Loan to the Borrower hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Loan to be made by such Lender under this Agreement, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.04 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (ii) an Incremental Amendment, (iii) a Refinancing Amendment or (iv) an Extension. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01 under the caption “Commitment” or, otherwise, in the Assignment and Assumption, Incremental Amendment or Refinancing Amendment pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as the case may be. The initial aggregate amount of the Commitments on the Closing Date is $725,000,000.

Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Company Parties” means the collective reference to Holdings and its Subsidiaries, including the Borrower, and “Company Party” means any one of them.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C and which certificate shall in any event be a certificate of the chief financial officer (a) certifying as

 

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to whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and, if applicable, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (b) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations, in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 6.01(a), beginning with the financial statements for the fiscal year of the Borrower ending February 3, 2018, of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year, (c) commencing with the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, setting forth a calculation of the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent Test Period and (d) in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 6.01(a), setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the applicable period by or on behalf of, Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) and the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that has been invested or are intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B).

Consolidated Current Assets” means, as at any date of determination, the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that may properly be classified as current assets in conformity with GAAP, excluding cash and Cash Equivalents, amounts related to current or deferred taxes based on income or profits, assets held for sale, loans (permitted) to third parties, pension assets, deferred bank fees and derivative financial instruments, and excluding the effects of adjustments pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to any consummated acquisition.

Consolidated Current Liabilities” means, as at any date of determination, the total liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that may properly be classified as current liabilities in conformity with GAAP, excluding (A) the current portion of any Funded Debt, (B) the current portion of interest, (C) accruals for current or deferred taxes based on income or profits, (D) accruals of any costs or expenses related to restructuring reserves, (E) revolving loans, swingline loans and letter of credit obligations under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, (F) the current portion of any Capitalized Lease Obligation, (G) deferred revenue arising from cash receipts that are earmarked for specific projects, (H) liabilities in respect of unpaid earn-outs and (I) the current portion of any other long-term liabilities, and, furthermore, excluding the effects of adjustments pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation any consummated acquisition.

Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense of such Person, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

(a) increased by (without duplication):

 

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(i) (A) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 7.06(g), solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ii) (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iii) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iv) any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction and the Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(v) the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Closing Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Closing Date; plus

(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Closing Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project startup costs, plus

(vii) any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), plus

 

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(viii) the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 7.08 and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(x) [reserved], plus

(xi) the amount of loss on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing, plus

(xii) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to paragraph (b) below for any previous period and not added back, plus

(xiii) any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), in each case, solely to the extent that such cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Available Amount;

(b) decreased by (without duplication):

(i) any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with this definition), plus

(ii) any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any Test Period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended October 31, 2015, January 30, 2016, April 30, 2016 and July 30, 2016, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $76,000,000, $99,000,000, $47,900,000 and $33,400,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to add-backs and adjustments (without duplication) pursuant to Section 1.08(c) for the applicable Test Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.08.

 

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Consolidated First Lien Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, Consolidated Net Debt that is secured by a Lien on any asset or property of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any such amount of Consolidated Net Debt that is secured solely by Liens on the Collateral that are expressly subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations).

Consolidated Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (a) Consolidated Total Debt, minus (b) the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet.

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 and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that, without duplication,

(a) any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs (other than with respect to Stores), severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation thereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), shall be excluded,

(b) the Net Income for such period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP,

(c) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, inprocess research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded,

(d) any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations shall be excluded,

(e) any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower, shall be excluded,

(f) the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period,

 

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(g) (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments, shall be excluded,

(h) any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset writeoffs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded,

(i) any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days), shall be excluded,

(j) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded, and

(k) any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction, shall be excluded.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (A) the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations

 

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evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments; provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any Qualified Securitization Financing, (ii) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (iii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

Consolidated Working Capital” means, as at any date of determination, the excess of Consolidated Current Assets over Consolidated Current Liabilities.

Contract Consideration” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Excess Cash Flow.” “Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”

Co-Syndication Agents” means each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Barclays Bank PLC, each as a co-syndication agent under this Agreement.

Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” means any (a) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt that is designated in writing to the Administrative Agent by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” on or prior to the date of incurrence, (b) Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, (c) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt or (d) Other Loans, in each case, issued, incurred or otherwise obtained (including by means of the extension or renewal of existing Indebtedness) in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, in whole or part, existing Loans (“Refinanced Term Debt”); provided that such exchanging, extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing Indebtedness is in an original aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate principal amount of the Refinanced Term Debt except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premium) thereon plus reasonable upfront fees and OID on such exchanging, extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing Indebtedness, plus other reasonable and customary fees and expenses in connection with such exchange, modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension.

Current Asset Collateral” means all the “ABL Priority Collateral” as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

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

 

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Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Rate applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to the outstanding principal amount of any Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan (giving effect to Section 2.02(c)) plus 2.0% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

Designated Assets” means the assets set forth on Schedule 1.01B.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value of non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a Disposition pursuant to Section 7.05(j) that is designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation (which amount will be reduced by the fair market value of the portion of the non-cash consideration converted to cash within one hundred eighty (180) days following the consummation of the applicable Disposition).

Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(2).

Discount Range” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Notice” means a written notice of a Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C) substantially in the form of Exhibit L.

Discount Range Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by a Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit M, submitted in response to an invitation to submit offers following the Auction Agent’s receipt of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

Discount Range Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Proration” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(3).

Discounted Loan Prepayment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(A).

Discounted Prepayment Determination Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

 

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Discounted Prepayment Effective Date” means in the case of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offer or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offer, five (5) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date or the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, as applicable, in accordance with Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B), Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C) or Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D), respectively, unless a shorter period is agreed to between the Borrower and the Auction Agent.

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in a Restricted Subsidiary) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date of the Loans at the time of issuance; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

Disqualified Institution” means:

 

  (1)

any Person that is a competitor of the Borrower and identified by the Borrower in good faith in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time after the Closing Date;

 

  (2)

those banks, financial institutions, other institutional lenders and investors and other entities that were identified by the Borrower as such in writing to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date; and

 

  (3)

any Affiliates of Persons described in the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) that are readily identifiable as such solely on the basis of their names (other than any such Affiliate that is a bank, financial institution or fund (other than a Person described in clause (2) above) that regularly invest in commercial loans or similar extensions

 

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  of credit in the ordinary course of business and for which no personnel involved with the relevant competitor or Person referred to in clause (2) above make investment decisions);

provided that in no event shall any update to the list of Disqualified Institutions (A) be effective prior to two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent or (B) apply retroactively to disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement or that is party to a pending trade.

Notwithstanding anything in the Loan Documents to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible (or have any liability) for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions thereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (1) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (2) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans or commitments, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution. The list of Disqualified Institutions may be made available by the Administrative Agent on the Platform and to prospective assignees and Participants (including Public Lenders).

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

ECF Percentage” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(i).

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.07(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.07(b)(iii)).

Environmental Claim” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries

 

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(a) in the ordinary course of such Person’s business or (b) as required in connection with a financing transaction or an acquisition or disposition of real estate) or proceedings with respect to any Environmental Liability (hereinafter “Claims”), including (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Laws relating to the protection of the environment or, to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials, human health.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities) of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that together with any Loan Party is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan, written notification of any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates concerning the imposition of withdrawal liability or written notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; (d) the filing under Section 4041(c) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan, the treatment of a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of

 

23


proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, other than for the payment of plan contributions or PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates, (f) a failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) with respect to a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, (g) the application for a minimum funding waiver under Section 302(c) of ERISA with respect to a Pension Plan, (h) the imposition of a lien under Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan or (i) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA).

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate” means:

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent; provided, further that the Eurodollar Rate shall be no less than 1.00%.

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the definition of Eurodollar Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

Excess Cash Flow” means, for any period, an amount equal to the excess of:

(a) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period,

 

24


(ii) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation and amortization) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, but excluding any such non-cash charges representing an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period,

(iii) decreases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such decreases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

(v) the amount deducted as tax expense in determining Consolidated Net Income to the extent in excess of cash taxes paid in such period, and

(vi) cash receipts in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not otherwise included in such Consolidated Net Income; over

(b) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (but excluding any non-cash credit to the extent representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve described in clause (a)(ii) above) and cash charges excluded by virtue of clauses (a) through (k) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income,”

(ii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property accrued or made in cash during such period to the extent financed with (A) internally generated funds or (B) the proceeds of extensions of credit under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, in each case, of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iii) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to such Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase, but excluding (X) all other prepayments of Loans, (Y) all prepayments in respect of the ABL Facilities and except to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder, all other prepayments of any other revolving credit facility and (Z) payments of any subordinated indebtedness except to the extent permitted to be paid pursuant to Section 7.12(a)) made during such period, in each case except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other long term

 

25


Indebtedness (other than the proceeds of any revolving Indebtedness) of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and the net cash loss on Dispositions to the extent otherwise added to arrive at Consolidated Net Income,

(v) increases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

(vi) cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness) to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

(vii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clauses (viii) and (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Investments made pursuant to Sections 7.02(b)(iii), (m) (but excluding such loans and advances in respect of Sections 7.06(g)(i), (g)(iv) (to the extent the amount of such Investment would not have been deducted pursuant to this clause if made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) and (k)) and (n) and acquisitions made during such period to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and not made in reliance on any basket calculated by reference to the Available Amount,

(viii) the amount of Restricted Payments paid during such period pursuant to Sections 7.06(f), (g), (h), (i), (k)(i), (k)(ii) (solely to the extent made in reliance on clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Available Amount”) and (l), in each case to the extent such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(ix) the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries from internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

(x) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and such payments reduced Excess Cash Flow

 

26


pursuant to clause (b)(iii) above or reduced the mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.03(b)(i),

(xi) without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower following the end of such period; provided that, to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash flow actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property during such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters,

(xii) the amount of cash taxes paid or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, and

(xiii) cash expenditures in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Guarantor, (b) any Foreign Subsidiary, (c) any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries, (d) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary, (e) any Subsidiary that is prohibited or restricted by applicable Law from providing a Guaranty or if such Guaranty would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization, (f) any special purpose securitization vehicle (or similar entity), including any Securitization Subsidiary, (g) any Subsidiary that is a not-for-profit organization, (h) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent (confirmed in writing by notice to the Borrower), the cost or other consequences (including any adverse tax consequences) of providing the Guaranty shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom and (i) each Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to any “keepwell, support or other agreement” for the benefit of such Guarantor and

 

27


any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or a grant by such Guarantor of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guaranty or security interest is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) any tax on such recipient’s net income or profits (or franchise tax or minimum tax imposed in lieu of such tax on net income or profits) imposed by a jurisdiction as a result of such recipient being organized or having its principal office or applicable Lending Office located in such jurisdiction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any backup withholding in respect of such a tax under Section 3406 of the Code) or as a result of any other present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction (including as a result of such recipient carrying on a trade or business, having a permanent establishment or being a resident for tax purposes in such jurisdiction), other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents, (b) any branch profits tax under Section 884(a) of the Code, or any similar tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in (a), (c) with respect to any Non-US Lender (other than any Non-US Lender becoming a party hereto pursuant to the Borrower’s request under Section 3.07), any U.S. federal withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Non-US Lender pursuant to a Law in effect at the time such Non-US Lender becomes a party hereto (or where the Non-US Lender is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, pursuant to a Law in effect on the later of the date on which such Non-US Lender becomes a party hereto or the date on which the affected partner becomes a partner of such Non-US Lender) or designates a new Lending Office or experiences a change in circumstances (other than a Change in Law), except to the extent that such Non-US Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment or change in circumstances), to receive additional amounts from a Loan Party with respect to such U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01, (d) any withholding tax attributable to such recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(c), (e) any tax imposed as a result of such recipient’s failure to establish a complete exemption under FATCA and (f) any interest, additions to taxes and penalties with respect to any taxes described in clauses (a) through (e) of this definition.

Existing Term Loan Agreement” has the meaning specified in the recitals.

Extended Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extension” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extension Offer” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

 

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Facility” means the Initial Loans, any Extended Loans, any Incremental Loans or any Other Loans, as the context may require.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as in effect on the date hereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agreements between governmental authorities implementing such provisions, any law implementing such agreements and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code) and any amended or successor provisions that are substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with (and, in each case, any regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof).

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means a first lien intercreditor agreement among the Collateral Agent, the ABL Administrative Agent and one or more Senior Representatives for holders of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or Permitted Refinancing thereof) substantially in the form of Exhibit H-1, with such changes thereto, taken as a whole, as the Administrative Agent reasonably determines are not materially adverse to the Lenders.

Flood Insurance Laws” shall mean, collectively, (i) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (which comprehensively revised the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973) as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto and (iii) the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto.

Foreign Casualty Event” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(v).

Foreign Disposition” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(v).

Foreign Plan” means any material employee benefit plan, program or agreement maintained or contributed to by, or entered into with, Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings with respect to employees employed outside the United States (other than benefit plans, programs or agreements that are mandated by applicable Laws).

Foreign Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

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Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

Funded Debt” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for borrowed money that matures more than one year from the date of its creation or matures within one year from such date that is renewable or extendable, at the option of such Person, to a date more than one year from such date or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders to extend credit during a period of more than one year from such date, including Indebtedness in respect of the Loans.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that (i) accounting for leases shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the Closing Date and (ii) if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Closing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS) on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS), then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(g).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect

 

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such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantors” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.” For avoidance of doubt, the Borrower may cause any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to Guarantee the Obligations by causing such Restricted Subsidiary to execute a joinder to the Guaranty in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor hereunder for all purposes.

Guaranty” means (a) the guaranty made by Holdings and the other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” substantially in the form of Exhibit E and (b) each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, all substances, wastes, contaminants or pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas, regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Hedge Bank” means any Person that is an Agent, a Lender, a Joint Bookrunner or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing on the Closing Date or at the time it enters into a Secured Hedge Agreement, in its capacity as a party thereto, whether or not such Person subsequently ceases to be an Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing.

Holdings” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Identified Participating Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(3).

Identified Qualifying Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of the IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements.

Incremental Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

Incremental Facility Closing Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

 

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Incremental Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) the maximum amount (after giving effect to any prior drawings or reductions that may have been reimbursed) of all outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and accrued expenses payable in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any earn-out obligation until such obligation is not paid after becoming due and payable and (iii) accruals for payroll and other liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of business);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;

(g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include (A) the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is otherwise limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt and (B) in the case of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, exclude loans and advances made by Loan Parties having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business solely to the extent that such intercompany loans and advances are evidenced by one or more notes in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and pledged as Collateral. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) the fair market value (as determined by such Person in good faith) of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.

 

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Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 10.05.

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.05.

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

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Initial Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Intercompany Subordination Agreement” means an agreement executed by each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit J.

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the applicable Maturity Date; provided that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable Maturity Date.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and, except as contemplated by Section 2.01, ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, or to the extent consented to by each applicable Lender, twelve months (or one week as may be consented to by each applicable Lender), as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period (other than an Interest Period having a duration of less than one month) that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the applicable Maturity Date.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition (including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another

 

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Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions, including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment at any time shall be the amount actually invested (measured at the time made (which, in the case of any Investment constituting the contribution of an asset or property, shall be based on the Borrower’s good faith estimate of the fair market value of such asset or property at the time such Investment is made)), without adjustment for subsequent changes in the value of such Investment, net of any return representing a return of capital with respect to such Investment.

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 nationally recognized statistical rating agency selected by the Borrower.

IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.15.

IRS” means Internal Revenue Service of the United States.

Joint Bookrunner” means each of Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Barclays Bank PLC.

Joint Venture” means (a) any Person which would constitute an “equity method investee” of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries and (b) any Person in whom the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries beneficially owns any Equity Interest that is not a Restricted Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary).

Junior Financing” has the meaning specified in Section 7.12(a).

Junior Financing Documentation” means any documentation governing any Junior Financing.

Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Incremental Loan, any Other Loan or any Extended Loan, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Laws” means, collectively, all applicable international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities and executive orders, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

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Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns as permitted hereunder, each of which is referred to herein as a “Lender.” For avoidance of doubt, each Additional Lender is a Lender to the extent any such Person has executed and delivered a Refinancing Amendment or an Incremental Amendment, as the case may be, and to the extent such Refinancing Amendment or Incremental Amendment shall have become effective in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, and each Extending Lender shall continue to be a Lender. As of the Closing Date, Schedule 2.01 sets forth the name of each Lender.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall an operating lease in and of itself be deemed a Lien.

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Investment or acquisition (whether by way of merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or the acquisition of Equity Interests or otherwise) by the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by this Agreement whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing and which is designated as a Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in writing to the Administrative Agent.

Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, (a) this Agreement, (b) the Notes, (c) any Refinancing Amendment, Incremental Amendment or Extension Offer, (d) the Guaranty and (e) the Collateral Documents.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, (a) Holdings, (b) the Borrower and (c) each other Guarantor.

Management Stockholders” means the members of management of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries who are investors in Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof.

Margin Stock” has the meaning set forth in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance or condition that has had a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent)

 

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or financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their respective material payment obligations under any Loan Document to which any of the Loan Parties is a party or (c) the rights and remedies of the Lenders, the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent (taken as a whole) under any Loan Document.

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Domestic Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time after the Closing Date, Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors solely because they do not meet the thresholds set forth in clauses (a) or (b) comprise in the aggregate more than 5.0% of Total Assets as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 or more than 5.0% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the last day of such fiscal quarter, then the Borrower shall, not later than forty-five (45) days after the date by which financial statements for such quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), (i) designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Domestic Subsidiaries as “Material Domestic Subsidiaries” to the extent required such that the foregoing condition ceases to be true and (ii) comply with the provisions of Section 6.11 applicable to such Subsidiary.

Material Foreign Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Foreign Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

Material Real Property” means any real property owned by any Loan Party with a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000.

Material Subsidiary” means any Material Domestic Subsidiary or any Material Foreign Subsidiary.

Maturity Date” means (i) with respect to the Initial Loans that have not been extended pursuant to Section 2.14, the earliest of (a) the date that is seven years after the Closing Date (the “Original Loan Maturity Date”), (b) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the Senior Notes (or, if refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such Senior Notes) to the extent the Senior Notes (or such other debt instrument) have not been retired in full by such date and (c) the date that is 91 days prior to the scheduled maturity of the TopCo Notes (or, if the TopCo Notes are refinanced, the scheduled maturity date of the applicable debt instrument that refinances such TopCo Notes) to the extent the TopCo Notes (or such other debt instrument) have not been retired in full by such date, (ii) with respect

 

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to any tranche of Extended Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Extension Offer accepted by the respective Lender or Lenders, (iii) with respect to any Other Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment and (iv) with respect to any Incremental Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment; provided, in each case, that if such day is not a Business Day, the applicable Maturity Date shall be the Business Day immediately preceding such day.

Maximum Incremental Amount” means the sum of (x) $100,000,000, plus (y) the aggregate principal amount of optional prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(i) and, solely to the extent of the pre-payment price thereof, Section 2.03(a)(iv) and the amount actually paid in cash pursuant to any assignment made in accordance with Section 10.07(h)(iv), plus (z) subject to Section 1.10, an unlimited amount so long as on a Pro Forma Basis (but excluding the cash proceeds thereof), the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available would not exceed 3.25 to 1.00; provided that (i) the Borrower may incur Incremental Loans and Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clause (z) prior to clause (x) or (y), (ii) in the event that the Borrower does not make an election as to which clause of this definition it is relying on, it shall be deemed to have incurred all Incremental Loans and Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt pursuant to clause (z) to the full extent permitted thereby prior to being deemed to have incurred any amounts in reliance on clause (x) or (y) of this definition, (iii) the Borrower may incur Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clauses (x) and (y) of this definition concurrently with any incurrence of Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clause (z) of this definition and, in such event, amounts incurred in reliance on clause (x) and (y) (and the proceeds thereof) shall be excluded from the calculation of Consolidated First Lien Net Debt for purposes of the determination of the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio for such concurrent incurrence pursuant to clause (z), and (iv) the Borrower may incur Permitted Ratio Debt in reliance on clause (x) or (y) above.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 10.10.

Minimum Extension Condition” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(b).

Minority Investment” means any Person other than a Subsidiary in which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owns any Equity Interests.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Mortgage Policies” has the meaning specified in Section 6.13(b)(ii).

Mortgaged Properties” has the meaning specified in paragraph (e) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.”

Mortgages” means collectively, the deeds of trust, trust deeds, deeds to secure debt, hypothecs and mortgages made by the Loan Parties in favor or for the benefit of the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Lenders in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, and any other mortgages executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

 

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Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA and subject to Title IV of ERISA, to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Net Cash Proceeds” means:

(a) with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any Casualty Event, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received and, with respect to any Casualty Event, any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of such Casualty Event actually received by or paid to or for the account of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities Documentation, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and other Indebtedness secured on a pari passu basis with (or junior priority basis to) the Obligations), (B) the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event, (C) taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 7.06(g)(i) or (g)(iii) paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), (D) in the case of any Disposition or Casualty Event by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (D)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof, and (E) any reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and

(b) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this clause (E); provided that no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a)); and

(c) (i) with respect to the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Permitted Equity Issuance by the Borrower, the excess, if

 

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any, of (A) the sum of the cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such incurrence or issuance over (B) the investment banking fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, costs and other out-of-pocket expenses and other customary expenses, incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such incurrence or issuance and (ii) with respect to any Permitted Equity Issuance by any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, the amount of cash from such Permitted Equity Issuance contributed to the capital of the Borrower.

Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Non-Excluded Taxes” means all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes.

Non-Loan Party” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party.

Non-US Lender” means any Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Loans made by such Lender.

Obligations” means all (a) advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, (b) obligations of any Loan Party arising under any Secured Hedge Agreement and (c) Cash Management Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (and any of their Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Loan Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document; provided that the Obligations shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Offered Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

 

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Offered Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

OID” means original issue discount.

Organization Documents” means (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating or limited liability company agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Original Loan Maturity Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Maturity Date.”

Other Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A).

Other Loans” means one or more Classes of Loans that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document excluding, in each case, any such tax that result from an Assignment and Assumption, grant of a participation, transfer or assignment to or designation of a new applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving payments under any Loan Document (an “Assignment Tax”), but only if (1) such Assignment Tax is imposed as a result of a present or former connection of the assignor or assignee and the jurisdiction imposing such Assignment Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents) and (2) the assignment, participation, etc., giving rise to such Assignment Tax did not take place at the request of the Borrower.

Other Term Commitments” means one or more Classes of Loan commitments hereunder that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(e).

 

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Participating Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(2).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates or to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time in the preceding five plan years.

Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(i).

Permitted Equity Issuance” means any sale or issuance of any Qualified Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder.

Permitted Holder” means any of (a) the Sponsor, (b) the Management Stockholders and (c) the Co-Investors, provided that for purposes of the definition of “Change of Control” (i) in each of clause (a)(i), the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii) and the proviso to clause (a), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders at any time that they hold voting power equal to more than 20% of the ordinary voting power of all Equity Interests collectively held by the Sponsor, the Management Stockholders and the Co-Investors, (ii) in the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders if they are part of the “group” referred to in clause (a)(ii)(2) of the definition of “Change of Control” and (iii) in the parenthetical in each of clauses (a)(ii)(1) and (2), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders.

Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of second-lien secured notes or second lien secured loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a second-priority basis with the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event and customary acceleration rights after an event of default) prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Collateral Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent), (v) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors and (vi) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to or otherwise subject to the provisions of (A) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (B) a Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt incurred by the Borrower, then Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Collateral Agent and the Senior Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered a Second Lien

 

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Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) either (x) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt previously issued under this clause (x), when aggregated with the aggregate principal amount of Incremental Loans previously borrowed (and the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Ratio Debt incurred in reliance on clauses (x) or (y) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount), does not exceed the Maximum Incremental Amount; provided that any Indebtedness incurred in reliance on this clause (x) shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(a)(e) to the same extent as if such Indebtedness was in the form of Incremental Loans or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than (w) customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event, (x) customary acceleration rights after an event of default, (y) customary rollover (or equivalent repayment) provisions in any bridge facility or (z) with the proceeds of any Permitted Refinancing thereof) prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Collateral Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), (v) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors and (vi) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to or otherwise subject to the provisions of (A) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (B) a First Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt incurred by the Loan Parties, then the Loan Parties, the Collateral Agent and the Senior Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered a First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Ratio Debt” means Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor provided that (a) such Indebtedness is unsecured, subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or secured solely by Liens on the Collateral ranking junior to the Liens securing the Obligations pursuant to a Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, (b) such Indebtedness does not mature prior to the date that is one hundred and eighty one (181) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred (except that Indebtedness may have an initial maturity that is earlier than the Latest Maturity Date so long as such Indebtedness automatically converts to Indebtedness maturing after the Latest Maturity Date subject only to the condition that no payment event of default or bankruptcy (with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) event of default exists on the initial maturity date), (c) such Indebtedness has no scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than (w) customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event, (x) customary acceleration rights after an event of default, (y) customary rollover (or equivalent repayment) provisions in

 

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any bridge facility or (z) from the proceeds of a Permitted Refinancing thereof) prior to the date that is one hundred and eighty one (181) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (d) immediately after giving effect thereto and to the use of the proceeds thereof (but excluding any cash proceeds thereof), (i) no Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date), (ii) unless such Permitted Ratio Debt is being incurred in reliance on clause (x) or (y) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount, the Net Leverage Ratio after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness is less than or equal to 4.90:1.00 and (e) such Indebtedness is issued on market terms for the type of Indebtedness issued and for issuers having a similar credit profile and in any event (other than pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) not materially less favorable to the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Lenders than the terms and conditions of this Agreement (unless (A) such materially less favorable terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such materially less favorable provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, require the consent of any Lender)); provided that a certificate of the Borrower as to the satisfaction of the conditions described in clause (e) above delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirements, shall be conclusive unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees).

Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon, plus reasonable OID and upfront fees plus other fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(b) or Section 7.03(e), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(e), at the time thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is Junior Financing, (i) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall constitute Junior Financing on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (ii) the terms and conditions (excluding as to subordination, pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) of any such modified,

 

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refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees) and (iii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by the Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and no additional obligors become liable for such Indebtedness, and (e) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect of the ABL Facilities, such Permitted Refinancing is secured only by assets pursuant to one or more security agreements permitted by and subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt” means any unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of unsecured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is not secured by any property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred (other than customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control or asset sale and customary acceleration rights after an event of default), and (iv) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors. Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any material “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), other than a Foreign Plan, established by any Loan Party or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any of their respective ERISA Affiliates.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Pledged Debt” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pro Forma Basis” and “Pro Forma Effect” mean, with respect to compliance with any test or covenant or calculation hereunder, or the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA hereunder, the determination or calculation of such test, covenant, ratio or Consolidated EBITDA (including in connection with Specified Transactions) in accordance with Section 1.08.

 

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Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender at any time a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitments and, if applicable and without duplication, Loans of such Lender under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Commitments and, if applicable and without duplication, Loans under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time.

Projections” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01(c).

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Qualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Holding Company Debt” means unsecured Indebtedness of Holdings (A) that is not subject to any Guarantee by any Subsidiary of Holdings, (B) that will not mature prior to the date that is six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of issuance or incurrence thereof, (C) that has no scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (it being understood that such Indebtedness may have mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption provisions satisfying the requirements of clause (E) below), (D) that does not require any payments in cash of interest or other amounts in respect of the principal thereof prior to the earlier to occur of (1) the date that is four (4) years from the date of the issuance or incurrence thereof and (2) the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of such issuance or incurrence, and (E) that has mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption, covenant, default and remedy provisions customary for senior discount notes of an issuer that is the parent of a borrower under senior secured credit facilities, and in any event, with respect to covenant, default and remedy provisions, no more restrictive (taken as a whole) than those set forth in this Agreement (other than provisions customary for senior discount notes of a holding company); provided that the Borrower shall have delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement (and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided, further, that any such Indebtedness shall constitute Qualified Holding Company Debt only if immediately after giving effect to the issuance or incurrence thereof and the use of proceeds thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Qualified Securitization Financing” means any Securitization Financing of a Securitization Subsidiary that meets the following conditions: (a) such Qualified Securitization Financing (including financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions) is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Borrower and the Securitization Subsidiary, (b) all sales and/or contributions of Securitization Assets and related assets to the

 

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Securitization Subsidiary are made at fair market value and (c) the financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions thereof, including any Standard Securitization Undertakings, shall be market terms. The grant of a security interest in any Securitization Assets of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) to secure Indebtedness under this Agreement prior to engaging in any Securitization Financing shall not be deemed a Qualified Securitization Financing.

Qualifying IPO” means the issuance by Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings of its common Equity Interests in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering).

Qualifying Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Quarterly Financial Statements” means the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent fiscal quarters after the date of the Annual Financial Statements and ended at least forty-five (45) days before the Closing Date.

Reference Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Available Amount.”

Refinanced Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01.

Refinancing Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent (whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) and (c) each Additional Lender and Lender that agrees to provide any portion of the Other Loans being incurred pursuant thereto, in accordance with Section 2.13.

Refinanced Term Debt” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness.”

Refinancing Transactions” means the refinancing transactions described in the recitals.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(c).

Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Related Indemnified Person” of an Indemnitee means (a) any controlling person or controlled affiliate of such Indemnitee, (b) the respective directors, officers, or employees of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates and (c) the respective agents of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates, in the case of this clause (c), acting at the instructions of such Indemnitee, controlling person or such controlled affiliate; provided that each reference to a controlled affiliate or controlling person in

 

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this definition shall pertain to a controlled affiliate or controlling person involved in the negotiation or syndication of the Facility, the ABL Facilities or the Senior Notes.

Replacement Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01.

Reportable Event” means, with respect to any Pension Plan, any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Repricing Transaction” means the prepayment, refinancing, substitution or replacement of all or a portion of the Initial Loans with the incurrence by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any debt financing the primary purpose of which is to reduce the effective interest cost or weighted average yield (with the comparative determinations to be made by the Administrative Agent consistent with generally accepted financial practices, after giving effect to, among other factors, margin, interest rate floors, upfront or similar fees or original issue discount shared with all providers of such financing, but excluding the effect of any arrangement, structuring, syndication or other fees payable in connection therewith that are not shared with all providers of such financing, and without taking into account any fluctuations in the Eurodollar Rate) of the Initial Loans, including without limitation, as may be effected through any amendment to this Agreement relating to the interest rate for, or weighted average yield of, such Initial Loans or the incurrence of any Replacement Loans; provided, that in each case, the term “Repricing Transaction” shall exclude any prepayment, refinancing, substitution or replacement of all or a portion of the Initial Loans in connection with any transaction that would, if consummated, constitute a Transformative Acquisition.

Required Facility Lenders” means, with respect to any Facility on any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of (i) the outstanding Loans under such Facility and (ii) the aggregate unused Commitments under such Facility; provided that, to the same extent set forth in Section 10.07(h) with respect to determination of Required Lenders, the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Facility Lenders.

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) outstanding Loans and (b) aggregate unused Commitments; provided that the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of

 

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such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or Holdings’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof) other than (i) the payment of compensation in the ordinary course of business to holders of any such Equity Interests who are employees or service providers of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Subsidiary solely in their capacity as employees or service providers and (ii) other than payments of intercompany indebtedness permitted under this Agreement, unless such payments are made in the form of dividends or other distributions that would otherwise be classified as Restricted Payments hereunder.

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto.

“Sanctions” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Same Day Funds” means disbursements and payments in immediately available funds.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means a junior lien intercreditor agreement among the Collateral Agent, the ABL Administrative Agent and one or more Senior Representatives, including one or more Senior Representatives for the holders of Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt or Permitted Ratio Debt substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2, with such changes thereto, taken as a whole, as are reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be not materially adverse to the Lenders.

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Section 7.03(f) that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank; and designated in writing by the Hedge Bank and the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Secured Hedge Agreement.”

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders, each Hedge Bank, each Cash Management Bank, the Supplemental Administrative Agent and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.01(b).

 

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Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Securitization Assets” means the accounts receivable, royalty and other similar rights to payment subject to a Qualified Securitization Financing and the proceeds thereof.

Securitization 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 Securitization Subsidiary in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing.

Securitization Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or otherwise transfer to (a) a Securitization Subsidiary (in the case of a transfer by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) or (b) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Securitization Subsidiary), or may grant a security interest in, any Securitization Assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and any assets related thereto, including all collateral securing such Securitization Assets, all contracts and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such Securitization Assets, proceeds of such Securitization Assets and other assets that are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with asset securitization transactions involving Securitization Assets.

Securitization Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of Securitization Assets in a Qualified Securitization Financing to repurchase Securitization Assets arising as a result of a breach of a Standard Securitization Undertaking, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, offset 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.

Securitization Subsidiary” means a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower (or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Qualified Securitization Financing in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower makes an Investment and to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower transfers Securitization Assets and related assets) that engages in no activities other than in connection with the financing of Securitization Assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, all proceeds thereof and all rights (contingent and other), collateral and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities incidental or related to such business, and which is designated by the board of directors of the Borrower or such other Person (as provided below) as a Securitization Subsidiary and (a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which (i) is guaranteed by Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary (excluding guarantees of obligations (other than the principal of, and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings or (iii) subjects any property or asset of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, (b) with which

 

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none of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms which the Borrower reasonably believes to be no less favorable to Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Borrower and (c) to which none of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, 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 Borrower or such other Person shall be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a certified copy of the resolution of the board of directors of the Borrower or such other Person giving effect to such designation and a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.

Security Agreement” means, collectively, the Security Agreement executed by the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F, together with each other Security Agreement Supplement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Senior Notes” means $450,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Borrower’s senior unsecured notes due 2019 outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date.

Senior Notes Indenture” means the Indenture for the Senior Notes, dated March 18, 2011, between the Borrower, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, replaced or refinanced to the extent not prohibited by this Agreement.

Senior Representative” means, with respect to any series of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt or any Permitted Refinancing thereof, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under the indenture or agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued, incurred or otherwise obtained, as the case may be, and each of their successors in such capacities.

Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated First Lien Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

Solicited Discount Proration” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice” means an irrevocable written notice of the Borrower of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D) substantially in the form of Exhibit N.

 

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Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit Q, submitted following the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice.

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the assets of such Person exceeds its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured and (d) such Person is not engaged in, and is not about to engage in, business for which it has unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability.

SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(g).

Specified Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice” means an irrevocable written notice of the Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B) substantially in the form of Exhibit P.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response” means the irrevocable written response by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit R, to a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Proration” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(3).

Specified Representations” means those representations and warranties made by the Borrower in Sections 5.01(a) (with respect to organizational existence only), 5.01(b)(ii), 5.02(a), 5.02(b)(i), 5.02(b)(iii), 5.04, 5.13, 5.16, 5.18 and 5.19.

Specified Transaction” means any Investment that results in a Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, any designation of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Permitted Acquisition, any Disposition that results in a Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower, any Investment constituting an acquisition of assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of another Person or a Store or any Disposition of a business unit, line of business or division or a Store of the

 

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Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case whether by merger, consolidation, amalgamation or otherwise, or any incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), Restricted Payment or Incremental Loan that by the terms of this Agreement requires such test to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect.”

Sponsor” means Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and any of its Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by it or any of their respective Affiliates but not including, however, any portfolio company of any of the foregoing.

Sponsor Management Agreement” means the management agreement between certain of the management companies associated with the Sponsors or their advisors and Holdings and the Borrower, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, but only to the extent that any such amendment, modification, supplement or other modification does not, directly or indirectly, increase the obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to make any payments thereunder.

Sponsor Termination Fees” means the one-time payment under the Sponsor Management Agreement of a termination fee to one or more of the Sponsors in the event of either a Change of Control or the completion of a Qualifying IPO.

Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower that are customary in a Securitization Financing.

Store” means any retail store (which includes any real property, fixtures, equipment, inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Submitted Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Submitted Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, charitable foundations) of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor other than Holdings.

Successor Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04(d).

 

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Successor Holdings” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04(e).

Supplemental Administrative Agent” and “Supplemental Administrative Agents” have the meanings specified in Section 9.12(a).

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Guarantor any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more midmarket or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Tax” means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment, charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature and whatever called, imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax and penalties applicable thereto.

Tax Indemnitee” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.01(e).

Term Priority Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Test Period” in effect at any time means the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on or prior to such time (taken as one accounting period) in respect of which financial statements for each quarter or fiscal year in such period have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(g) or Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable; provided that, prior to the first date that financial statements have been or are required to be

 

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delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), the Test Period in effect shall be the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended July 30, 2016. A Test Period may be designated by reference to the last day thereof (i.e., the “January 28, 2017 Test Period” refers to the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended January 28, 2017), and a Test Period shall be deemed to end on the last day thereof.

Threshold Amount” means $35,000,000.

TopCo Notes” means Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.’s 9.75%/10.50% senior PIK toggle notes due 2019 in aggregate principal amount of $274,465,000 outstanding on the Closing Date.

Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or, for the period prior to the time any such statements are so delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), the Quarterly Financial Statements.

Transaction” means the merger of Needle Merger Sub Corp. an Ohio corporation, with and into the Borrower on March 18, 2011 and the transactions related thereto.

Transaction Agreement Date” has the meaning assigned to such in Section 1.10.

Transaction Expenses” means the fees or expenses incurred or paid by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction and the transactions contemplated thereby.

Transformative Acquisition” shall mean any acquisition by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that either (a) is not permitted by the terms of this Agreement (other than any such acquisition that would be prohibited solely by Section 7.13) immediately prior to the consummation of such acquisition or (b) if permitted by the terms of this Agreement immediately prior to the consummation of such acquisition, would not provide Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries with adequate flexibility under this Agreement for the continuation and/or expansion of their combined operations following such consummation, as determined by the Borrower acting in good faith.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

United States Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.01(c).

 

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Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (i) each Securitization Subsidiary and (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the board of directors of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14 subsequent to the date hereof, in each case, until such Person ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance with Section 6.14 or ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

U.S. Lender” means any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

USA PATRIOT Act” means The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended or modified from time to time.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining scheduled installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required scheduled payments of principal, including payment at final scheduled maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided that for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Refinanced Term Debt or any Indebtedness that is being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended (the “Applicable Indebtedness”), the effects of any prepayments or amortization made on such Applicable Indebtedness prior to the date of the applicable modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be disregarded.

wholly owned” means, with respect to a Subsidiary of a Person, a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability” means the liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such term is defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

SECTION 1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

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(b) (i) The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

(ii) References in this Agreement to an Exhibit, Schedule, Article, Section, clause or subclause refer (A) to the appropriate Exhibit or Schedule to, or Article, Section, clause or sub-clause in this Agreement or (B) to the extent such references are not present in this Agreement, to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

(iii) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

(iv) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

(c) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”; and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(d) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 1.03 Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

SECTION 1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

SECTION 1.05 References to Agreements, Laws, Etc. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are permitted by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

SECTION 1.06 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to New York City time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

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SECTION 1.07 Available Amount Transactions. If more than one action occurs on any given date the permissibility of the taking of which is determined hereunder by reference to the amount of the Available Amount immediately prior to the taking of such action, the permissibility of the taking of each such action shall be determined independently and in no event may any two or more such actions be treated as occurring simultaneously, i.e. each transaction must be permitted under the Available Amount as so calculated.

SECTION 1.08 Pro Forma Calculations.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or test, including the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated in the manner prescribed by this Section 1.08; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in clause (b), (c) or (d) of this Section 1.08, when calculating the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of Section 2.03(b)(i), the events described in this Section 1.08 that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period shall not be given pro forma effect.

(b) For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratios or tests, including the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio, Specified Transactions (and the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith) that have been made (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to such Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Specified Transactions (and any increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA and the component financial definitions used therein attributable to any Specified Transaction) had occurred on the first day of the applicable Test Period. If since the beginning of any applicable Test Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such Test Period shall have made any Specified Transaction that would have required adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.08, then the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated to give pro forma effect thereto in accordance with this Section 1.08.

(c) Whenever pro forma effect is to be given to a Specified Transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of specified actions taken, committed to be taken or reasonably expected to be taken (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period and as if such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized during the entirety of such period) relating to such Specified Transaction, and “run rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any action taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken (including any savings expected to result from the elimination of a public target’s compliance costs with public company requirements), net of the amount of actual benefits theretofore realized during such period from such actions; provided that any such projected “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall only be permitted to be included to the

 

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extent consistent with the requirements applicable to pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

(d) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs (including by assumption or guarantees) or repays (including by redemption, repayment, retirement or extinguishment) any Indebtedness included in the calculations of the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio, as the case may be (in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under the ABL Facility or any other revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made, then the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, to the extent required, as if the same had occurred on the last day of the applicable Test Period.

SECTION 1.09 Currency Equivalents Generally.

(a) For purposes of determining compliance with Sections 7.01, 7.02 and 7.03 with respect to any amount of Indebtedness or Investment in a currency other than Dollars, no Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of currency exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness or Investment is incurred (so long as such Indebtedness or Investment, at the time incurred, made or acquired, was permitted hereunder).

(b) For purposes of determining the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio amounts denominated in a currency other than Dollars will be converted to Dollars at the currency exchange rates used in preparing the Borrower’s financial statements corresponding to the Test Period with respect to the applicable date of determination and will, in the case of Indebtedness, reflect the currency translation effects, determined in accordance with GAAP, of Swap Contracts permitted hereunder for currency exchange risks with respect to the applicable currency in effect on the date of determination of the Dollar equivalent of such Indebtedness.

SECTION 1.10 Limited Condition Acquisitions. In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition for purposes of determining

(a) whether any Indebtedness that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in compliance with Section 7.03 or Section 2.12;

(b) whether any Lien being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in accordance with Section 7.01 or Section 2.12;

(c) whether any other transaction undertaken or proposed to be undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition complies with the covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; and

(d) any calculation of the ratios or baskets, including the Net Leverage Ratio, Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or pro forma

 

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cost savings and baskets determined by reference to Consolidated EBITDA or Total Assets and whether a Default or Event of Default exists in connection with the foregoing:

at the option of the Borrower, the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into (the “Transaction Agreement Date”) may be used as the applicable date of determination, as the case may be, in each case with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Pro Forma Basis” or “Consolidated EBITDA.” For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower elects to use the Transaction Agreement Date as the applicable date of determination in accordance with the foregoing, (a) any fluctuation or change in the Net Leverage Ratio, Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or Total Assets of the Borrower from the Transaction Agreement Date to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition will not be taken into account for purposes of determining whether any Indebtedness or Lien that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred, or whether any other transaction undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries complies with the Loan Documents and (b) after the Transaction Agreement Date and until such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire, such Limited Condition Acquisition and all transactions proposed to be undertaken in connection therewith (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens) will be given Pro Forma Effect when determining compliance of other transactions (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition) that are consummated after the Transaction Agreement Date and on or prior to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition and any such transactions (including without limitation any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) will be deemed to have occurred on the Transaction Agreement Date and be outstanding thereafter for purposes of calculating any baskets or ratios under the Loan Documents after the Transaction Agreement Date and before the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition (or the date the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire); provided that solely with respect to Restricted Payments only (and only until such time as the applicable Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated or the definitive documentation for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated), such calculation shall also be made on a standalone basis without giving effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions in connection therewith.

ARTICLE II

THE COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS

SECTION 2.01 The Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make to the Borrower a loan denominated in Dollars (an “Initial Loan”) equal to its Commitment on the Closing Date. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

SECTION 2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

 

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(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans, and (ii) one (1) Business Day before the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loan; provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Class and Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one (1) month.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Class of Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Loans described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of each Borrowing, each Appropriate Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m., on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is on the Closing Date, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received

 

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available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Administrative Agent with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may require by notice to the Borrower that no Loans may be converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time when Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the Administrative Agent’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; provided that after the establishment of any new Class of Loans pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment or Extension, the number of Interest Periods otherwise permitted by this Section 2.02(e) shall increase by three (3) Interest Periods for each applicable Class so established.

(f) The failure of any Lender to make the Loan to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Loan on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Loan to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

(g) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such Pro Rata Share available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with paragraph (b) above, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If the Administrative Agent shall have so made funds available, then, to the extent that such Lender shall not have made such portion available to the Administrative Agent, each of such Lender and the Borrower severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Overnight Rate plus any administrative, processing, or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the foregoing. A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to

 

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any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.02(g) shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 2.03 Prepayments.

(a) Optional.

(i) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (1) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) (A) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (2) any partial prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding; and (3) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Class(es) and Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(a) shall be paid to the Appropriate Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares; provided, that at the request of the Borrower, in lieu of such application on a pro rata basis among all Classes of Loans, such prepayment may be applied to any Class of Loans so long as the Maturity Date of such Class of Loans (or such Classes of Loans) precedes the Maturity Date of each other Class of Loans then outstanding or, in the event more than one Class of Loans shall have an identical Maturity Date, to such Classes on a pro rata basis.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Borrower may rescind any notice of prepayment under Section 2.03(a)(i) if such prepayment would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or shall otherwise be delayed.

(iii) Voluntary prepayments of any Class of Loans permitted hereunder shall be applied to the remaining scheduled installments of principal thereof pursuant to Section 2.05 in a manner determined at the discretion of the Borrower and specified in the notice of prepayment (and absent such direction, in direct order of maturity).

 

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(iv) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may prepay the outstanding Loans (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be automatically and permanently canceled immediately upon acquisition by the Borrower) (or Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries may purchase such outstanding Loans and immediately cancel them) on the following basis:

(A) Any Company Party shall have the right to make a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a discount to par pursuant to a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers (any such prepayment, the “Discounted Loan Prepayment”), in each case made in accordance with this Section 2.03(a)(iv); provided that no Company Party shall initiate any action under this Section 2.03(a)(iv) in order to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment unless (I) at least ten (10) Business Days shall have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date; or (II) at least three (3) Business Days shall have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(B) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time offer to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such offer shall be made available, at the sole discretion of the Company Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such offer shall specify the aggregate principal amount offered to be prepaid (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Amount”) with respect to each applicable tranche, the tranche or tranches of Loans subject to such offer and the specific percentage discount to par (the “Specified Discount”) of such Loans to be prepaid (it being understood that different Specified Discounts and/or Specified Discount Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such offer shall remain outstanding through the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Specified Discount Prepayment Notice and a form of the Specified Discount Prepayment Response to be completed and returned by each such Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date”).

 

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(2) Each Lender receiving such offer shall notify the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date whether or not it agrees to accept a prepayment of any of its applicable then outstanding Loans at the Specified Discount and, if so (such accepting Lender, a “Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender”), the amount and the tranches of such Lender’s Loans to be prepaid at such offered discount. Each acceptance of a Discounted Loan Prepayment by a Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender shall be irrevocable. Any Lender whose Specified Discount Prepayment Response is not received by the Auction Agent by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept the applicable Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment.

(3) If there is at least one Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender, the relevant Company Party will make a prepayment of outstanding Loans pursuant to this paragraph (B) to each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender in accordance with the respective outstanding amount and tranches of Loans specified in such Lender’s Specified Discount Prepayment Response given pursuant to subsection (2) above; provided that, if the aggregate principal amount of Loans accepted for prepayment by all Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders exceeds the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount, such prepayment shall be made pro rata among the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts accepted to be prepaid by each such Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Specified Discount Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within three (3) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Lenders’ responses to such offer, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, and the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Loans to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date and (III) each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender of the Specified Discount Proration, if any, and confirmation of the principal amount, tranche and Type of Loans of such Lender to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Company Party and such Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(C) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Discount Range Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Lender

 

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and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the relevant Loans (the “Discount Range Prepayment Amount”), the tranche or tranches of Loans subject to such offer and the maximum and minimum percentage discounts to par (the “Discount Range”) of the principal amount of such Loans with respect to each relevant tranche of Loans willing to be prepaid by such Company Party (it being understood that different Discount Ranges and/or Discount Range Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by the Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Discount Range Prepayment Notice and a form of the Discount Range Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Discount Range Prepayment Response Date”). Each Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer shall be irrevocable and shall specify a discount to par within the Discount Range (the “Submitted Discount”) at which such Lender is willing to allow prepayment of any or all of its then outstanding Loans of the applicable tranche or tranches and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender’s Loans (the “Submitted Amount”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Submitted Discount. Any Lender whose Discount Range Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept a Discounted Loan Prepayment of any of its Loans at any discount to their par value within the Discount Range.

(2) The Auction Agent shall review all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received on or before the applicable Discount Range Prepayment Response Date and shall determine (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the Applicable Discount and Loans to be prepaid at such Applicable Discount in accordance with this subsection (C). The relevant Company Party agrees to accept on the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, in the order from the Submitted Discount that is the largest discount to par to the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par, up to and including the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range (such Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range being referred to as the “Applicable Discount”) which yields a Discounted Loan Prepayment in an aggregate principal amount equal to the lower of (I) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount and (II) the sum of all Submitted Amounts. Each Lender that has submitted a Discount Range Prepayment Offer to accept prepayment at a

 

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discount to par that is larger than or equal to the Applicable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Loans equal to its Submitted Amount (subject to any required proration pursuant to the following subsection (3)) at the Applicable Discount (each such Lender, a “Participating Lender”).

(3) If there is at least one Participating Lender, the relevant Company Party will prepay the respective outstanding Loans of each Participating Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer at the Applicable Discount; provided that if the Submitted Amount by all Participating Lenders offered at a discount to par greater than the Applicable Discount exceeds the Discount Range Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the relevant Loans for those Participating Lenders whose Submitted Discount is a discount to par greater than or equal to the Applicable Discount (the “Identified Participating Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Participating Lenders in accordance with the Submitted Amount of each such Identified Participating Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Discount Range Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within five (5) Business Days following the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Lenders’ responses to such solicitation, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount and tranches of Loans to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Participating Lender of the aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Participating Lender of the Discount Range Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the relevant Company Party and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(D) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate amount of the Loans (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount”) and the tranche or tranches of Loans the Borrower is willing to prepay at a discount (it being

 

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understood that different Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by the Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice and a form of the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date”). Each Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer shall (x) be irrevocable, (y) remain outstanding until the Acceptance Date, and (z) specify both a discount to par (the “Offered Discount”) at which such Lender is willing to allow prepayment of its then outstanding Loan and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Loans (the “Offered Amount”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Offered Discount. Any Lender whose Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined prepayment of any of its Loans at any discount.

(2) The Auction Agent shall promptly provide the relevant Company Party with a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received on or before the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. Such Company Party shall review all such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers and select the largest of the Offered Discounts specified by the relevant responding Lenders in the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers that is acceptable to the Company Party (the “Acceptable Discount”), if any. If the Company Party elects to accept any Offered Discount as the Acceptable Discount, then as soon as practicable after the determination of the Acceptable Discount, but in no event later than by the third Business Day after the date of receipt by such Company Party from the Auction Agent of a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection (2) (the “Acceptance Date”), the Company Party shall submit an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice to the Auction Agent setting forth the Acceptable Discount. If the Auction Agent shall fail to receive an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice from the Company Party by the Acceptance Date, such Company Party shall be deemed to have rejected all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(3) Based upon the Acceptable Discount and the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, within three (3) Business Days after receipt of an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice (the “Discounted Prepayment Determination Date”), the Auction Agent will determine (in consultation with the relevant Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction

 

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Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Loans (the “Acceptable Prepayment Amount”) to be prepaid by the relevant Company Party at the Acceptable Discount in accordance with this Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D). If the Company Party elects to accept any Acceptable Discount, then the Company Party agrees to accept all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, in the order from largest Offered Discount to smallest Offered Discount, up to and including the Acceptable Discount. Each Lender that has submitted a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer with an Offered Discount that is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Loans equal to its Offered Amount (subject to any required pro rata reduction pursuant to the following sentence) at the Acceptable Discount (each such Lender, a “Qualifying Lender”). The Company Party will prepay outstanding Loans pursuant to this subsection (D) to each Qualifying Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer at the Acceptable Discount; provided that if the aggregate Offered Amount by all Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount exceeds the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the Loans for those Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount (the “Identified Qualifying Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Qualifying Lenders in accordance with the Offered Amount of each such Identified Qualifying Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Solicited Discount Proration”). On or prior to the Discounted Prepayment Determination Date, the Auction Agent shall promptly notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and Acceptable Prepayment Amount comprising the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Acceptable Discount, and the Acceptable Prepayment Amount of all Loans and the tranches to be prepaid to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Qualifying Lender of the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Acceptable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Qualifying Lender of the Solicited Discount Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to such Company Party and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to such Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(E) In connection with any Discounted Loan Prepayment, the Company Parties and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may require as a condition to any Discounted Loan Prepayment, the payment of customary fees and expenses from a Company Party in connection therewith.

 

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(F) If any Loan is prepaid in accordance with paragraphs (B) through (D) above, a Company Party shall prepay such Loans on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. The relevant Company Party shall make such prepayment to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and all such prepayments shall be applied to the remaining principal installments of the relevant tranche of Loans on a pro rata basis across such installments. The Loans so prepaid shall be accompanied by all accrued and unpaid interest on the par principal amount so prepaid up to, but not including, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. Each prepayment of the outstanding Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv) shall be paid to the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, and shall be applied to the relevant Loans of such Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share. The aggregate principal amount of the tranches and installments of the relevant Loans outstanding shall be deemed reduced by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the tranches of Loans prepaid on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in any Discounted Loan Prepayment. In connection with each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv), the relevant Company Party shall make a representation to the Lenders that it does not possess material nonpublic information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information).

(G) To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each Discounted Loan Prepayment shall be consummated pursuant to procedures consistent with the provisions in this Section 2.03(a)(iv), established by the Auction Agent acting in its reasonable discretion and as reasonably agreed by the Borrower.

(H) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, for purposes of this Section 2.03(a)(iv), each notice or other communication required to be delivered or otherwise provided to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) shall be deemed to have been given upon Auction Agent’s (or its delegate’s) actual receipt during normal business hours of such notice or communication; provided that any notice or communication actually received outside of normal business hours shall be deemed to have been given as of the opening of business on the next Business Day.

(I) Each of the Company Parties and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may perform any and all of its duties under this Section 2.03(a)(iv) by itself or through any Affiliate of the Auction Agent and expressly consents to any such delegation of duties by the Auction Agent to such Affiliate and the performance of such delegated duties by such Affiliate. The exculpatory provisions pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to each Affiliate of the Auction Agent and its respective activities in connection with any Discounted

 

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Loan Prepayment provided for in this Section 2.03(a)(iv) as well as activities of the Auction Agent.

(J) Each Company Party shall have the right, by written notice to the Auction Agent, to revoke in full (but not in part) its offer to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment and rescind the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Notice, Discount Range Prepayment Notice or Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice therefor at its discretion at any time on or prior to the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date (and if such offer is revoked pursuant to the preceding clauses, any failure by such Company Party to make any prepayment to a Lender, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv) shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 8.01 or otherwise).

(b) Mandatory.

(i) Within five (5) Business Days after financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and the related Compliance Certificate has been delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a), the Borrower shall, subject to clause (b)(v) of this Section 2.03, prepay an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to (A) 50% (such percentage as it may be reduced as described below, the “ECF Percentage”) of Excess Cash Flow, if any, for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements (commencing with the fiscal year ended February 3, 2018) minus (B) the sum of (at the Borrower’s option) (i) all voluntary prepayments of Loans (including any Incremental Loans), pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(i), 2.03(a)(iv) (in an amount equal to the discounted amount actually paid in respect of the principal amount of such Loans), and the amount actually paid in cash pursuant to any assignment made in accordance with Section 10.07(h)(iv), in each case, during such fiscal year (or after the end of such fiscal year and prior to the time such mandatory prepayment is due, without duplication in any other Excess Cash Flow period) and (ii) all voluntary prepayments of loans under the ABL Facilities during such fiscal year (or after the end of such fiscal year and prior to the time such mandatory prepayment is due, without duplication in any other Excess Cash Flow period) to the extent accompanied by a corresponding permanent reduction in the commitments under the ABL Facilities, in the case of each of the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii), to the extent such prepayments are not funded with the proceeds of long term Indebtedness (other than revolving borrowings); provided that (x) the ECF Percentage shall be 25% if the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements was less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.0 and greater than 2.00 to 1.0 and (y) the ECF Percentage shall be 0% if the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements was less than or equal to 2.00 to 1.0.

(ii) (A) If (x) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Disposes of any property or assets (other than (X) any Disposition of any property or assets permitted by Section 7.05(a), (b), (c), (d) (to the extent constituting a Disposition to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor), (e), (g), (h), (i), (k), (l), (m), (n), (p), (s) and (t) and (Y) so long as the ABL Credit Agreement is in effect, any Disposition of Current Asset Collateral) or (y) any Casualty Event occurs (other than with respect to Current Asset Collateral so long as the ABL Facility or any Permitted Refinancing

 

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thereof is in effect), which results in the realization or receipt by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary of Net Cash Proceeds, the Borrower shall prepay on or prior to the date which is ten (10) Business Days after the date of the realization or receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds, subject to clause (b)(v) of this Section 2.03, an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds realized or received; provided, that if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing thereof that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Obligations) pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Indebtedness with the net proceeds of such Disposition or Casualty Event (such Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or Permitted Refinancing thereof) required to be offered to be so repurchased, “Other Applicable Indebtedness”), then the Borrower may apply such Net Cash Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time; provided that the portion of such net proceeds allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of such net proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof, and the remaining amount, if any, of such net proceeds shall be allocated to the Loans in accordance with the terms hereof) to the prepayment of the Loans and to the repurchase or prepayment of Other Applicable Indebtedness, and the amount of prepayment of the Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to this Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) shall be reduced accordingly; provided, further, that to the extent the holders of Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such indebtedness repurchased or prepaid, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Loans in accordance with the terms hereof; provided, further, that, no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) with respect to such portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that the Borrower shall have, on or prior to such date, given written notice to the Administrative Agent of its intent to reinvest in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B).

(A) With respect to any Net Cash Proceeds realized or received with respect to any Disposition (other than any Disposition specifically excluded from the application of Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A)) or any Casualty Event, at the option of the Borrower, the Borrower may reinvest all or any portion of such Net Cash Proceeds in assets useful for its business within (x) twelve (12) months following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds or (y) if the Borrower enters into a legally binding commitment to reinvest such Net Cash Proceeds within twelve (12) months following receipt thereof, within the later of (1) twelve (12) months following receipt thereof and (2) one hundred and eighty (180) days of the date of such legally binding commitment; provided that if any Net Cash Proceeds are no longer intended to be or cannot be so reinvested at any time after delivery of a notice of reinvestment election, and subject to clauses (iv) and (v) of this Section 2.03(b), an amount equal to any such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied within five (5) Business Days after the Borrower reasonably determines that such Net Cash Proceeds are no longer intended to be or cannot be so reinvested to the prepayment of the Loans as set forth in this Section 2.03.

 

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(iii) If the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs or issues any Indebtedness (A) not expressly permitted to be incurred or issued pursuant to Section 7.03 or (B) that constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Borrower shall prepay an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds received therefrom on or prior to the date which is five (5) Business Days after the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds.

(iv) (A) Except as may otherwise be set forth in any Refinancing Amendment, Extension Offer or any Incremental Amendment, each prepayment of Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) shall be applied ratably to each Class of Loans then outstanding (provided, that any prepayment of Loans with the Net Cash Proceeds of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be applied solely to each applicable Class of Loans selected by the Borrower), (B) with respect to each Class of Loans, each prepayment pursuant to clauses (i) through (iii) of this Section 2.03(b) shall be applied to the next eight (8) scheduled installments of principal thereof following the date of prepayment pursuant to Section 2.05 in direct order of maturity and to the remaining installments pro rata; and (C) each such prepayment shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares of such prepayment; provided that the Borrower may apply the Net Cash Proceeds of any mandatory prepayment from asset sales or casualty events ratably to the payment of Loans under the Facility and any other indebtedness that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Loans under the Facility to the extent required by the terms of such other indebtedness.

(v) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 2.03(b), (A) to the extent that any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition by a Foreign Subsidiary giving rise to a prepayment event pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) (a “Foreign Disposition”), the Net Cash Proceeds of any Casualty Event from a Foreign Subsidiary (a “Foreign Casualty Event”), or Excess Cash Flow are prohibited or delayed by applicable local law from being repatriated to the United States, the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected will not be required to be applied to repay Loans at the times provided in this Section 2.03(b) but may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary so long, but only so long, as the applicable local law will not permit repatriation to the United States (the Borrower hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all actions reasonably required by the applicable local law to permit such repatriation), and once such repatriation of any of such affected Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow is permitted under the applicable local law, such repatriation will be immediately effected and such repatriated Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow will be promptly (and in any event not later than two (2) Business Days after such repatriation) applied (net of additional taxes payable or reserved against as a result thereof) to the repayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) to the extent provided herein and (B) to the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation of any of or all the Net Cash Proceeds of any Foreign Disposition, any Foreign Casualty Event or Excess Cash Flow would have a material adverse tax cost consequence (taking into account any foreign tax credit or benefit actually realized in connection with such repatriation) with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow, the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of this

 

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clause (B), on or before the date on which any Net Cash Proceeds so retained would otherwise have been required to be applied to reinvestments or prepayments pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) (or such Excess Cash Flow would have been so required if it were Net Cash Proceeds), (x) the Borrower applies an amount equal to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow to such reinvestments or prepayments as if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been received by the Borrower rather than such Foreign Subsidiary, less the amount of additional taxes that would have been payable or reserved against if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been repatriated (or, if less, the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow that would be calculated if received by such Foreign Subsidiary) or (y) such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow are applied to the repayment of Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary.

(vi) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any mandatory prepayment of Loans required to be made pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.03(b) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify the date of such prepayment and provide a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of the contents of the Borrower’s prepayment notice and of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the prepayment. Each Lender may reject all or a portion of its share of any mandatory prepayment (such declined amounts, the “Declined Proceeds”) of Loans required to be made pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.03(b) by providing written notice (each, a “Rejection Notice”) to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) one Business Day after the date of such Lender’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent regarding such prepayment. Each Rejection Notice from a given Lender shall specify the principal amount of the mandatory prepayment of Loans to be rejected by such Lender. If a Lender fails to deliver a Rejection Notice to the Administrative Agent within the time frame specified above or such Rejection Notice fails to specify the principal amount of the Loans to be rejected, any such failure will be deemed an acceptance of the total amount of such mandatory repayment of Loans. Subject to any requirements of any other Indebtedness, any Declined Proceeds remaining after offering such Declined Proceeds to Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof may be retained by the Borrower.

Interest, Funding Losses, Etc. All prepayments under this Section 2.03 shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with, in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a date prior to the last day of an Interest Period therefor, any amounts owing in respect of such Eurodollar Rate Loan pursuant to Section 3.05.

Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 2.03, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans is required to be made under this Section 2.03 prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor, in lieu of making any payment pursuant to this Section 2.03 in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, deposit an amount sufficient to make any such prepayment otherwise required to be made thereunder together with accrued interest to the last day of such Interest Period into a Cash Collateral Account until the last day of such Interest Period, at which time the Administrative

 

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Agent shall be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of such Loans in accordance with this Section 2.03. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall also be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of the outstanding Loans in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Section 2.03.

SECTION 2.04 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

(a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the unused Commitments of any Class, or from time to time permanently reduce the unused Commitments of any Class, in each case without premium or penalty; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent one (1) Business Day prior to the date of termination or reduction and (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire amount thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of termination of the Commitments if such termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

(b) Mandatory. The Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to $0 upon the making of the Initial Loans pursuant to Section 2.01.

SECTION 2.05 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Appropriate Lenders (a) on the last Business Day of each January, April, July and October, commencing with the last Business Day of January, 2017, an aggregate principal amount equal to 0.25% of the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Loans outstanding on the Closing Date (which payments shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with the order of priority set forth in Section 2.03) and (b) on the Maturity Date for the Initial Loans, the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Loans outstanding on such date.

SECTION 2.06 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.06(b), (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable Borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) The Borrower shall pay interest on past due amounts hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after

 

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judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

SECTION 2.07 Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agents such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever (except as expressly agreed between the Borrower and the applicable Agent).

SECTION 2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 days or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.10(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.09 Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) The Borrowings made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and evidenced by one or more entries in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent, acting solely for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 5f.103-1(c), as agent for the Borrower, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be prima facie evidence absent manifest error of the amount of the Borrowings made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note payable to such Lender, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.

Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) Entries made in good faith by the Administrative Agent in the Register pursuant to Section 2.09(a), and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to Section 2.09(a), shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, absent manifest error; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account

 

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or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 2.10 Payments Generally.

(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office for payment and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Appropriate Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. (New York City standard time), shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

(b) If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(c) Unless the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it to the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of any Lender, that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has timely made such payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make available a corresponding amount to such Lender. If and to the extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds, then such Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Administrative Agent the portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender in Same Day Funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

(d) If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Borrowing set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(e) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or purchase its participation.

 

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(f) Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

(g) Whenever any payment received by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents is insufficient to pay in full all amounts due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under or in respect of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents on any date, such payment shall be distributed by the Administrative Agent and applied by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in the order of priority set forth in Section 8.03. If the Administrative Agent receives funds for application to the Obligations of the Loan Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents under circumstances for which the Loan Documents do not specify the manner in which such funds are to be applied, the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, elect to distribute such funds to each of the Lenders in accordance with such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such of the outstanding Loans or other Obligations then owing to such Lender.

SECTION 2.11 Sharing of Payments. If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on account of the Loans made by it (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of setoff, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment of principal of or interest on such Loans, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further interest thereon. For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement as in effect from time to time or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant permitted hereunder. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of setoff, but subject to Section 10.09) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 2.11 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 2.11 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

 

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SECTION 2.12 Incremental Borrowings.

(a) The Borrower may at any time or from time to time after the Closing Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent (whereupon the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request one or more additional tranches of Loans (the “Incremental Loans”); provided that, subject to the Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, at the time when any such Incremental Loan is made (and after giving effect thereto), no Default or Event of Default (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date) shall exist. Each tranche of Incremental Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $25,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $25,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the next sentence). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the aggregate amount of the Incremental Loans, when aggregated with (A) the aggregate amount of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (that is not designated as Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness) and (B) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Ratio Debt incurred in reliance on clauses (x) or (y) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount, shall not exceed the Maximum Incremental Amount. (a) The Incremental Loans shall rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the Loans, (b) the Incremental Loans shall not mature earlier than the Original Loan Maturity Date, (c) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Loans shall be no shorter than that of the then-existing Loans, (d) subject to clauses (b) and (c) above, the amortization schedule applicable to any Incremental Loans shall be determined by the Borrower and the lenders thereunder, (e) the interest rate margin applicable to any Incremental Loans will be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Loans, provided that, in the event that the All-In Yield applicable to any Incremental Loans exceeds the All-In Yield of any Class of Loans existing at such time by more than 50 basis points, then the interest rate margins for each such Class of Loans shall be increased to the extent necessary so that the All-In Yield of such Loans is equal to the All-In Yield of such Incremental Loans minus 50 basis points, (f) the Specified Representations shall be accurate in all material respects before and after the effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment referred to below and (g) except as otherwise required or permitted in clauses (a) through (f) above, all other terms of such Incremental Loans, if not consistent with the terms of the existing Loans, shall either be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or not more favorable, taken as a whole, to the lenders providing such Incremental Loans than the terms of the existing Loans (other than with respect to any terms and conditions applicable after the maturity date of the Loans); provided that no such Incremental Loans shall have financial covenants and more restrictive covenants than those contained in this Agreement unless (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not require the consent of any Lender). Any Incremental Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment. Each notice from the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall set forth the requested amount and proposed terms of the relevant Incremental Loans. Incremental Loans may be made by any existing Lender (it being understood that no existing Lender will have an obligation to make a portion of any Incremental Loan) or by any Additional Lender on terms permitted in this Section 2.12 and otherwise on terms reasonably acceptable to the

 

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Administrative Agent. Commitments in respect of Incremental Loans shall become Commitments under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (an “Incremental Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by Holdings, the Borrower, each Lender agreeing to provide such Commitment, if any, each Additional Lender, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.12. The effectiveness of (and, in the case of any Incremental Amendment for an Incremental Loan, the Borrowing under) any Incremental Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof (each, an “Incremental Facility Closing Date”) of each of the conditions described in this Section 2.12(a) and such other conditions as the parties thereto shall agree. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Incremental Loans for any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement.

(b) This Section 2.12 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.13 Refinancing Amendments. At any time after the Closing Date, the Borrower may obtain, from any Lender or any Additional Lender, Other Loans to refinance all or any portion of the Loans then outstanding under this Agreement which will be made pursuant to Other Term Commitments in each case pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that such Other Loans (i) will rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the other Loans and Commitments hereunder, (ii) will have such pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption terms as may be agreed by the Borrower and the Lenders thereof, (iii) will have a final maturity date no earlier than, and will have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than, the Loans being refinanced, and (iv) will have terms and conditions that are substantially identical to, or (taken as a whole) are no more favorable to the lenders or holders providing such Other Term Commitments and Other Loans than those applicable to the Loans being refinanced unless (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not require the consent of any Lender). Any Other Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment. The effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of legal opinions, board resolutions, officers’ certificates and/or reaffirmation agreements consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date under Section 4.01 (other than changes to such legal opinions resulting from a change in law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent). Each Class of Other Term Commitments and Other Loans incurred under this Section 2.13 shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $100,000,000. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Refinancing Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment, this Agreement shall be deemed

 

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amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Other Term Commitments and Other Loans incurred pursuant thereto (including any amendments necessary to treat the Other Loans and/or Other Term Commitments as Loans and Commitments). Any Refinancing Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.13. This Section 2.13 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary. No Lender shall be under any obligation to provide any Other Term Commitment unless such Lender executes a Refinancing Amendment.

SECTION 2.14 Extensions of Loans.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, an “Extension Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders of Loans with a like Maturity Date on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Loans with the same Maturity Date) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower may from time to time with the consent of any Lender that shall have accepted such offer to extend the maturity date of any Loans and otherwise modify the terms of such Loans of such Lender pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including, without limitation, by increasing the interest rate or fees payable in respect of such Loans and/or modifying the amortization schedule in respect of such Loans) (each, an “Extension,” and each group of Loans as so extended, as well as the original Loans not so extended, being a “tranche”; any Extended Loans shall constitute a separate tranche of Loans from the tranche of Loans from which they were converted), so long as the following terms are satisfied: (i) no Default shall exist at the time the notice in respect of an Extension Offer is delivered to the Lenders, and no Default shall exist immediately prior to or after giving effect to the effectiveness of any Extended Loans, (ii) except as to interest rates, fees, amortization, final maturity date, premium, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the Loans of any Lender (an “Extending Lender”) extended pursuant to any Extension (“Extended Loans”) shall have the same terms as the tranche of Loans subject to such Extension Offer unless, with respect to any covenants and defaults that are, taken as a whole, more restrictive than the terms of this Agreement (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, not require the consent of any Lender), (iii) the final maturity date of any Extended Loans shall be no earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date at the time of extension and the amortization schedule applicable to Loans pursuant to Section 2.05 for periods prior to the Original Loan Maturity Date may not be increased, (iv) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Extended Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Loans extended thereby, (v) any Extended Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Extension Offer, (vi) if the aggregate principal amount of Loans (calculated on the face amount thereof) in respect of which Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Offer shall exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Loans offered to be extended by

 

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the Borrower pursuant to such Extension Offer, then the Loans of such Lenders shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Lenders have accepted such Extension Offer, (vii) all documentation in respect of such Extension shall be consistent with the foregoing, (viii) any applicable Minimum Extension Condition shall be satisfied unless waived by the Borrower and (ix) the interest rate margin applicable to any Extended Loans will be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Extended Loans.

(b) With respect to all Extensions consummated by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.14, (i) such Extensions shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments for purposes of Section 2.03 and (ii) any Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount of $25,000,000, provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Extension Condition”) to consummating any such Extension that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion and may be waived by the Borrower) of Loans of any or all applicable tranches be tendered.

(c) The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Borrower as may be necessary in order to establish new tranches or sub-tranches in respect of Loans so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new tranches or sub-tranches, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.14.

(d) In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably, to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.14.

(e) This Section 2.14 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.15 Loan Repricing Protection. In the event that, on or prior to the date that is one year after the Closing Date, the Borrower (x) prepays, refinances, substitutes or replaces any Initial Loans in connection with a Repricing Transaction (including, for avoidance of doubt, any prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(iii) that constitutes a Repricing Transaction), or (y) effects any amendment of this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Transaction, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each of the applicable Lenders (including, in the case of any amendment, any Non-Consenting Lender that is required to assign its Loans pursuant to Section 3.07 in connection therewith), (I) in the case of clause (x), a prepayment premium of 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Loans of such Lender so prepaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced and (II) in the case of clause (y), a fee equal to 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Initial Loans of such Lender outstanding immediately prior to such amendment. Such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such Repricing Transaction.

 

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ARTICLE III

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

SECTION 3.01 Taxes.

(a) All sums payable by any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Lender or Agent shall (except to the extent required by law) be paid free and clear of, and without any deduction or withholding on account of, any Taxes.

(b) If any Loan Party or any Agent is required by law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Non-Excluded Tax or Other Taxes from any sum paid or payable by any Loan Party to any Lender or Agent under any of the Loan Documents: (i) the applicable Loan Party (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall notify the applicable Agent of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as such Loan Party becomes aware of it; (ii) the applicable Loan Party or Agent, as applicable, shall make such deduction or withholding and pay to the relevant Governmental Authority, in accordance with applicable law, any such Non-Excluded Tax or Other Tax before the date on which penalties attach thereto; (iii) the sum payable to such Lender or Agent (as applicable) shall be increased by such Loan Party to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of any required deduction or withholding (including any deductions or withholdings attributable to any payments required to be made under this Section 3.01), the Lender or the Agent (as applicable), receives on the due date a net sum equal to what it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required or made; and (iv) within thirty days after paying any sum from which it is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty days after the due date of payment of any Tax which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, the Loan Party making such payments (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall deliver to the applicable Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the other affected parties of such deduction or withholding and of the remittance thereof to the relevant Governmental Authority.

(c) Each Lender shall, at such times as are reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, provide the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with any documentation prescribed by Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent certifying as to any entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, any withholding Tax with respect to any payments to be made to such Lender under any Loan Document. Each such Lender shall, whenever a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders such documentation (including any specific documentation required below in this Section 3.01(c)) obsolete, expired or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver promptly to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of its inability to do so.

Without limiting the foregoing:

(1) Each U.S. Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and

 

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duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(2) Each Non-US Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

(B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

(C) in the case of a Non-US Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or Section 881(c) of the Code, (A) two properly completed and duly signed certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit I (any such certificate, a “United States Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or any successor forms),

(D) to the extent a Non-US Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Non-US Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), two properly completed duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Non-US Lender, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, United States Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, Form W-8IMY or any other required information (or any successor forms) from each beneficial owner that would be required under this Section 3.01(c) if such beneficial owner were a Lender, as applicable (provided that, if one or more beneficial owners are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the United States Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Non-US Lender on behalf of such beneficial owner), or

(E) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable U.S. federal income tax Laws (including the Treasury Regulations) as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, United States federal withholding tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents.

(3) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including any successor provisions), such Lender shall deliver to Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation

 

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reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and to determine whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under such Sections and, if necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause (c), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

(d) In addition to the payments by a Loan Party required by Section 3.01(b), the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(e) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and Agent (each a “Tax Indemnitee”), within 20 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Non-Excluded Taxes paid or payable by such Tax Indemnitee that is imposed on or in respect of any payment under or with respect to any Loan Document, and any Other Taxes payable by such Tax Indemnitee (including Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01), whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared in good faith and delivered by the Tax Indemnitee or by the Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of another Tax Indemnitee, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(f) If and to the extent that a Tax Indemnitee, in its sole discretion (exercised in good faith), determines that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes in respect of which it has received additional payments under this Section 3.01, then such Tax Indemnitee shall pay to the relevant Loan Party the amount of such refund, net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Tax Indemnitee (including any Taxes imposed with respect to such refund), and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Tax Indemnitee, agrees to repay the amount paid over by the Tax Indemnitee (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Tax Indemnitee if the Tax Indemnitee is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) In the event that a Loan Party makes an indemnification payment to a Tax Indemnitee with respect to Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 3.01 or a Loan Party is required to repay to a Tax Indemnitee an amount in respect of a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes previously paid over to such Loan Party pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 3.01, such Tax Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with all reasonable requests of such Loan Party, at the sole expense of such Loan Party, if (i) in the reasonable judgment of the Tax Indemnitee such cooperation shall not subject such Tax Indemnitee, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed third party cost or expense or otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Tax Indemnitee and (ii) there is a reasonable basis for such

 

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Loan Party to contest with the applicable Governmental Authority the imposition of such Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes or the repayment of such refund. Any resulting refund shall be governed by Section 3.01(f). This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

SECTION 3.02 Illegality. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans and shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate with respect to any Base Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Required Lenders (or, in the case of clause (b), the Administrative Agent) reasonably determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan,

(a) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or

 

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(b) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders except in the case of clause (b) above) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

SECTION 3.04 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender;

(ii) subject any Lender to any Tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it (except for any Excluded Tax or any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes indemnified or otherwise paid under Section 3.01); or

(iii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender that is not otherwise accounted for in this clause (a);

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, from time to time within fifteen (15) days after demand by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail such increased costs (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by it to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s

 

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policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the charge and the calculation of such reduced rate of return (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent),the Borrower will pay to such Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 3.04 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

SECTION 3.05 Funding Losses. Upon written demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, which demand shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day prior to the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.07;

including any loss or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits or margin) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.

SECTION 3.06 Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or

 

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any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender in any material economic, legal or regulatory respect.

(b) Suspension of Lender Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under Section 3.04, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans from one Interest Period to another Interest Period, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.06(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

(c) Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans. If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in Section 3.02, 3.03 or 3.04 hereof that gave rise to the conversion of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Loans no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurodollar Rate Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans of a given Class held by the Lenders of such Class holding Eurodollar Rate Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

SECTION 3.07 Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances. If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04 or ceases to make Eurodollar Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.02 or Section 3.04, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) any Lender is a NonConsenting Lender or (iv) any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.07), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to one or more Eligible Assignees or, subject to Sections 10.07(h) and (i), Affiliated Lenders, that shall assume such obligations (any of which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.07(b)(iv);

 

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(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) such Lender being replaced pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans, and (ii) deliver any Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or Administrative Agent (or a lost or destroyed note indemnity in lieu thereof); provided that the failure of any such Lender to execute an Assignment and Assumption or deliver such Notes shall not render such sale and purchase (and the corresponding assignment) invalid and such assignment shall be recorded in the Register and the Notes shall be deemed to be canceled upon such failure;

(d) the Eligible Assignee or Affiliated Lender, as applicable, shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender;

(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(f) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

In the event that (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent has requested that the Lenders consent to a departure or waiver of any provisions of the Loan Documents or agree to any amendment thereto, (ii) the consent, waiver or amendment in question requires the agreement of each Lender, all affected Lenders or all the Lenders or all affected Lenders with respect to a certain Class or Classes of the Loans and (iii) the Required Lenders or Required Facility Lenders, as applicable, have agreed to such consent, waiver or amendment, then any Lender who does not agree to such consent, waiver or amendment shall be deemed a “Non-Consenting Lender.”

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 3.08 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWINGS

SECTION 4.01 Conditions to Initial Borrowing. The obligation of each Lender to make a Borrowing hereunder on the Closing Date is subject to satisfaction of the following

 

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conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent:

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles or “PDF” copies (in each case followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof;

(ii) executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Guaranty;

(iii) a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender that has requested a Note at least two (2) Business Days in advance of the Closing Date;

(iv) each Collateral Document set forth on Schedule 1.01A required to be executed on the Closing Date as indicated on such schedule, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto, together with certificates, if any, representing the Pledged Equity referred to therein accompanied by undated stock powers executed in blank and instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt indorsed in blank;

(v) such certificates of good standing from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party on the Closing Date;

(vi) an opinion from Latham & Watkins LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 and an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2.

(vii) a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the Refinancing Transaction) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit K;

(viii) evidence that all insurance (other than title insurance) required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents as of the Closing Date has been obtained and is in effect and that the Collateral Agent has been named as loss payee and/or additional insured, as applicable, under each insurance policy with respect to such insurance as to which the Collateral Agent shall have requested to be so named;

(ix) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood

 

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Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), and evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof; and

(x) copies of a recent Lien and judgment search in each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Loan Parties.

(b) All fees and expenses required to be paid hereunder and invoiced at least two (2) Business Days before the Closing Date shall have been paid in full in cash.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence that (i) substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Loans, an amount equal to $271,825,000 in principal amount of Senior Notes shall have been redeemed and (ii) substantially concurrently with the funding of the Initial Loans, all amounts due and owing under the Existing Term Loan Agreement shall have been repaid and the Administrative Agent shall be reasonably satisfied with the arrangements in place to ensure all Liens securing the Existing Term Loan Agreement shall have been terminated.

(d) The Arrangers shall have received (i) the Annual Financial Statements and (ii) the Quarterly Financial Statements.

(e) The Arrangers shall have received at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date all documentation and other information reasonably requested in writing by them at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date in order to allow the Arrangers and the Lenders to comply with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

(f) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates.

(g) No Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from the Borrowing of the Loans on the Closing Date or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required

thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

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SECTION 4.02 Conditions to All Borrowings After the Closing Date. Subject to Section 1.10, the obligation of each Lender to honor a Committed Loan Notice (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) after the Closing Date is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Specified Representations shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof.

Each Committed Loan Notice (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the condition specified in Section 4.02(a) has been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Borrowing.

ARTICLE V

Representations and Warranties

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Material Subsidiary (a) is a Person duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), (b) has all corporate or other organizational power and authority to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all applicable Laws, orders, writs, injunctions and orders and (e) has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case referred to in clause (c), (d) or (e), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action. (b) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party nor the consummation of the Refinancing Transactions will (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents, (ii) result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Person or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than as permitted by Section 7.01) under (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any

 

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applicable Law; except with respect to any breach, contravention or violation (but not creation of Liens) referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent that such breach, contravention or violation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.03 Governmental Authorization. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for (i) filings necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings that have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect and (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

SECTION 5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) The Annual Financial Statements and the Quarterly Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, (A) except as otherwise expressly noted therein and (B) subject, in the case of the Quarterly Financial Statements, to changes resulting from normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

(b) Since January 30, 2016, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The forecasts of consolidated balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, copies of which have been furnished to the Administrative Agent prior to the Closing Date, and all Projections delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time made, it being understood that projections as to future events are not to be viewed as facts and actual results may vary materially from such forecasts.

SECTION 5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Holdings, the

 

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Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.07 Labor Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes or other labor disputes against any of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened and (b) since February 2, 2013, hours worked by and payment made based on hours worked to employees of each of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries have not been in material violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Laws dealing with wage and hour matters.

SECTION 5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and except where the failure to have such title or other interest would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.09 Environmental Matters.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries and their respective operations is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (including having obtained all Environmental Permits) and (ii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has become subject to any pending, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened Environmental Claim or any other Environmental Liability.

(b) None of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has released, treated, stored, transported, arranged for transport or disposed of Hazardous Materials at or from any currently or formerly owned or operated real estate or facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.10 Taxes. Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local, foreign and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state, local, foreign and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets or otherwise due and payable (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except those (a) which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted that stay the enforcement of the Tax in question and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (b) with respect to which the failure to make such filing or payment could not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no proposed Tax assessment, Tax deficiency or other Tax claim against Holdings, Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries except (i) those being actively contested by Holdings, Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted that stay the enforcement of the Tax in question and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (ii) those that would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 5.11 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state Laws.

(b) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan; (iii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 et seq. or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; (iv) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or has been determined to be in “endangered” or critical status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA) and no such Multiemployer Plan is expected to be insolvent or endangered or critical status, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.11(b), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except where noncompliance or the incurrence of an obligation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Foreign Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of any and all applicable Laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders, and neither Holdings nor any Subsidiary has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign Plan.

SECTION 5.12 Subsidiaries. As of the Closing Date, neither Holdings nor any other Loan Party has any Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.12, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have been validly issued and are fully paid and (if applicable) nonassessable, and all Equity Interests owned by Holdings or any other Loan Party are owned free and clear of all security interests of any person except (i) those created under the Collateral Documents or under the ABL Facilities Documentation (which Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) and (ii) any nonconsensual Lien that is permitted under Section 7.01. As of the Closing Date, Schedule 5.12 (a) sets forth the name and jurisdiction of each Subsidiary, (b) sets forth the ownership interest of Holdings, the Borrower and any other Subsidiary in each Subsidiary, including the percentage of such ownership and (c) identifies each Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which are required to be pledged on the Closing Date pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

SECTION 5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) As of the Closing Date, none of the Collateral is Margin Stock. No Loan Party is engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or

 

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extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, and no proceeds of any Borrowings will be used for any purpose that violates Regulation U.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 5.14 Disclosure. None of the information and data heretofore or contemporaneously furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party to any Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) when taken as a whole contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make such information and data (taken as a whole), in the light of the circumstances under which it was delivered, not materially misleading; it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5.14, such information and data shall not include projections and pro forma financial information or information of a general economic or general industry nature.

SECTION 5.15 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or a valid license or right to use, all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, technology, software, know-how, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to have any such rights, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, the operation of the respective businesses of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon, misuse, misappropriate or violate any IP Rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misuses, misappropriations or violations individually or in the aggregate, that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any IP Rights is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against any Loan Party or Subsidiary, that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.16 Solvency. On the Closing Date after giving effect to the Refinancing Transaction, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

SECTION 5.17 OFAC. Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, Affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.18 USA PATRIOT Act. To the extent applicable, each of Holdings and its Subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States

 

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Treasury Department (31 CFR Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto and (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act. No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anticorruption legislation in any jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.19 Collateral Documents. Except as otherwise contemplated hereby or under any other Loan Documents, the provisions of the Collateral Documents, together with such filings and other actions required to be taken hereby or by the applicable Collateral Documents (including the delivery to Collateral Agent of any Pledged Debt and any Pledged Equity required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Collateral Documents), are effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a legal, valid and enforceable first priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral described therein.

SECTION 5.20 Anti-Corruption Laws. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

SECTION 5.21 EEA Financial Institution. No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03) cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender each of the following and shall take the following actions:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower commencing with the fiscal year ending January 28, 2017, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year together with related notes thereto (and, so long as provided to the

 

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holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities, management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations), setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the ABL Facilities, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Senior Notes and/or the TopCo Notes or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness);

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended October 29, 2016), a condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related (i) condensed consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended and (ii) condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes (together with and, so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities’ management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations);

(c) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal year ending January 28, 2017 of the Borrower), a reasonably detailed consolidated budget for the following fiscal year as customarily prepared by management of the Borrower for its internal use (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected operations or income and projected cash flow and setting forth the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material;

(d) simultaneously with the delivery of each set of consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) above, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such consolidated financial statements; and

(e) quarterly, at a time mutually agreed with the Administrative Agent that is promptly after the delivery of the information required pursuant to clause (a) above and the

 

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information delivered pursuant to clause (b) above for each fiscal quarter, participate in a conference call for Lenders to discuss the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently-ended period for which financial statements have been delivered, which requirement may be satisfied by including the Lenders and the Administrative Agent on quarterly conference calls with the lenders under the ABL Facilities and/or the noteholders in respect of the Senior Notes or any other debt securities of Holdings or the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6.01 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower that holds all of the Equity Interests of the Borrower or (B) the Borrower’s or such entity’s Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that, with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Borrower (or such parent), on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 6.01(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit other than as permitted by Section 6.01(a).

SECTION 6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender:

(a) no later than five (5) days after the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower;

(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports, proxy statements and registration statements which Holdings or the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary files with the SEC or with any Governmental Authority that may be substituted therefor or with any national securities exchange, as the case may be (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8), and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(c) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statements or material reports furnished to any holder of any class or series of debt securities of any Loan Party having an aggregate outstanding principal amount greater than the Threshold Amount or pursuant to the terms of the ABL Credit Agreement or the Senior Notes Indenture, in each case, so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereunder is greater than the Threshold

 

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Amount and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(d) together with the delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a), (i) a report setting forth the information required by Section 3.03(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Closing Date or the date of the last such report), (ii) a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last fiscal quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.03(b) and (iii) a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Closing Date and the date of the last such list; and

(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, legal, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(c) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that

(i) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and

 

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conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities Laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.08); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information”; and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”

SECTION 6.03 Notices. Promptly after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default; and

(b) of (i) any dispute, litigation, investigation or proceeding between any Loan Party and any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, (ii) the filing or commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws or in respect of IP Rights, the occurrence of any noncompliance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with, or liability under, any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit, or (iii) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, in any such case referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Section 6.03(a) or (b) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 6.04 Payment of Taxes. Timely pay, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all Taxes imposed upon it or any of its properties or assets or in respect of any of its income, businesses or franchises before any penalty or fine accrues thereon; provided, no such Tax or claim need be paid if it is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted, so long as (a) adequate reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor, and (b) in the case of a Tax or claim which has or may become a Lien against any of the Collateral, such contest proceedings operate to stay the sale of any portion of the Collateral to satisfy such Tax or claim.

SECTION 6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) take all reasonable action to obtain, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clause (a) or (b) to the extent (other

 

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than with respect to the preservation of the existence of Holdings and the Borrower) that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or pursuant to any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or Disposition permitted by Article VII.

SECTION 6.06 Maintenance of Properties. Except if the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment used in the operation of its business in good working order, repair and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and casualty or condemnation excepted.

SECTION 6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Maintain with insurance companies that the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of its management) are financially sound and reputable at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, 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 (after giving effect to any self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, and will furnish to the Lenders, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. Each such policy of insurance shall as appropriate, (i) name the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and/or (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement that names the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as the loss payee thereunder and (b) with respect to each Mortgaged Property, obtain flood insurance in such total amounts as the Collateral Agent may from time to time reasonably require, if at any time the area in which any improvements located on any Mortgaged Property is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), and otherwise comply with the Flood Insurance Laws.

SECTION 6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with its Organization Documents and the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected individually or in the aggregate to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 6.09 Books and Records. Maintain proper books of record and account, in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

SECTION 6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants (subject to such accountants’ customary policies and

 

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procedures), all at the reasonable expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 6.10 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two (2) times during any calendar year absent the existence of an Event of Default and only one (1) such time shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided, further, that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.10, none of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (a) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (b) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by Law or any binding agreement or (c) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

SECTION 6.11 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security. At the Borrower’s expense, subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitation in any Collateral Document, take all action necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement continues to be satisfied, including:

(a) (x) upon the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary (in each case, other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary or an Excluded Subsidiary) by any Loan Party, the designation in accordance with Section 6.14, of any existing direct or indirect wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Subsidiary becoming a wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary, (y) upon the acquisition of any material assets by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or (z) with respect to any Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Loan Party, for any material assets held by such Subsidiary (in each case, other than assets constituting Collateral under a Collateral Document that becomes subject to the Lien created by such Collateral Document upon acquisition thereof (without limitation of the obligations to perfect such Lien)):

(i) within forty-five (45) days (or such greater number of days specified below) after such formation, acquisition or designation or, in each case, such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion:

(A) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to furnish to the Collateral Agent a description of the Material Real Properties owned by such Material Domestic Subsidiary in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent;

 

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(B) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after such formation, acquisition or designation, cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent Mortgages with respect to any Material Real Property, Security Agreement Supplements, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other security agreements and documents (including, with respect to Mortgages, the documents listed in Section 6.13(b)), as reasonably requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (consistent with the Mortgages, Security Agreement, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other Collateral Documents in effect on the Closing Date), in each case granting Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(C) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to deliver any and all certificates representing Equity Interests (to the extent certificated) that are required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank (or any other documents customary under local law) and instruments evidencing the intercompany Indebtedness held by such Material Domestic Subsidiary and required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents, indorsed in blank to the Collateral Agent;

(D) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after such formation, acquisition or designation, take and cause the applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary and each direct or indirect parent of such applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to take whatever action (including the recording of Mortgages, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and delivery of stock and membership interest certificates to the extent certificated) may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, enforceable against all third parties in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);

(ii) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after the request therefor by the Administrative Agent (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), deliver to the Administrative Agent a signed copy of an opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, of counsel for the Loan Parties reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to such matters set forth in this Section 6.11(a) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request; and

 

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(iii) as promptly as practicable after the reasonable request therefor by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, deliver to the Collateral Agent with respect to each Material Real Property, title reports, surveys and environmental assessment reports provided that the Collateral Agent may in its reasonable discretion accept any such existing report or survey to the extent prepared as of a date reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent; provided, however, that there shall be no obligation to deliver to the Collateral Agent any environmental assessment report whose disclosure to the Collateral Agent would require the consent of a Person other than the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries, where, despite the commercially reasonable efforts of the Borrower to obtain such consent, such consent cannot be obtained; and

(b) (i) the Borrower shall obtain the security interests and Guarantees set forth on Schedule 1.01A on or prior to the dates corresponding to such security interests and Guarantees set forth on Schedule 1.01A; and

(ii) after the Closing Date, promptly after the acquisition of any Material Real Property by any Loan Party other than Holdings, and such Material Real Property shall not already be subject to a perfected Lien pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Borrower shall give notice thereof to the Collateral Agent and will take, or cause the relevant Loan Party to take, the actions referred to in Section 6.13(b).

SECTION 6.12 Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except, in each case, to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) comply, and take all reasonable actions to cause any lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; (b) obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and, (c) in each case to the extent required by applicable Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, in accordance with the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws.

SECTION 6.13 Further Assurances and Post-Closing Conditions. Subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitations in any Collateral Document and in each case at the expense of the Loan Parties:

(a) Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or as may be required by applicable law (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral, and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents.

(b) In the case of any Material Real Property, provide the Collateral Agent with Mortgages with respect to such owned real property within ninety (90) days (or such longer

 

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period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its sole discretion) of the acquisition of such real property in each case together with:

(i) evidence that counterparts of the Mortgages have been duly executed, acknowledged and delivered and are in form suitable for filing or recording in all filing or recording offices that the Collateral Agent may deem reasonably necessary or desirable in order to create a valid and subsisting perfected Lien on the property and/or rights described therein in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and that all filing and recording taxes and fees have been paid or otherwise provided for in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent;

(ii) fully paid American Land Title Association Lender’s Extended Coverage title insurance policies or the equivalent or other form available in each applicable jurisdiction (the “Mortgage Policies”) in form and substance, with endorsements available in the applicable jurisdiction and in amount, reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent (not to exceed the fair market value of the real properties covered thereby), issued, coinsured and reinsured by title insurers reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, insuring the Mortgages to be valid subsisting Liens on the property described therein, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, and providing for such other affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances under the Loan Documents) and such coinsurance and direct access reinsurance as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request and is available in the applicable jurisdiction;

(iii) opinions of local counsel for the Loan Parties in states in which the real properties are located, with respect to the enforceability and perfection of the Mortgages and any related fixture filings in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(iv) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) and evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof; and

(v) such other evidence that all other actions that the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to create valid and subsisting Liens on the property described in the Mortgages has been taken, including the delivery of those documents necessary to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

(c) Within sixty (60) days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its sole discretion) of the Closing Date, and without duplication of Section 4.01(a)(iv), provide evidence that all other actions, recordings and filings that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may deem reasonably necessary to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement at such time shall have been taken, completed or otherwise provided for in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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SECTION 6.14 Designation of Subsidiaries. The board of directors of the Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) other than for purposes of designating a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a Securitization Subsidiary in connection with the establishment of a Qualified Securitization Financing, immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such designation for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 is less than or equal to 4.90 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (and, as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of any such designation, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations demonstrating satisfaction of such test) and (iii) no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, after such designation, it would be a “Restricted Subsidiary” for the purpose of the ABL Facilities, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing or any other Indebtedness for borrowed money of any Loan Party in a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary may not be subsequently re-designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.15 Maintenance of Ratings. Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain (i) a public corporate credit rating from S&P and a public corporate family rating from Moody’s, in each case in respect of the Borrower, and (ii) a public rating in respect of the Loans from each of S&P and Moody’s.

ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall not (and, with respect to Section 7.13, only Holdings shall not), nor shall Holdings or the Borrower permit any Restricted Subsidiary to:

SECTION 7.01 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

 

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(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 7.01(b);

(c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP;

(d) statutory or common law Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens, or other customary Liens (other than in respect of Indebtedness) in favor of landlords, so long as, in each case, such Liens arise in the ordinary course of business that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or, if more than thirty (30) days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(e) (i) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and (ii) pledges and deposits in the ordinary course of business securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and title defects affecting real property that, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the use of the property for its intended purpose, and any other exceptions to title on the Mortgage Policies accepted by the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Loan Documents;

(h) Liens arising from judgments or orders for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(g);

(i) (i) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (A) such Liens attach concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after completion of the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (as applicable) of the property subject to such Liens, (B) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, replacements thereof and additions and accessions to such property and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits and (C) such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for additions and accessions to such assets, replacements and products thereof and

 

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customary security deposits) other than the assets subject to, or acquired, constructed, repaired, replaced or improved with the proceeds of such Indebtedness; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender and (ii) Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries that are Non-Loan Parties securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(n);

(j) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

(k) Liens (i) in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business and (ii) on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit issued or created for the account of such person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or such other goods in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code on the items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodities brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(m) Liens (i) on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02(i) or Section 7.02(n) to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or (ii) consisting of an agreement to Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(n) Liens on property of any Foreign Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(b), (g), (n) or (t);

(o) Liens in favor of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(d);

(p) Liens existing on property at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14), in each case after the date hereof (other than Liens on the Equity Interests of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after acquired property of such acquired Restricted Subsidiary), and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 7.03(e) or (g);

 

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(q) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor or secured by a lessor’s, sublessor’s, licensor’s or sublicensor’s interest under leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or licenses entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(r) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(s) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under Section 7.02 and reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(t) Liens that are customary contractual rights of setoff (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks or other deposit-taking financial institutions in the ordinary course and not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(u) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement not prohibited hereunder;

(v) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are located;

(w) purported Liens evidenced by the filing of precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statements or similar public filings;

(x) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(y) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(r)(i) and obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement (in each case, as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) permitted under Section 7.03(r)(ii) (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing in respect thereof) that are subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement;

(z) Liens on the Securitization Assets arising in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing;

(aa) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

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(bb) the modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Lien permitted by clauses (b), (i) and (p) of this Section 7.01; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e), and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens is permitted by Section 7.03;

(cc) Liens on the Collateral securing obligations in respect of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing; provided that (x) any such Liens securing any Permitted Refinancing in respect of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt are subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and a First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (y) any such Liens securing Permitted Ratio Debt or any Permitted Refinancing in respect of Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt or Permitted Ratio Debt are subject to a Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

(dd) Liens or rights of setoff against credit balances of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with credit card issuers or credit card processors on amounts owing by such credit card issuers or credit card processors to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, but not Liens on or rights of setoff against any other property or assets of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the credit card agreements in effect on the date hereof or as subsequently amended in any manner not materially adverse to the Lenders, to secure the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the credit card issuers or credit card processors as a result of fees and chargebacks;

(ee) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and the proceeds thereof securing such Person’s obligations in respect of documentary letters of credit or banker’s acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods;

(ff) deposits of cash with the owner or lessor of premises leased and operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and such Subsidiary to secure the performance of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under the terms of the lease for such premises; and

(gg) other Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $40,000,000 and 2.00% of Total Assets, in each case determined as of the date of incurrence.

SECTION 7.02 Investments. Make or hold any Investments, except:

(a) Investments by Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in assets that are Cash Equivalents;

(b) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any

 

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direct or indirect parent thereof; provided that, to the extent such loans or advances are made in cash, the amount of such loans and advances used to acquire such Equity Interests shall be contributed to Holdings in cash) and (iii) for any other purpose, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding under clauses (i) through (iii) not to exceed $17,500,000;

(c) Investments (i) by (A) Holdings in any Loan Party and (B) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, (ii) by any Non-Loan Party in any other Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) by any Non-Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and (iv) by any Loan Party in any Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) any such Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) in the form of intercompany loans shall be evidenced by notes that have been pledged (individually or pursuant to a global note) to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders (it being understood and agreed that any Investments permitted under this clause (iv) that are not so evidenced as of the Closing Date are not required to be so evidenced and pledged until the date that is sixty (60) days after the Closing Date (or such later date as may be acceptable to the Administrative Agent)) and (B) the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) shall not exceed at any time outstanding the sum of (x) the greater of $45,000,000 and 2.25% of Total Assets and (y) the Available Amount at such time.

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments consisting of Liens, Indebtedness, fundamental changes, Dispositions and Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.01, 7.03 (other than Section 7.03(c)(ii) or (d)), 7.04 (other than Section 7.04(c)(ii) or (f)), 7.05 (other than Section 7.05(d)(ii) or (e)) and 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(d) or (g)(iv)), respectively;

(f) Investments existing on the date hereof or made pursuant to legally binding written contracts in existence on the date hereof, in each case, set forth on Schedule 7.02(f) and any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension of any of the foregoing; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 7.02(f) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Closing Date except pursuant to the terms of such Investment as of the Closing Date or as otherwise permitted by another clause of this Section 7.02;

(g) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 7.03;

(h) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration that is permitted to be received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 7.05;

(i) the purchase or other acquisition of property and assets or businesses of any Person or of assets constituting a business unit, a line of business or division of such Person, a Store or Equity Interests in a Person that, upon the consummation thereof, will be a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (including as a result of a merger or consolidation);

 

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provided that with respect to each purchase or other acquisition made pursuant to this Section 7.02(i) (each, a “Permitted Acquisition”):

(A) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall constitute Collateral and each applicable Loan Party and any such newly created or acquired Subsidiary (and, to the extent required under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Subsidiaries of such created or acquired Subsidiary) shall be Guarantors and shall have complied with the requirements of Section 6.11, within the times specified therein (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (A) shall not override any provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, subject to the limit in clause (B) below);

(B) the aggregate amount of Investments made in Persons that do not become Loan Parties shall not exceed at any time outstanding the sum of (i) the greater of $45,000,000 and 2.25% of Total Assets and (ii) the Available Amount at such time;

(C) the acquired property, assets, business or Person is in a business permitted under Section 7.07; and

(D) (1) immediately before and immediately after giving Pro Forma Effect to any such purchase or other acquisition, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) shall have occurred and be continuing on the Transaction Agreement Date) and (2) subject to the Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, immediately after giving effect to such purchase or other acquisition, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such purchase or other acquisition (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (x) is less than or equal to 4.90 to 1.0 or (y) if clause (x) is not satisfied, is less than or equal to the Net Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such purchase or other acquisition for such Test Period, and satisfaction of such test shall be evidenced by a certificate from the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower demonstrating such satisfaction calculated in reasonable detail;

(j) Investments made to effect the Transaction;

(k) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(l) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment;

(m) loans and advances to Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted

 

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Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to Holdings (or such direct or indirect parent) in accordance with Section 7.06(f) or (g);

(n) other Investments that do not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding the sum of

(i) the greater of $75,000,000 and 3.50% of Total Assets, determined as of the date of such Investment, and

(ii) so long as no Event of Default (or, in the case of any Investment that is a Permitted Acquisition or similar Investment for which no Event of Default existed on the date the relevant Permitted Acquisition or Investment was contractually committed to, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f)) shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the making of any such Investment, the Available Amount at such time;

(o) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);

(q) Investments held by a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date or of a Person merged into the Borrower or merged or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 7.04 after the Closing Date (other than existing Investments in subsidiaries of such Subsidiary or Person, which must comply with the requirements of Section 7.02(i) or (n)) to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

(r) Guarantees by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(s) (i) Investments in a Securitization Subsidiary or any Investment by a Securitization Subsidiary in any other Person in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing; provided, however, that any such Investment in a Securitization Subsidiary is in the form of a contribution of additional Securitization Assets or as equity, and (ii) distributions or payments of Securitization Fees and purchases of Securitization Assets pursuant to a Securitization Repurchase Obligation in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing; and

(t) Investments made by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the extent such Investments are financed with the proceeds received by such Restricted Subsidiary from an Investment in such Restricted Subsidiary made pursuant to Section 7.02(c)(iv), (i)(B) or (n).

SECTION 7.03 Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or issue any Disqualified Equity Interest, other than:

 

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(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) (i) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof set forth on Schedule 7.03(b) and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (ii) intercompany Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Non-Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(c) (i) Guarantees by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries otherwise permitted hereunder (except that a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may not, by virtue of this Section 7.03(c), Guarantee Indebtedness that such Restricted Subsidiary could not otherwise incur under this Section 7.03); provided that (A) no Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary of any Junior Financing shall be permitted unless such Restricted Subsidiary is a Loan Party and (B) if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness and (ii) any Guaranty by a Loan Party of Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that would have been permitted as an Investment by such Loan Party in such Restricted Subsidiary under Section 7.02(c);

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries owing to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary to the extent constituting an Investment permitted by Section 7.02; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(e) (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Capitalized Leases) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after the applicable acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate principal amount pursuant to this subclause (i) not to exceed the greater of $40,000,000 and 2.00% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions (other than sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets) with respect to properties acquired after the Closing Date and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate amount outstanding pursuant to this sub-clause (ii) at any time not to exceed the greater of (x) $30,000,000 and (y) 1.50% of Total Assets, in each case, determined at the date of incurrence and (iii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(f) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts designed to hedge against Holdings’, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s exposure to interest rates, foreign exchange rates or commodities pricing risks incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and Guarantees thereof;

(g) Indebtedness (i) of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof, which Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and is not incurred in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary that is

 

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non-recourse to the Borrower, Holdings or any other Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary of such Person that is a Subsidiary on the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof) and is either (A) unsecured or (B) secured only by the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary by Liens permitted under Section 7.01(p) and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and (ii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition that is secured only by Liens permitted under Section 7.01(p) (and any Permitted Refinancing of the foregoing) and so long as the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness and all Indebtedness resulting from any Permitted Refinancing thereof at any time outstanding pursuant to this clause (g)(ii) does not exceed $45,000,000;

(h) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness;

(i) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(j) Indebtedness to current or former officers, directors, managers, consultants and employees, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) permitted by Section 7.06;

(k) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in a Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case to the extent constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earnouts) or other similar adjustments;

(l) Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred compensation or other similar arrangements with employees incurred by such Person in connection with the Transaction and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

(m) Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections, employee credit card programs and other cash management and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees thereof;

(n) Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $75,000,000 and 3.50% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of incurrence; provided that a maximum of the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets in aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness may be incurred by Non-Loan Parties, in each case determined at the time of incurrence;

(o) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(p) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(q) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(r) (i) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (A) $500,000,000 and (B) the then applicable Borrowing Base at any time outstanding under the ABL Facilities and (ii) the amount of obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement (in each case, as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) at any time outstanding and not incurred in violation of Section 7.03(f) and, in respect of clauses (i) and (ii), any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(s) (i) Indebtedness of the Loan Parties in respect of the Senior Notes (including any guarantees thereof) and (ii) any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(t) Indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (t) and then outstanding, does not exceed $22,500,000;

(u) Permitted Ratio Debt and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(i) Indebtedness incurred by a Securitization Subsidiary in a Qualified Securitization Financing that is not recourse (except for Standard Securitization Undertakings) to the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(v) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit issued for the account of any of the Subsidiaries of Holdings to finance the purchase of inventory so long as (x) such Indebtedness is unsecured and (y) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed $40,000,000 at any time;

(w) in the case of Holdings, Qualified Holding Company Debt; and

(x) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (a) through (x) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Restricted Subsidiary that is a Non-Loan Party will guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money of a Loan Party unless such Restricted Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor.

 

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For purposes of determining compliance with any Dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the Dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance, such 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 extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased, plus the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancing.

The accrual of interest, the accretion of original issue discount and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.03. The principal amount of any non-interest bearing Indebtedness or other discount security constituting Indebtedness at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the Borrower dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the ABL Facilities (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof) may only be incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(r).

SECTION 7.04 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that:

(a) Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with the Borrower (including a merger, the purpose of which is to reorganize the Borrower into a new jurisdiction); provided that

(i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (y) such merger or consolidation does not result in the Borrower ceasing to be organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (z) in the case of a merger or consolidation of Holdings with and into the Borrower, Holdings shall not be an obligor in respect of any Qualified Holding Company Debt or other Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall have no direct Subsidiaries at the time of such merger or consolidation other than the Borrower and, after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, the direct parent of the Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

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(b) (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party, (iii) any merger the sole purpose of which is to reincorporate or reorganize a Loan Party in another jurisdiction in the United States shall be permitted and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or change its legal form if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders, provided, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv), that (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom, (B) no Change of Control shall result therefrom and (C) the surviving Person (or, with respect to clause (iv), the Person who receives the assets of such dissolving or liquidated Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) shall be a Loan Party;

(c) any Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party in accordance with Sections 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e));

(d) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (A) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Guaranty confirmed that its Guarantee of the Obligations shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (D) each Loan Party, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Security Agreement confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (E) each mortgagor of a Mortgaged Property, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by an amendment to or restatement of the applicable Mortgage (or other instrument reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent) confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, and (F) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement;

(e) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, Holdings may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (A) Holdings shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is not Holdings or is a Person into which Holdings has been liquidated (any such

 

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Person, the “Successor Holdings”) (A) the Successor Holdings shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Holdings shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (C) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings under this Agreement;

(f) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)); provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11;

(g) [reserved]; and

(h) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or Disposition, the purpose of which is to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 7.05 (other than Section 7.05(e)).

SECTION 7.05 Dispositions. Make any Disposition, except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete, worn-out, used or surplus property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) Dispositions of inventory and goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Term Priority Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Term Priority Collateral;

(d) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party (i) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e));

(e) Dispositions permitted by Sections 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)), 7.04 (other than Section 7.04(h)) and 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(d)) and Liens permitted by Section 7.01 (other than Section 7.01(m)(ii));

 

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(f) Dispositions of property pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions; provided that the Net Cash Proceeds thereof are applied in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii);

(g) Dispositions of Cash Equivalents;

(h) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(i) transfers of property subject to Casualty Events upon receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of such Casualty Event;

(j) Dispositions of property not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no Default exists), no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition; and (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (j) for a purchase price in excess of $10,000,000, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than nonconsensual Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and Liens permitted by Sections 7.01(a), (l), (m), (s), (t)(i), (t)(ii), (u), (y) and (cc)); provided, however, that for the purposes of this clause (ii), (A) any liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, (B) any securities received by such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by such Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received) within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $20,000,000 and 1.00% 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 be deemed to be cash;

(k) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

(l) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof;

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

 

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(n) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code (or comparable or successor provision), any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon permitted by such provision) for use in any business conducted by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not in contravention of Section 7.07; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Term Priority Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Term Priority Collateral;

(o) [reserved];

(p) the unwinding of any Swap Contract;

(q) sales or other dispositions by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets in connection with the closing or sale of a Store (including a factory Store) in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which consist of leasehold interests in the premises of such Store, the equipment and fixtures located at such premises and the books and records relating exclusively and directly to the operations of such Store; provided that as to each and all such sales and closings, (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom and (B) such sale shall be on commercially reasonable prices and terms in a bona fide arm’s-length transaction;

(r) bulk sales or other Dispositions of the inventory of a Loan Party not in the ordinary course of business in connection with Store closings, at arm’s length;

(s) any Disposition of Securitization Assets to a Securitization Subsidiary; and

(t) the lapse or abandonment in the ordinary course of business of any registrations or applications for registration of any IP Rights;

provided that any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 7.05 (except pursuant to Sections 7.05(e), (i), (k), (p) and (t) and except for Dispositions from the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party), shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition as determined by the Borrower in good faith. To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 7.05 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, upon the certification by the Borrower that such Disposition is permitted by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

SECTION 7.06 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

(a) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower and to its other Restricted Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, to the Borrower and any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests);

 

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(b) Holdings, the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests not otherwise permitted by Section 7.03) of such Person;

(c) [reserved];

(d) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)), 7.04 (other than a merger or consolidation of Holdings and the Borrower) or 7.08 (other than Section 7.08(a), (j), (k) or (r));

(e) repurchases of Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or similar rights if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants or similar rights;

(f) Holdings and the Borrower may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of Holdings (or of any such direct or indirect parent thereof) held by any future, present or former employee, director, consultant or distributor (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee or director stock option plan or any other employee or director benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, director, consultant or distributor of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount after the Closing Date together with the aggregate amount of loans and advances to Holdings made pursuant to Section 7.02(m) in lieu of Restricted Payments permitted by this clause (f) not to exceed $15,000,000 in any calendar year with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to the next two succeeding calendar years; provided that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date;

(g) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to Holdings or to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings (and Holdings may make Restricted Payments to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings):

(i) the proceeds of which will be used to pay (in amounts required for Holdings or such other parent company) consolidated or combined federal, state and/or local income Taxes imposed on such entity to the extent such income Taxes are attributable to the income of the Borrower 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 Borrower and its Subsidiaries whose activities are included in such consolidated or combined group would have been required to pay in respect of the relevant federal, state and/ or local income Taxes (as the case may be) in respect of such

 

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year if the Borrower and such 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary) and (ii) the permitted payment pursuant to this clause (g) 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 Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purposes of paying such consolidated, combined or similar Taxes;

(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) its operating costs and expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business, attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(iii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof which does not own other Subsidiaries besides Holdings, its Subsidiaries and the direct or indirect parents of Holdings to pay) franchise taxes and other fees, taxes and expenses required to maintain its (or any of such direct or indirect parents’) corporate existence;

(iv) to finance any Investment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 7.02; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) Holdings and the Borrower shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be contributed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 7.04) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.11 and 7.02;

(v) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) costs, fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement; and

(vi) the proceeds of which (A) shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or (B) shall be used to make payments permitted under Sections 7.08(e), (h), (k) and (q) (but only to the extent such payments have not been and are not expected to be made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary);

(h) Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries may pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition;

 

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(i) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Borrower’s common stock following the first public offering of the Borrower’s common stock or the common stock of any of its direct or indirect parents after the Closing Date, of up to 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by or contributed to the Borrower in or from any such public offering, other than public offerings with respect to the Borrower’s common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;

(j) repurchases of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur on the exercise of options by the delivery of Equity Interests in satisfaction of the exercise price of such options or (ii) in consideration of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing), including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options;

(k) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) in an aggregate amount, together with the aggregate amount of prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings made pursuant to Section 7.12(a)(i)(D), not to exceed the sum of (i) the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of such Restricted Payment and (ii) so long as immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis (x) the Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 4.90 to 1.0 and (y) the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 3.60 to 1.0, the Available Amount at such time;

(l) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) in an amount equal to regularly scheduled payments of interest on the TopCo Notes (including any refinancing thereof); and

(m) so long as (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) the Net Leverage Ratio after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of the subject Restricted Payments (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 4.90 to 1.0, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) from the proceeds of Permitted Ratio Debt, Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in an aggregate amount equal to the principal amount required for the repurchase, redemption, retirement or other satisfaction of the TopCo Notes and any premium, fees, costs or expenses associated therewith; provided, that, no such Restricted Payment may be made with the proceeds of Incremental Loans or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt unless the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 3.25 to 1.0.

SECTION 7.07 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business reasonably related or ancillary thereto.

 

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SECTION 7.08 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of Holdings or the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, in excess of $10,000,000 other than:

(a) transactions between or among the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction,

(b) transactions on terms substantially as favorable to Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,

(c) the Transaction and the payment of fees and expenses (including the Transaction Expenses) related to the Transaction,

(d) the issuance of Equity Interests of Holdings to any officer, director, employee or consultant of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in connection with the Transaction,

(e) the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses accrued in any prior year) and any Sponsor Termination Fees pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement,

(f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business and transactions pursuant to stock option plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements,

(g) the non-exclusive licensing of trademarks, copyrights or other IP Rights in the ordinary course of business to permit the commercial exploitation of IP Rights between or among Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Holdings or the Borrower,

(h) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, officers and employees of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(i) any agreement, instrument or arrangement as in effect as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.08, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the Closing Date),

(j) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06,

 

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(k) customary payments by the Borrower and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith,

(l) transactions in which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of clause (b) of this Section 7.08,

(m) the issuance or transfer of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings to any Permitted Holder or to any former, current or future director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent thereof to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement and to the extent such issuance or transfer would not give rise to a Change of Control,

(n) investments by the Sponsor or the Co-Investors in securities of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries so long as (A) the investment is being offered generally to other investors on the same or more favorable terms and (B) the investment constitutes less than 5.0% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities,

(o) payments to or from, and transactions with, Joint Ventures (to the extent any such Joint Venture is only an Affiliate as a result of Investments by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Joint Venture) in the ordinary course of business to the extent otherwise permitted under Section 7.02,

(p) any Disposition of Securitization Assets or related assets in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing,

(q) the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to registration rights and indemnities provided to shareholders of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof pursuant to the stockholders agreement or the registration and participation rights agreement entered into on the Closing Date in connection therewith,

(r) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments pursuant thereto, to the extent permitted by Section 7.06(g)(i), and

(s) payments to an Affiliate in respect of the Indebtedness or Equity Interests of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that are payable to Affiliates that may from time to time own such Indebtedness or Equity Interests.

SECTION 7.09 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that prohibits,

 

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restricts, imposes any condition on or limits the ability of (a) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to make Restricted Payments to (directly or indirectly) or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or to Guarantee the Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or (b) any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person for the benefit of the Lenders with respect to the Facility and the Obligations under the Loan Documents; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations that:

(i) (x) exist on the date hereof and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.09) are listed on Schedule 7.09 hereto and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such Contractual Obligation,

(ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary,

(iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party that is permitted by Section 7.03,

(iv) are customary restrictions that arise in connection with (x) any Lien permitted by Sections 7.01(a), (l), (m), (s), (t)(i), (t)(ii), (u), (y) and (cc) and relate to the property subject to such Lien or (y) any Disposition permitted by Section 7.05 applicable pending such Disposition solely to the assets subject to such Disposition,

(v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 7.02 and applicable solely to such joint venture entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness (and excluding in any event any Indebtedness constituting any Junior Financing) and the proceeds and products thereof and, in the case of the ABL Facilities, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing, permit the Liens securing the Obligations without restriction (subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement),

(vii) are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto,

(viii) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 7.03(e), (g), (h), (o)(i), (r) or (t) to the extent

 

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that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or to the Restricted Subsidiary party to such Indebtedness,

(ix) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(x) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xi) are restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xii) are restrictions contained in the ABL Credit Agreement, the ABL Facilities Documentation, Senior Notes Indenture and the Senior Notes and any documentation governing a Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing,

(xiii) arise in connection with cash or other deposits permitted under Section 7.01, or

(xiv) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement governing Indebtedness entered into after the Closing Date and permitted under Section 7.03 that are, taken as a whole, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, no more restrictive with respect to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary than customary market terms for Indebtedness of such type, so long as the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such restrictions will not affect its obligation or ability to make any payments required hereunder.

SECTION 7.10 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Borrowing, whether directly or indirectly, in a manner prohibited by this Agreement.

SECTION 7.11 Accounting Changes. Make any change in fiscal year; provided, however, that Holdings and the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its fiscal year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

SECTION 7.12 Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness.

(a) Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of regularly scheduled principal, interest and mandatory prepayments shall be permitted) any Indebtedness of a Loan Party (except, with respect to Holdings, to the extent such prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction thereof is funded with a Restricted Payment permitted under Section 7.06(k)) that is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations expressly by its terms (other than Indebtedness among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) (collectively, “Junior Financing”), except (A) the refinancing thereof with the Net Cash Proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing, to the extent not required to prepay any Loans

 

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pursuant to Section 2.03(b), (B) the conversion of any Junior Financing to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parents, (C) the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owed to Holdings, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of any other Junior Financing with the proceeds of any other Junior Financing otherwise permitted by Section 7.03 and (D) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in an aggregate amount, together with the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 7.06(k)(i), not to exceed the sum of (1) the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of such payment and (2) if (after giving effect to such prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction on a Pro Forma Basis) (x) the Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 4.90 to 1.0 and (y) the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 3.60 to 1.0, and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Available Amount at such time.

(b) Amend, modify or change in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders any term or condition of any Junior Financing Documentation or the Senior Notes Indenture, other than as a result of a Permitted Refinancing thereof, without the consent of the Administrative Agent.

(c) Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of regularly scheduled principal, interest and mandatory prepayments shall be permitted) any Senior Notes except (A) the refinancing thereof with the Net Cash Proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing, to the extent not required to prepay any Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b), (B) the conversion of any Senior Notes to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parents and (C) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Senior Notes so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio (determined on a Pro Forma Basis as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available) is no greater than 3.60 to 1.0.

SECTION 7.13 Holdings. In the case of Holdings, conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than the following (and activities incidental thereto): (i) its ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (iii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities, any Senior Notes, any Qualified Holding Company Debt, any Permitted Ratio Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt and any other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by Holdings pursuant to Section 7.03, (iv) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance of its Equity Interests or any transaction permitted under Section 7.04, (v) financing activities, including the issuance of securities, incurrence of debt, payment of Restricted Payments, making contributions to the capital of its Subsidiaries and guaranteeing the obligations of its Subsidiaries in each case solely to the extent permitted hereunder, (vi) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and the Borrower, (vii) holding any cash or

 

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property received in connection with Restricted Payments made by the Borrower in accordance with Section 7.06 pending application thereof by Holdings, (viii) providing indemnification to officers and directors and (ix) activities incidental to the businesses or activities described in clauses (i) to (viii) of this Section 7.13.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

SECTION 8.01 Events of Default. Each of the events referred to in clauses (a) through (l) of this Section 8.01 shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or, in the case of Section 7.13, Holdings, fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 6.03(a) or 6.05(a) (solely with respect to the Borrower) or Article VII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be untrue in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an aggregate outstanding principal amount (individually or in the aggregate with all other Indebtedness as to which such a failure shall exist) of not less than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts and not as a result of any default thereunder by any Loan Party), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(B) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such

 

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Indebtedness; provided, further, that such failure is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the Commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Section 8.02; provided that no such event under the ABL Facilities (other than the failure of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of the ABL Facilities) shall constitute an Event of Default under this Section 8.01(e) until the earliest to occur of (x) the acceleration of the Indebtedness under the ABL Facilities and (y) the exercise of any remedies by the ABL Administrative Agent in respect of any Collateral; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Holdings, the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied or failed to acknowledge coverage thereof) and such judgment or order shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending an appeal for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days; or

(h) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates under Title IV of ERISA in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its Withdrawal Liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) with respect to a Foreign Plan a termination, withdrawal or noncompliance with applicable law or plan terms that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

(i) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any material provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or 7.05) or the satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation

 

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under any Loan Document (other than as a result of repayment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Aggregate Commitments), or purports in writing to revoke or rescind any Loan Document; or

(j) Collateral Documents. (i) Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.01 or 6.11 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or 7.05) cease to create, or any Lien purported to be created by any Collateral Document shall be asserted in writing by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected lien, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents (or other security purported to be created on the applicable Collateral) on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.01, except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from the failure of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents or to file Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements and except as to Collateral consisting of real property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied coverage, or (ii) any of the Equity Interests of the Borrower ceasing to be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement free of Liens other than Liens permitted by the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, First Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) and the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) or any nonconsensual Liens arising solely by operation of Law; or

(k) Junior Financing Documentation. (i) Any of the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents for any reason shall cease to be “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) or “Senior Secured Financing” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in any Junior Financing Documentation with an aggregate principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount or (ii) the subordination provisions set forth in any Junior Financing Documentation with an aggregate principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount shall, in whole or in part, cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and enforceable against the holders of any such Junior Financing, if applicable; or

(l) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

SECTION 8.02 Remedies upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent may with the consent of, and shall at the request of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare Commitments of each Lender to be terminated, whereupon such Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and

(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

 

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provided that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the Commitments of each Lender shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

SECTION 8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (other than principal and interest, but including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, the Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations, ratably among the Secured Parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

Fifth, to the payment of all other Obligations of the Loan Parties that are due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

ARTICLE IX

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND OTHER AGENTS

SECTION 9.01 Appointment and Authorization of the Administrative Agent.

(a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America, N.A. to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such

 

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powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article IX (other than Sections 9.09 and 9.11) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any such provision.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a Lender and a potential Hedge Bank and/or Cash Management Bank) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of (and to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or in trust for) such Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” (and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX (including Section 9.07, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to execute any and all documents (including releases) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto (including the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), as contemplated by and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents and acknowledge and agree that any such action by any Agent shall bind the Lenders.

SECTION 9.02 Rights as a Lender. Any Person serving as an Agent (including as Administrative Agent) hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include each Person serving as an Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, any Agent or its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that no Agent shall be under any obligation to provide such information to them.

SECTION 9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, an Agent (including the Administrative Agent):

 

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(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law and instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that such Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that no Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by any Person serving as an Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.

No Agent-Related Person shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital, statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof.

SECTION 9.04 Reliance by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be

 

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genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law.

SECTION 9.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Documents by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Agent-Related Persons. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Agent-Related Persons of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.06 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents. Each Lender acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to each Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own

 

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decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereunder. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.

SECTION 9.07 Indemnification of Agents. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), pro rata, and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Loan Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 9.07. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 9.07 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto, provided, further, that the failure of any Lender to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation in respect thereof. The undertaking in this Section 9.07 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.08 No Other Duties; Other Agents, Arrangers, Managers, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Joint Bookrunners, Arrangers or

 

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other Agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder and such Persons shall have the benefit of this Article IX. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any agency or fiduciary or trust relationship with any Lender, Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

SECTION 9.09 Resignation of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a Lender or a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such Lender or bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (a) the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor of such Agent is appointed) and (b) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, hereunder and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such amendments or supplements to the Mortgages, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Required Lenders may request, in order to (i) continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents or (ii) otherwise ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement is satisfied, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Sections 10.04 and 10.05 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Agent-Related

 

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Persons in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable.

SECTION 9.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 10.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

The holders of the Obligations hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject or (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the holders thereof shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with

 

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Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 10.01 of this Agreement, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Obligations to be credit bid, all without the need for any Lender or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Lender or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

SECTION 9.11 Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, and each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent agrees that it will:

(a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (x) obligations and liabilities under Secured Hedge Agreements as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Hedge Bank shall have been made, (y) Cash Management Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank shall have been made and (z) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable), (ii) at the time the property subject to such Lien is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection with any transfer permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, or (iv) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Guarantor, upon release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guaranty pursuant to clause (c) below;

 

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(b) release or subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i);

(c) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if (i) in the case of any Subsidiary, such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder or (ii) in the case of Holdings, as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of the ABL Facilities, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing; and

(d) if any Guarantor shall cease to be a Material Domestic Subsidiary (as certified in writing by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower), and the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that it wishes such Guarantor to be released from its obligations under the Guaranty and provides the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent such certifications or documents as either such Agent shall reasonably request, (i) release such Subsidiary from its obligations under the Guaranty and (ii) release any Liens granted by such Subsidiary or Liens on the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary continues to be a guarantor in respect of the ABL Facilities, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Senior Notes or any Junior Financing.

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.11. In each case as specified in this Section 9.11, the applicable Agent will (and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the applicable Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release or subordination of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.11.

SECTION 9.12 Appointment of Supplemental Administrative Agents.

(a) It is the purpose of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that there shall be no violation of any Law of any jurisdiction denying or restricting the right of banking corporations or associations to transact business as agent or trustee in such jurisdiction. It is recognized that in case of litigation under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and in particular in case of the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents, or in case the Administrative Agent deems that by reason of any present or future Law of any jurisdiction it may not exercise any of the rights, powers or remedies granted herein or in any of the other Loan Documents or take any other action which may be desirable or necessary in connection therewith, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to appoint an additional individual or institution selected by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion as a separate trustee, co-trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, administrative sub-agent or administrative co-agent (any such additional individual or institution being referred to herein individually as a

 

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Supplemental Administrative Agent” and collectively as “Supplemental Administrative Agents”).

(b) In the event that the Administrative Agent appoints a Supplemental Administrative Agent with respect to any Collateral, (i) each and every right, power, privilege or duty expressed or intended by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to be exercised by or vested in or conveyed to the Administrative Agent with respect to such Collateral shall be exercisable by and vest in such Supplemental Administrative Agent to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to enable such Supplemental Administrative Agent to exercise such rights, powers and privileges with respect to such Collateral and to perform such duties with respect to such Collateral, and every covenant and obligation contained in the Loan Documents and necessary to the exercise or performance thereof by such Supplemental Administrative Agent shall run to and be enforceable by either the Administrative Agent or such Supplemental Administrative Agent, and (ii) the provisions of this Article IX and of Sections 10.04 and 10.05 that refer to the Administrative Agent shall inure to the benefit of such Supplemental Administrative Agent and all references therein to the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to be references to the Administrative Agent and/or such Supplemental Administrative Agent, as the context may require.

(c) Should any instrument in writing from any Loan Party be required by any Supplemental Administrative Agent so appointed by the Administrative Agent for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to him or it such rights, powers, privileges and duties, the Borrower or Holdings, as applicable, shall, or shall cause such Loan Party to, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all such instruments promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent. In case any Supplemental Administrative Agent, or a successor thereto, shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of such Supplemental Administrative Agent, to the extent permitted by Law, shall vest in and be exercised by the Administrative Agent until the appointment of a new Supplemental Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.13 Intercreditor Agreements. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are authorized to enter into the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and any Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the parties hereto acknowledge that the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and any such First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is binding upon them. Each Lender (a) hereby consents to the subordination of the Liens on the Current Asset Collateral securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and to the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the parity nature of the Liens on the Collateral, (b) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and any such First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (c) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent to enter into the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and, if applicable, any such First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations to the provisions thereof.

SECTION 9.14 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Guaranty or any Collateral

 

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Document, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 8.03, any Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

SECTION 9.15 Withholding Taxes. To the extent required by any applicable Laws, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. Without limiting or expanding the provisions of Section 3.01, each Lender shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent against, and shall make payable in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent by the IRS or any other Governmental Authority as a result of the failure of the Administrative Agent to properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of such Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding Tax ineffective). A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this Section 9.15. The agreements in this Section 9.15 shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 10.01 Amendments, Etc. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that a waiver of any condition

 

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precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date scheduled for, or reduce the amount of, any payment of principal or interest under Section 2.05 or 2.06 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, it being understood that the waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Loans shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest;

(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or (subject to clause (i) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;

(d) change any provision of this Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders,” “Required Facility Lenders” or “Pro Rata Share” or any other provision specifying the number of Lenders or portion of the Loans or Commitments required to take any action under the Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby;

(e) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender; or

(f) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, release all or substantially all of the aggregate value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender;

and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) Section 10.07(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification and (iii) the consent of Required Facility Lenders shall be required with respect to any amendment that by its terms adversely affects the rights of Lenders under such Facility in respect of payments hereunder in a manner different than such amendment affects other Facilities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing,

(g) No Lender consent is required to effect any amendment or supplement to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or any Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (i) that is for the purpose of adding the holders of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt or Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt (or a Senior Representative with respect thereto) as parties thereto, as expressly contemplated by the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, such First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or such Second Lien

 

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Intercreditor Agreement, as applicable (it being understood that any such amendment or supplement may make such other changes to the applicable intercreditor agreement as, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, are required to effectuate the foregoing and provided that such other changes are not adverse, in any material respect, to the interests of the Lenders) or (ii) that is expressly contemplated by the ABL Intercreditor Agreement (or the comparable provisions, if any, of any First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or any Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement); provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable; and

(h) This Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (i) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders.

In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders providing the Replacement Loans (as defined below) to permit the refinancing of all outstanding Loans of any Class (“Refinanced Loans”) with replacement term loans (“Replacement Loans”) hereunder; provided that (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Replacement Loans shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Refinanced Loans, (b) the All-In Yield with respect to such Replacement Loans (or similar interest rate spread applicable to such Replacement Loans) shall not be higher than the All-In Yield for such Refinanced Loans (or similar interest rate spread applicable to such Refinanced Loans) immediately prior to such refinancing, (c) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Replacement Loans shall not be shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Refinanced Loans at the time of such refinancing (except by virtue of amortization or prepayment of the Refinanced Loans prior to the time of such incurrence) and (d) all other terms applicable to such Replacement Loans shall be substantially identical to, or less favorable to the Lenders providing such Replacement Loans than, those applicable to such Refinanced Loans, except to the extent necessary to provide for covenants and other terms applicable to any period after the Latest Maturity Date of the Loans in effect immediately prior to such refinancing.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10.01, guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to cure ambiguities or defects or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

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SECTION 10.02 Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.

(a) General. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to Holdings, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communication. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(d) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE

 

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ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Agent-Related Persons or any Arranger (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(e) Change of Address. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities Laws.

(f) Reliance by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent each Lender and the Agent-Related Persons of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the

 

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Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

SECTION 10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

SECTION 10.04 Attorney Costs and Expenses. The Borrower agrees (a) if the Closing Date occurs, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, each Co-Syndication Agent and the Arrangers for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, syndication and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including all Attorney Costs of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole, and (b) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and including all Attorney Costs of one counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders taken as a whole (and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in any relevant material jurisdiction and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole)). The agreements in this Section 10.04 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations. All amounts due under this Section 10.04 shall be paid promptly following receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail and such backup material as the Borrower may reasonably request. If any Loan Party fails to pay when due any costs, expenses or other amounts payable by it hereunder or under any Loan Document, such amount may be paid on behalf of such Loan Party by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion. The Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby acknowledge that the Administrative Agent and/or any Lender may receive a benefit, including without limitation, a discount, credit or other accommodation, from any of such counsel based on the fees such counsel may receive on account of their relationship with the Administrative Agent and/or such Lender, including, without limitation, fees paid pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 10.05 Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, each Lender, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, trustees or advisors and other representatives (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and

 

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disbursements (including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to all Indemnitees taken as a whole and, if reasonably necessary, a single local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to the interest of the Lenders, and solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Indemnitees similarly situated taken as a whole) (a) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) any Commitment, Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, or (c) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or any Environmental Liability arising out of the activities or operations of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or (d) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or of any affiliate, director, officer, employee or agent of such Indemnitee, (y) a material breach of any obligations under any Loan Document by such Indemnitee or of any Related Indemnified Person as determined by a final, nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an administrative agent or arranger or any similar role under the Facility and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates. To the extent that the undertakings to indemnify and hold harmless set forth in this Section 10.05 may be unenforceable in whole or in part because they are violative of any applicable law or public policy, the Borrower shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted to pay and satisfy under applicable law to the payment and satisfaction of all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, nor shall any Indemnitee or any Loan Party have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date) (other than, in the case of any Loan Party, in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party). In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 10.05 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, its directors, stockholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents is consummated. All

 

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amounts due under this Section 10.05 shall be paid within twenty (20) Business Days after written demand therefor. The agreements in this Section 10.05 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. This Section 10.05 shall not apply to Taxes, except any Taxes that represent liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, etc., arising from a non-Tax claim.

SECTION 10.06 Marshaling; Payments Set Aside. None of the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall be under any obligation to marshal any assets in favor of the Loan Parties or any other party or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

SECTION 10.07 Successors and Assigns.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither Holdings nor the Borrower may, except as permitted by Section 7.04, assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Agent-Related Persons of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

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(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment or, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower or any Guarantor, Section 8.01(f) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned.

(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f), has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or (3) such assignment is by the Arrangers or their Affiliates prior to the completion of the primary syndication (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or the 90th day after the Closing Date, whichever shall occur first; provided that if the Borrower does not respond to a request for an assignment within ten (10) Business Days after receiving written notice of a request for such consent, the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to such assignment; and

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.

 

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(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. All assignments shall be by novation.

(v) No Assignments to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries except as permitted under Section 2.03(a)(iv), (B) subject to subsection (h) below, any of the Borrower’s Affiliates, (C) to a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person or (D) any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Note, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans, owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agents and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Agent and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. This Section 10.07(c) and Section 2.09 shall be construed so that all Loans are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury regulations (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury regulations).

 

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(d) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, an investment vehicle of a natural person or, to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform, any Disqualified Institution or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Agents and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that directly affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled (through the applicable Lender) to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.06(a) and 3.07, as if the Participant were a Lender) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.09 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.11 as though it were a Lender.

(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01, 3.04 or 3.05 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Each Lender that sells a participation shall (acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower) maintain a register on which is entered the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”). A Lender shall not be obligated to disclose the Participant Register to any Person except to the extent such disclosure is necessary to establish that any Loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

(f) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its

 

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obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. Each party hereto hereby agrees that an SPC shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.06(a) and 3.07, as if the SPC were a Lender); provided, that neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Sections 3.01, 3.04 or 3.05) unless such increase or change results from a Change in Law after the grant was made. Each party hereto further agrees that (i) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable and (ii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the Laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

(h) Any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to a Person who is or will become, after such assignment, the Borrower or an Affiliated Lender through (x) Dutch auctions open to all Lenders in accordance with procedures of the type described in Section 2.03(a)(iv) or (y) open market purchase on a non-pro rata basis, in each case subject to the following limitations:

(i) Affiliated Lenders will not receive information provided solely to Lenders by the Administrative Agent or any Lender and will not be permitted to attend or participate in meetings attended solely by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, other than the right to receive notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in

 

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respect of its Loans or Commitments required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article II;

(ii) if the Borrower or an Affiliated Lender (A) purchases any Loans pursuant to this clause (h) or (B) sells any Loan hereunder, then either (I) the Borrower or such Affiliated Lender shall represent and warrant to the seller or the buyer, as applicable, that it does not possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information) or (II) each of the seller and buyer shall render to each other a customary “big boy” disclaimer letter;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders (measured immediately after giving effect to any such acquisition of Loans) may not exceed 25% of the principal amount of all Loans at such time outstanding; and

(iv) in the case of an assignment to the Borrower (A) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such assignment and (B) the Loans assigned to the Borrower shall be automatically and permanently cancelled upon the closing of such assignment.

(i) Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” to the contrary, for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders have (i) consented (or not consented) to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, or subject to Section 10.07(j), any plan of reorganization pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, (ii) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document, or (iii) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, no Affiliated Lender shall have any right to consent (or not consent), otherwise act or direct or require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to take (or refrain from taking) any such action and:

(A) all Loans held by any Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether the Required Lenders have taken any actions; and

(B) all Loans held by Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether all Lenders have taken any action unless the action in question affects such Affiliated Lender in a disproportionately adverse manner than its effect on other Lenders.

(j) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, each Affiliated Lender hereby agrees that, if a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law shall be commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Loan Party at a time when such Lender is an Affiliated Lender, such Affiliated Lender irrevocably authorizes and empowers the Administrative Agent to vote on behalf of such Affiliated Lender with respect to the Loans held by such Affiliated Lender in any manner in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, unless the

 

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Administrative Agent instructs such Affiliated Lender to vote, in which case such Affiliated Lender shall vote with respect to the Loans held by it as the Administrative Agent directs; provided that such Affiliated Lender shall be entitled to vote in accordance with its sole discretion (and not in accordance with the direction of the Administrative Agent) in connection with any plan of reorganization to the extent any such plan of reorganization proposes to treat any Obligations held by such Affiliated Lender in a manner that is less favorable in any material respect to such Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of similar Obligations held by Lenders that are not Affiliates of the Borrower.

SECTION 10.08 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information in accordance with its customary procedures (as set forth below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners); provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable prior to any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions at least as restrictive as those of this Section 10.08, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be an Additional Lender (other than to a Disqualified Institution; provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions may be provided) or (ii) any actual or prospective direct or indirect counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, (h) to any rating agency when required by it (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to the Loan Parties received by it from the Administrative Agent or such Lender) or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, and which source is not known by such Agent or Lender to be subject to a confidentiality restriction in respect thereof in favor of the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the

 

157


Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; it being understood that all information received from Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof shall be deemed confidential unless such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as not being confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so in accordance with its customary procedures if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

SECTION 10.09 Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

SECTION 10.10 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If any Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by an Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

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SECTION 10.11 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.12 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state Laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

SECTION 10.13 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Borrowing, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.

SECTION 10.14 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 10.15 GOVERNING LAW.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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(b) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT THE AGENTS AND LENDERS RETAIN THE RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXERCISE OF ANY RIGHTS UNDER ANY COLLATERAL DOCUMENT OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT.

(c) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

SECTION 10.16 WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

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SECTION 10.17 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, Holdings and the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender that each such Lender has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, Holdings, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 10.18 Lender Action. Each Lender agrees that it shall not take or institute any actions or proceedings, judicial or otherwise, for any right or remedy against any Loan Party under any of the Loan Documents or the Secured Hedge Agreements (including the exercise of any right of setoff, rights on account of any banker’s lien or similar claim or other rights of self-help), or institute any actions or proceedings, or otherwise commence any remedial procedures, with respect to any Collateral or any other property of any such Loan Party, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be withheld in contravention of Section 9.04). The provision of this Section 10.18 are for the sole benefit of the Lenders and shall not afford any right to, or constitute a defense available to, any Loan Party.

SECTION 10.19 Use of Name, Logo, etc. Each Loan Party consents to the publication in the ordinary course by Administrative Agent or the Arrangers of customary advertising material relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement using such Loan Party’s name, product photographs, logo or trademark. Such consent shall remain effective until revoked by such Loan Party in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers.

SECTION 10.20 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 10.21 Service of Process. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 10.22 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrower and Holdings acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Agents and the Arrangers are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, Holdings and their

 

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respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agents and the Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrower and Holdings has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Borrower and Holdings is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Agents, the Arrangers and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Agents, the Arrangers, the Lender and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, Holdings their respective Affiliates, and none of the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and Holdings hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agents, the Arrangers nor any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

SECTION 10.23 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as Borrower

By:   /s/ David Goldston
Name:   David Goldston
Title:  

Senior Vice President, General Counsel

and Secretary

 

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, as Holdings

By:   /s/ David Goldston
Name:   David Goldston
Title:   Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

By:   /s/ Denise Jones
Name:   Denise Jones
Title:   Assistant Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ David H. Strickert
Name:   David H. Strickert
Title:   Managing Director

[Signature Page to Credit Agreement]


SCHEDULE 2.01

COMMITMENT

 

Lender

   Commitment  

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 725,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 725,000,000  
  

 

 

 


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

Date:            ,         

 

To:

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

 

 

A Borrowing of Loans

 

 

A conversion or continuation of Loans made on ____________.

To be made on the terms set forth below:

 

  1.

Class of Borrowing: ________.1

 

  2.

On ________ (a Business Day).

 

  3.

In the principal amount of $________.

 

  4.

Comprised of [Type of Loan requested].

 

  5.

For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of ____ months.

[Except in respect of any conversion or continuation of a Borrowing, the undersigned hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that the conditions to lending specified in Section 4.02(a) of the Credit Agreement will be satisfied as of the date of the Borrowing set forth above.]2

 

 

1 

E.g., Initial Loans, Incremental Loans, Other Loans or Extended Loans.

2 

Applies only to Borrowings, conversions or continuations after the Closing Date.

 

Form of Committed Loan Notice

A-1


JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as Borrower
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ISSUED WITH “ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 1273 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED) FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE BORROWER WILL MAKE AVAILABLE TO ANY HOLDER 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 THE BORROWER AT JO-ANN STORES, LLC, 5555 DARROW ROAD, HUDSON, OHIO 44236, ATTN: [EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER]3.

FORM OF NOTE

 

                [New York, New York]
[Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby promises to pay to [LENDER] or its registered assigns (the “Lender”) in accordance with Section 10.07 of the Credit Agreement (as defined below), in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately available funds at the office of the Administrative Agent (such term, and each other capitalized term used but not defined herein, having the meaning assigned to it in the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent) at One Bryant Park New York, New York 10036, (or such other office notified by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower in accordance with Section 10.02 of the Credit Agreement) (i) on the dates set forth in the Credit Agreement, the principal amounts set forth in the Credit Agreement with respect to Loans made by the Lender to Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and (ii) on each Interest Payment Date, interest at the rate or rates per annum as provided in the Credit Agreement on the unpaid principal amount of all Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest, on demand, on any overdue principal and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest from their due dates at the rate or rates provided in the Credit Agreement.

 

 

3 

The current Chief Financial Officer’s title of Borrower should be inserted here.

 

Form of Note

B-1


The Borrower hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and notice of any kind whatsoever. The non-exercise by the holder hereof of any of its rights hereunder in any particular instance shall not constitute a waiver thereof in that or any subsequent instance.

All Borrowings evidenced by this note and all payments and prepayments of the principal hereof and interest hereon and the respective dates thereof shall be endorsed by the holder hereof on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be attached hereto and made a part hereof, or otherwise recorded by such holder in its internal records; provided, however, that the failure of the holder hereof to make such a notation or any error in such notation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower under this note.

This note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement that, among other things, contains provisions for the acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain events, for optional and mandatory prepayment of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof and for the amendment or waiver of certain provisions of the Credit Agreement, all upon the terms and conditions therein specified. This note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty and is secured by the Collateral.

THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

B-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be duly executed by its authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC (as the “Borrower”)
By:    
Name:  
Title:  

 

B-3


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

      

Amount of

Loan

      

Maturity Date

       Payments of
Principal/Interest
      

Principal
Balance of Note

      

Name of Person
Making this
Notation

                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    

 

B-4


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

[Insert Date]

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, extended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (capitalized terms used herein have the meanings attributed thereto in the Credit Agreement unless otherwise defined herein). Pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]4 of the Borrower, certifies as follows:

1. [Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended [__], 201[__], and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, together with related notes thereto [and management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations]5 setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, which report and opinion has been prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and is not subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the ABL Facilities, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Senior Notes and/or the TopCo Notes or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness). Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]6

2. [Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of the fiscal quarter ended [_____], and the related (i) condensed consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended and (ii) condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail (collectively, the “Financial

 

4 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

5 

To be included so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities.

6 

To be included if accompanying annual financial statements only.

 

C-1


Statements”), [together with management’s discussion and analysis describing results of operations.]7 Such Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes. Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]8

3. [Attached hereto as Exhibit B are the Projections required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(c) of the Credit Agreement. Such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections. Actual results may vary from such Projections and such variations may be material.]9

4. [To my knowledge, except as otherwise disclosed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, no Default has occurred and is continuing.] [If unable to provide the foregoing certification, attach an Annex A specifying the details of the Default that has occurred and is continuing and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.]

5. [Attached hereto as Schedule 1 is a calculation of the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent Test Period, which calculation is true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.]10

6. [Attached hereto as Schedule 2 are reasonably detailed calculations setting forth Excess Cash Flow for the most recently ended fiscal year, which calculations are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.]11

7. [Attached hereto as Schedule 3 are reasonably detailed calculations, which calculations are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate, of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the fiscal year ended [        ] by or on behalf of Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) of the Credit Agreement and the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that

 

7 

To be included so long as provided to the holders of the Borrower’s or any of its direct or indirect parent companies’ debt securities.

8 

To be included if accompanying quarterly financial statements only.

9 

To be included only in annual compliance certificates (beginning with the fiscal year ending January 28, 2017).

10 

To be included in quarterly and annual compliance certificates beginning with the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date.

11 

To be included only in annual compliance certificates beginning with the annual compliance certificate for fiscal year ending February 3, 2018.

 

C-2


has been invested or are intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B) of the Credit Agreement.]12

8. [Attached hereto is the information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(d) of the Credit Agreement.]13]14

[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

12 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate.

13 

To be included in quarterly and annual compliance certificates beginning with the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, except information required by Section 6.02(d)(i) to be included only in annual compliance certificate.

14 

Items 4-6 may be disclosed in a separate certificate no later than five (5) business days after delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement.

 

C-3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]15 of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, has executed this certificate for and on behalf of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, and has caused this certificate to be delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
Name:  
Title:  

[Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer]16

 

15 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

16 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

 

C-4


SCHEDULE 1

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(A)  Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio: Consolidated First Lien Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA

  

(1)   Consolidated First Lien Net Debt as of [___________], 20[______]:

  

(a)   Consolidated Net Debt:

  

(i) Consolidated Total Debt

  

At any date of determination,

  

(A)  the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date, plus

  

(B)  the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of:

  

(1)   Indebtedness for borrowed money

   $                        
  

 

 

 

(2)   unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit

   $    
  

 

 

 

(3)   obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases

   $    
  

 

 

 

(4)   debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments

   $    
  

 

 

 

provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any Qualified Securitization Financing, (ii) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (iii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

  

Consolidated Total Debt (sum of items (A)(1)(a)(i)(A) and (A)(1)(a)(i)(B)(1) through (4))

   $    
  

 

 

 

(ii)  minus the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet

   $    
  

 

 

 

Consolidated Net Debt (Consolidated Total Debt minus (A)(1)(a)(ii))

   $    
  

 

 

 

 

1-1-1


Consolidated First Lien Net Debt (as of any date of determination, Consolidated Net Debt that is secured by a Lien on any asset or property of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary minus Consolidated Net Debt that is secured solely by Liens that are expressly subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations)

   $                        
  

 

 

 

(2)   Consolidated EBITDA:

   $    
  

 

 

 

(a)   Consolidated Net Income:

  

(i) the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding, without duplication:

   $    
  

 

 

 

(A)  any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs (other than with respect to Stores), severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation thereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC)

   $    
  

 

 

 

(B)  the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP

   $    
  

 

 

 

(C)  effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes

   $    
  

 

 

 

(D)  any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations

   $    
  

 

 

 

 

1-1-2


(E)  any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower

   $                        
  

 

 

 

(F)  the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period

   $    
  

 

 

 

(G)  (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments

   $    
  

 

 

 

(H)  any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP

   $    
  

 

 

 

 

1-1-3


(I)   any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days)

   $                        
  

 

 

 

(J)   to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption

   $    
  

 

 

 

(K)  any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction

   $    
  

 

 

 

Consolidated Net Income (item (A)(2)(a)(i) minus the sum of items (A)(2)(a)(i)(A) through (K))

   $    
  

 

 

 

(b)   increased by (without duplication):

  

(i) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

  

 

1-1-4


(ii)  amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 7.06(g) of the Credit Agreement, solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $                        
  

 

 

 

(iii)  (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $    
  

 

 

 

(iv) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $    
  

 

 

 

(v)   any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction and the Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $    
  

 

 

 

(vi) the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Closing Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Closing Date

   $    
  

 

 

 

(vii) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Closing Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs,

   $    
  

 

 

 

 

1-1-5


    (viii)    any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period)    $
         

 

    (ix)    the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income    $                    
         

 

    (x)    the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 7.08 of the Credit Agreement and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income    $
         

 

    (xi)    the amount of loss on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing    $
         

 

    (xii)    cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to item (A)(2)(c) below for any previous period and not added back    $
         

 

    (xiii)    any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), in each case, solely to the extent that such cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Available Amount    $
         

 

  (c)   decreased by (without duplication):   
    (i)    any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or    $
         

 

 

1-1-6


       cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with the calculation set forth in this Schedule 1)   
    (ii)    any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period    $                    
         
  Consolidated EBITDA (Consolidated Net Income plus the sum of items (A)(2)(b)(i) through (xiii) minus the sum of items (A)(2)(c)(i) and (ii))    $                17
         
  Consolidated First Lien Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA    ____:1.00

 

17 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA for any Test Period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended October 31, 2015, January 30, 2016, April 30, 2016 and July 30, 2016, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $76,000,000, $99,000,000, $47,900,000 and $33,400,000, respectively, in each case, as may be subject to add-backs and adjustments (without duplication) pursuant to Section 1.08(c) of the Credit Agreement for the applicable Test Period. For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.08 of the Credit Agreement.

 

1-1-7


SCHEDULE 2

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(B)  Excess Cash Flow Calculation

  
(a)       the sum, without duplication, of:   
 

(i)  Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period (the amount set forth at the end of item (A)(2)(a) in Schedule 1 to this Compliance Certificate)

     $                      
    

 

 

 
 

(ii)   an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation and amortization) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, but excluding any such non-cash charges representing an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(iii)   decreases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such decreases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting)

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(iv)  an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(v)    the amount deducted as tax expense in determining Consolidated Net Income to the extent in excess of cash taxes paid in such period

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(vi)  cash receipts in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not otherwise included in such Consolidated Net Income

     $  
    

 

 

 
(b)       over, the sum, without duplication of:   
 

(i)  an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (but excluding any non-cash credit to the extent representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve described in item (B)(a)(ii) above) and cash charges excluded by virtue of clauses (a)(i)(A) through (a)(i)(K) of the definition of Consolidated Net Income

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(ii)   without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to item (B)(b)(xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property accrued or made in cash during such period to the extent financed with (A) internally generated funds or (B) the proceeds of extensions of credit under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, in each case, of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries

     $                      
    

 

 

 

 

1-2-1


 

(iii)   the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to such Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase, but excluding (X) all other prepayments of Loans, (Y) all prepayments in respect of the ABL Facilities and except to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder, all other prepayments of any other revolving credit facility and (Z) payments of any subordinated indebtedness except to the extent permitted to be paid pursuant to Section 7.12(a) of the Credit Agreement) made during such period, in each case except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other long term Indebtedness (other than the proceeds of any revolving Indebtedness) of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries

   $                    
    

 

 

(iv)  an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and the net cash loss on Dispositions to the extent otherwise added to arrive at Consolidated Net Income

   $
    

 

 

(v)    increases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting)

   $
    

 

 

(vi)  cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness) to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $
    

 

 

1-2-2


 

(vii)  without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to items (B)(b)(viii) and (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Investments made pursuant to Sections 7.02(b)(iii), (m) (but excluding such loans and advances in respect of Sections 7.06(g)(i), (g)(iv) (to the extent the amount of such Investment would not have been deducted pursuant to this item (B)(b)(vii) if made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) and (k)) and (n) of the Credit Agreement and acquisitions made during such period to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and not made in reliance on any basket calculated by reference to the Available Amount

   $                    
    

 

 

(viii)   the amount of Restricted Payments paid during such period pursuant to Sections 7.06(f), (g), (h), (i), (k)(i), (k)(ii) (solely to the extent made in reliance on clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Available Amount”) and (l) of the Credit Agreement, in each case to the extent such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries

   $
    

 

 

(ix)  the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries from internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $
    

 

 

(x)    the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and such payments reduced Excess Cash Flow pursuant to item (B)(b)(iii) above or reduced the mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.03(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement

   $                    
    

 

 

1-2-3


 

(xi)  without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower following the end of such period; provided that, to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash flow actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property during such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters

     $                      
    

 

 

 
 

(xii)  the amount of cash taxes paid or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period

     $  
    

 

 

 
 

(xiii)   cash expenditures in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

     $  
    

 

 

 

Excess Cash Flow (the sum of items (B)(a)(i) through (vi) minus the sum of items (B)(b)(i) through (xiii))

     $                      
    

 

 

 

 

1-2-4


SCHEDULE 3

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(C)  Net Cash Proceeds

   

with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any Casualty Event, the excess, if any, of:

 

  

(i) the sum of:

     $                      
     

 

 

 
  

(A)  cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received and, with respect to any Casualty Event, any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of such Casualty Event actually received by or paid to or for the account of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries)

     $                      
     

 

 

 
  

(ii)  over the sum of:

  
  

(A)  the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities Documentation, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and other Indebtedness secured on a pari passu basis with (or junior priority basis to) the Obligations)

     $                      
     

 

 

 
  

(B)  the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event

     $                      
     

 

 

 
  

(C)  taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 7.06(g)(i) or (g)(iii) of the Credit Agreement paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds)

     $                      
     

 

 

 

 

1-3-1


    

(D)  in the case of any Disposition or Casualty Event by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro-rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this item (C)(ii)(D)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof

     $                      
       

 

 

 
    

(E)  any reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this item (C)(ii)(E)

     $                      
       

 

 

 

Net Cash Proceeds (item (C)(i)(A) minus the sum of items (C)(ii)(A) through (E))

      $                 18  
       

 

 

 

Portion of Net Cash Proceeds that has been invested or is intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B) of the Credit Agreement

     $                      
       

 

 

 

 

18 

No net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the above realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this item (C) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $10,000,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this item (C)).

 

1-3-2


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each]19 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each]20 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees]21 hereunder are several and not joint.]22 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of [the Assignor][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to

 

19 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.

20 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

21 

Select as appropriate.

22 

Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

 

Form Of Assignment And Assumption

D-1


[the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

1. Assignor[s]:                                

                         ________________

2. Assignee[s]:                                

                         ________________

[for each Assignee, indicate if [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]

3. Affiliate Status:

a. Assignor(s):

 

Assignor[s]23

  

Affiliate of
Borrower/Sponsor24

   Yes        No
   Yes        No

b. Assignee(s):

 

Assignee[s]25

  

Affiliate of
Borrower/Sponsor26

   Yes        No
   Yes        No

[If any Assignor or Assignee hereunder indicates above that it is an Affiliate of the Borrower, set forth in this Section 3: (i) the tranche(s) of [Loans/Commitments] being sold hereunder to such Affiliate of the Borrower and (ii) the aggregate amount of all [Loans/Commitments] of such tranche(s) held by Affiliates of the Borrower after giving effect to the assignment hereunder (and the percentage that such [Loans/Commitments] represent when compared to the aggregate amount of all [Loans/Commitments] of such tranche(s) held by all Lenders).

 

23 

List each Assignor.

24 

For each Assignor, check the box in this column immediately to the right of such Assignor’s name indicating whether or not such Assignor is an Affiliate of the Borrower.

25 

List each Assignee.

26 

For each Assignee, check the box in this column immediately to the right of such Assignee’s name indicating whether or not such Assignee is an Affiliate of the Borrower.

 

D-2


4.

Borrower(s): Jo-Ann Stores, LLC

 

5.

Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., including any successor thereto, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

6.

Credit Agreement: The Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

 

7.

Assigned Interest:

 

Assignor[s]27

   Assignee[s]28   

Facility
Assigned29

  

Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans for all
Lenders30

  

Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned

   Percentage Assigned
of Commitment/31
Loans
  

CUSIP
Number

               $    $                %     
               $    $                %     
               $    $                %     

 

[8.

Trade Date: ___]32

Effective Date: __, 20____ [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

27 

List each Assignor, as appropriate.

28 

List each Assignee, as appropriate.

29 

Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment and Assumption (e.g. “Initial Loans,” “Extended Loans,” etc.).

30 

Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

31 

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

32 

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

D-3


ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:    
  Name:
 

Title:

 

ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[Consented to and]33 Accepted:

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

33 

To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit

 

D-4


[Consented to

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:]34

 

34 

To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

D-5


EXHIBIT H-1

[FORM OF]

FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

Among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

the other Grantors party hereto,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Term Loan Agent for the Term Loan Secured Parties,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Authorized Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties,

[            ]

as the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent,

[            ]

as the Initial Additional Authorized Representative,

and

each additional Authorized Representative from time to time party hereto

dated as of [______], 20[    ]

 

H-1-1


FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of [______], 20[    ] (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the other Grantors (as defined below) from time to time party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as collateral agent for the Term Loan Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Term Loan Agent”), BANK OF AMERICA, as Authorized Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties (as each such term is defined below), [                ], as collateral agent for the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent”), [                ], as Authorized Representative for the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Initial Additional Authorized Representative”), and each additional Authorized Representative from time to time party hereto for the other Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the Series (as defined below) with respect to which it is acting in such capacity.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent (for itself and on behalf of the Term Loan Secured Parties), the Initial Additional Authorized Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) and each additional Authorized Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the applicable Series) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Term Loan Agreement or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, by and among Bank of America, N.A., as ABL Agent, Bank of America, as Term Agent and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means, with respect to the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any Series of Additional Senior Class Debt and

 

H-1-2


any Refinancing of such debt, the notes, indentures, security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing such indebtedness and liens securing such indebtedness, including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents and the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents and each other agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any Series of Additional Senior Class Debt; provided that, in each case, the Indebtedness thereunder (other than the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations) has been designated as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 5.13 hereto.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means all amounts owing to any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) pursuant to the terms of any Pari Term Loan Debt Document (including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents), including, without limitation, all amounts in respect of any principal, premium, interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the commencement of a Bankruptcy Case at the rate provided for in the respective Pari Term Loan Debt Document, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under any such proceeding or under applicable state, federal or foreign law), penalties, fees, expenses, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of the foregoing amounts.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party” means the holders of any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and any Authorized Representative with respect thereto, and shall include the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties.

Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents” means any collateral agreement, security agreement or any other document now existing or entered into after the date hereof that create Liens on any assets or properties of any Grantor to secure the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Additional Senior Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Additional Senior Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Additional Senior Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Term Loan Agreement.”

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Applicable Authorized Representative” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Administrative Agent and (ii) from and after the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative.

 

H-1-3


Applicable Collateral Agent” means (i) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Term Loan Agent and (ii) from and after the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent.

Authorized Representative” means, at any time, (i) in the case of any Term Loan Debt or the Term Loan Secured Parties, the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, the Initial Additional Authorized Representative, and (iii) in the case of any Additional Senior Class Debt or Additional Senior Class Debt Parties that become subject to this Agreement after the date hereof, the Additional Senior Debt Class Representative named as the “New Representative” for such Series in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Bank of America” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bankruptcy Case” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Collateral” means all assets and properties subject to any Lien created pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document to secure one or more Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Collateral Agent” means (i) in the case of any Term Loan Debt, the Term Loan Agent and (ii) in the case of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent.

Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) at any time when the Term Loan Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Term Loan Secured Parties and (ii) at any other time, the Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties whose Authorized Representative is the Applicable Authorized Representative for such Shared Collateral.

 

H-1-4


DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Financing Liens” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

Discharge” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral and any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the date on which such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations is no longer secured by such Shared Collateral. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of Term Loan Debt” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Discharge of the Term Loan Debt with respect to such Shared Collateral; provided that the Discharge of Term Loan Debt shall not be deemed to have occurred in connection with a Refinancing of such Term Loan Debt with additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations secured by such Shared Collateral under an Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document which has been designated in writing by the Administrative Agent (under the Term Loan Agreement so Refinanced) to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and each other Authorized Representative as the “Term Loan Agreement” for purposes of this Agreement.

Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” (or similarly defined term) as defined in any Secured Credit Document.

Grantors” means Borrower, Holdings, each of the Material Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries, as each term is defined in the Term Loan Agreement) and each other Subsidiary of Borrower that has granted a security interest pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document to secure any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations. The Grantors existing on the date hereof are set forth in Annex I hereto.

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Impairment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.03.

Initial Additional Authorized Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement” mean that certain [Indenture] [Other Agreement], dated as of [                ], among Borrower, [the Guarantors identified therein] and [                ], as [trustee], as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented, Refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement, the debt securities issued thereunder, the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement and any security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing the Indebtedness thereunder, and the Liens securing such Indebtedness, including any agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

 

H-1-5


Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means the [“Obligations”] as such term is defined in the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties” means the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, the Initial Additional Authorized Representative and the holders of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations issued pursuant to the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement” means the [security agreement], dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or

(3) any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

Intervening Creditor” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder to this Agreement in the form of Annex II hereto required to be delivered by an Authorized Representative to each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative pursuant to Section 5.13 hereof in order to establish an additional Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and add Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties hereunder.

 

H-1-6


Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge, trust (deemed or statutory) or security interest in, on or of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to be a Lien.

Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Authorized Representative of the Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that constitutes the largest outstanding principal amount of any then outstanding Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations with respect to such Shared Collateral.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Non-Controlling Authorized Representative” means, at any time with respect to any Shared Collateral, any Authorized Representative that is not the Applicable Authorized Representative at such time with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date” means, with respect to any Non-Controlling Authorized Representative, the date which is 90 days (throughout which 90-day period such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative was the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative) after the occurrence of both (i) an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document under which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative) and (ii) each Collateral Agent’s and each other Authorized Representative’s receipt of written notice from such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative certifying that (x) such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative and that an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document under which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative) has occurred and is continuing and (y) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Series with respect to which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative are currently due and payable in full (whether as a result of acceleration thereof or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of the applicable Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document; provided that the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date shall be stayed and shall not occur and shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to any Shared Collateral (1) at any time the Administrative Agent or the Term Loan Agent has commenced and is diligently pursuing any enforcement action with respect to such Shared Collateral or (2) at any time the Grantor that has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

 

H-1-7


Non-Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties which are not Controlling Secured Parties with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means, collectively, (i) the Term Loan Agreement and Term Loan Collateral Documents and (ii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means, collectively, (i) the Term Loan Debt and (ii) each Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties” means (i) the Term Loan Secured Parties and (ii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties with respect to each Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Possessory Collateral” means any Shared Collateral in the possession of a Collateral Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction. Possessory Collateral includes, without limitation, any Certificated Securities, Promissory Notes, Instruments and Chattel Paper, in each case, delivered to or in the possession of the Collateral Agent under the terms of the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Post-Petition Interest” means any interest or entitlement to fees or expenses or other charges that accrue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

Refinance” means, in respect of any indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such indebtedness (in whole or in part), including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such indebtedness has been terminated and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” have correlative meanings.

Secured Credit Document” means (i) the Term Loan Agreement and each Loan Document (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), (ii) each Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document, and (iii) each Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document.

 

H-1-8


Series” means (a) with respect to the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, each of (i) the Term Loan Secured Parties (in their capacities as such), (ii) the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (in their capacities as such), and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties that become subject to this Agreement after the date hereof that are represented by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) and (b) with respect to any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, each of (i) the Term Loan Debt, (ii) the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations incurred pursuant to any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document, which pursuant to any Joinder Agreement are to be represented hereunder by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations).

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of two or more Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations hold a valid and perfected security interest at such time. If more than two Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations are outstanding at any time and the holders of less than all Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations hold a valid and perfected security interest in any Collateral at such time, then such Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral for those Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that hold a valid security interest in such Collateral at such time and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Series which does not have a valid and perfected security interest in such Collateral at such time.

Term Loan Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Term Loan Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time) among Borrower, Holdings, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, as administrative agent (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), and the other parties thereto.

Term Loan Collateral Documents” means the Term Loan Security Agreement, the other Collateral Documents (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement) and each other agreement entered into in favor of the Term Loan Agent for the purpose of securing any Term Loan Debt.

Term Loan Debt” means all “Obligations” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Security Agreement” that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among Borrower, Holdings, the other Grantors party thereto and the Term Loan Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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SECTION 1.02 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

SECTION 1.03 Impairments. It is the intention of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series that the holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series (and not the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of any other Series) bear the risk of (i) any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that (x) any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series are unenforceable under applicable law or are subordinated to any other obligations (other than another Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), (y) any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series do not have an enforceable security interest in any of the Collateral securing any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and/or (z) any intervening security interest exists securing any other obligations (other than another Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations) on a basis ranking prior to the security interest of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations but junior to the security interest of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or (ii) the existence of any Collateral for any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that is not Shared Collateral (any such condition referred to in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) with respect to any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, an “Impairment” of such Series). In the event of any Impairment with respect to any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the results of such Impairment shall be borne solely by the holders of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, and the rights of the holders of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (including, without limitation, the right to receive distributions in respect of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 2.01) set forth herein shall be modified to the extent necessary so that the effects of such Impairment are borne solely by the holders of the Series of such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations subject to such Impairment. Additionally, in the event the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series are modified pursuant to applicable law (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code), any reference to such Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations governing such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall refer to such obligations or such documents as so modified.

 

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ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01 Priority of Claims.

(a) Anything contained herein or in any of the Secured Credit Documents to the contrary notwithstanding (but subject to Section 1.03), if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party is taking action to enforce rights in respect of any Shared Collateral, or any distribution is made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Bankruptcy Case (including any adequate protection payments) of the Borrower or any other Grantor or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party receives any payment pursuant to any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement) with respect to any Shared Collateral, the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any such Collateral by any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party or received by the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party pursuant to any such intercreditor agreement with respect to such Shared Collateral and proceeds of any such distribution (subject, in the case of any such distribution, to the sentence immediately following) to which the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations are entitled under any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement) (all proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any Collateral and all proceeds of any such distribution being collectively referred to as “Proceeds”) shall be applied (i) FIRST, to the payment of all amounts owing to each Collateral Agent (in its capacity as such) pursuant to the terms of any Secured Credit Document, (ii) SECOND, subject to Section 1.03, to the payment in full of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of each Series with a valid and perfected Lien on such Shared Collateral on a ratable basis, with such Proceeds to be applied to the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of a given Series in accordance with the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents, provided that following the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding with respect to any Grantor, solely as among Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and solely for purposes of this clause SECOND and not any other documents governing Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, in the event the value of the Shared Collateral is not sufficient for the entire amount of Post-Petition Interest on the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations to be allowed under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, the amount of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall include only the maximum amount of Post-Petition Interest on the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations allowable under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding; and (iii) THIRD, after payment of all Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, to the Borrower and the other Grantors or their successors or assigns, as their interests may appear,

 

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or to whosoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct. If, despite the provisions of this Section 2.01(a), any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall receive any payment or other recovery in excess of its portion of payments on account of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations to which it is then entitled in accordance with this Section 2.01(a), such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall hold such payment or recovery in trust for the benefit of all Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties for distribution in accordance with this Section 2.01(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Shared Collateral upon which a third party (other than a Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) has a lien or security interest that is junior in priority to the security interest of any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations but senior (as determined by appropriate legal proceedings in the case of any dispute) to the security interest of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (such third party, an “Intervening Creditor”), the value of any Shared Collateral or Proceeds which are allocated to such Intervening Creditor shall be deducted on a ratable basis solely from the Shared Collateral or Proceeds to be distributed in respect of the Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations with respect to which such Impairment exists.

(b) It is acknowledged that the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series may, subject to the limitations set forth in the then extant Secured Credit Documents, be increased, extended, renewed, replaced, restated, supplemented, restructured, repaid, refunded, Refinanced or otherwise amended or modified from time to time, all without affecting the priorities set forth in Section 2.01(a) or the provisions of this Agreement defining the relative rights of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of any Series.

(c) Notwithstanding the date, time, method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens securing any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations granted on the Shared Collateral and notwithstanding any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, any applicable real estate laws, or any other applicable law or the Secured Credit Documents or any defect or deficiencies in the Liens securing the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series or any other circumstance whatsoever (but, in each case, subject to Section 1.03), each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party hereby agrees that the Liens securing each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations on any Shared Collateral shall be of equal priority.

(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Documents to the contrary, Collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure Term Loan Debt held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Term Loan Agreement (or any equivalent successor provision) shall be applied as specified in the Term Loan Agreement and will not constitute Shared Collateral.

 

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SECTION 2.02 Actions with Respect to Shared Collateral; Prohibition on Contesting Liens.

(a) Only the Applicable Collateral Agent shall act or refrain from acting with respect to any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral). At any time when the Term Loan Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, no Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall, or shall instruct any Collateral Agent to, commence any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral), whether under any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that only the Term Loan Agent, acting in accordance with the Term Loan Collateral Documents, shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral at such time.

(b) With respect to any Shared Collateral at any time when the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, (i) the Applicable Collateral Agent shall act only on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative, (ii) the Applicable Collateral Agent shall not follow any instructions with respect to such Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral) from any Non-Controlling Authorized Representative (or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party other than the Applicable Authorized Representative) and (iii) no Non-Controlling Authorized Representative or other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (other than the Applicable Authorized Representative) shall, or shall instruct the Applicable Collateral Agent to, commence any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral), whether under any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that only the Applicable Collateral Agent, acting on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative and in accordance with the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral.

(c) Notwithstanding the equal priority of the Liens securing each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the Applicable Collateral Agent (acting on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative) may deal with the Shared Collateral as if such Applicable Collateral Agent had a senior Lien on such Collateral. No Non-Controlling Authorized Representative or Non-Controlling Secured Party will contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought by the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or the Controlling Secured Party or any other exercise by the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or the Controlling Secured Party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral, or to cause the Applicable Collateral Agent to do so. The foregoing shall not be construed to limit the rights and priorities of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative with respect to any Collateral not constituting Shared Collateral.

 

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(d) Each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties agrees that it will not (and hereby waives any right to) question or contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the perfection, priority, validity, attachment or enforceability of a Lien held by or on behalf of any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties on all or any part of the Collateral, or the provisions of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative to enforce this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 2.03 No Interference; Payment Over.

(a) Each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party agrees that (i) it will not (and shall be deemed to have waived any right to) challenge, contest, or question, or support any other Person in challenging, contesting, or questioning, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) the validity or enforceability of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series or any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or the validity, attachment, perfection or priority of any Lien under any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or the validity or enforceability of the priorities, rights or duties established by or other provisions of this Agreement, (ii) it will not take or cause to be taken any action the purpose or intent of which is, or could be, to interfere, hinder or delay, in any manner, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral by the Applicable Collateral Agent, (iii) except as provided in Section 2.02, it shall have no right to (A) direct the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party to exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to any Shared Collateral (including pursuant to any intercreditor agreement) or (B) consent to the exercise by the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any right, remedy or power with respect to any Shared Collateral, (iv) it will not institute any suit or assert in any suit, bankruptcy, insolvency or other proceeding any claim against the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party seeking damages from or other relief by way of specific performance, instructions or otherwise with respect to any Shared Collateral, and none of the Applicable Collateral Agent, any Applicable Authorized Representative or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Applicable Collateral Agent, such Applicable Authorized Representative or other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party with respect to any Shared Collateral in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (v) it will not seek, and hereby waives any right, to have any Shared Collateral or any part thereof marshalled upon any foreclosure or other disposition of such Collateral and (vi) it will not attempt, directly or indirectly, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to challenge the enforceability of any provision of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party to enforce this Agreement.

(b) Each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party hereby agrees that if it shall obtain possession of any Shared Collateral or shall realize any proceeds or payment in respect of any such Shared Collateral, pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or by the exercise of any rights available to it under applicable law or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or through any other exercise of remedies (including pursuant to any intercreditor agreement, other than this Agreement), at any time prior to the Discharge of each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, then it shall hold such Shared Collateral, proceeds or payment in trust for the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and promptly transfer such Shared Collateral, proceeds or payment, as the case may be, to the Applicable Collateral Agent, to be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01.

 

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SECTION 2.04 Automatic Release of Liens.

(a) If at any time the Applicable Collateral Agent forecloses upon or otherwise exercises remedies against any Shared Collateral resulting in a sale or disposition thereof, then (whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding is pending at the time) the Liens in favor of the other Collateral Agent for the benefit of each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties upon such Shared Collateral will automatically be released and discharged as and when, but only to the extent, such Liens of the Applicable Collateral Agent on such Shared Collateral are released and discharged; provided that any proceeds of any Shared Collateral realized therefrom shall be applied pursuant to Section 2.01.

(b) Each Collateral Agent and Authorized Representative agrees to execute and deliver (at the sole cost and expense of the Grantors) all such authorizations and other instruments as shall reasonably be requested by the Applicable Collateral Agent to evidence and confirm any release of Shared Collateral provided for in this Section.

SECTION 2.05 Certain Agreements with Respect to Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings.

(a) This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, including any proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code, any other Bankruptcy Law, or any other federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is acknowledged and agreed that this Agreement constitutes an agreement within the scope of Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, including with respect to the provisions of this Article II, and all references to “Grantor” shall include any Grantor as debtor and debtor in possession (and any receiver, trustee, or other estate representative for such Grantor, as the case may be) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

(b) If the Borrower and/or any other Grantor shall become subject to a case under the Bankruptcy Code or other applicable Bankruptcy Law (a “Bankruptcy Case”) and shall, as debtor(s)-in-possession, move for approval of financing (“DIP Financing”) to be provided by one or more lenders (the “DIP Lenders”) under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or the use of cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (other than any Controlling Secured Party or Authorized Representative of any Controlling Secured Party) agrees that it will raise no objection to any such financing or to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the same (“DIP Financing Liens”) or to any use of cash collateral that constitutes Shared Collateral, unless any Controlling Secured Party, or an Authorized Representative of any Controlling Secured Party, shall then oppose or object to such DIP Financing or such DIP Financing Liens or use of cash collateral (and (i) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens are senior to the Liens on any such Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured

 

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Party will subordinate its Liens with respect to such Shared Collateral on the same terms as the Liens of the Controlling Secured Parties (other than any Liens of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) are subordinated thereto, and (ii) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens rank pari passu with the Liens on any such Shared Collateral granted to secure the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will confirm the priorities with respect to such Shared Collateral as set forth herein), in each case so long as (A) the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series retain the benefit of their Liens on all such Shared Collateral pledged to the DIP Lenders, including proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of such proceeding, with the same priority vis-à-vis all the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (other than any Liens of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) as existed prior to the commencement of the Bankruptcy Case, (B) the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series are granted Liens on any additional collateral pledged to any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties as adequate protection or otherwise in connection with such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral, with the same priority vis-à-vis the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties as set forth in this Agreement (other than any Liens of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens), (C) if any amount of such DIP Financing or cash collateral is applied to repay any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, such amount is applied pursuant to Section 2.01, and (D) if any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties are granted adequate protection, including in the form of periodic payments, in connection with such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral, the proceeds of such adequate protection are applied pursuant to Section 2.01; provided that the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series shall have a right to object to the grant of a Lien to secure the DIP Financing over any Collateral subject to Liens in favor of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of such Series or their Authorized Representative that shall not constitute Shared Collateral; and provided, further, that the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties receiving adequate protection shall not object to any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party receiving adequate protection comparable to any adequate protection granted to such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties in connection with a DIP Financing or use of cash collateral.

SECTION 2.06 Reinstatement. In the event that any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall be paid in full and such payment or any part thereof shall subsequently, for whatever reason (including an order or judgment for avoidance or disgorgement of a preference under the Bankruptcy Code, any other Bankruptcy Law, or any similar law, or the settlement of any claim in respect thereof), be required to be returned or repaid, the terms and conditions of this Article II shall be fully applicable thereto until all such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall again have been paid in full in cash.

SECTION 2.07 Insurance. As between the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, the Applicable Collateral Agent (acting at the direction of the Applicable Authorized Representative) shall have the right to adjust or settle any insurance policy or claim covering or constituting Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral.

 

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SECTION 2.08 Refinancings. The Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series may be Refinanced, in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent (except to the extent a consent is otherwise required to permit the Refinancing transaction under any Secured Credit Document of such debt being Refinanced) of, any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any other Series, all without affecting the priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof; provided that the Authorized Representative of the holders of any such Refinancing indebtedness shall have executed a Joinder Agreement on behalf of the holders of such Refinancing indebtedness.

SECTION 2.09 Possessory Collateral Agent as Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

(a) The Possessory Collateral shall be delivered to the Term Loan Agent and the Term Loan Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral that is part of the Collateral in its possession or control (or in the possession or control of its agents or bailees) as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09; provided that at any time the Term Loan Agent is not the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Term Loan Agent shall, at the request of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, promptly deliver all Possessory Collateral to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent together with any necessary endorsements (or otherwise allow the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent to obtain control of such Possessory Collateral). The Borrower shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Collateral Agent for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of such transfer except for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith.

(b) The Applicable Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral, from time to time in its possession, as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party and any assignee, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09. In the event that any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party other than the Applicable Collateral Agent recieves any Possessory Collateral, then such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall promptly deliver such Possessory Collateral (including any Proceeds therefrom), together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, to the Applicable Collateral Agent.

(c) The duties or responsibilities of each Collateral Agent under this Section 2.09 shall be limited solely to holding any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties thereon.

 

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(d) In furtherance of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby grants a security interest in the Shared Collateral to each Collateral Agent that controls Shared Collateral for the benefit of all Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties which have been granted a Lien on the Shared Collateral controlled by such Collateral Agent.

SECTION 2.10 Amendments to Security Documents.

(a) Without the prior written consent of the Term Loan Agent, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent on behalf of itself and each other Additional Pari Term Loan Secured Party agrees that no Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, would be prohibited by, or would require any Grantor to act or refrain from acting in a manner that would violate, any of the terms of this Agreement.

(b) Without the prior written consent of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent in its capacity as Collateral Agent, the Term Loan Agent agrees that no Term Loan Collateral Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Term Loan Collateral Document, would be prohibited by, or would require any Grantor to act or refrain from acting in a manner that would violate, any of the terms of this Agreement.

(c) In making determinations required by this Section 2.10, each Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on an officer’s certificate of the Borrower.

ARTICLE III

Existence and Amounts of Liens and Obligations

SECTION 3.01 Determinations with Respect to Amounts of Liens and Obligations. Whenever a Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative shall be required, in connection with the exercise of its rights or the performance of its obligations hereunder, to determine the existence or amount of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series, or the Shared Collateral subject to any Lien securing the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series, it may request that such information be furnished to it in writing by each other Authorized Representative or Collateral Agent and shall be entitled to make such determination or not make any determination on the basis of the information so furnished; provided, however, that if an Authorized Representative or a Collateral Agent shall fail or refuse reasonably promptly to provide the requested information, the requesting Collateral Agent or Authorized Representative shall be entitled to make any such determination by such method as it may, in the exercise of its good faith judgment, determine, including by reliance upon a certificate of the Borrower. Each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative may rely conclusively, and shall be fully protected in so relying, on any determination made by it in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence (or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction) and shall have no liability to any Grantor, any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party or any other Person as a result of such determination.

 

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ARTICLE IV

The Applicable Collateral Agent

ARTICLE 4.01 Authority.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, nothing herein shall be construed to impose any fiduciary or other duty on any Applicable Collateral Agent to any Non-Controlling Secured Party or give any Non-Controlling Secured Party the right to direct any Applicable Collateral Agent, except that each Applicable Collateral Agent shall be obligated to distribute proceeds of any Shared Collateral in accordance with Section 2.01.

(b) In furtherance of the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that the Applicable Collateral Agent shall be entitled, for the benefit of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or deal with any Shared Collateral as provided herein and in the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, as applicable, pursuant to which the Applicable Collateral Agent is the collateral agent for such Shared Collateral, without regard to any rights to which the Non-Controlling Secured Parties would otherwise be entitled as a result of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations held by such Non-Controlling Secured Parties. Without limiting the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party agrees that none of the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall have any duty or obligation first to marshal or realize upon any type of Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), or to sell, dispose of or otherwise liquidate all or any portion of such Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), in any manner that would maximize the return to the Non-Controlling Secured Parties, notwithstanding that the order and timing of any such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation may affect the amount of proceeds actually received by the Non-Controlling Secured Parties from such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation. Each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties waives any claim it may now or hereafter have against any Collateral Agent or the Authorized Representative of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any other Series arising out of (i) any actions which any Collateral Agent, Authorized Representative or the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties take or omit to take (including actions with respect to the creation, perfection or continuation of Liens on any Collateral, actions with respect to the foreclosure upon, sale, release or depreciation of, or failure to realize upon, any of the Collateral and actions with respect to the collection of any claim for all or any part of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations from any account debtor, guarantor or any other party) in accordance with the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or any other agreement related thereto or to the collection of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or the valuation, use, protection or release of any security for the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, (ii) any election by any Applicable Authorized

 

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Representative or any holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, in any proceeding instituted under the Bankruptcy Code, of the application of Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or (iii) subject to Section 2.05, any borrowing by, or grant of a security interest or administrative expense priority under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as debtor-in-possession. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Applicable Collateral Agent shall not accept any Shared Collateral in full or partial satisfaction of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 9-620 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, without the consent of each Authorized Representative representing holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations for which such Collateral constitutes Shared Collateral.

ARTICLE V

Miscellaneous

SECTION 5.01 Notices. All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

(a) if to the Term Loan Agent or the Administrative Agent, as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement;

(b) if to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent or the Initial Additional Authorized Representative, to it at [●];

(c) if to any Grantor, , as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement; and

(d) if to any other Additional Authorized Representative, to it at the address set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt (if a Business Day) and on the next Business Day thereafter (in all other cases) if delivered by hand or overnight courier service or sent by telecopy or on the date three Business Days after dispatch by certified or registered mail if mailed, in each case delivered, sent or mailed (properly addressed) to such party as provided in this Section 5.01 or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section 5.01. As agreed to in writing among each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative from time to time, notices and other communications may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of the applicable Person provided from time to time by such Person.

 

H-1-21


SECTION 5.02 Waivers; Amendment; Joinder Agreements.

(a) No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 5.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be terminated, waived, amended or modified (other than pursuant to any Joinder Agreement) except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by each Authorized Representative and each Collateral Agent (and with respect to any such termination, waiver, amendment or modification which by the terms of this Agreement requires the Borrower’s consent or which increases the obligations or reduces the rights of the Borrower or any other Grantor, with the consent of the Borrower).

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, any Authorized Representative may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 5.13 and upon such execution and delivery, such Authorized Representative and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Series for which such Authorized Representative is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof and the terms of the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents applicable thereto.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any other Authorized Representative or Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, the Collateral Agents may effect amendments and modifications to this Agreement to the extent necessary to reflect any incurrence of any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations in compliance with the Term Loan Agreement and the other Secured Credit Documents.

SECTION 5.03 Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, as well as the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, all of which are intended to be bound by, and to be third party beneficiaries of, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.04 Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

H-1-22


SECTION 5.05 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in e or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

SECTION 5.06 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 5.07 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 5.08 Submission to Jurisdiction Waivers; Consent to Service of Process. Each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative, on behalf of itself and the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the Series for which it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the Borough of Manhattan, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient forum and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Authorized Representative) at the address set forth in Section 5.01;

(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of any party hereto (or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) to sue in any other jurisdiction; and

 

H-1-23


(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 5.08 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 5.09 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, ANY PERSON CLAIMING BY, ON BEHALF, OR THROUGH SUCH PARTY, OR ANY PERSON ON WHOSE BEHALF SUCH PARTY IS ACTING) HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

SECTION 5.10 Headings. Article, Section and Annex headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.11 Conflicts. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or any of the other Secured Credit Documents, the provisions of this Agreement shall control.

SECTION 5.12 Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights. The provisions of this Agreement are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties in relation to one another. None of the Borrower, any other Grantor or any creditor thereof shall have any rights or obligations hereunder, except as expressly provided in this Agreement (provided that nothing in this Agreement (other than Section 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 2.09 or Article V) is intended to or will amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Term Loan Agreement or any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents), and none of the Borrower or any other Grantor may rely on the terms hereof (other than Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 2.09, 2.10 and Article V). Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall impair the obligations of any Grantor, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms.

SECTION 5.13 Additional Senior Debt. To the extent, but only to the extent, permitted by the provisions of the then extant Term Loan Agreement and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, the Borrower may incur additional indebtedness after the date hereof that is permitted by the then extant Term Loan Agreement and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents to be incurred and secured on an equal and ratable basis by the Liens securing the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (such indebtedness referred to as “Additional Senior Class Debt”). Any such Additional Senior Class Debt may be secured by a Lien and may be Guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to

 

H-1-24


the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Authorized Representative of any such Additional Senior Class Debt (each “an “Additional Senior Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Additional Senior Class Debt (such Authorized Representative and holders in respect of any Additional Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Additional Senior Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) of the immediately succeeding paragraph and becomes a party to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement in accordance with the terms thereunder.

In order for an Additional Senior Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement,

(i) such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative, each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and each Grantor shall have executed and delivered an instrument substantially in the form of Annex II (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by such Collateral Agent and Additional Senior Class Debt Representative, and, to the extent such changes increase the obligations or reduce the rights of a Grantor, by such Grantor) pursuant to which such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative becomes an Authorized Representative hereunder, and the Additional Senior Class Debt in respect of which such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative is the Authorized Representative and the related Additional Senior Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby;

(ii) the Borrower shall have (x) delivered to each Collateral Agent true and complete copies of each of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt, certified as being true and correct by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, and (y) identified in a certificate of an authorized officer the obligations to be designated as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and the initial aggregate principal amount or face amount thereof;

(iii) all filings, recordations and/or amendments or supplements to the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents necessary or desirable in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent to confirm and perfect the Liens securing the relevant obligations relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt shall have been made, executed and/or delivered (or, with respect to any such filings or recordations, acceptable provisions to perform such filings or recordations shall have been taken in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent), and all fees and taxes in connection therewith shall have been paid (or acceptable provisions to make such payments shall have been taken in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent); and

(iv) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt shall provide, in a manner reasonably satisfactory to each Collateral Agent, that each Additional Senior Class Debt Party with respect to such Additional Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Additional Senior Class Debt.

 

H-1-25


Each Authorized Representative acknowledges and agrees that upon execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Annex II by an Additional Senior Class Debt Representative and each Grantor in accordance with this Section 5.13, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent will continue to act in its capacity as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent in respect of the then existing Authorized Representatives (other than the Administrative Agent) and such additional Authorized Representative.

SECTION 5.14 Agent Capacities. Except as expressly provided herein or in the Term Loan Collateral Documents, Bank of America is acting in the capacities of Administrative Agent and Term Loan Agent solely for the Term Loan Secured Parties. Except as expressly provided herein or in the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, [                ] is acting in the capacity of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent solely for the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties. Except as expressly set forth herein, none of the Administrative Agent, the Term Loan Agent or the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent shall have any duties or obligations in respect of any of the Collateral, all of such duties and obligations, if any, being subject to and governed by the applicable Secured Credit Documents.

SECTION 5.15 Integration. This Agreement together with the other Secured Credit Documents and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents represents the agreement of each of the Grantors and the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any Grantor, the Term Loan Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Secured Credit Documents or the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

SECTION 5.16 ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Until such time as the Discharge of ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred with respect to the ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

 

H-1-26


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Collateral Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Authorized Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[                                                     ],

as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[                                                     ],

as Initial Additional Authorized Representative

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

H-1-27


JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

NEEDLING HOLDINGS LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[GRANTORS]
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

H-1-28


ANNEX I

Grantors

 

ANNEX I-1


ANNEX II

[FORM OF] JOINDER NO. [                ] dated as of [_______], 20[ ] to FIRST LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of [______], 20[ ] (the “First Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”)), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Term Loan Agent for the Term Loan Secured Parties under the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents (in such capacity, the “Term Loan Agent”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Authorized Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties, [                ], as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, [                ], as Initial Additional Authorized Representative, and the additional Authorized Representatives from time to time a party thereto.1

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and to secure such Additional Senior Class Debt with the liens and security interests created by the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, the Additional Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Additional Senior Class Debt is required to become an Authorized Representative, and such Additional Senior Class Debt and the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative may become an Authorized Representative, and such Additional Senior Class Debt and such Additional Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, upon the execution and delivery by the Senior Debt Class Representative of an instrument in the form of this Joinder Agreement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Additional Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Joinder Agreement in accordance with the requirements of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Accordingly, each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 5.13 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes an Authorized Representative under, and the related Additional Senior Class Debt and Additional Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as an Authorized Representative and the New Representative, on its behalf and on behalf of such Additional Senior Class Debt Parties,

 

1 

In the event of the Refinancing of the Credit Agreement Obligations, revise to reflect joinder by a new Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

 

Annex II


hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as Authorized Representative and to the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties. Each reference to an “Authorized Representative” in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The First Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, individually, that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Joinder, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Joinder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Joinder Agreement, the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Additional Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties.

SECTION 3. This Joinder may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Joinder shall become effective when each Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Joinder that bears the signatures of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Joinder by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Joinder.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS JOINDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Joinder should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 5.01 of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at its address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Joinder, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Secured Credit Document.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative has duly executed this Joinder to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE], as

[                ] for the holders of [                ],

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Address for notices:

 

                                                     

                                                     

attention of:                     

Telecopy:                         


Acknowledged by:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as the Term Loan Agent and Authorized Representative,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[__________________________],

as the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and Initial Additional Authorized Representative,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

[OTHER AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES]

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as Borrower

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

THE OTHER GRANTORS

LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:


Schedule I to the

Supplement to the

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors


EXHIBIT H-2

[FORM OF]

SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

the other Grantors party hereto,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Senior Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties,

[        ]

as the Initial Additional Second Priority Representative

and

each additional Representative from time to time party hereto

dated as of [    ], 20[    ]

 

H-2-1


SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of [                ], 20[    ] (as amended amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the other Grantors (as defined below) from time to time party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), [INSERT NAME AND CAPACITY], as Representative for the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Initial Second Priority Representative”), and each additional Second Priority Representative and Senior Representative that from time to time becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.09.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Administrative Agent (for itself and on behalf of the Term Loan Secured Parties), the Initial Second Priority Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties) and each additional Senior Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Additional Senior Debt Parties under the applicable Additional Senior Debt Facility) and each additional Second Priority Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under the applicable Second Priority Debt Facility) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Term Loan Agreement or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, by and among Bank of America, N.A., as ABL Agent, Bank of America, as Term Agent and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Additional Senior Debt” means any Indebtedness that is issued or guaranteed by the Borrower and/or any Guarantor (other than Indebtedness constituting Term Loan Debt) which Indebtedness and Guarantees are secured by the Senior Collateral (or a portion thereof) on a pari passu basis (but without regard to control of remedies) with the Term Loan Debt; provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to (A) this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof, (B) the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 5.13 thereof and (C) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to Section 2.10 thereof; provided further that, if such Indebtedness will be the initial Additional Senior Debt incurred by the Borrower after the date hereof, then the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent and the Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Additional Senior Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

 

H-2-2


Additional Senior Debt Documents” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the promissory notes, indentures, Collateral Documents applicable to such Additional Senior Debt or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including the Senior Collateral Documents.

Additional Senior Debt Facility” means each indenture or other governing agreement with respect to any Additional Senior Debt.

Additional Senior Debt Obligations” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, (a) all principal of, and interest, fees, and expenses (including, without limitation, any interest, fees, or expenses which accrues after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) payable with respect to, such Additional Senior Debt, (b) all other amounts payable to the related Additional Senior Debt Parties under the related Additional Senior Debt Documents and (c) any renewals or extensions of the foregoing.

Additional Senior Debt Parties” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any Guarantor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement and shall include any successor administrative agent and collateral agent as provided in Article IX of the Term Loan Agreement.

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bank of America” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

 

H-2-3


Class Debt Representatives” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Collateral” means the Senior Collateral and the Second Priority Collateral.

Collateral Documents” means the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Debt Facility” means any Senior Facility and any Second Priority Debt Facility.

Designated Second Priority Representative” means (i) the Initial Second Priority Representative, until such time as the Second Priority Debt Facility under the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents ceases to be the only Second Priority Debt Facility under this Agreement and (ii) thereafter, the Second Priority Representative designated from time to time by the Second Priority Instructing Group, in a notice to the Designated Senior Representative and the Borrower hereunder, as the “Designated Second Priority Representative” for purposes hereof.

Designated Senior Representative” means (i) if at any time there is only one Senior Representative for a Senior Facility with respect to which the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, such Senior Representative and (ii) at any time when clause (i) does not apply, the Applicable Authorized Representative (as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) at such time.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

Discharge” means, with respect to any Debt Facility, the date on which such Debt Facility and the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations thereunder, as the case may be, are no longer secured by the Shared Collateral pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Debt Facility. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of Term Loan Debt” means the Discharge of the Term Loan Debt; provided that the Discharge of Term Loan Debt shall not be deemed to have occurred in connection with a Refinancing of such Term Loan Debt with an Additional Senior Debt Facility secured by the Shared Collateral under one or more Additional Senior Debt Documents which has been designated in writing by the Administrative Agent (under the Term Loan Agreement so Refinanced) to the Designated Senior Representative as the “Term Loan Agreement” for purposes of this Agreement.

Discharge of Senior Obligations” means the date on which the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and the Discharge of each Additional Senior Debt Facility has occurred.

 

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First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Term Loan Agreement.

Grantors” means Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary or direct or indirect parent Borrower of the Borrower that has granted a security interest pursuant to any Collateral Document to secure any Secured Obligations.

Guarantors” means Holdings, and each “Material Domestic Subsidiaries”, other than “Excluded Subsidiaries”, each as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Initial Second Priority Debt” means the Second Priority Debt incurred pursuant to the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents.

Initial Second Priority Debt Documents” means that certain [[Indenture] [Credit Agreement] dated as of [                ], 20[ ], among the Borrower, [the Guarantors identified therein,] [    ], as [trustee] [administrative agent], and [    ], as [paying agent, registrar and transfer agent]] and any notes, security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including any agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations” means the Second Priority Debt Obligations arising pursuant to the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents.

Initial Second Priority Debt Parties” means the holders of any Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations and the Initial Second Priority Representative.

Initial Second Priority Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or

(3) any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

 

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Intellectual Property” means all “Copyrights,” “Patents” and “Trademarks,” each as defined in the Collateral Agreement.

Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement in substantially the form of Annex III or Annex IV hereof required to be delivered by a Representative to the Designated Senior Representative pursuant to Section 8.09 hereof in order to include an additional Debt Facility hereunder and to become the Representative hereunder for the Senior Secured Parties or Second Priority Secured Parties, as the case may be, under such Debt Facility.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge, trust (deemed or statutory) or security interest in, on or of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to be a Lien.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Officer’s Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.08.

parent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Subsidiary.”

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, Borrower, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

Pledged or Controlled Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.05(a).

Proceeds” means the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of Shared Collateral and any payment or distribution made in respect of Shared Collateral in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any amounts received by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party from a Second Priority Debt Party in respect of Shared Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

Recovery” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04.

Refinance” means, in respect of any indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such indebtedness (in whole or in part), including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such indebtedness has been terminated and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” have correlative meanings.

 

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Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act of 1933, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Representatives” means the Senior Representatives and the Second Priority Representatives.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor agency thereto.

Second Priority Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any Second Priority Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Second Priority Collateral Document as security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Collateral Documents” means the Initial Second Priority Collateral Documents and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Debt” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Grantor guaranteed by the Guarantors (and not guaranteed by any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor), including the Initial Second Priority Debt, which Indebtedness and guarantees are secured by the Second Priority Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to control of remedies, other than as provided by the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents) with any other Second Priority Debt Obligations and the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents which provide that such Indebtedness and guarantees are to be secured by such Second Priority Collateral on a subordinate basis to the Senior Debt Obligations (and which is not secured by Liens on any assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor other than the Second Priority Collateral or which are not included in the Senior Collateral); provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) except in the case of the Initial Second Priority Debt hereunder, the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof. Second Priority Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

 

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Second Priority Debt Documents” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, the promissory notes, indentures, Collateral Documents or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Second Priority Debt Facility” means each indenture or other governing agreement with respect to any Second Priority Debt.

Second Priority Debt Obligations” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, (a) all principal of, and interest (including, without limitation, any interest which accrues after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) payable with respect to, such Second Priority Debt, (b) all other amounts payable to the related Second Priority Debt Parties under the related Second Priority Debt Documents and (c) any renewals or extensions of the foregoing.

Second Priority Debt Parties” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Second Priority Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any other Grantor under any related Second Priority Debt Documents.

Second Priority Instructing Group” means Second Priority Representatives with respect to Second Priority Debt Facilities under which at least a majority of the then aggregate amount of Second Priority Debt Obligations are outstanding.

Second Priority Lien” means the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral in favor of Second Priority Debt Parties under Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Second Priority Representative” means (i) in the case of the Initial Second Priority Debt Facility covered hereby, the Initial Second Priority Representative and (ii) in the case of any Second Priority Debt Facility and the Second Priority Debt Parties thereunder the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Second Priority Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Second Priority Debt Facility in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Secured Obligations” means the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Secured Parties” means the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties.

Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among Borrower, Holdings, the other Grantors party thereto and the Term Loan Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Senior Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

 

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Senior Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any Term Loan Agreement Loan Document or any other Senior Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Senior Collateral Document as security for any Senior Obligations.

Senior Collateral Documents” means the Security Agreement and the other “Collateral Documents” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement (upon and after the initial execution and delivery thereof by the initial parties thereto) and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrower or any other Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Senior Obligation.

Senior Debt Documents” means (a) the Term Loan Documents and (b) any Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Senior Facilities” means the Term Loan Agreement and any Additional Senior Debt Facilities.

Senior Lien” means the Liens on the Senior Collateral in favor of the Senior Secured Parties under the Senior Collateral Documents.

Senior Obligations” means the Term Loan Debt and any Additional Senior Debt Obligations.

Senior Representative” means (i) in the case of any Term Loan Debt or the Term Loan Secured Parties, the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of any Additional Senior Debt Facility and the Additional Senior Debt Parties thereunder (including with respect to any Additional Senior Debt Facility initially covered hereby on the date of this Agreement) the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Additional Senior Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Additional Senior Debt Facility in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Senior Secured Parties” means the Term Loan Secured Parties and any Additional Senior Debt Parties.

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of Senior Obligations under at least one Senior Facility and the holders of Second Priority Debt Obligations under at least one Second Priority Debt Facility (or their Representatives) hold a security interest at such time (or, in the case of the Senior Facilities, are deemed pursuant to Article II to hold a security interest). If, at any time, any portion of the Senior Collateral under one or more Senior Facilities does not constitute Second Priority Collateral under one or more Second Priority Debt Facilities, then such portion of such Senior Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral only with respect to the Second Priority Debt Facilities for which it constitutes Second Priority Collateral and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Second Priority Debt Facility which does not have a security interest in such Collateral at such time.

 

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Subsidiary” with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Term Loan Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time) among Borrower, Holdings, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, as administrative agent (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), and the other parties thereto.

Term Loan Documents” means the Term Loan Agreement and the other “Loan Documents” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Debt” means the “Obligations” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Uniform Commercial Code” or “UCC” means, unless otherwise specified, the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this

 

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Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01. Subordination. (a) Notwithstanding the date, time, manner or order of filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens granted to any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Parties on the Shared Collateral or of any Liens granted to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party on the Shared Collateral (or any actual or alleged defect in any of the foregoing) and notwithstanding any provision of the UCC, any applicable law, any Second Priority Debt Document or any Senior Debt Document or any other circumstance whatsoever, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that (a) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party or other agent or trustee therefor, regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall have priority over and be senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative, any Second Priority Debt Parties or any Second Priority Representative or other agent or trustee therefor, regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be junior and subordinate in all respects to all Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations. All Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations shall be and remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations for all purposes, whether or not such Liens securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations are subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the Borrower, any Grantor or any other Person or otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed.

SECTION 2.02. Nature of Senior Lender Claims. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that (a) the terms of the Senior Debt Documents and the Senior Obligations may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, and the Senior Obligations, or a portion thereof, may be Refinanced from time to time and (b) the aggregate amount of the Senior Obligations may be increased, in each case, without notice to or consent by the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties and without affecting the provisions hereof. The Lien priorities provided for in Section 2.01 shall not be altered or otherwise affected by any amendment, supplement or other modification, or any Refinancing, of either the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations, or any portion thereof. As between the Borrower and the other Grantors and the Second Priority Debt Parties, the foregoing provisions will not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower and the Grantors contained in any Second Priority Debt Document with respect to the incurrence of additional Senior Obligations.

 

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SECTION 2.03. Prohibition on Contesting Liens. Each of the Second Priority Representatives, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any Lien securing, or the allowability of any claim asserted with respect to, any Senior Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any of the other Senior Secured Parties or other agent or trustee therefor in any Senior Collateral, and the Senior Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Senior Secured Party under its Senior Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any Lien securing, or the allowability of any claim asserted with respect to, any Second Priority Debt Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative or any of the Second Priority Debt Parties in the Second Priority Collateral. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Senior Representative to enforce this Agreement (including the priority of the Liens securing the Senior Obligations as provided in Section 2.01) or any of the Senior Debt Documents.

SECTION 2.04. No New Liens. The parties hereto agree that, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, (a) none of the Grantors shall grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property of any Grantor to secure any Second Priority Debt Obligation unless it has granted, or concurrently therewith grants, a Lien on such asset or property of such Grantor to secure the Senior Obligations; and (b) if any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall hold any Lien on any assets or property of any Grantor securing any Second Priority Obligations that are not also subject to the first-priority Liens securing all Senior Obligations under the Senior Collateral Documents, such Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party (i) shall notify the Designated Senior Representative promptly upon becoming aware thereof and, unless such Grantor shall promptly grant a similar Lien on such assets or property to each Senior Representative as security for the Senior Obligations, shall assign such Lien to the Designated Senior Representative as security for all Senior Obligations for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties (but may retain a junior lien on such assets or property subject to the terms hereof) and (ii) until such assignment or such grant of a similar Lien to each Senior Representative, shall be deemed to hold and have held such Lien for the benefit of each Senior Representative and the other Senior Secured Parties as security for the Senior Obligations. To the extent that the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 2.04 are not complied with for any reason, without limiting any other right or remedy available to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party, each Second Priority Representative agrees, for itself and on behalf of the other Second Priority Debt Parties, that any amounts received by or distributed to any Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to or as a result of any Lien granted in contravention of this Section 2.04 shall be subject to Section 4.02.

 

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SECTION 2.05. Perfection of Liens. Except for the limited agreements of the Senior Representatives pursuant to Section 5.05 hereof, none of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens with respect to the Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties. The provisions of this Agreement are intended solely to govern the respective Lien priorities as between the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties and shall not impose on the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties or any agent or trustee therefor any obligations in respect of the disposition of Proceeds of any Shared Collateral which would conflict with prior perfected claims therein in favor of any other Person or any order or decree of any court or governmental authority or any applicable law.

SECTION 2.06. Certain Cash Collateral. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Senior Debt Documents or Second Priority Debt Documents to the contrary, collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure Term Loan Debt consisting of reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit or otherwise held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Term Loan Agreement (or any equivalent successor provision) shall be applied as specified in the Term Loan Agreement and will not constitute Shared Collateral.

ARTICLE III

Enforcement

SECTION 3.01. Exercise of Remedies.

(a) So long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, (i) neither any Second Priority Representative nor any Second Priority Debt Party will (x) exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies (including setoff) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of any Second Priority Debt Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including any action of foreclosure), (y) contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought with respect to the Shared Collateral or any other Senior Collateral by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party in respect of the Senior Obligations, the exercise of any right by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party (or any agent or sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the Senior Obligations under any lockbox agreement, control agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement to which any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party either is a party or may have rights as a third party beneficiary, or any other exercise by any such party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Senior Collateral or the Senior Obligations, or (z) object to the forbearance by the Senior Secured Parties from bringing or pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or any other exercise of any rights or remedies relating to the Shared Collateral in respect of Senior Obligations and (ii) except as otherwise provided herein, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall have the exclusive right to enforce rights, exercise remedies (including setoff and the right to credit bid their debt) and make determinations regarding the release, disposition or restrictions with respect to the Shared Collateral

 

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without any consultation with or the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party; provided, however, that (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, any Second Priority Representative may file a claim or statement of interest with respect to the Second Priority Debt Obligations under its Second Priority Debt Facility, (B) any Second Priority Representative may take any action (not adverse to the prior Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations or the rights of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties to exercise remedies in respect thereof) in order to create, prove, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce) its rights in, and perfection and priority of its Lien on, the Shared Collateral, (C) any Second Priority Representative and the Second Priority Secured Parties may exercise their rights and remedies as unsecured creditors, to the extent provided in Section 5.04, and (D) any Second Priority Representative may exercise the rights and remedies provided for in Section 6.03. In exercising rights and remedies with respect to the Senior Collateral, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties may enforce the provisions of the Senior Debt Documents and exercise remedies thereunder, all in such order and in such manner as they may determine in the exercise of their sole discretion. Such exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of Shared Collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with such sale or disposition and to exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured lender under the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction and of a secured creditor under Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

(b) So long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not take or receive any Shared Collateral or any Proceeds of Shared Collateral in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), the sole right of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Shared Collateral is to hold a Lien on the Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to the Second Priority Debt Documents for the period and to the extent granted therein and to receive a share of the Proceeds thereof, if any, after the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

(c) Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), (i) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that neither such Second Priority Representative nor any such Second Priority Debt Party will take any action that would hinder or delay any exercise of remedies undertaken by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party with respect to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents, including any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral, whether by foreclosure or otherwise, and (ii) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any and all rights it or any such Second Priority Debt Party may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to object to the manner in which the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties seek to enforce or collect the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted on any of the Senior Collateral, regardless of whether any action or failure to act by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party is adverse to the interests of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

 

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(d) Each Second Priority Representative hereby acknowledges and agrees that no covenant, agreement or restriction contained in any Second Priority Debt Document shall be deemed to restrict in any way the rights and remedies of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties with respect to the Senior Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the Senior Debt Documents.

(e) Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Designated Senior Representative shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Shared Collateral and shall have the exclusive right to determine and direct the time, method and place for exercising such right or remedy or conducting any proceeding with respect thereto. Following the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Second Priority Instructing Group and the Designated Second Priority Representative shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Collateral, and the Second Priority Instructing Group and Designated Second Priority Representative shall have the exclusive right to direct the time, method and place of exercising or conducting any proceeding for the exercise of any right or remedy available to the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Collateral, or of exercising or directing the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the Second Priority Representatives, or for the taking of any other action authorized by the Second Priority Collateral Documents; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall impair the right of any Second Priority Representative or other agent or trustee acting on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties to take such actions with respect to the Collateral after the Discharge of Senior Obligations as may be otherwise required or authorized pursuant to any intercreditor agreement governing the Second Priority Debt Parties or the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.02. Cooperation. Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, it will not commence, or join with any Person (other than the Senior Secured Parties and the Senior Representatives upon the request of the Designated Senior Representative) in commencing, any enforcement, collection, execution, levy or foreclosure action or proceeding with respect to any Lien held by it in the Shared Collateral under any of the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.03. Actions upon Breach. Should any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, contrary to this Agreement, in any way take, attempt to take or threaten to take any action with respect to the Shared Collateral (including any attempt to realize upon or enforce any remedy with respect to this Agreement) or fail to take any action required by this Agreement, any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party (in its or their own name or in the name of the Borrower or any other Grantor) may obtain relief against such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party by injunction, specific performance or other appropriate equitable relief. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Facility, hereby (i) agrees that the Senior Secured Parties’ damages from the actions of the Second Party Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party may at that time be difficult to ascertain and may be

 

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irreparable and waives any defense that the Borrower, any other Grantor or the Senior Secured Parties cannot demonstrate damage or be made whole by the awarding of damages and (ii) irrevocably waives any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law and any other defense that might be asserted to bar the remedy of specific performance in any action that may be brought by any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party.

ARTICLE IV

Payments

SECTION 4.01. Application of Proceeds. After an event of default under any Senior Debt Document has occurred and until such event of default is cured or waived, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, the Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof received in connection with the sale or other disposition of, or collection on, such Shared Collateral upon the exercise of remedies and any distribution in respect of Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding shall be applied by the Designated Senior Representative to the Senior Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Senior Debt Documents until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred. Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall deliver promptly to the Designated Second Priority Representative any Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof held by it in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, to be applied by the Designated Second Priority Representative to the Second Priority Debt Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

SECTION 4.02. Payments Over. Any Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof and any distribution in respect of Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding received by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff) or otherwise relating to the Shared Collateral in contravention of this Agreement shall be segregated and held in trust for the benefit of and forthwith paid over to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The Designated Senior Representative is hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for each of the Second Priority Representatives or any such Second Priority Debt Party. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

ARTICLE V

Other Agreements

SECTION 5.01. Releases.

(a) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, in the event of a sale, transfer or other disposition of any specified item of Shared Collateral (including all or substantially all of the equity interests of any subsidiary of the Borrower), the Liens granted to the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties upon such Shared Collateral to

 

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secure Second Priority Debt Obligations shall terminate and be released, automatically and without any further action, concurrently with the termination and release of all Liens granted upon such Shared Collateral to secure Senior Obligations. Upon delivery to a Second Priority Representative of an Officer’s Certificate stating that any such termination and release of Liens securing the Senior Obligations has become effective (or shall become effective concurrently with such termination and release of the Liens granted to the Second Priority Debt Parties and the Second Priority Representatives) and any necessary or proper instruments of termination or release prepared by the Borrower or any other Grantor, such Second Priority Representative will promptly execute, deliver or acknowledge, at the Borrower’s or the other Grantor’s sole cost and expense, such instruments to evidence such termination and release of the Liens. Nothing in this Section 5.01(a) will be deemed to affect any agreement of a Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under its Second Priority Debt Facility, to release the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral as set forth in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

(b) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Designated Senior Representative and any officer or agent of the Designated Senior Representative, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party or in the Designated Senior Representative’s own name, from time to time in the Designated Senior Representative’s discretion, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of Section 5.01(a), to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments that may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of Section 5.01(a), including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release.

(c) Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby consents to the application, whether prior to or after an event of default under any Senior Debt Document of proceeds of Shared Collateral to the repayment of Senior Obligations pursuant to the Senior Debt Documents, provided that nothing in this Section 5.01(c) shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties to receive proceeds in connection with the Second Priority Debt Obligations not otherwise in contravention of this Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Second Priority Collateral Document, in the event the terms of a Senior Collateral Document and a Second Priority Collateral Document each require any Grantor (i) to make payment in respect of any item of Shared Collateral to, (ii) to deliver or afford control over any item of Shared Collateral to, or deposit any item of Shared Collateral with, (iii) to register ownership of any item of Shared Collateral in the name of or make an assignment of ownership of any Shared Collateral or the rights thereunder to, (iv) cause any securities intermediary, commodity intermediary or other Person acting in a similar capacity to agree to comply, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, with instructions or orders from, or to treat, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, as the entitlement holder, (v) hold any item of Shared Collateral in trust for (to the extent such item of Shared Collateral cannot be held in trust for multiple parties under applicable law), (vi) obtain the agreement of a

 

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bailee or other third party to hold any item of Shared Collateral for the benefit of or subject to the control of or, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, to follow the instructions of or (vii) obtain the agreement of a landlord with respect to access to leased premises where any item of Shared Collateral is located or waivers or subordination of rights with respect to any item of Shared Collateral in favor of, in any case, both the Designated Senior Representative and any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party, such Grantor may, until the applicable Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, comply with such requirement under the Second Priority Collateral Document as it relates to such Shared Collateral by taking any of the actions set forth above only with respect to, or in favor of, the Designated Senior Representative.

SECTION 5.02. Insurance and Condemnation Awards. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Designated Senior Representative and the Senior Secured Parties shall have the sole and exclusive right, subject to the rights of the Grantors under the Senior Debt Documents, (a) to be named as additional insured and loss payee under any insurance policies maintained from time to time by any Grantor, (b) to adjust settlement for any insurance policy covering the Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and (c) to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, all proceeds of any such policy and any such award, if in respect of the Shared Collateral, shall be paid (i) first, prior to the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of Senior Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of the Senior Debt Documents, (ii) second, after the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Second Priority Representative for the benefit of the Second Priority Debt Parties pursuant to the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents and (iii) third, if no Second Priority Debt Obligations or Senior Obligations are outstanding, to the owner of the subject property, such other Person as may be entitled thereto or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. If any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall, at any time, receive any proceeds of any such insurance policy or any such award in contravention of this Agreement, it shall pay such proceeds over to the Designated Senior Representative in accordance with the terms of Section 4.02.

SECTION 5.03. Amendments to Second Priority Collateral Documents.

(a) Except to the extent not prohibited by any Senior Debt Document, no Second Priority Collateral Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Second Priority Collateral Document, would be prohibited by or inconsistent with any of the terms of this Agreement. The Borrower agrees to deliver to the Designated Senior Representative copies of (i) any amendments, supplements or other modifications to the Second Priority Collateral Documents and (ii) any new Second Priority Collateral Documents promptly after effectiveness thereof. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that each Second Priority Collateral Document under its Second Priority Debt Facility shall include the following language (or language to similar effect reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative):

 

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“Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the liens and security interests granted to the [Second Priority Representative] pursuant to this Agreement are expressly subject and subordinate to the liens and security interests granted in favor of the Senior Secured Parties (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement referred to below), including liens and security interests granted to Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, pursuant to or in connection with the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and (ii) the exercise of any right or remedy by the [Second Priority Representative] hereunder is subject to the limitations and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [ ], 20[ ] (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, [             ] and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities party thereto. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.”

(b) In the event that each applicable Senior Representative and/or the Senior Secured Parties enter into any amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the Senior Collateral Documents for the purpose of adding to or deleting from, or waiving or consenting to any departures from any provisions of, any Senior Collateral Document or changing in any manner the rights of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Borrower or any other Grantor thereunder (including the release of any Liens in Senior Collateral) in a manner that is applicable to all Senior Facilities, then such amendment, waiver or consent shall apply automatically to any comparable provision of each comparable Second Priority Collateral Document without the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party and without any action by any Second Priority Representative, the Borrower or any other Grantor; provided, however, that written notice of such amendment, waiver or consent shall have been given to each Second Priority Representative within 10 Business Days after the effectiveness of such amendment, waiver or consent.

SECTION 5.04. Rights as Unsecured Creditors. The Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties may exercise rights and remedies as unsecured creditors against the Borrower and any other Grantor in accordance with the terms of the Second Priority Debt Documents and applicable law so long as such rights and remedies do not violate or are not otherwise inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of the required payments of principal, premium, interest, fees and other amounts due under the Second Priority Debt Documents so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by a Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of rights or remedies as a secured creditor in respect of Shared Collateral. In the event any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party becomes a judgment lien creditor in respect of Shared Collateral as a result of its enforcement of its rights as an unsecured creditor in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations, such judgment lien shall be subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall impair or otherwise adversely affect any rights or remedies the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties may have with respect to the Senior Collateral.

 

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SECTION 5.05. Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

(a) Each Senior Representative acknowledges and agrees that if it shall at any time hold a Lien securing any Senior Obligations on any Shared Collateral that can be perfected by the possession or control of such Shared Collateral or of any account in which such Shared Collateral is held, and if such Shared Collateral or any such account is in fact in the possession or under the control of such Senior Representative, or of agents or bailees of such Person (such Shared Collateral being referred to herein as the “Pledged or Controlled Collateral”), or if it shall at any time obtain any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, the applicable Senior Representative shall also hold such Pledged or Controlled Collateral, or take such actions with respect to such landlord waiver, bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement, as sub-agent or gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representatives, in each case solely for the purpose of perfecting the Liens granted under the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents and subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.05.

(b) In the event that any Senior Representative (or its agents or bailees) has Lien filings against Intellectual Property that is part of the Shared Collateral that are necessary for the perfection of Liens in such Shared Collateral, such Senior Representative agrees to hold such Liens as sub-agent and gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representatives and any assignee thereof, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Liens pursuant to the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.05.

(c) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to deal with the Pledged or Controlled Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents as if the Liens under the Second Priority Collateral Documents did not exist. The rights of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Pledged or Controlled Collateral shall at all times be subject to the terms of this Agreement.

(d) The Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall have no obligation whatsoever to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party to assure that any of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral is genuine or owned by the Grantors or to protect or preserve rights or benefits of any Person or any rights pertaining to the Shared Collateral, except as expressly set forth in this Section 5.05. The duties or responsibilities of the Senior Representatives under this Section 5.05 shall be limited solely to holding or controlling the Shared Collateral and the related Liens referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.05 as sub-agent and gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representative for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Second Priority Representative.

 

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(e) The Senior Representatives shall not have by reason of the Second Priority Collateral Documents or this Agreement, or any other document, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, and each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives and releases the Senior Representatives from all claims and liabilities arising pursuant to the Senior Representatives’ roles under this Section 5.05 as sub-agents and gratuitous bailees with respect to the Shared Collateral.

(f) Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall, at the Grantors’ sole cost and expense, (i) (A) deliver to the Designated Second Priority Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Senior Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, or (B) direct and deliver such Shared Collateral as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, (ii) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (iii) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving any Grantor that the Designated Second Party Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding. The Borrower and the other Grantors shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Senior Representative for loss or damage suffered by such Senior Representative as a result of such transfer, except for loss or damage suffered by any such Person as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith. The Senior Representatives have no obligations to follow instructions from any Second Priority Representative or any other Second Priority Debt Party in contravention of this Agreement.

(g) None of the Senior Representatives nor any of the other Senior Secured Parties shall be required to marshal any present or future collateral security for any obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Documents or any assurance of payment in respect thereof, or to resort to such collateral security or other assurances of payment in any particular order, and all of their rights in respect of such collateral security or any assurance of payment in respect thereof shall be cumulative and in addition to all other rights, however existing or arising.

SECTION 5.06. When Discharge of Senior Obligations is Deemed Not to Have Occurred. If, at any time substantially concurrently with or after the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Borrower or any Subsidiary consummates any Refinancing or incurs any Senior Obligations (other than in respect of the payment of indemnities surviving the Discharge of Senior Obligations), then such Discharge of Senior Obligations shall automatically be deemed not to have occurred for all purposes of this Agreement (other than with respect to any actions taken prior to the date of such designation as a result of the occurrence of such first Discharge of Senior Obligations) and the applicable agreement governing such Senior Obligations shall automatically be treated as a Senior Debt Document for all purposes of this Agreement, including for purposes of the Lien priorities and rights in respect of Shared Collateral set forth herein and the

 

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agent, representative or trustee for the holders of such Senior Obligations shall be the Senior Representative for all purposes of this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such incurrence (including the identity of the new Senior Representative), each Second Priority Representative (including the Designated Second Priority Representative) shall promptly (a) enter into such documents and agreements (at the expense of the Borrower), including amendments or supplements to this Agreement, as the Borrower or such new Senior Representative shall reasonably request in writing in order to provide the new Senior Representative the rights of a Senior Representative contemplated hereby, (b) deliver to such Senior Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Second Priority Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, (c) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (d) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving a Grantor that the new Senior Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding.

ARTICLE VI

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceedings

SECTION 6.01. Financing Issues. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, if the Borrower or any other Grantor shall be subject to any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party shall desire to consent (or not object) to the sale, use or lease of cash or other collateral or to consent (or not object) to the Borrower’s or any other Grantor’s obtaining financing under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law (“DIP Financing”), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will raise no objection to and will not otherwise contest such sale, use or lease of such cash or other collateral or such DIP Financing and, except to the extent permitted by the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a) and Section 6.03, will not request adequate protection or any other relief in connection therewith and, to the extent the Liens securing any Senior Obligations are subordinated or pari passu with such DIP Financing, will subordinate (and will be deemed hereunder to have subordinated) its Liens in the Shared Collateral to (x) such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement, (y) to any “carve-out” for professional and United States Trustee fees agreed to by the Senior Representatives, and (z) to any Liens granted as adequate protection for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, further agrees that it will raise no (a) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any motion for relief from the automatic stay or from any injunction against foreclosure or enforcement in respect of Senior Obligations made by any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party, (b) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any lawful exercise by any Senior Secured Party of the right to credit bid

 

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Senior Obligations at any sale in foreclosure of Senior Collateral, including pursuant to Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, (c) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any other request for judicial relief made in any court by any Senior Secured Party relating to the lawful enforcement of any Lien on Senior Collateral or (d) objection to (and will not otherwise contest or oppose) any order relating to a sale or other disposition of assets of any Grantor (including pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law) for which any Senior Representative has consented that provides, to the extent such sale or other disposition is to be free and clear of Liens, that the Liens securing the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations will attach to the proceeds of the sale on the same basis of priority as the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations rank to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to this Agreement. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that notice received two Business Days prior to the entry of an order approving such usage of cash or other collateral or approving such financing shall be adequate notice.

SECTION 6.02. Relief from the Automatic Stay. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or take any action in derogation thereof, in each case in respect of any Shared Collateral, without the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative.

SECTION 6.03. Adequate Protection. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall object, contest or support any other Person objecting to or contesting (a) any request by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties for adequate protection, (b) any objection by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties to any motion, relief, action or proceeding based on any Senior Representative’s or Senior Secured Party’s claiming a lack of adequate protection or (c) the allowance and/or payment of interest, fees, expenses or other amounts of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party under Section 506(b) or 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.03 or in Section 6.01, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, (i) if the Senior Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in the form of a Lien on additional collateral in connection with any DIP Financing or use of cash collateral under Section 363 or 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law and the Senior Representatives and the other Senior Secured Parties do not object to the adequate protection being provided to the Senior Secured Parties, then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, may seek or request adequate protection in the form of a Lien on such additional collateral, which Lien is subordinated to the Liens securing and providing adequate protection for all Senior Obligations and such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement and (ii) in the event any Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, seek or request adequate protection and such adequate protection is granted in the form of a Lien on additional collateral,

 

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then such Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, agree that each Senior Representative shall also be granted a senior Lien on such additional collateral as security and adequate protection for the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing and that any Lien on such additional collateral securing or providing adequate protection for the Second Priority Debt Obligations shall be subordinated to the Liens on such collateral securing the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) and any other Liens granted to the Senior Secured Parties as adequate protection on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement.

SECTION 6.04. Preference Issues. If any Senior Secured Party is required in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to disgorge, turn over or otherwise pay any amount to the estate of the Borrower or any other Grantor (or any trustee, receiver or similar Person therefor), because the payment of such amount was avoided as or otherwise declared to be fraudulent or preferential in any respect or for any other reason, any amount (a “Recovery”), whether received as proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of setoff or otherwise, then the Senior Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such Recovery and deemed to be outstanding as if such payment had not occurred and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to the benefits of this Agreement until a Discharge of Senior Obligations with respect to all such recovered amounts. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect the obligations of the parties hereto. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that none of them shall be entitled to benefit from any avoidance action affecting or otherwise relating to any distribution or allocation made in accordance with this Agreement, whether by preference or otherwise, it being understood and agreed that the benefit of such avoidance action otherwise allocable to them shall instead be allocated and turned over for application in accordance with the priorities set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 6.05. Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classifications. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that (a) the grants of Liens pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents constitute separate and distinct grants of Liens and (b) because of, among other things, their differing rights in the Shared Collateral, the Second Priority Debt Obligations are fundamentally different from the Senior Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan proposed, confirmed, or adopted in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that any claims of the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral constitute a single class of claims (rather than separate classes of senior and junior secured claims), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledges and agrees that all distributions shall be made as if there were separate classes of senior and junior secured claims against the Grantors in respect of the Shared Collateral (with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the Shared Collateral

 

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is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the Second Priority Debt Parties), the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive, in addition to amounts distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest, fees, and expenses and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest, fees, and expenses (whether or not allowed or allowable) before any distribution is made in respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations, with each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to the Designated Senior Representative amounts otherwise received or receivable by them to the extent necessary to effectuate the intent of this sentence, even if such turnover has the effect of reducing the claim or recovery of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 6.06. No Waivers of Rights of Senior Secured Parties. Nothing contained herein shall, except as expressly provided herein, prohibit or in any way limit any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party from objecting in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to any action taken by any Second Priority Debt Party, including the seeking by any Second Priority Debt Party of adequate protection or the asserting by any Second Priority Debt Party of any of its rights and remedies under the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise.

SECTION 6.07. Application. This Agreement, which the parties hereto expressly acknowledge is a “subordination agreement” under Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, shall be effective before, during and after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. The relative rights as to the Shared Collateral and proceeds thereof shall continue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding on the same basis as prior to the date of the petition therefor, subject to any court order approving the financing of, or use of cash collateral by, any Grantor. All references herein to any Grantor shall include such Grantor as a debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for such Grantor.

SECTION 6.08. Other Matters. To the extent that any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party has or acquires rights under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law with respect to any of the Shared Collateral, such Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees not to assert any such rights without the prior written consent of each Senior Representative, provided that if requested by any Senior Representative, such Second Priority Representative shall timely exercise such rights in the manner requested by the Senior Representatives (acting unanimously), including any rights to payments in respect of such rights.

SECTION 6.09. 506(c) Claims. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not assert or enforce any claim under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law senior to or on a parity with the Liens securing the Senior Obligations for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Shared Collateral.

 

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SECTION 6.10. Reorganization Securities; Plan Voting.

(a) If, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, debt obligations of the reorganized debtor secured by Liens upon any property of the reorganized debtor are distributed, pursuant to a plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan, on account of both the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations, then, to the extent the debt obligations distributed on account of the Senior Obligations and on account of the Second Priority Debt Obligations are secured by Liens upon the same assets or property, the provisions of this Agreement will survive the distribution of such debt obligations pursuant to such plan and will apply with like effect to the Liens securing such debt obligations.

(b) No Second Priority Debt Party (whether in the capacity of a secured creditor or an unsecured creditor) shall propose, vote in favor of, or otherwise directly or indirectly support any plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan that is inconsistent with the priorities or other provisions of this Agreement, other than with the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative or to the extent any such plan is proposed or supported by the number of Senior Secured Parties required under Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code.

SECTION 6.11. Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, shall not object to, oppose, support any objection, or take any other action to impede, the right of any Senior Secured Party to make an election under Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, waives any claim it may hereafter have against any senior claimholder arising out of the election by any Senior Secured Party of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law.

ARTICLE VII

Reliance; etc.

SECTION 7.01. Reliance. The consent by the Senior Secured Parties to the execution and delivery of the Second Priority Debt Documents to which the Senior Secured Parties have consented and all loans and other extensions of credit made or deemed made on and after the date hereof by the Senior Secured Parties to the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been given and made in reliance upon this Agreement. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that it and such Second Priority Debt Parties have, independently and without reliance on any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party, and based on documents and information deemed by them appropriate, made their own credit analysis and decision to enter into the Second Priority Debt Documents to which they are party or by which they are bound, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and they will continue to make their own credit decision in taking or not taking any action under the Second Priority Debt Documents or this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 7.02. No Warranties or Liability. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party has made any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectibility or enforceability of any of the Senior Debt Documents, the ownership of any Shared Collateral or the perfection or priority of any Liens thereon. The Senior Secured Parties will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective loans and extensions of credit under the Senior Debt Documents in accordance with law and as they may otherwise, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and the Senior Secured Parties may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties have in the Shared Collateral or otherwise, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party shall have any duty to any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party to act or refrain from acting in a manner that allows, or results in, the occurrence or continuance of an event of default or default under any agreement with the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Second Priority Debt Documents), regardless of any knowledge thereof that they may have or be charged with. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties have not otherwise made to each other, nor do they hereby make to each other, any warranties, express or implied, nor do they assume any liability to each other with respect to (a) the enforceability, validity, value or collectibility of any of the Senior Obligations, the Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee or security which may have been granted to any of them in connection therewith, (b) any Grantor’s title to or right to transfer any of the Shared Collateral or (c) any other matter except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 7.03. Obligations Unconditional. All rights, interests, agreements and obligations of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties hereunder shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

(a) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document;

(b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other terms of, all or any of the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations, or any amendment or waiver or other modification, including any increase in the amount thereof, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, of the terms of the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or of the terms of any Second Priority Debt Document;

(c) any exchange of any security interest in any Shared Collateral or any other collateral or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether in writing or by course of conduct or otherwise, of all or any of the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee thereof;

(d) the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Borrower or any other Grantor; or

 

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(e) any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, (i) the Borrower or any other Grantor in respect of the Senior Obligations or (ii) any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party in respect of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

SECTION 8.01. Conflicts. Subject to Section 8.18, in the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the relative rights and obligations of the Senior Secured Collateral Agent, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties (as amongst themselves) with respect to any Senior Collateral shall be governed by the terms of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and in the event of any conflict between the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and this Agreement, the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall control, subject to Section 8.23 hereto.

SECTION 8.02. Continuing Nature of this Agreement; Severability. Subject to Section 6.04, this Agreement shall continue to be effective until the Discharge of Senior Obligations shall have occurred. This is a continuing agreement of Lien subordination, and the Senior Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party, to extend credit and other financial accommodations and lend monies to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any Subsidiary constituting Senior Obligations in reliance hereon. The terms of this Agreement shall survive and continue in full force and effect in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 8.03. Amendments; Waivers.

(a) No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

 

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(b) This Agreement may be amended in writing signed by each Representative (in each case, acting in accordance with the documents governing the applicable Debt Facility); provided that any such amendment, supplement or waiver which by the terms of this Agreement requires the Borrower’s consent or which increases the obligations or reduces the rights of the Borrower or any Grantor, shall require the consent of the Borrower. Any such amendment, supplement or waiver shall be in writing and shall be binding upon the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties and their respective successors and assigns.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Secured Party, any Representative may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 8.09 of this Agreement and upon such execution and delivery, such Representative and the Secured Parties and Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations of the Debt Facility for which such Representative is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof.

SECTION 8.04. Information Concerning the Financial Condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Secured Parties shall each be responsible for keeping themselves informed of (a) the financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and all endorsers or guarantors of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Secured Parties shall have no duty to advise any other party hereunder of information known to it or them regarding such condition or any such circumstances or otherwise. In the event that any Senior Representative, any Senior Secured Party, any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to any other party, it shall be under no obligation to (i) make, and the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall not make or be deemed to have made, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of any such information so provided, (ii) provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion, (iii) undertake any investigation or (iv) disclose any information that, pursuant to accepted or reasonable commercial finance practices, such party wishes to maintain confidential or is otherwise required to maintain confidential.

SECTION 8.05. Subrogation. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any rights of subrogation it may acquire as a result of any payment hereunder until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

SECTION 8.06. Application of Payments. Except as otherwise provided herein, all payments received by the Senior Secured Parties may be applied, reversed and reapplied, in whole or in part, to such part of the Senior Obligations as the Senior Secured Parties, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, consistent with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents. Except as otherwise provided herein, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, assents to any such extension

 

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or postponement of the time of payment of the Senior Obligations or any part thereof and to any other indulgence with respect thereto, to any substitution, exchange or release of any security that may at any time secure any part of the Senior Obligations and to the addition or release of any other Person primarily or secondarily liable therefor.

SECTION 8.07. Additional Grantors. The Borrower agrees that, if any Subsidiary shall become a Grantor after the date hereof, it will promptly cause such Subsidiary to become party hereto by executing and delivering an instrument in the form of Annex II. Upon such execution and delivery, such Subsidiary will become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party hereunder, and will be acknowledged by the Designated Second Priority Representative and the Designated Senior Representative. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 8.08. Dealings with Grantors. Upon any application or demand by the Borrower or any Grantor to any Representative to take or permit any action under any of the provisions of this Agreement or under any Collateral Document (if such action is subject to the provisions hereof), the Borrower or such Grantor, as appropriate, shall furnish to such Representative a certificate of an appropriate officer ( an “Officer’s Certificate”) stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Agreement or such Collateral Document, as the case may be, relating to the proposed action have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Agreement or any Collateral Document relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

SECTION 8.09. Additional Debt Facilities. To the extent, but only to the extent, permitted by the provisions of the then extant Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents, the Borrower may incur or issue and sell one or more series or classes of Second Priority Debt and one or more series or classes of Additional Senior Debt. Any such additional class or series of Second Priority Debt (the “Second Priority Class Debt”) may be secured by a second priority, subordinated Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and pursuant to the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents for such Second Priority Class Debt, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Second Priority Class Debt (each, a “Second Priority Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Second Priority Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any Second Priority Class Debt being referred to as the “Second Priority Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying conditions (i) through (vi), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph. Any such additional class or series of Senior Facilities (the “Senior Class Debt”; and the Senior Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt, collectively, the “Class Debt”) may be secured by a senior Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Senior Class Debt (each, a “Senior Class Debt Representative”; and the Senior Class Debt Representatives and Second Priority Class Debt Representatives, collectively, the “Class Debt Representatives”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Senior Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any such Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Senior Class Debt Parties; and the Senior Class Debt Parties and Second Priority Class Debt Parties, collectively, the “Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (vi), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph. In order for a Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement:

 

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(i) such Class Debt Representative shall have executed and delivered a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Annex III (if such Representative is a Second Priority Class Debt Representative) or Annex IV (if such Representative is a Senior Class Debt Representative) (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative and such Class Debt Representative, and, to the extent such changes increase the obligations or reduce the rights of a Grantor, by such Grantor) pursuant to which it becomes a Representative hereunder, and the Class Debt in respect of which such Class Debt Representative is the Representative and the related Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby;

(ii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Designated Senior Representative an Officer’s Certificate stating that the conditions set forth in this Section 8.09 are satisfied with respect to such Class Debt and, if requested, true and complete copies of each of the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt, certified as being true and correct by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower; and

(iii) the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt shall provide that each Class Debt Party with respect to such Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Class Debt.

SECTION 8.10. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Representative, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties of the Debt Facility for which it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the Collateral Documents, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Representative) at the address referred to in Section 8.11;

 

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(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law; and

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 8.10 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 8.11. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent:

(i) if to the Borrower or any Grantor, to the Borrower as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement;

(ii) if to the Initial Second Priority Representative to it at: [●] Attention of [●], telecopy [●];

(iii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement;

(iv) if to any other Representative, to it at the address specified by it in the Joinder Agreement delivered by it pursuant to Section 8.09.

Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and, may be personally served, telecopied, electronically mailed or sent by courier service or U.S. mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of a telecopy or electronic mail or upon receipt via U.S. mail (registered or certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed). For the purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto shall be as set forth above or, as to each party, at such other address as may be designated by such party in a written notice to all of the other parties. As agreed to in writing among each Representative from time to time, notices and other communications may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of the applicable person provided from time to time by such person.

SECTION 8.12. Further Assurances. Each Senior Representative, on behalf of itself and each Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Facility for which it is acting, each Second Party Representative, on behalf of itself, and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will take such further action and shall execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as the other parties hereto may reasonably request to effectuate the terms of, and the Lien priorities contemplated by, this Agreement.

SECTION 8.13. GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(A) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

 

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(B) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

SECTION 8.14. Binding on Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties, the Borrower, the other Grantors party hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 8.15. Section Titles. The section titles contained in this Agreement are and shall be without substantive meaning or content of any kind whatsoever and are not a part of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall together constitute one and the same document. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.17. Authorization. By its signature, each Person executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that it is duly authorized to execute this Agreement. The Administrative Agent represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Term Loan Secured Parties. The Initial Second Priority Representative represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 8.18. No Third Party Beneficiaries; Successors and Assigns. The lien priorities set forth in this Agreement and the rights and benefits hereunder in respect of such lien priorities shall inure solely to the benefit of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties, and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and no other Person (including the Grantors, or any trustee, receiver, debtor-in-possession or bankruptcy estate in a bankruptcy or like proceeding) shall have or be entitled to assert such rights.

SECTION 8.19. Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective when executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

SECTION 8.20. Administrative Agent and Representative. It is understood and agreed that (a) the Administrative Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Loan Agreement and the provisions of Article IX of the Term Loan Agreement applicable to the Administrative Agent (as defined therein) thereunder shall also apply to the Administrative Agent hereunder and (b) [        ] is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as [Trustee] under [indenture] and the provisions of Article [ ] of such indenture applicable to the Trustee thereunder shall also apply to the Trustee hereunder.

 

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SECTION 8.21. Relative Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary (except to the extent contemplated by Section 5.01(a), 5.01(d) or 5.03(b)), nothing in this Agreement is intended to or will (a) amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Term Loan Agreement, any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Documents, or permit the Borrower or any Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, to the extent such action or failure would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Documents, (b) change the relative priorities of the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted under the Senior Collateral Documents on the Shared Collateral (or any other assets) as among the Senior Secured Parties, (c) otherwise change the relative rights of the Senior Secured Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral as among such Senior Secured Parties or (d) obligate the Borrower or any Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, that would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document.

SECTION 8.22. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.23 ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Until such time as the Discharge of ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred with respect to the ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

[         ],

as Initial Additional Authorized Representative

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
THE GRANTORS LISTED ON ANNEX I HERETO,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

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ANNEX I

Grantors


ANNEX II

SUPPLEMENT NO. dated as of , to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [                ], 20[ ] (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), [                ], as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. The Grantors have entered into the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Pursuant to the Term Loan Agreement, certain Additional Senior Debt Documents and certain Second Priority Debt Documents, certain newly acquired or organized Subsidiaries of the Borrower are required to enter into the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.07 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Subsidiaries may become party to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “New Grantor”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Term Loan Agreement, the Second Priority Debt Documents and Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Subsidiary Grantor agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.07 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor, and the New Grantor hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Grantor represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of the New Grantor. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.


SECTION 5. THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Grantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as specified in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Grantor, and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY GRANTOR],
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Acknowledged by:

 

[                ], as Designated Senior Representative,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
[                ], as Designated Second Priority Representative,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

3


ANNEX III

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [                ], 20[    ] to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [                ], 20[ ] (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), [                ], as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Second Priority Debt and to secure such Second Priority Class Debt with the Second Priority Lien and to have such Second Priority Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a subordinated basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Second Priority Collateral Documents, the Second Priority Class Representative in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Second Priority Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Second Priority Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Second Priority Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Second Priority Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Second Priority Representative and to the Second Priority Class Debt Parties that it represents as Second Priority Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Second Priority Representative” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.


SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Second Priority Debt Documents relating to such Second Priority Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 3. This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE], as [                 ] for the holders of [                ],
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Address for notices:
 
 
  attention of:    
  Telecopy:    

[                ], as Designated Senior Representative,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

3


Acknowledged by:

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,
as Borrower
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,
as Holdings
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
THE OTHER GRANTORS LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

4


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors


ANNEX IV

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [     ], 20[ ] to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [                ], 20[ ] (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), [                ], as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Senior Class Debt after the date of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to secure such Senior Class Debt with the Senior Lien and to have such Senior Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents, the Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Senior Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Senior Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and such Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Senior Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Senior Class Debt and Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Senior Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Senior Representative and to the Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Senior Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Senior Representative” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal,


valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Senior Debt Documents relating to such Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Senior Secured Parties.

SECTION 3. This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE],
as [                 ] for the holders of [                ],
By:    
       Name:
  Title:
  Address for notices:
     
     
  attention of:    
  Telecopy:    

[                ],
as Designated Senior Representative,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

3


Acknowledged by:

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,
as Borrower
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,
as Holdings
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
THE OTHER GRANTORS LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

4


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors

EX-10.2.1

Exhibit 10.2.1

Execution Version

INCREMENTAL AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

INCREMENTAL AMENDMENT NO. 1, dated as of July 21, 2017 (this “Amendment”), to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”) and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”), and each lender from time to time party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested the issuance of an Incremental Loan in an aggregate principal amount of $180,000,000, which upon funding shall be in the form of an increase to the Initial Loans outstanding under the Credit Agreement immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment, pursuant to and on the terms set forth in Section 2.12 of the Credit Agreement and $80,000,000 of which shall be issued pursuant to clause (x) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount and $100,000,000 of which shall be issued pursuant to clause (z) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount;

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lender providing the Incremental Loan have agreed to amend certain provisions of the Credit Agreement as provided for herein to effect the incurrence of the Incremental Loan to the Credit Agreement pursuant to Section 2.12 thereof; and

WHEREAS, the Lender (“Incremental Lender”) listed on Schedule I hereto will make an Incremental Loan to the Borrower on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date in the form of an Initial Loan.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Defined Terms

Section 1.1 Defined Terms. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement (as amended by this Amendment).

ARTICLE II

Incremental Loan

Section 2.1 Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan. The Borrower confirms and agrees that it has requested an increase in the aggregate amount of the Initial Loans through the establishment of an Incremental Loan of the same Class as the existing Initial Loans to be made pursuant to the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment in an aggregate principal amount of $180,000,000 on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.


Section 2.2 Agreements of the Incremental Lender. The Incremental Lender agrees that (i) effective on and at all times after the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, the Incremental Lender will be bound by all obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement and (ii) on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, the Incremental Lender will fund an Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan in Dollars to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Borrower in an amount equal to the Incremental Lender’s Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment. The Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment shall terminate on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date following the funding of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan to be funded on such date.

Section 2.3 Fungibility of Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loans. The Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan established hereunder will upon funding, be an increase in the amount of each Borrowing of Initial Loans outstanding immediately prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, will constitute Initial Loans for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and will, together with the Initial Loans outstanding prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, be treated as one Class of Loans.

Section 2.4 Use of Proceeds. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan to redeem a portion of the Senior Notes and to pay related fees and expenses.

ARTICLE III

Amendments

Subject to the occurrence of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date:

(a) Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by inserting in appropriate alphabetical order the following new definitions:

Amendment No. 1” means Incremental Amendment No. 1 to this Agreement dated as of July 21, 2017.

Amendment No. 1 Effective Date” means July 21, 2017, the date of effectiveness of Amendment No. 1.

Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment” means, as to the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender, the obligation of such Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender to make an Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan to the Borrower on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, in the aggregate principal amount set forth on Schedule I to Amendment No. 1.

Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender” means a Person with an Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment to make an Amendment No. 1 Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

 

2


Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan” means the Incremental Loan made by the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender pursuant to its Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment.”

(b) The definition of “Initial Loans” in Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby deleted and replaced with the following:

Initial Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01; provided that such term shall also include the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan.”

(c) Section 2.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding “(a)” at the beginning thereof and adding the following new clause (b) to such Section:

“(b) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in Amendment No. 1, the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender agrees to make to the Borrower an Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan denominated in Dollars equal to its Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date. The Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan made on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date will take the form of a pro rata increase in each Borrowing of Initial Loans outstanding immediately prior to the funding of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(b) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.”

(d) Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

“SECTION 2.05 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Appropriate Lenders (a) on the last Business Day of each January, April, July and October, commencing with the last Business Day of January, 2017, an aggregate principal amount equal to 0.25% of the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Loans outstanding on the Closing Date; provided that the required amount of each such payment following the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date shall be increased by multiplying the amount set forth above in clause (a) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate principal amount of Initial Loans outstanding immediately following the funding of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date and the denominator of which is the aggregate principal amount of Initial Loans outstanding immediately prior to such funding (which payments shall be reduced as a result of the application of prepayments in accordance with the order of priority set forth in Section 2.03) and (b) on the Maturity Date for the Initial Loans, the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Loans outstanding on such date.”

 

3


ARTICLE IV

Conditions to Effectiveness

This Amendment shall become effective on the date (the “Amendment No. 1 Effective Date”) on which the following conditions are satisfied (or waived by the Incremental Lender):

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment signed by the Borrower and the Incremental Lender.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the legal opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties and an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received certificates of good standing from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, certified copies of resolutions of the applicable governing body of each Loan Party (or other similar corporate action), incumbency certificates and/or other customary closing certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party, in each of the foregoing cases, consistent with those delivered in connection on the Closing Date, evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Amendment and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

(d) All fees and expenses required to be paid hereunder or as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing shall have been paid in full or will be paid on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date out of the Borrowing of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan, in the case of expenses, to the extent invoiced at least two Business Days prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received at least five (5) days prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date all documentation and other information reasonably requested in writing by them at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date in order to allow the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to comply with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with requirements of the Credit Agreement; provided, however, that such Committed Loan Notice shall not require the Borrower to elect an Interest Period (it being agreed and acknowledged by the parties hereto that the Interest Period in effect with respect to the Initial Loans immediately prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date shall apply to the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan).

 

4


(g) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date with the same effect as though made on and as of such date; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates.

(h) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to this Amendment (including the borrowing of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan), no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or shall result from this Amendment and the incurrence of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, for the account of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Lender, original issue discount or an upfront fee in an amount equal to 1.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loan funded on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date of such Incremental Lender.

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the conditions set forth in clauses (g) and (h) have been satisfied.

(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the borrowing of the Incremental Loan and the application of proceeds thereof) in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of a recent Lien and judgment search in each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Loan Parties.

(m) The Administrative Agent shall have received a life-of-loan flood hazard determination notice for each real property encumbered by a Mortgage and if such real property is located in a special flood hazard area: (x) a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by the Borrower and (y) certificates of insurance evidencing the insurance required by the Credit Agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

 

5


ARTICLE V

Post-Closing Covenants

Section 5.1 Real Estate Deliverables. Within sixty (60) days after the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, unless waived or extended by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, the Administrative Agent shall have received either:

(a) email correspondence provided to the Administrative Agent in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, from local counsel in the jurisdiction in which the Mortgaged Property is located substantially to the effect that:

(i) the recording of the existing Mortgage is the only filing or recording necessary to give constructive notice to third parties of the lien created by such Mortgage as security for the Secured Obligations (as defined in the Mortgage), including the Secured Obligations evidenced by the Credit Agreement, as amended pursuant to this Amendment, and the other documents executed in connection therewith, for the benefit of the Secured Parties; and

(ii) no other documents, instruments, filings, recordings, re-recordings, re-filings or other actions, including, without limitation, the payment of any mortgage recording taxes or similar taxes, are necessary or appropriate under applicable law in order to maintain the continued enforceability, validity or priority of the lien created by such Mortgage as security for the Secured Obligations, including the Secured Obligations evidenced by the Credit Agreement, as amended pursuant to this Amendment, and the other documents executed in connection therewith, for the benefit of the Secured Parties; or

(b) such other documentation with respect to each Mortgaged Property, in each case in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, as shall confirm the validity and perfection of the lien in favor of the Secured Parties, including, without limitation:

(i) With respect to each Mortgage, an amendment thereof (each a “Mortgage Amendment”) duly executed and acknowledged by the applicable Loan Party, and in form for recording in the recording office where each such Mortgage was recorded, together with such certificates, affidavits, questionnaires or returns as shall be required in connection with the recording or filing thereof under applicable law;

(ii) With respect to each Mortgage Amendment, opinions of local counsel to the Loan Parties, which opinions (a) shall be addressed to the Administrative Agent and each of the Secured Parties and (b) shall cover the due authorization, execution, delivery and enforceability of the respective Mortgage as amended by the Mortgage Amendment and such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated herein as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request;

 

6


(iii) With respect to each Mortgage Amendment, a date down endorsement to the existing Mortgage Policy, which shall reasonably assure the Administrative Agent as of the date of such endorsement that the real property subject to the lien of such Mortgage is free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Encumbrances (as defined in the Mortgages);

(iv) evidence of payment by the Loan Parties of all search and examination charges escrow charges and related charges, mortgage recording taxes, fees, charges, costs and expenses required for the recording of the Mortgage Amendment referred to above together with such affidavits, certificates, information and instruments of indemnification as shall be required to induce the title insurance company to issue the endorsement to the title policy contemplated in this Section.

ARTICLE VI

Representation and Warranties

After giving effect to the amendments contained herein, on the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date each Loan Party hereby confirms that: (a) this Amendment has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each such Loan Party enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by debtor relief laws and by general principles of equity; (b) the representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document are true and correct in all material respects (or, in the case of any representations and warranties qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date with the same effect as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties were true and correct in all material respects (or, in the case of any representations and warranties qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) as of such earlier date); and (c) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

ARTICLE VII

Miscellaneous

Section 7.1 Continuing Effect; No Other Amendments or Waivers. This Amendment shall not constitute an amendment or waiver of or consent to any provision of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents except as expressly stated herein and shall not be construed as an amendment, waiver or consent to any action on the part of the Loan Parties that would require an amendment, waiver or consent of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders except as expressly stated herein. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, this Amendment shall not constitute a novation of the Credit Agreement. Except as expressly waived hereby, the provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are and shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their terms. This Amendment shall constitute an “Incremental Amendment” and a “Loan Document” for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents. This Amendment shall not constitute a novation of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

7


Section 7.2 Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

Section 7.3 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 7.4 Reaffirmation. Each Loan Party hereby expressly acknowledges the terms of this Amendment and reaffirms, as of the date hereof, (i) the covenants and agreements contained in each Loan Document to which it is a party, including, in each case, such covenants and agreements as in effect immediately after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby and (ii) its guarantee of the Obligations under each Guaranty, as applicable, and its grant of Liens on the Collateral to secure the Obligations (including, in respect of Amendment No. 1 Incremental Loans) pursuant to the Collateral Documents which guarantees and Liens shall continue in full force and effect after giving effect to this Amendment.

Section 7.5 Tax Matters. For U.S. federal and applicable state and local income tax purposes, the Borrower, each Lender and the Administrative Agent agree to treat the Incremental Loan established hereunder as a “qualified reopening” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.1275-2(k)) of, and being fungible with, the Initial Loans outstanding prior to the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date.

Section 7.6 Effect of Amendment. On and after the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereunder,” “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in each of the other Loan Documents to “the Credit Agreement,” “thereunder,” “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

 

8


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed and delivered by their respective duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as the Borrower

By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Secretary
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Secretary
JOANN.COM, LLC
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Secretary
JO-ANN STORES SUPPORT CENTER, INC.
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Secretary
JAS FABRICS AND CRAFTS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Manager
JAS AVIATION, LLC
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Manager

 

[Signature Page to Incremental Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement]


CREATIVEBUG, LLC
By:  

/s/ David B. Goldston

  Name: David B. Goldston
  Title:   Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Incremental Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

By:  

/s/ Denise Jones

  Name: Denise Jones
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Incremental Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Incremental Lender

By:  

/s/ Adam Cady

  Name: Adam Cady
  Title:   Managing Director

[Signature Page to Incremental Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement]


Schedule I

 

Incremental Lender

   Amendment No. 1 Incremental Commitment  

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 180,000,000  

Total

   $ 180,000,000  
EX-10.3

Exhibit 10.3

EXECUTION VERSION

Deal CUSIP: 47759DAC9

Facility CUSIP: 47759DAD7

 

 

 

$225,000,000

SECOND LIEN TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as the Borrower,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

 

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners

 

 

 


Table of Contents

 

          Page  
   ARTICLE I   
    

Definitions and Accounting Terms

      

SECTION 1.01

   Defined Terms      1  

SECTION 1.02

   Other Interpretive Provisions      44  

SECTION 1.03

   Accounting Terms      44  

SECTION 1.04

   Rounding      44  

SECTION 1.05

   References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.      44  

SECTION 1.06

   Times of Day      45  

SECTION 1.07

   Available Amount Transactions      45  

SECTION 1.08

   Pro Forma Calculations      45  

SECTION 1.09

   Currency Equivalents Generally      46  

SECTION 1.10

  

Limited Condition Acquisitions

     46  
  

ARTICLE II

  
   The Commitments and Borrowings   

SECTION 2.01

   The Loans      47  

SECTION 2.02

   Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans      47  

SECTION 2.03

   Prepayments      49  

SECTION 2.04

   Termination or Reduction of Commitments      57  

SECTION 2.05

   Repayment of Loans      57  

SECTION 2.06

   Interest      57  

SECTION 2.07

   Fees      57  

SECTION 2.08

   Computation of Interest and Fees      57  

SECTION 2.09

   Evidence of Indebtedness      58  

SECTION 2.10

   Payments Generally      58  

SECTION 2.11

   Sharing of Payments      59  

SECTION 2.12

   Incremental Borrowings      59  

SECTION 2.13

   Refinancing Amendments      60  

SECTION 2.14

   Extensions of Loans      61  

SECTION 2.15

   Loan Prepayment Protection      62  

SECTION 2.16

   LIBOR Successor Rate      62  

 

   ARTICLE III   
   Taxes, Increased Costs Protection and Illegality   

SECTION 3.01

   Taxes      63  

SECTION 3.02

   Illegality      65  

SECTION 3.03

   Inability to Determine Rates      66  

SECTION 3.04

   Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans      66  

SECTION 3.05

   Funding Losses      67  

SECTION 3.06

   Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation      68  

SECTION 3.07

   Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances      68  

SECTION 3.08

   Survival      69  

 

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          Page  
   ARTICLE IV   
   Conditions Precedent to Borrowings   

SECTION 4.01

   Conditions to Initial Borrowing      69  

SECTION 4.02

   Conditions to All Borrowings After the Closing Date      71  
   ARTICLE V   
   Representations and Warranties   

SECTION 5.01

   Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws      71  

SECTION 5.02

   Authorization; No Contravention      71  

SECTION 5.03

   Governmental Authorization      72  

SECTION 5.04

   Binding Effect      72  

SECTION 5.05

   Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect      72  

SECTION 5.06

   Litigation      72  

SECTION 5.07

   Labor Matters      72  

SECTION 5.08

   Ownership of Property; Liens      72  

SECTION 5.09

   Environmental Matters      72  

SECTION 5.10

   Taxes      73  

SECTION 5.11

   ERISA Compliance      73  

SECTION 5.12

   Subsidiaries      73  

SECTION 5.13

   Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act      74  

SECTION 5.14

   Disclosure      74  

SECTION 5.15

   Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.      74  

SECTION 5.16

   Solvency      74  

SECTION 5.17

   OFAC      74  

SECTION 5.18

   USA PATRIOT Act      74  

SECTION 5.19

   Collateral Documents      75  

SECTION 5.20

   Anti-Corruption Laws      75  

SECTION 5.21

   EEA Financial Institution      75  

SECTION 5.22

   Bank Secrecy Act Notice      75  
   ARTICLE VI   
   Affirmative Covenants   

SECTION 6.01

   Financial Statements      75  

SECTION 6.02

   Certificates; Other Information      76  

SECTION 6.03

   Notices      78  

SECTION 6.04

   Payment of Taxes      78  

SECTION 6.05

   Preservation of Existence, Etc.      78  

SECTION 6.06

   Maintenance of Properties      78  

SECTION 6.07

   Maintenance of Insurance      79  

SECTION 6.08

   Compliance with Laws      79  

SECTION 6.09

   Books and Records      79  

SECTION 6.10

   Inspection Rights      79  

SECTION 6.11

   Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security      79  

SECTION 6.12

   Compliance with Environmental Laws      81  

SECTION 6.13

   Further Assurances and Post-Closing Conditions      81  

SECTION 6.14

   Designation of Subsidiaries      82  

SECTION 6.15

   Maintenance of Ratings      83  

 

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          Page  
   ARTICLE VII   
   Negative Covenants   

SECTION 7.01

   Liens      83  

SECTION 7.02

   Investments      86  

SECTION 7.03

   Indebtedness      89  

SECTION 7.04

   Fundamental Changes      91  

SECTION 7.05

   Dispositions      93  

SECTION 7.06

   Restricted Payments      95  

SECTION 7.07

   Change in Nature of Business      97  

SECTION 7.08

   Transactions with Affiliates      97  

SECTION 7.09

   Burdensome Agreements      99  

SECTION 7.10

   Use of Proceeds      100  

SECTION 7.11

   Accounting Changes      100  

SECTION 7.12

   Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness      100  

SECTION 7.13

   Holdings      101  
   ARTICLE VIII   
   Events of Default and Remedies   

SECTION 8.01

   Events of Default      101  

SECTION 8.02

   Remedies upon Event of Default      103  

SECTION 8.03

   Application of Funds      103  
   ARTICLE IX   
   Administrative Agent and Other Agents   

SECTION 9.01

   Appointment and Authorization of the Administrative Agent      104  

SECTION 9.02

   Rights as a Lender      104  

SECTION 9.03

   Exculpatory Provisions      105  

SECTION 9.04

   Reliance by the Administrative Agent      105  

SECTION 9.05

   Delegation of Duties      106  

SECTION 9.06

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents      106  

SECTION 9.07

   Indemnification of Agents      106  

SECTION 9.08

   No Other Duties; Arranger, Etc.      107  

SECTION 9.09

   Resignation of Administrative Agent      107  

SECTION 9.10

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim      108  

SECTION 9.11

   Collateral and Guaranty Matters      109  

SECTION 9.12

   Appointment of Supplemental Administrative Agents      110  

SECTION 9.13

   Intercreditor Agreements      110  

SECTION 9.14

   Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements      111  

SECTION 9.15

   Withholding Taxes      111  

SECTION 9.16

   Certain ERISA Matters      111  
   ARTICLE X   
   Miscellaneous   

SECTION 10.01

   Amendments, Etc.      113  

SECTION 10.02

   Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies      114  

SECTION 10.03

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies      116  

 

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          Page  

SECTION 10.04

   Attorney Costs and Expenses      116  

SECTION 10.05

   Indemnification by the Borrower      117  

SECTION 10.06

   Marshaling; Payments Set Aside      117  

SECTION 10.07

   Successors and Assigns      118  

SECTION 10.08

   Confidentiality      122  

SECTION 10.09

   Setoff      122  

SECTION 10.10

   Interest Rate Limitation      123  

SECTION 10.11

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      123  

SECTION 10.12

   Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents      123  

SECTION 10.13

   Survival of Representations and Warranties      123  

SECTION 10.14

   Severability      123  

SECTION 10.15

   GOVERNING LAW      124  

SECTION 10.16

   WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY      124  

SECTION 10.17

   Binding Effect      124  

SECTION 10.18

   Lender Action      125  

SECTION 10.19

   Use of Name, Logo, etc.      125  

SECTION 10.20

   USA PATRIOT Act      125  

SECTION 10.21

   Service of Process      125  

SECTION 10.22

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      125  

SECTION 10.23

   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions      126  

 

SCHEDULES

 

I

   Guarantors
 

1.01A

   Certain Security Interests and Guarantees
 

1.01B

   Designated Assets
 

1.01F

   Mortgaged Properties
 

2.01

   Commitment
 

5.12

   Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments
 

7.01(b)

   Existing Liens
 

7.02(f)

   Existing Investments
 

7.03(b)

   Existing Indebtedness
 

7.08

   Transactions with Affiliates
 

7.09

   Existing Restrictions
 

10.02

   Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices

EXHIBITS

 

Form of

  
 

A

   Committed Loan Notice
 

B

   Note
 

C

   Compliance Certificate
 

D

   Assignment and Assumption
 

E

   Guaranty
 

F

   Security Agreement
 

G-1

   Legal Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
 

G-2

   Legal Opinion of Thompson Hine LLP
 

H-1

   First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement
 

H-2

   Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement
 

I

   United States Tax Compliance Certificate
 

J

   Intercompany Subordination Agreement
 

K

   Solvency Certificate
 

L

   Discount Range Prepayment Notice
 

M

   Discount Range Prepayment Offer

 

-iv-


 

N

   Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice
 

O

   Acceptance and Prepayment Notice
 

P

   Specified Discount Prepayment Notice
 

Q

   Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer
 

R

   Specified Discount Prepayment Response

 

-v-


CREDIT AGREEMENT

This SECOND LIEN TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of May 21, 2018 among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Administrative Agent”) and collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto, the “Collateral Agent”) under the Loan Documents, and each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”).

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders extend credit to the Borrower in the form of Initial Loans on the Closing Date in an initial aggregate principal amount of $225,000,000 pursuant to this Agreement.

The proceeds of the Initial Loans and, if applicable, borrowings under the ABL Credit Agreement (as defined herein), together with a portion of cash on hand, will be used to repurchase or redeem in full the Topco Notes (as defined herein) and pay accrued interest, fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing.

The Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions and Accounting Terms

SECTION 1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

2018 Refinancing Transactions” means the refinancing transactions described in the recitals.

ABL Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the ABL Facilities Documentation, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the ABL Facilities Documentation.

ABL Credit Agreement” means that Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 among the Borrower, Holdings, the guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and the ABL Administrative Agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof, in each case as and to the extent permitted by this Agreement and the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

ABL Facilities” means the asset-based revolving credit facilities under the ABL Credit Agreement.

ABL Facilities Documentation” means the ABL Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the amended and restated intercreditor agreement dated as of the Closing Date among the First Lien Term Administrative Agent, the ABL Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, or any other intercreditor agreement among the ABL Administrative Agent,

 

1


one or more Senior Representatives of Permitted Priority Secured Debt, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt or Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, the First Lien Term Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent on terms, taken as a whole, reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be not materially adverse to the Lenders compared to those contained in the intercreditor agreement described above, as the same may be supplemented or amended from time to time.

Acceptable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(2).

Acceptable Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Acceptance and Prepayment Notice” means a notice of the Borrower’s acceptance of the Acceptable Discount in substantially the form of Exhibit O.

Acceptance Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(2).

Additional Lender” means, at any time, any bank, other financial institution, institutional investor or, subject to Sections 10.07(h) and (i), Affiliated Lender that, in any case, is not an existing Lender and that agrees to provide any portion of any (a) Incremental Loan in accordance with Section 2.12 or (b) Other Loans pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment in accordance with Section 2.13; provided that each Additional Lender (other than any Person that is an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund of a Lender at such time or an Affiliated Lender) shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), in each case to the extent any such consent would be required from the Administrative Agent under Section 10.07(b)(iii)(B) for an assignment of Loans to such Additional Lender.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the Arrangers, the Agents or their respective lending affiliates shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries.

Affiliated Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that is the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Sponsor (other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries) at such time.

Agent Parties” has the meaning specified in Section 10.02(d).

Agent-Related Persons” means the Agents, together with their respective Affiliates, and the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorney-in-fact, partners, trustees and advisors of such Persons and of such Persons’ Affiliates.

Agents” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Supplemental Administrative Agents (if any) and the Arranger.

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

2


Agreement” means this Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, modified, replaced, extended, renewed or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

All-In Yield” means, as to any Indebtedness, the yield thereof, whether in the form of interest rate, margin, OID, upfront fees, a Eurodollar Rate or Base Rate floor greater than 1.00% or 2.00%, respectively (with such increased amount being equated to interest margins for purposes of determining any increase to the Applicable Rate), or otherwise; provided that (i) OID and upfront fees on floating rate Indebtedness shall be equated to an interest rate assuming a 4-year life to maturity (or, if less, the stated life to maturity at the time of the incurrence of the applicable Indebtedness) and (ii) “All-In Yield” with respect to any fixed rate indebtedness shall be determined in accordance with bond market convention (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) and adjusted to a floating rate yield (based on mid-rate swaps having a term equivalent to such fixed rate Indebtedness at the time of issuance thereof as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent); provided, further, that “All-In Yield” shall not include arrangement fees, structuring fees or underwriting or similar fees paid to arrangers for such Indebtedness.

Annual Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Saturday closest to each of January 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the Borrower for the fiscal years then ended.

Applicable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(2).

Applicable ECF Builder Percentage” means for any fiscal year of the Borrower, 100% minus the ECF Percentage for such fiscal year.

Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Weighted Average Life to Maturity.”

Applicable Prepayment Premium” means, with respect to any Initial Loan being prepaid, (i) prior to the date that is one year after the Closing Date, 2% of the principal amount of such Initial Loan so prepaid, (ii) on or after the date that is one year after the Closing Date and prior to the date that is two years after the Closing Date, 1% of the principal amount of such Initial Loan so prepaid and (iii) on or after the date that is two years after the Closing Date, 0% of the principal amount of such Initial Loan so prepaid.

Applicable Rate” means a percentage per annum equal to (i) for Eurodollar Rate Loans, 9.25% and (ii) for Base Rate Loans, 8.25%.

Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, with respect to Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class.

Approved Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any Fund that is administered, advised or managed by (a) such Lender, (b) an Affiliate of such Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers, advises or manages such Lender.

Arrangers” means Bank of America, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., each in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner under this Agreement.

Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

Assignment and Assumption” means an Assignment and Assumption substantially in the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Attorney Costs” means all reasonable and documented fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external legal counsel.

 

3


Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

Auction Agent” means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any other financial institution or advisor employed by the Borrower (whether or not an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent) to act as an arranger in connection with any Discounted Loan Prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv); provided that the Borrower shall not designate the Administrative Agent as the Auction Agent without the written consent of the Administrative Agent (it being understood that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to agree to act as the Auction Agent); provided, further, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Affiliates may act as the Auction Agent.

Available Amount” means, at any time (the “Reference Date”), the sum of:

(a) (i) $26,733,300.52 plus (ii) an amount equal to the Available Excess Cash Flow Amount; plus

(b) the amount of any capital contributions or Net Cash Proceeds from Permitted Equity Issuances (or issuances of debt securities that have been converted into or exchanged for Qualified Equity Interests) received or made by the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof and contributed by such parent to the Borrower) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

(c) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above or (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment, the aggregate amount of all dividends, distributions, returns of principal, interest, profits on sale and similar amounts received in cash or Cash Equivalents by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Minority Investments, Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(n) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

(d) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above or (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment, the aggregate amount of all repayments of principal, interest or similar amounts received in cash or Cash Equivalents by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Minority Investments or Unrestricted Subsidiaries and the fair market value of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary (to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made in reliance on the Available Amount) during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date in respect of loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to such Minority Investments or Unrestricted Subsidiaries; plus

(e) to the extent not (A) included in clause (a) above, (B) already reflected as a return of capital with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment or (C) required to be applied to prepay Loans in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii), the aggregate amount of all Net Cash Proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the sale, transfer or other disposition of its ownership interest in any Minority Investment or Unrestricted Subsidiary during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Reference Date; plus

(f) the aggregate amount of mandatory prepayments declined pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(vi); minus

(g) the aggregate amount of any Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(c)(iv)(B)(y), 7.02(i)(B)(ii) and Section 7.02(n)(ii), any Restricted Payment made pursuant to Section 7.06(k)(ii) or any payment made pursuant to Section 7.12(a)(D)(2) during the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the Reference Date (and, for purposes of this clause (g), without taking account of the intended usage of the Available Amount on such Reference Date in the contemplated transaction).

 

4


Available Excess Cash Flow Amount” means, on any Reference Date the Applicable ECF Builder Percentage multiplied by the Excess Cash Flow for the entire fiscal year (including any period thereof prior to the Closing Date) ending on or around January 31, 2019 and each full fiscal year of the Borrower thereafter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) on or prior to the applicable Reference Date; provided that in no event shall the Available Excess Cash Flow Amount at any time be less than zero.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America, N.A. as its “prime rate,” (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00% and (d) 2.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America, N.A. based upon various factors including Bank of America, N.A.’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America, N.A. shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, which certification shall be substantially similar in form and substance to the form of Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers published jointly, in May 2018, by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment” means the offer by the Borrower to make a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a specified discount to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B).

Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by the Borrower of offers for, and the corresponding acceptance, if any, by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a specified range of discounts to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C).

Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers” means the solicitation by the Borrower of offers for, and the subsequent acceptance, if any, by a Lender of, a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a discount to par pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D).

 

5


Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period.

Borrowing Base” means, on any date, the sum of (x) 90% of 10% of the net sales of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, for the most recent fiscal month for which internal financial statements are available at such time plus (y) 80% of the book value of inventory of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as of the last day of the most recent fiscal month of the Borrower for which internal financial statements are available at such time.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the jurisdiction where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or any other dealings to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in Dollars are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the aggregate of all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as liabilities and including in all events all amounts expended or capitalized under Capitalized Leases) by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that, in conformity with GAAP, are or are required to be included as capital expenditures on the consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

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

Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or are required to be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases; provided that for all purposes hereunder the amount of obligations under any Capitalized Lease shall be the Capitalized Lease Obligation with respect thereto; provided further that any lease that would be characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP on the Closing Date (whether or not such operating lease was in effect on such date) shall continue to be accounted for as an operating lease (and not as a Capitalized Lease) for purposes of this Agreement regardless of any change in GAAP following the Closing Date that would otherwise require such lease to be recharacterized (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) as a Capitalized Lease.

Cash Collateral Account” means an account held at, and subject to the sole dominion and control of, the Collateral Agent.

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary:

(a) Dollars;

(b) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business and not for speculation;

(c) readily marketable direct obligations issued or directly and fully and unconditionally guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof the securities of which are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of such government with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition;

 

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(d) certificates of deposit, time deposits and Eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, demand deposits, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case with any domestic or foreign commercial bank having capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000;

(e) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (c) and (d) above or clause (g) below entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (d) above;

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

(g) marketable short-term money market and similar highly liquid funds having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency);

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

(i) Investments with average maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition in money market funds rated AAA- (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aaa3 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s (or, if at any time neither Moody’s nor S&P shall be rating such obligations, an equivalent rating from another nationally recognized statistical rating agency); and

(j) investment funds investing substantially all of their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through (i) above.

In the case of Investments by any Foreign Subsidiary that is a Restricted Subsidiary or Investments made in a country outside the United States of America, Cash Equivalents shall also include (i) investments of the type and maturity described in clauses (a) through (j) above of foreign obligors, which Investments or obligors (or the parents of such obligors) have ratings described in such clauses or equivalent ratings from comparable foreign rating agencies and (ii) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments analogous to the foregoing investments in clauses (a) through (j) and in this paragraph.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents shall include amounts denominated in currencies other than those set forth in clause (a) above, provided that such amounts are converted into Dollars as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of such amounts.

Cash Management Bank” means any Person that is an Agent or Lender or an Affiliate of an Agent or Lender on the Closing Date or at the time it provides any Cash Management Services, whether or not such Person subsequently ceases to be an Agent, Lender or an Affiliate of an Agent or Lender.

Cash Management Obligations” means obligations owed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Cash Management Bank in respect of or in connection with any Cash Management Services and designated by the Cash Management Bank and the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent as “Cash Management Obligations”; provided that no obligations designated as “Cash Management Obligations” under the First Lien Term Facilities shall be designated as Cash Management Obligations hereunder.

 

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Cash Management Services” means any agreement or arrangement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit card processing, credit or debit card, purchase card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

Casualty Event” means any event that gives rise to the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of any equipment, fixed assets or real property (including any improvements thereon) to replace or repair, or as compensation for the taking of, such equipment, fixed assets or real property.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty (excluding the taking effect after the date of this Agreement of a law, rule, regulation or treaty adopted prior to the date of this Agreement), (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

(a) (i) at any time prior to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders ceasing to own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings; or

(ii) at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, (1) any Person (other than a Permitted Holder) or (2) Persons (other than one or more Permitted Holders) constituting a “group” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person and its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under such Act), directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests representing more than forty percent (40%) of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings and the percentage of aggregate ordinary voting power so held is greater than the percentage of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the Equity Interests of Holdings beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate by the Permitted Holders;

unless, in the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; or

(b) any “Change of Control” (or any comparable term) in any document pertaining to the ABL Facilities or the First Lien Term Facilities; or

(c) the Borrower ceases to be a direct wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings (or any Successor Holdings or other successor under Section 7.04(a)).

Class” when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Initial Loans, Incremental Loans (other than in the form of additional Initial Loans), Other Loans or Extended Loans, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Commitment in respect of Initial Loans, Other Term Commitment (and, in the case of an Other Term Commitment, the Class of Loans to which such commitment relates), or a Commitment in respect of a Class of Loans to be made pursuant to an Incremental Amendment or an Extension Offer and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment with respect to a particular Class of Loans or Commitments. Other Term Commitments, Other Loans, Incremental Loans and Extended Loans that have different terms and conditions shall be construed to be in different Classes.

 

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Closing Date” means the first date on which all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.

Closing Date Distribution” means an aggregate amount equal to the principal amount required for the redemption of the TopCo Notes and any accrued interest, premium, fees or costs associated therewith.

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

Co-Investor” means (a) the assignees, if any, of the equity commitments of any Sponsor who became holders of Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) on or around March 18, 2011 (the “Original LBO Closing Date”) and (b) the transferees, if any, that acquired, within 60 days of the Original LBO Closing Date, any Equity Interests in the Borrower (or any of the direct or indirect parent companies of the Borrower) held by any Sponsor as of the Original LBO Closing Date.

Collateral” means all the “Collateral” (or equivalent term) as defined in any Collateral Document and shall include the Mortgaged Properties.

Collateral Agent” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” means, at any time, the requirement that:

(a) the Collateral Agent shall have received each Collateral Document required to be delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(iv) or pursuant to Section 6.11 or Section 6.13 at such time, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto;

(b) all Obligations shall have been unconditionally guaranteed by Holdings, each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary and not an Excluded Subsidiary including those that are listed on Schedule I hereto (each, a “Guarantor”), and any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that Guarantees the First Lien Term Facilities, any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower pursuant to the ABL Facilities (or is a co-borrower with the Borrower thereunder), any Junior Financing, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, any Permitted Priority Secured Debt or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof) shall be a Guarantor hereunder;

(c) the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a second-priority security interest (subject to non-consensual Liens permitted by Section 7.01) in (i) all the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) all Equity Interests of each direct, wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Domestic Subsidiary described in the following clause (iii)(A)) that is directly owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor and (iii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of (A) each wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor and substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and (B) each wholly owned Foreign Subsidiary that is directly owned by the Borrower or by any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(d) except to the extent otherwise provided hereunder, including subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, or under any Collateral Document, the Obligations and the Guaranty shall have been secured by a perfected security interest (to the extent such security interest may be perfected by delivering certificated securities, filing financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code or making any necessary filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office) in substantially all tangible and intangible personal property of the Borrower and each Guarantor (including accounts (other than deposit accounts, other bank or securities accounts or any Securitization Assets), inventory, equipment, investment property, contract rights, applications and registrations of intellectual property filed in the United States, other general intangibles, and proceeds of the foregoing), in each case, with

 

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the priority required by the Collateral Documents, in each case subject to exceptions and limitations otherwise set forth in this Agreement and the Collateral Documents; provided that any such security interests (x) in Current Asset Collateral shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (y) shall be subject to the terms of the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement; and

(e) the Collateral Agent shall have received, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, (i) counterparts of a Mortgage with respect to each Material Real Property listed on Schedule 1.01F or required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.11 and 6.13(b) (the “Mortgaged Properties”) duly executed and delivered by the record owner of such property, (ii) fully paid Mortgage Policies in form and substance, with endorsements available in the applicable jurisdiction and in amount, reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent (not to exceed the fair market value of the real properties covered thereby), issued, coinsured and reinsured by title insurers reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, insuring the Mortgages to be valid subsisting Liens on the property described therein, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, and providing for such other affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances under the Loan Documents) and such coinsurance and direct access reinsurance as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request and is available in the applicable jurisdiction, (iii) such surveys, abstracts and appraisals and such customary opinions of local counsel and other documents as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request with respect to any such Mortgaged Property, including evidence of payment by any applicable Loan Party of all title policy premiums, and related charges, mortgage recording taxes, fees and expenses required in connection with recording the Mortgages and issuing the Mortgage Policies, copies of all leases in which any Loan Party holds the lessor’s interest, if any, and (iv) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof.

The foregoing definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of title insurance, surveys, abstracts or appraisals with respect to, particular assets if and for so long as, in the reasonable judgment of the Collateral Agent and the Borrower, the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets or obtaining title insurance, surveys abstracts or appraisals in respect of such assets shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.

The Collateral Agent may grant extensions of time for the perfection of security interests in or the obtaining of title insurance and surveys with respect to particular assets (including extensions beyond the Closing Date for the perfection of security interests in the assets of the Loan Parties on such date) where it reasonably determines, in consultation with the Borrower, that perfection cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required by this Agreement or the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreements, the Mortgages, Security Agreement Supplements, security agreements, pledge agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Agents and the Lenders pursuant to Sections 4.01(a)(iv), 6.11 or 6.13, the Guaranty, the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement (if any), the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien or Guarantee in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make a Loan to the Borrower hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Loan to be made by such Lender under this Agreement, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.04 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (i) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (ii) an Incremental Amendment, (iii) a Refinancing Amendment or (iv) an Extension. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01 under the caption “Commitment” or, otherwise, in the Assignment and Assumption, Incremental Amendment or Refinancing Amendment pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as the case may be. The initial aggregate amount of the Commitments on the Closing Date is $225,000,000.

 

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Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Company Parties” means the collective reference to Holdings and its Subsidiaries, including the Borrower, and “Company Party” means any one of them.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C and which certificate shall in any event be a certificate of the chief financial officer (a) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and, if applicable, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (b) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations, in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 6.01(a), beginning with the financial statements for the fiscal year of the Borrower ending on or about January 31, 2019, of Excess Cash Flow for such fiscal year, (c) commencing with the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date, setting forth a calculation of the Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent Test Period and (d) in the case of financial statements delivered under Section 6.01(a), setting forth a reasonably detailed calculation of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the applicable period by or on behalf of, Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) and the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that has been invested or are intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B).

Consolidated Current Assets” means, as at any date of determination, the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that may properly be classified as current assets in conformity with GAAP, excluding cash and Cash Equivalents, amounts related to current or deferred taxes based on income or profits, assets held for sale, loans (permitted) to third parties, pension assets, deferred bank fees and derivative financial instruments, and excluding the effects of adjustments pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to any consummated acquisition.

Consolidated Current Liabilities” means, as at any date of determination, the total liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that may properly be classified as current liabilities in conformity with GAAP, excluding (A) the current portion of any Funded Debt, (B) the current portion of interest, (C) accruals for current or deferred taxes based on income or profits, (D) accruals of any costs or expenses related to restructuring reserves, (E) revolving loans, swingline loans and letter of credit obligations under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, (F) the current portion of any Capitalized Lease Obligation, (G) deferred revenue arising from cash receipts that are earmarked for specific projects, (H) liabilities in respect of unpaid earn-outs and (I) the current portion of any other long-term liabilities, and, furthermore, excluding the effects of adjustments pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation any consummated acquisition.

Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense of such Person, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

(a) increased by (without duplication):

(i) (A) provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income and (B) amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 7.06(g), solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ii) (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iii) Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(iv) any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction, the Refinancing Transactions and the 2018 Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

(v) the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Closing Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Closing Date; plus

(vi) the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Closing Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs, plus

(vii) any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period), plus

(viii) the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income, plus

(ix) the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 7.08 and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, plus

 

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(x) [reserved], plus

(xi) the amount of loss on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing, plus

(xii) cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to paragraph (b) below for any previous period and not added back, plus

(xiii) any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), in each case, solely to the extent that such cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Available Amount;

(b) decreased by (without duplication):

(i) any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with this definition), plus

(ii) any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period.

For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.08.

Consolidated First Lien Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, Consolidated Net Debt that is secured by a Lien on any asset or property of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Obligations and any such amount of Consolidated Net Debt that is secured solely by Liens on the Collateral that are expressly pari passu (without regard to exercise of remedies) or subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations).

Consolidated Net Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (a) Consolidated Total Debt, minus (b) the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet.

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 and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that, without duplication,

(a) any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions and the 2018 Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs (other than with respect to Stores), severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation thereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC), shall be excluded,

 

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(b) the Net Income for such period shall not include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP,

(c) effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes, shall be excluded,

(d) any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations shall be excluded,

(e) any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower, shall be excluded,

(f) the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be excluded; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period,

(g) (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments, shall be excluded,

(h) any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP shall be excluded,

(i) any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days), shall be excluded,

(j) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption shall be excluded, and

 

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(k) any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction, shall be excluded.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (A) the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date (if any) plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit, obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments; provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any Qualified Securitization Financing, (ii) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (iii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

Consolidated Working Capital” means, as at any date of determination, the excess of Consolidated Current Assets over Consolidated Current Liabilities.

Contract Consideration” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Excess Cash Flow.”

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”

Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” means any (a) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt that is designated in writing to the Administrative Agent by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” on or prior to the date of incurrence, (b) Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, (c) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt or (d) Other Loans, in each case, issued, incurred or otherwise obtained (including by means of the extension or renewal of existing Indebtedness) in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, in whole or part, existing Loans (“Refinanced Term Debt”); provided that such exchanging, extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing Indebtedness is in an original aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate principal amount of the Refinanced Term Debt except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premium) thereon plus reasonable upfront fees and OID on such exchanging, extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing Indebtedness, plus other reasonable and customary fees and expenses in connection with such exchange, modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension.

Current Asset Collateral” means all the “ABL Priority Collateral” as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

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

 

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Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Rate applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to the outstanding principal amount of any Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan (giving effect to Section 2.02(c)) plus 2.0% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

Designated Assets” means the assets set forth on Schedule 1.01B.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Designated Non-Cash Consideration” means the fair market value of non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a Disposition pursuant to Section 7.05(j) that is designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, setting forth the basis of such valuation (which amount will be reduced by the fair market value of the portion of the non-cash consideration converted to cash within one hundred eighty (180) days following the consummation of the applicable Disposition).

Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(2).

Discount Range” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Prepayment Notice” means a written notice of a Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C) substantially in the form of Exhibit L.

Discount Range Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by a Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit M, submitted in response to an invitation to submit offers following the Auction Agent’s receipt of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice.

Discount Range Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Discount Range Proration” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(3).

Discounted Loan Prepayment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(A).

Discounted Prepayment Determination Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Discounted Prepayment Effective Date” means in the case of a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offer or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offer, five (5) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date or the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, as applicable, in accordance with Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B), Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C) or Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D), respectively, unless a shorter period is agreed to between the Borrower and the Auction Agent.

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale or issuance of Equity Interests in a Restricted Subsidiary) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

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Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise (except as a result of a change of control or asset sale so long as any rights of the holders thereof upon the occurrence of a change of control or asset sale event shall be subject to the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations that are accrued and payable and the termination of the Commitments), (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof (other than solely for Qualified Equity Interests), in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date of the Loans at the time of issuance; provided that if such Equity Interests are issued pursuant to a plan for the benefit of employees of Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interests shall not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests solely because it may be required to be repurchased by Holdings, the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations.

Disqualified Institution” means:

(1) any Person that is a competitor of the Borrower and identified by the Borrower in good faith in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time after the Closing Date;

(2) those banks, financial institutions, other institutional lenders and investors and other entities that were identified by the Borrower as such in writing to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date; and

(3) any Affiliates of Persons described in the foregoing clauses (1) and (2) that are readily identifiable as such solely on the basis of their names (other than any such Affiliate that is a bank, financial institution or fund (other than a Person described in clause (2) above) that regularly invest in commercial loans or similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business and for which no personnel involved with the relevant competitor or Person referred to in clause (2) above make investment decisions);

provided that in no event shall any update to the list of Disqualified Institutions (A) be effective prior to two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent or (B) apply retroactively to disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an assignment or participation interest under this Agreement or that is party to a pending trade.

Notwithstanding anything in the Loan Documents to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible (or have any liability) for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions thereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (1) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (2) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans or commitments, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution. The list of Disqualified Institutions may be made available by the Administrative Agent on the Platform and to prospective assignees and Participants (including Public Lenders).

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

ECF Percentage” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(i).

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

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EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 10.07(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.07(b)(iii)).

Environmental Claim” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) in the ordinary course of such Person’s business or (b) as required in connection with a financing transaction or an acquisition or disposition of real estate) or proceedings with respect to any Environmental Liability (hereinafter “Claims”), including (i) any and all Claims by governmental or regulatory authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Environmental Laws” means any and all Laws relating to the protection of the environment or, to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials, human health.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities) of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that together with any Loan Party is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan, written notification of any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or written notification that a Multiemployer Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; (d) the

 

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filing under Section 4041(c) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan, the treatment of a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan, other than for the payment of plan contributions or PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates, (f) a failure to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) with respect to a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, (g) the application for a minimum funding waiver under Section 302(c) of ERISA with respect to a Pension Plan, (h) the imposition of a lien under Section 303(k) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan or (i) a determination that any Pension Plan is in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA).

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate” means:

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, (i) the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan or (ii) a comparable or successor rate determined pursuant to Section 2.16; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent; provided, further that the Eurodollar Rate shall be no less than 1.00%.

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the definition of Eurodollar Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

Excess Cash Flow” means, for any period, an amount equal to the excess of:

(a) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period,

(ii) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation and amortization) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, but excluding any such non-cash charges representing an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period,

(iii) decreases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such decreases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

 

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(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

(v) the amount deducted as tax expense in determining Consolidated Net Income to the extent in excess of cash taxes paid in such period, and

(vi) cash receipts in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not otherwise included in such Consolidated Net Income; over

(b) the sum, without duplication, of:

(i) an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (but excluding any non-cash credit to the extent representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve described in clause (a)(ii) above) and cash charges excluded by virtue of clauses (a) through (k) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income,”

(ii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clause (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property accrued or made in cash during such period to the extent financed with (A) internally generated funds or (B) the proceeds of extensions of credit under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, in each case, of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iii) the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to such Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase, but excluding (X) all other prepayments of Loans, (Y) all prepayments in respect of the ABL Facilities and except to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder, all other prepayments of any other revolving credit facility and (Z) payments of any subordinated indebtedness except to the extent permitted to be paid pursuant to Section 7.12(a)) made during such period, in each case except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other long term Indebtedness (other than the proceeds of any revolving Indebtedness) of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(iv) an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and the net cash loss on Dispositions to the extent otherwise added to arrive at Consolidated Net Income,

(v) increases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting),

(vi) cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness) to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

(vii) without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to clauses (viii) and (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Investments made pursuant to Sections 7.02(b)(iii), (m) (but excluding such loans and advances in respect of Sections 7.06(g)(i), (g)(iv) (to the extent the amount of such Investment would not have been deducted pursuant to this clause if made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) and (k)) and (n) and acquisitions made during such period to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and not made in reliance on any basket calculated by reference to the Available Amount,

 

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(viii) the amount of Restricted Payments paid during such period pursuant to Sections 7.06(f), (g), (h), (i), (k)(i), (k)(ii) (solely to the extent made in reliance on clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Available Amount”) and (l), in each case to the extent such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(ix) the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries from internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

(x) the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and such payments reduced Excess Cash Flow pursuant to clause (b)(iii) above or reduced the mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.03(b)(i),

(xi) without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower following the end of such period; provided that, to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash flow actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property during such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters,

(xii) the amount of cash taxes paid or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, and

(xiii) cash expenditures in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Guarantor, (b) any Foreign Subsidiary, (c) any Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of which consist of Equity Interests in one or more Foreign Subsidiaries, (d) any Domestic Subsidiary that is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of a Foreign Subsidiary, (e) any Subsidiary that is prohibited or restricted by applicable Law from providing a Guaranty or if such Guaranty would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization, (f) any special purpose securitization vehicle (or similar entity), including any Securitization Subsidiary, (g) any Subsidiary that is a not-for-profit organization, (h) any other Subsidiary with respect to which, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent (confirmed in writing by notice to the Borrower), the cost or other consequences (including any adverse tax consequences) of providing the Guaranty shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom and (i) each Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

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Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to any “keepwell, support or other agreement” for the benefit of such Guarantor and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or a grant by such Guarantor of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guaranty or security interest is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (a) any tax on such recipient’s net income or profits (or franchise tax or minimum tax imposed in lieu of such tax on net income or profits) imposed by a jurisdiction as a result of such recipient being organized or having its principal office or applicable Lending Office located in such jurisdiction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any backup withholding in respect of such a tax under section 3406 of the Code) or as a result of any other present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction (including as a result of such recipient carrying on a trade or business, having a permanent establishment or being a resident for tax purposes in such jurisdiction), other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents, (b) any branch profits tax under Section 884(a) of the Code, or any similar tax, imposed by any jurisdiction described in clause (a), (c) with respect to any Non-US Lender (other than any Non-US Lender becoming a party hereto pursuant to the Borrower’s request under Section 3.07), any U.S. federal withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Non-US Lender pursuant to a Law in effect at the time such Non-US Lender becomes a party hereto (or where the Non-US Lender is a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, pursuant to a Law in effect on the later of the date on which such Non-US Lender becomes a party hereto or the date on which the affected partner becomes a partner of such Non-US Lender) or designates a new Lending Office or experiences a change in circumstances (other than a Change in Law), except to the extent that such Non-US Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment or change in circumstances), to receive additional amounts from a Loan Party with respect to such U.S. federal withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01, (d) any withholding tax attributable to such recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(c), (e) any tax imposed as a result of such recipient’s failure to establish a complete exemption under FATCA and (f) any interest, additions to taxes and penalties with respect to any taxes described in clauses (a) through (e) of this definition.

Extended Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extension” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Extension Offer” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

Facility” means the Initial Loans, any Extended Loans, any Incremental Loans or any Other Loans, as the context may require.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as in effect on the date hereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agreements between governmental authorities implementing such provisions, any law implementing such agreements and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code) and any amended or successor provisions that are substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with (and, in each case, any regulations promulgated thereunder or official interpretations thereof).

 

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Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

First Lien Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated First Lien Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

First Lien Term Administrative Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Term Facilities Documentation, or any successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the First Lien Term Facilities Documentation.

First Lien Term Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 among the Borrower, Holdings, the guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and the First Lien Term Administrative Agent, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time in one or more agreements (in each case with the same or new lenders, institutional investors or agents), including any agreement extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof.

First Lien Term Facilities” means the term loan facilities under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement.

First Lien Term Facilities Documentation” means the First Lien Term Credit Agreement and all security agreements, guarantees, pledge agreements and other agreements or instruments executed in connection therewith.

First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date in the form of Exhibit H-1, by and among the First Lien Term Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Loans Parties, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

Flood Insurance Laws” shall mean, collectively, (i) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (which comprehensively revised the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973) as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto and (iii) the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto.

Foreign Casualty Event” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(v).

Foreign Disposition” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(v).

Foreign Plan” means any material employee benefit plan, program or agreement maintained or contributed to by, or entered into with, Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings with respect to employees employed outside the United States (other than benefit plans, programs or agreements that are mandated by applicable Laws).

Foreign Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course.

 

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Funded Debt” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for borrowed money that matures more than one year from the date of its creation or matures within one year from such date that is renewable or extendable, at the option of such Person, to a date more than one year from such date or arises under a revolving credit or similar agreement that obligates the lender or lenders to extend credit during a period of more than one year from such date, including Indebtedness in respect of the Loans.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that (i) accounting for leases shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect on the Closing Date and (ii) if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Closing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS) on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (including through the adoption of IFRS), then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(g).

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or monetary other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness for borrowed money). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantors” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.” For avoidance of doubt, the Borrower may cause any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to Guarantee the Obligations by causing such Restricted Subsidiary to execute a joinder to the Guaranty in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and any such Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor hereunder for all purposes.

 

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Guaranty” means (a) the guaranty made by Holdings and the other Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties pursuant to clause (b) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” substantially in the form of Exhibit E and (b) each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, all substances, wastes, contaminants or pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, and radon gas, regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Hedge Bank” means any Person that is an Agent, a Lender, an Arranger or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing on the Closing Date or at the time it enters into a Secured Hedge Agreement, in its capacity as a party thereto, whether or not such Person subsequently ceases to be an Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing.

Holdings” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Identified Participating Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(3).

Identified Qualifying Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of the IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements.

Incremental Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

Incremental Facility Closing Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

Incremental Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.12(a).

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

(b) the maximum amount (after giving effect to any prior drawings or reductions that may have been reimbursed) of all outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i) trade accounts payable and accrued expenses payable in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any earn-out obligation until such obligation is not paid after becoming due and payable and (iii) accruals for payroll and other liabilities accrued in the ordinary course of business);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;

 

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(g) all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include (A) the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is otherwise limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt and (B) in the case of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, exclude loans and advances made by Loan Parties having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business solely to the extent that such intercompany loans and advances are evidenced by one or more notes in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and pledged as Collateral. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (i) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (ii) the fair market value (as determined by such Person in good faith) of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.

Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 10.05.

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.05.

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

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Initial Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

Intellectual Property Security Agreements” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Intercompany Subordination Agreement” means an agreement executed by each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, in substantially the form of Exhibit J.

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the applicable Maturity Date; provided that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each January, April, July and October and the applicable Maturity Date.

Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and, except as contemplated by Section 2.01, ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, or to the extent consented to by each applicable Lender, twelve months (or one week as may be consented to by each applicable Lender), as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

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(b) any Interest Period (other than an Interest Period having a duration of less than one month) that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the applicable Maturity Date.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition (including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person (excluding, in the case of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, intercompany loans, advances, or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business) or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions, including without limitation by merger or otherwise) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment at any time shall be the amount actually invested (measured at the time made (which, in the case of any Investment constituting the contribution of an asset or property, shall be based on the Borrower’s good faith estimate of the fair market value of such asset or property at the time such Investment is made)), without adjustment for subsequent changes in the value of such Investment, net of any return representing a return of capital with respect to such Investment.

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 nationally recognized statistical rating agency selected by the Borrower.

IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.15.

IRS” means Internal Revenue Service of the United States.

Joint Venture” means (a) any Person which would constitute an “equity method investee” of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries and (b) any Person in whom the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries beneficially owns any Equity Interest that is not a Restricted Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary).

Junior Financing” has the meaning specified in Section 7.12(a).

Junior Financing Documentation” means any documentation governing any Junior Financing.

Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means a junior lien intercreditor agreement among the Collateral Agent and one or more Senior Representatives, including one or more Senior Representatives for the holders of Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt or Permitted Ratio Debt, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent pursuant to which the Liens securing such other Indebtedness are subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations.

Latest Maturity Date” means, at any date of determination, the latest maturity or expiration date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Incremental Loan, any Other Loan or any Extended Loan, in each case as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Laws” means, collectively, all applicable international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities and executive orders, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

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Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns as permitted hereunder, each of which is referred to herein as a “Lender.” For avoidance of doubt, each Additional Lender is a Lender to the extent any such Person has executed and delivered a Refinancing Amendment or an Incremental Amendment, as the case may be, and to the extent such Refinancing Amendment or Incremental Amendment shall have become effective in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, and each Extending Lender shall continue to be a Lender. As of the Closing Date, Schedule 2.01 sets forth the name of each Lender.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”.

LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

LIBOR Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(a).

LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines in consultation with the Borrower).

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing); provided that in no event shall an operating lease in and of itself be deemed a Lien.

Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Investment or acquisition (whether by way of merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other business combination or the acquisition of Equity Interests or otherwise) by the Borrower or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by this Agreement whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing and which is designated as a Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in writing to the Administrative Agent.

Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, (a) this Agreement, (b) the Notes, (c) any Refinancing Amendment, Incremental Amendment or Extension Offer, (d) the Guaranty and (e) the Collateral Documents.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, (a) Holdings, (b) the Borrower and (c) each other Guarantor.

Management Stockholders” means the members of management of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries who are investors in Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof.

 

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Margin Stock” has the meaning set forth in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve System, or any successor thereto.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance or condition that has had a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties (taken as a whole) to perform their respective material payment obligations under any Loan Document to which any of the Loan Parties is a party or (c) the rights and remedies of the Lenders, the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent (taken as a whole) under any Loan Document.

Material Domestic Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Domestic Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that if, at any time and from time to time after the Closing Date, Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors solely because they do not meet the thresholds set forth in clauses (a) or (b) comprise in the aggregate more than 5.0% of Total Assets as of the end of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 or more than 5.0% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the last day of such fiscal quarter, then the Borrower shall, not later than forty-five (45) days after the date by which financial statements for such quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), (i) designate in writing to the Administrative Agent one or more of such Domestic Subsidiaries as “Material Domestic Subsidiaries” to the extent required such that the foregoing condition ceases to be true and (ii) comply with the provisions of Section 6.11 applicable to such Subsidiary.

Material Foreign Subsidiary” means, at any date of determination, each of the Borrower’s Foreign Subsidiaries (a) whose total assets at the last day of the most recent Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of Total Assets at such date or (b) whose gross revenues for such Test Period were equal to or greater than 2.5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

Material Real Property” means any real property owned by any Loan Party with a fair market value in excess of $5,000,000.

Material Subsidiary” means any Material Domestic Subsidiary or any Material Foreign Subsidiary.

Maturity Date” means (i) with respect to the Initial Loans that have not been extended pursuant to Section 2.14, the date that is six years after the Closing Date (the “Original Loan Maturity Date”), (ii) with respect to any tranche of Extended Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Extension Offer accepted by the respective Lender or Lenders, (iii) with respect to any Other Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment and (iv) with respect to any Incremental Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment; provided, in each case, that if such day is not a Business Day, the applicable Maturity Date shall be the Business Day immediately preceding such day.

Maximum Incremental Amount” means the sum of (x) $20,000,000 minus the principal amount of Permitted Priority Secured Debt incurred in reliance on clause (iii)(x) of the definition of “Permitted Priority Secured Debt,” plus (y) the aggregate principal amount of optional prepayment of loans under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement, Permitted Priority Secured Debt and any Permitted Refinancing of the foregoing (except to the extent relied on to incur Permitted Priority Secured Debt pursuant to subclause (iii)(y) of the definition thereof) and Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(i) and, solely to the extent of the prepayment price thereof, Section 2.03(a)(iv) and the amount actually paid in cash pursuant to any assignment made in accordance with Section

 

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10.07(h)(iv), plus (z) subject to Section 1.10, an unlimited amount so long as on a Pro Forma Basis (but excluding the cash proceeds thereof), the Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available would not exceed 4.50 to 1.00; provided that (i) the Borrower may incur Incremental Loans and Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clause (z) prior to clause (x) or (y), (ii) in the event that the Borrower does not make an election as to which clause of this definition it is relying on, it shall be deemed to have incurred all Incremental Loans and Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt pursuant to clause (z) to the full extent permitted thereby prior to being deemed to have incurred any amounts in reliance on clause (x) or (y) of this definition, (iii) the Borrower may incur Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clauses (x) and (y) of this definition concurrently with any incurrence of Incremental Loans and/or Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt in reliance on clause (z) of this definition and, in such event, amounts incurred in reliance on clause (x) and (y) (and the proceeds thereof) shall be excluded from the calculation of Consolidated Net Debt for purposes of the determination of the Net Leverage Ratio for such concurrent incurrence pursuant to clause (z) and (iv) the Borrower may incur Permitted Ratio Debt in reliance on clause (x) or (y) above.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 10.10.

Minimum Extension Condition” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(b).

Minority Investment” means any Person other than a Subsidiary in which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owns any Equity Interests.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

Mortgage Policies” has the meaning specified in Section 6.13(b)(ii).

Mortgaged Properties” has the meaning specified in paragraph (e) of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.”

Mortgages” means collectively, the deeds of trust, trust deeds, deeds to secure debt, hypothecs and mortgages made by the Loan Parties in favor or for the benefit of the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Lenders in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, and any other mortgages executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

Multiemployer Plan” means any multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA and subject to Title IV of ERISA, to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Net Cash Proceeds” means:

(a) with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any Casualty Event, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received and, with respect to any Casualty Event, any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of such Casualty Event actually received by or paid to or for the account of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities Documentation, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and other Indebtedness secured on a pari passu basis with (or junior priority basis to) the Obligations), (B) the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition or

 

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Casualty Event, (C) taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 7.06(g)(i) or (g)(iii) paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds), (D) in the case of any Disposition or Casualty Event by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (D)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof, and (E) any reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this clause (E); provided that no net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the foregoing realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $11,500,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a)); and

(b) (i) with respect to the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Permitted Equity Issuance by the Borrower, the excess, if any, of (A) the sum of the cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such incurrence or issuance over (B) the investment banking fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, costs and other out-of-pocket expenses and other customary expenses, incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such incurrence or issuance and (ii) with respect to any Permitted Equity Issuance by any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, the amount of cash from such Permitted Equity Issuance contributed to the capital of the Borrower.

Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of preferred stock dividends.

Net Leverage Ratio” means, with respect to any Test Period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Net Debt as of the last day of such Test Period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for such Test Period.

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Non-Excluded Taxes” means all Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes.

Non-Loan Party” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party.

Non-US Lender” means any Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Lender or its registered assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, evidencing the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Loans made by such Lender.

Obligations” means all (a) advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, (b) obligations of any Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary arising under any Secured Hedge Agreement and (c) Cash Management Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (and any of their Subsidiaries to the extent they have obligations under the Loan Documents) include the obligation (including guarantee obligations) to pay principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document; provided that the Obligations shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations.

 

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OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Offered Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

Offered Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

OID” means original issue discount.

Organization Documents” means (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating or limited liability company agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Original Loan Maturity Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Maturity Date.”

Other Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A).

Other Loans” means one or more Classes of Loans that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document excluding, in each case, any such tax that result from an Assignment and Assumption, grant of a participation, transfer or assignment to or designation of a new applicable Lending Office or other office for receiving payments under any Loan Document (an “Assignment Tax”), but only if (1) such Assignment Tax is imposed as a result of a present or former connection of the assignor or assignee and the jurisdiction imposing such Assignment Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction specifically contemplated by, or enforced, any Loan Documents) and (2) the assignment, participation, etc., giving rise to such Assignment Tax did not take place at the request of the Borrower.

Other Term Commitments” means one or more Classes of Loan commitments hereunder that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Rate and (b) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement” means a pari passu intercreditor agreement among the Collateral Agent and one or more Senior Representatives for holders of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or Permitted Refinancing thereof) substantially in the form of Exhibit H-2, with such changes thereto, taken as a whole, as the Administrative Agent reasonably determines are not materially adverse to the Lenders.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(e).

 

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Participating Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(2).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates or to which any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time in the preceding five plan years.

Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(i).

Permitted Equity Issuance” means any sale or issuance of any Qualified Equity Interests of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower, in each case to the extent permitted hereunder.

Permitted Holder” means any of (a) the Sponsor, (b) the Management Stockholders and (c) the Co-Investors, provided that for purposes of the definition of “Change of Control” (i) in each of clause (a)(i), the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii) and the proviso to clause (a), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders at any time that they hold voting power equal to more than 20% of the ordinary voting power of all Equity Interests collectively held by the Sponsor, the Management Stockholders and the Co-Investors, (ii) in the final reference to Permitted Holders in clause (a)(ii), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders if they are part of the “group” referred to in clause (a)(ii)(2) of the definition of “Change of Control” and (iii) in the parenthetical in each of clauses (a)(ii)(1) and (2), the Co-Investors shall not constitute Permitted Holders.

Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of junior lien secured notes or junior lien secured loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a junior priority basis to the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event and customary acceleration rights after an event of default) prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Collateral Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent), (v) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors and (vi) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to or otherwise subject to the provisions of (A) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (B) a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt incurred by the Borrower, then Holdings, the Borrower, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Collateral Agent and the Senior Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) either (x) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt previously issued under this clause (x), when aggregated with the aggregate principal amount of Incremental Loans previously borrowed (and the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Ratio Debt incurred in reliance on clauses (x) or (y) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Amount” and the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Priority Secured Debt incurred in reliance on clause (x) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Amount”), does not exceed the Maximum Incremental Amount; provided that any Indebtedness incurred in reliance on this clause (x) shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(a)(e) to the same extent as if such Indebtedness was in the form of Incremental Loans or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not

 

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mature or have scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than (w) customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event, (x) customary acceleration rights after an event of default, (y) customary rollover (or equivalent repayment) provisions in any bridge facility or (z) with the proceeds of any Permitted Refinancing thereof) prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) the security agreements relating to such Indebtedness are substantially the same as the Collateral Documents (with such differences as are reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), (v) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors and (vi) a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to or otherwise subject to the provisions of (A) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, (B) the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (C) a Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement; provided that if such Indebtedness is the initial Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt incurred by the Loan Parties, then the Loan Parties, the Collateral Agent and the Senior Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered a Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Priority Secured Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes or loans that is secured by Liens that are senior to the Liens securing the Obligations; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors, (iii) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed sum of (x) $20,000,000 minus the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness incurred in reliance on subclause (x) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Amount” plus (y) the aggregate principal amount (or if less, the price at which such Indebtedness was retired) of optional prepayments and optional redemptions of Indebtedness under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement, Permitted Priority Secured Debt and Permitted Refinancings of the foregoing (except to the extent relied on to incur Permitted Ratio Debt or Incremental Loans) (in each case, other than in connection with a refinancing), plus (z) subject to Section 1.10, an unlimited amount so long as on a Pro Forma Basis (but excluding the cash proceeds thereof), the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recent Test Period for which financial statements are available would not exceed 3.25 to 1.00; provided that (A) the Borrower may incur Permitted Priority Secured Debt in reliance on subclause (z) prior to subclause (x) or (y), (B) in the event that the Borrower does not make an election as to which clause of this definition it is relying on, it shall be deemed to have incurred all Permitted Priority Secured Debt pursuant to subclause (z) to the full extent permitted thereby prior to being deemed to have incurred any amounts in reliance on subclause (x) or (y) of this definition and (C) the Borrower may incur Permitted Priority Secured Debt in reliance on subclauses (x) and (y) of this definition concurrently with any incurrence of Permitted Priority Secured Debt in reliance on clause (z) of this definition and, in such event, amounts incurred in reliance on clause (x) and (y) (and the proceeds thereof) shall be excluded from the calculation of Consolidated First Lien Net Debt for purposes of the determination of the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for such concurrent incurrence pursuant to clause (z) and (iv) except in the case of additional Indebtedness under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement, a Senior Representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to or otherwise subject to the provisions of (A) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (B) the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Permitted Priority Secured Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Permitted Ratio Debt” means Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor provided that (a) such Indebtedness is unsecured, subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or secured solely by Liens on the Collateral ranking junior to the Liens securing the Obligations pursuant to a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, (b) such Indebtedness does not mature prior to the date that is one hundred and eighty one (181) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred (except that Indebtedness may have an initial maturity that is earlier than the Latest Maturity Date so long as such Indebtedness automatically converts to Indebtedness maturing after the Latest Maturity Date subject only to the condition that no payment event of default or bankruptcy (with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) event of default exists on the initial maturity date), (c) such Indebtedness has no scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (other than (w) customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control, asset sale or casualty event, (x) customary acceleration rights after an event of default, (y) customary rollover (or equivalent repayment) provisions in any bridge facility or (z) from the proceeds of a

 

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Permitted Refinancing thereof) prior to the date that is one hundred and eighty one (181) days after the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (d) immediately after giving effect thereto and to the use of the proceeds thereof (but excluding any cash proceeds thereof), (i) no Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date), (ii) unless such Permitted Ratio Debt is being incurred in reliance on clause (x) or (y) of the definition of Maximum Incremental Amount, the Net Leverage Ratio after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness is less than or equal to 4.50:1.00 and (e) such Indebtedness is issued on market terms for the type of Indebtedness issued and for issuers having a similar credit profile and in any event (other than pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) not materially less favorable to the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Lenders than the terms and conditions of this Agreement (unless (A) such materially less favorable terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such materially less favorable provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, require the consent of any Lender)); provided that a certificate of the Borrower as to the satisfaction of the conditions described in clause (e) above delivered at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirements, shall be conclusive unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees).

Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium (including tender premiums) thereon, plus reasonable OID and upfront fees plus other fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(b), Section 7.03(e) or Section 7.03(s), such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(e), at the time thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (d) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended is Junior Financing, (i) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall constitute Junior Financing on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (ii) the terms and conditions (excluding as to subordination, pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption provisions) of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees) and (iii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by the Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and no additional obligors become liable for such Indebtedness, (e) in the case of any Permitted Refinancing in respect of the ABL Facilities, such Permitted Refinancing is secured only by assets pursuant to one or more security agreements permitted by and subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and (f) in the case of any secured Permitted Refinancing in respect of the First Lien Term Facilities and any Permitted Priority Secured Debt, such Permitted Refinancing is secured only by assets constituting Collateral and is subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt” means any unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the form of one or more series of unsecured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is not secured by any property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, (iii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred (other than customary offers to repurchase upon a change of control or asset sale and customary acceleration rights after an event of default), and (iv) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Guarantors. Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt will include any Registered Equivalent Notes issued in exchange therefor.

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Plan” means any material “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), other than a Foreign Plan, established by any Loan Party or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any of their respective ERISA Affiliates.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Pledged Debt” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pledged Equity” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Pro Forma Basis” and “Pro Forma Effect” mean, with respect to compliance with any test or covenant or calculation hereunder, or the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA hereunder, the determination or calculation of such test, covenant, ratio or Consolidated EBITDA (including in connection with Specified Transactions) in accordance with Section 1.08.

Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender at any time a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitments and, if applicable and without duplication, Loans of such Lender under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Commitments and, if applicable and without duplication, Loans under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time.

Projections” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01(c).

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

Qualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interests that are not Disqualified Equity Interests.

Qualified Holding Company Debt” means unsecured Indebtedness of Holdings (A) that is not subject to any Guarantee by any Subsidiary of Holdings, (B) that will not mature prior to the date that is six (6) months after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of issuance or incurrence thereof, (C) that has no scheduled amortization or scheduled payments of principal and is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (it being understood that such Indebtedness may have mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption provisions satisfying the requirements of clause (E) below), (D) that does not require any payments in cash of interest or other amounts in respect of the principal thereof prior to the earlier to occur of (1) the date that is four (4) years from the date of the issuance or incurrence thereof and (2) the date that is ninety-one (91) days after the Latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of such issuance or incurrence, and (E) that has mandatory prepayment, repurchase or redemption, covenant, default and remedy provisions customary for senior discount notes of an issuer that is the parent of a borrower under senior secured credit facilities, and in any event, with respect to

 

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covenant, default and remedy provisions, no more restrictive (taken as a whole) than those set forth in this Agreement (other than provisions customary for senior discount notes of a holding company); provided that the Borrower shall have delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement (and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five (5) Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a description of the basis upon which it disagrees)); provided, further, that any such Indebtedness shall constitute Qualified Holding Company Debt only if immediately after giving effect to the issuance or incurrence thereof and the use of proceeds thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Qualified Securitization Financing” means any Securitization Financing of a Securitization Subsidiary that meets the following conditions: (a) such Qualified Securitization Financing (including financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions) is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Borrower and the Securitization Subsidiary, (b) all sales and/or contributions of Securitization Assets and related assets to the Securitization Subsidiary are made at fair market value and (c) the financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions thereof, including any Standard Securitization Undertakings, shall be market terms. The grant of a security interest in any Securitization Assets of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) to secure Indebtedness under this Agreement prior to engaging in any Securitization Financing shall not be deemed a Qualified Securitization Financing.

Qualifying IPO” means the issuance by Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings of its common Equity Interests in an underwritten primary public offering (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act (whether alone or in connection with a secondary public offering).

Qualifying Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Reference Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Available Amount.”

Refinanced Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01.

Refinancing Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent (whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) and (c) each Additional Lender and Lender that agrees to provide any portion of the Other Loans being incurred pursuant thereto, in accordance with Section 2.13.

Refinanced Term Debt” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness.”

Refinancing Transactions” has the meaning set forth in the First Lien Credit Agreement.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(c).

Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Related Indemnified Person” of an Indemnitee means (a) any controlling person or controlled affiliate of such Indemnitee, (b) the respective directors, officers, or employees of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates and (c) the respective agents of such Indemnitee or any of its controlling persons or controlled affiliates, in the case of this clause (c), acting at the instructions of such Indemnitee, controlling person or such controlled affiliate; provided that each reference to a controlled affiliate or controlling person in this definition shall pertain to a controlled affiliate or controlling person involved in the negotiation or syndication of the Facility, the ABL Facilities or the First Lien Term Facilities.

 

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Replacement Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01.

Reportable Event” means, with respect to any Pension Plan, any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, other than events for which the thirty (30) day notice period has been waived.

Required Facility Lenders” means, with respect to any Facility on any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of (i) the outstanding Loans under such Facility and (ii) the aggregate unused Commitments under such Facility; provided that, to the same extent set forth in Section 10.07(i) with respect to determination of Required Lenders, the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Facility Lenders.

Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) outstanding Loans and (b) aggregate unused Commitments; provided that the Loans of any Affiliated Lender shall in each case be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s or Holdings’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof) other than (i) the payment of compensation in the ordinary course of business to holders of any such Equity Interests who are employees or service providers of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any Subsidiary solely in their capacity as employees or service providers and (ii) other than payments of intercompany indebtedness permitted under this Agreement, unless such payments are made in the form of dividends or other distributions that would otherwise be classified as Restricted Payments hereunder.

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto.

Sanctions” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Same Day Funds” means disbursements and payments in immediately available funds.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

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Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Section 7.03(f) that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank; and designated in writing by the Hedge Bank and the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Secured Hedge Agreement”; provided that no Swap Contract designated as a “Secured Hedge Agreement” under the First Lien Term Facilities shall be a Secured Hedge Agreement hereunder.

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders, each Hedge Bank, each Cash Management Bank, the Supplemental Administrative Agent and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.01(b).

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Securitization Assets” means the accounts receivable, royalty and other similar rights to payment subject to a Qualified Securitization Financing and the proceeds thereof.

Securitization 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 Securitization Subsidiary in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing.

Securitization Financing” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or otherwise transfer to (a) a Securitization Subsidiary (in the case of a transfer by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) or (b) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Securitization Subsidiary), or may grant a security interest in, any Securitization Assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and any assets related thereto, including all collateral securing such Securitization Assets, all contracts and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such Securitization Assets, proceeds of such Securitization Assets and other assets that are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with asset securitization transactions involving Securitization Assets.

Securitization Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of Securitization Assets in a Qualified Securitization Financing to repurchase Securitization Assets arising as a result of a breach of a Standard Securitization Undertaking, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, offset 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.

Securitization Subsidiary” means a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower (or another Person formed for the purposes of engaging in a Qualified Securitization Financing in which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower makes an Investment and to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower transfers Securitization Assets and related assets) that engages in no activities other than in connection with the financing of Securitization Assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, all proceeds thereof and all rights (contingent and other), collateral and other assets relating thereto, and any business or activities incidental or related to such business, and which is designated by the board of directors of the Borrower or such other Person (as provided below) as a Securitization Subsidiary and (a) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which (i) is guaranteed by Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary (excluding guarantees of obligations (other than the principal of, and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings or (iii) subjects any property or asset of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings, (b) with which none of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms which the Borrower reasonably believes to be no less favorable to Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Borrower and (c) to which none of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, other than another Securitization Subsidiary, has any obligation to maintain or preserve such

 

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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 Borrower or such other Person shall be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a certified copy of the resolution of the board of directors of the Borrower or such other Person giving effect to such designation and a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing conditions.

Security Agreement” means, collectively, the Security Agreement executed by the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F, together with each other Security Agreement Supplement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.11.

Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

Senior Representative” means, with respect to any series of Permitted Priority Secured Debt, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt or any Permitted Refinancing thereof, the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under the indenture or agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued, incurred or otherwise obtained, as the case may be, and each of their successors in such capacities.

Solicited Discount Proration” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(3).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice” means an irrevocable written notice of the Borrower of Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D) substantially in the form of Exhibit N.

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer” means the irrevocable written offer by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit Q, submitted following the Administrative Agent’s receipt of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice.

Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D)(1).

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the assets of such Person exceeds its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such liabilities become absolute and matured and (d) such Person is not engaged in, and is not about to engage in, business for which it has unreasonably small capital. The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that would reasonably be expected to become an actual and matured liability.

SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07(g).

Specified Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Prepayment Notice” means an irrevocable written notice of the Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B) substantially in the form of Exhibit P.

 

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Specified Discount Prepayment Response” means the irrevocable written response by each Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit R, to a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice.

Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(1).

Specified Discount Proration” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(B)(3).

Specified Representations” means those representations and warranties made by the Borrower in Sections 5.01(a) (with respect to organizational existence only), 5.01(b)(ii), 5.02(a), 5.02(b)(i), 5.02(b)(iii), 5.04, 5.13, 5.16, 5.18 and 5.19.

Specified Transaction” means any Investment that results in a Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, any designation of a Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Permitted Acquisition, any Disposition that results in a Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower, any Investment constituting an acquisition of assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of another Person or a Store or any Disposition of a business unit, line of business or division or a Store of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case whether by merger, consolidation, amalgamation or otherwise, or any incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under any revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), Restricted Payment or Incremental Loan that by the terms of this Agreement requires such test to be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect.”

Sponsor” means Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. and any of its Affiliates and funds or partnerships managed or advised by it or any of their respective Affiliates but not including, however, any portfolio company of any of the foregoing.

Sponsor Management Agreement” means the management agreement between certain of the management companies associated with the Sponsors or their advisors and Holdings and the Borrower, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, but only to the extent that any such amendment, modification, supplement or other modification does not, directly or indirectly, increase the obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to make any payments thereunder.

Sponsor Termination Fees” means the one-time payment under the Sponsor Management Agreement of a termination fee to one or more of the Sponsors in the event of either a Change of Control or the completion of a Qualifying IPO.

Standard Securitization Undertakings” means representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower that are customary in a Securitization Financing.

Store” means any retail store (which includes any real property, fixtures, equipment, inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

Submitted Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Submitted Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a)(iv)(C)(1).

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, charitable foundations) of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

 

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Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor other than Holdings.

Successor Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04(d).

Successor Holdings” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04(e).

Supplemental Administrative Agent” and “Supplemental Administrative Agents” have the meanings specified in Section 9.12(a).

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligations” means with respect to any Guarantor any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Tax” means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment, charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature and whatever called, imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax and penalties applicable thereto.

Tax Indemnitee” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.01(e).

Term Priority Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

Test Period” in effect at any time means the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended on or prior to such time (taken as one accounting period) in respect of which financial statements for each quarter or fiscal year in such period have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(d) or Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable; provided that, prior to the first date that financial statements have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), the Test Period in effect shall be the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended February 3, 2018. A Test Period may be designated by reference to the last day thereof (i.e., the “February 3, 2018 Test Period” refers to the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ended February 3, 2018), and a Test Period shall be deemed to end on the last day thereof.

Threshold Amount” means $40,250,000.

 

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TopCo Notes” means Jo-Ann Stores Holdings Inc.’s 9.75%/10.50% senior PIK toggle notes due 2019 in aggregate principal amount of $274,465,000 outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date.

Total Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or, for the period prior to the time any such statements are so delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), the Annual Financial Statements.

Transaction” means the merger of Needle Merger Sub Corp. an Ohio corporation, with and into the Borrower on March 18, 2011 and the transactions related thereto.

Transaction Agreement Date” has the meaning assigned to such in Section 1.10.

Transaction Expenses” means the fees or expenses incurred or paid by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction and the transactions contemplated thereby.

Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code or any successor provision thereof (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

United States Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3.01(c).

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (i) each Securitization Subsidiary and (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the board of directors of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14 subsequent to the date hereof, in each case, until such Person ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in accordance with Section 6.14 or ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

U.S. Lender” means any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

USA PATRIOT Act” means The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended or modified from time to time.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining scheduled installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required scheduled payments of principal, including payment at final scheduled maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness; provided that for purposes of determining the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Refinanced Term Debt or any Indebtedness that is being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed, replaced or extended (the “Applicable Indebtedness”), the effects of any prepayments or amortization made on such Applicable Indebtedness prior to the date of the applicable modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal, replacement or extension shall be disregarded.

 

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wholly owned” means, with respect to a Subsidiary of a Person, a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Equity Interests of which (other than (x) director’s qualifying shares and (y) nominal shares issued to foreign nationals to the extent required by applicable Law) are owned by such Person and/or by one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability” means the liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

SECTION 1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

(b) (i)The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

(ii) References in this Agreement to an Exhibit, Schedule, Article, Section, clause or sub-clause refer (A) to the appropriate Exhibit or Schedule to, or Article, Section, clause or sub-clause in this Agreement or (B) to the extent such references are not present in this Agreement, to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

(iii) The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

(iv) The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

(c) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including”; the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”; and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(d) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 1.03 Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

SECTION 1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

SECTION 1.05 References to Agreements, Laws, Etc.Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other

 

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modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are permitted by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

SECTION 1.06 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to New York City time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

SECTION 1.07 Available Amount Transactions. If more than one action occurs on any given date the permissibility of the taking of which is determined hereunder by reference to the amount of the Available Amount immediately prior to the taking of such action, the permissibility of the taking of each such action shall be determined independently and in no event may any two or more such actions be treated as occurring simultaneously, i.e. each transaction must be permitted under the Available Amount as so calculated.

SECTION 1.08 Pro Forma Calculations.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratio or test, including the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated in the manner prescribed by this Section 1.08; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in clause (b), (c) or (d) of this Section 1.08, when calculating the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of Section 2.03(b)(i), the events described in this Section 1.08 that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period shall not be given pro forma effect.

(b) For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA and any financial ratios or tests, including the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio, Specified Transactions (and the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith) that have been made (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to such Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Specified Transactions (and any increase or decrease in Consolidated EBITDA and the component financial definitions used therein attributable to any Specified Transaction) had occurred on the first day of the applicable Test Period. If since the beginning of any applicable Test Period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged, amalgamated or consolidated with or into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such Test Period shall have made any Specified Transaction that would have required adjustment pursuant to this Section 1.08, then the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated to give pro forma effect thereto in accordance with this Section 1.08.

(c) Whenever pro forma effect is to be given to a Specified Transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies projected by the Borrower in good faith to be realized as a result of specified actions taken, committed to be taken or reasonably expected to be taken (calculated on a pro forma basis as though such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period and as if such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies were realized during the entirety of such period) relating to such Specified Transaction, and “run rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any action taken, committed to be taken or expected to be taken (including any savings expected to result from the elimination of a public target’s compliance costs with public company requirements), net of the amount of actual benefits theretofore realized during such period from such actions; provided that any such projected “run rate” cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies shall only be permitted to be included to the extent consistent with the requirements applicable to pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

(d) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs (including by assumption or guarantees) or repays (including by redemption, repayment, retirement or extinguishment) any Indebtedness included in the calculations of the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio, as the case may be (in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred or repaid under the ABL Facility or any other revolving credit facility in the ordinary course of business for working capital purposes), (i) during the applicable Test Period or (ii) subsequent to the end of the applicable Test Period and prior to or simultaneously with the event for which the calculation of any such ratio is made, then the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, to the extent required, as if the same had occurred on the last day of the applicable Test Period.

 

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SECTION 1.09 Currency Equivalents Generally.

(a) For purposes of determining compliance with Sections 7.01, 7.02 and 7.03 with respect to any amount of Indebtedness or Investment in a currency other than Dollars, no Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of changes in rates of currency exchange occurring after the time such Indebtedness or Investment is incurred (so long as such Indebtedness or Investment, at the time incurred, made or acquired, was permitted hereunder).

(b) For purposes of determining the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio and the Net Leverage Ratio amounts denominated in a currency other than Dollars will be converted to Dollars at the currency exchange rates used in preparing the Borrower’s financial statements corresponding to the Test Period with respect to the applicable date of determination and will, in the case of Indebtedness, reflect the currency translation effects, determined in accordance with GAAP, of Swap Contracts permitted hereunder for currency exchange risks with respect to the applicable currency in effect on the date of determination of the Dollar equivalent of such Indebtedness.

SECTION 1.10 Limited Condition Acquisitions. In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition for purposes of determining

(a) whether any Indebtedness that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in compliance with Section 7.03 or Section 2.12;

(b) whether any Lien being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred in accordance with Section 7.01 or Section 2.12;

(c) whether any other transaction undertaken or proposed to be undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition complies with the covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement; and

(d) any calculation of the ratios or baskets, including the Net Leverage Ratio, First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or pro forma cost savings and baskets determined by reference to Consolidated EBITDA or Total Assets and whether a Default or Event of Default exists in connection with the foregoing:

at the option of the Borrower, the date that the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is entered into (the “Transaction Agreement Date”) may be used as the applicable date of determination, as the case may be, in each case with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Pro Forma Basis” or “Consolidated EBITDA.” For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower elects to use the Transaction Agreement Date as the applicable date of determination in accordance with the foregoing, (a) any fluctuation or change in the Net Leverage Ratio, First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA and/or Total Assets of the Borrower from the Transaction Agreement Date to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition will not be taken into account for purposes of determining whether any Indebtedness or Lien that is being incurred in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted to be incurred, or whether any other transaction undertaken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries complies with the Loan Documents and (b) after the Transaction Agreement Date and until such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire, such Limited Condition Acquisition and all transactions proposed to be undertaken in connection therewith (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens) will be given Pro Forma Effect when determining compliance of other transactions (including without limitation the incurrence of Indebtedness and Liens unrelated to such Limited Condition Acquisition) that are consummated after the Transaction Agreement Date and on or prior to the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition and any such transactions (including without limitation any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) will be deemed to have occurred on the Transaction Agreement Date

 

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and be outstanding thereafter for purposes of calculating any baskets or ratios under the Loan Documents after the Transaction Agreement Date and before the date of consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition (or the date the definitive agreements in respect thereof are terminated or expire); provided that solely with respect to Restricted Payments only (and only until such time as the applicable Limited Condition Acquisition has been consummated or the definitive documentation for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated), such calculation shall also be made on a standalone basis without giving effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions in connection therewith.

ARTICLE II

The Commitments and Borrowings

SECTION 2.01 The Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make to the Borrower a loan denominated in Dollars (an “Initial Loan”) equal to its Commitment on the Closing Date. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

SECTION 2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans, and (ii) one (1) Business Day before the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loan; provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Class and Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one (1) month.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Class of Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Loans described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of each Borrowing, each Appropriate Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m., on the Business Day

 

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specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is on the Closing Date, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Administrative Agent with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may require by notice to the Borrower that no Loans may be converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time when Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the Administrative Agent’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent; provided that after the establishment of any new Class of Loans pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment or Extension, the number of Interest Periods otherwise permitted by this Section 2.02(e) shall increase by three (3) Interest Periods for each applicable Class so established.

(f) The failure of any Lender to make the Loan to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Loan on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Loan to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

(g) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such Pro Rata Share available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with paragraph (b) above, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If the Administrative Agent shall have so made funds available, then, to the extent that such Lender shall not have made such portion available to the Administrative Agent, each of such Lender and the Borrower severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Overnight Rate plus any administrative, processing, or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the foregoing. A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.02(g) shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

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SECTION 2.03 Prepayments.

(a) Optional.

(i) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty except as provided in Section 2.15; provided that (1) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) (A) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (2) any partial prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding; and (3) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Class(es) and Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(a) shall be paid to the Appropriate Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares; provided, that at the request of the Borrower, in lieu of such application on a pro rata basis among all Classes of Loans, such prepayment may be applied to any Class of Loans so long as the Maturity Date of such Class of Loans (or such Classes of Loans) precedes the Maturity Date of each other Class of Loans then outstanding or, in the event more than one Class of Loans shall have an identical Maturity Date, to such Classes on a pro rata basis.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Borrower may rescind any notice of prepayment under Section 2.03(a)(i) if such prepayment would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or shall otherwise be delayed.

(iii) [Reserved].

(iv) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may prepay the outstanding Loans (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be automatically and permanently canceled immediately upon acquisition by the Borrower) (or Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries may purchase such outstanding Loans and immediately cancel them) on the following basis:

(A) Any Company Party shall have the right to make a voluntary prepayment of Loans at a discount to par pursuant to a Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment, Borrower Solicitation of Discount Range Prepayment Offers or Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers (any such prepayment, the “Discounted Loan Prepayment”), in each case made in accordance with this Section 2.03(a)(iv); provided that no Company Party shall initiate any action under this Section 2.03(a)(iv) in order to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment unless (I) at least ten (10) Business Days shall have passed since the consummation of the most recent Discounted Loan Prepayment as a result of a prepayment made by a Company Party on the applicable Discounted Prepayment Effective Date; or (II) at least three (3) Business Days shall have passed since the date the Company Party was notified that no Lender was willing to accept any prepayment of any Loan at the Specified Discount, within the Discount Range or at any discount to par value, as applicable, or in the case of Borrower Solicitation of Discounted Prepayment Offers, the date of any Company Party’s election not to accept any Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(B) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time offer to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Specified Discount Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such offer shall be made available, at the sole discretion of the Company Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such offer shall specify the

 

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aggregate principal amount offered to be prepaid (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Amount”) with respect to each applicable tranche, the tranche or tranches of Loans subject to such offer and the specific percentage discount to par (the “Specified Discount”) of such Loans to be prepaid (it being understood that different Specified Discounts and/or Specified Discount Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as a separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such offer shall remain outstanding through the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Specified Discount Prepayment Notice and a form of the Specified Discount Prepayment Response to be completed and returned by each such Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date”).

(2) Each Lender receiving such offer shall notify the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date whether or not it agrees to accept a prepayment of any of its applicable then outstanding Loans at the Specified Discount and, if so (such accepting Lender, a “Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender”), the amount and the tranches of such Lender’s Loans to be prepaid at such offered discount. Each acceptance of a Discounted Loan Prepayment by a Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender shall be irrevocable. Any Lender whose Specified Discount Prepayment Response is not received by the Auction Agent by the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept the applicable Borrower Offer of Specified Discount Prepayment.

(3) If there is at least one Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender, the relevant Company Party will make a prepayment of outstanding Loans pursuant to this paragraph (B) to each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender in accordance with the respective outstanding amount and tranches of Loans specified in such Lender’s Specified Discount Prepayment Response given pursuant to subsection (2) above; provided that, if the aggregate principal amount of Loans accepted for prepayment by all Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders exceeds the Specified Discount Prepayment Amount, such prepayment shall be made pro rata among the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts accepted to be prepaid by each such Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Specified Discount Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within three (3) Business Days following the Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Lenders’ responses to such offer, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, and the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Loans to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date and (III) each Discount Prepayment Accepting Lender of the Specified Discount Proration, if any, and confirmation of the principal amount, tranche and Type of Loans of such Lender to be prepaid at the Specified Discount on such date. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the Company Party and such Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(C) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Discount Range Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Discount Range Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate principal amount of the relevant Loans (the “Discount Range Prepayment Amount”), the tranche or tranches of Loans subject to such offer and the maximum and minimum percentage discounts to par (the “Discount Range”) of the principal amount of such Loans with respect to each relevant tranche of Loans willing to be prepaid by such Company Party (it being understood that different

 

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Discount Ranges and/or Discount Range Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by the Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Discount Range Prepayment Notice and a form of the Discount Range Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Discount Range Prepayment Response Date”). Each Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer shall be irrevocable and shall specify a discount to par within the Discount Range (the “Submitted Discount”) at which such Lender is willing to allow prepayment of any or all of its then outstanding Loans of the applicable tranche or tranches and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender’s Loans (the “Submitted Amount”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Submitted Discount. Any Lender whose Discount Range Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept a Discounted Loan Prepayment of any of its Loans at any discount to their par value within the Discount Range.

(2) The Auction Agent shall review all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received on or before the applicable Discount Range Prepayment Response Date and shall determine (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the Applicable Discount and Loans to be prepaid at such Applicable Discount in accordance with this subsection (C). The relevant Company Party agrees to accept on the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date all Discount Range Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, in the order from the Submitted Discount that is the largest discount to par to the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par, up to and including the Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range (such Submitted Discount that is the smallest discount to par within the Discount Range being referred to as the “Applicable Discount”) which yields a Discounted Loan Prepayment in an aggregate principal amount equal to the lower of (I) the Discount Range Prepayment Amount and (II) the sum of all Submitted Amounts. Each Lender that has submitted a Discount Range Prepayment Offer to accept prepayment at a discount to par that is larger than or equal to the Applicable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Loans equal to its Submitted Amount (subject to any required proration pursuant to the following subsection (3)) at the Applicable Discount (each such Lender, a “Participating Lender”).

(3) If there is at least one Participating Lender, the relevant Company Party will prepay the respective outstanding Loans of each Participating Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Discount Range Prepayment Offer at the Applicable Discount; provided that if the Submitted Amount by all Participating Lenders offered at a discount to par greater than the Applicable Discount exceeds the Discount Range Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the relevant Loans for those Participating Lenders whose Submitted Discount is a discount to par greater than or equal to the Applicable Discount (the “Identified Participating Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Participating Lenders in accordance with the Submitted Amount of each such Identified Participating Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Discount Range Proration”). The Auction Agent shall promptly, and in any case within five (5) Business Days following the Discount Range Prepayment Response Date, notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the respective Lenders’ responses to such solicitation, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount of the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Applicable Discount, and the aggregate principal amount and tranches of Loans to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Participating Lender of the aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Participating Lender of the Discount Range Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to the relevant Company Party and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to the Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

 

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(D) (1) Subject to the proviso to subsection (A) above, any Company Party may from time to time solicit Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers by providing the Auction Agent with five (5) Business Days’ notice in the form of a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice; provided that (I) any such solicitation shall be extended, at the sole discretion of such Company Party, to (x) each Lender and/or (y) each Lender with respect to any Class of Loans on an individual tranche basis, (II) any such notice shall specify the maximum aggregate amount of the Loans (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount”) and the tranche or tranches of Loans the Borrower is willing to prepay at a discount (it being understood that different Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amounts may be offered with respect to different tranches of Loans and, in such event, each such offer will be treated as separate offer pursuant to the terms of this Section), (III) the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $10,000,000 and whole increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (IV) each such solicitation by the Borrower shall remain outstanding through the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. The Auction Agent will promptly provide each Appropriate Lender with a copy of such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice and a form of the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer to be submitted by a responding Lender to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) by no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the third Business Day after the date of delivery of such notice to such Lenders (the “Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date”). Each Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer shall (x) be irrevocable, (y) remain outstanding until the Acceptance Date, and (z) specify both a discount to par (the “Offered Discount”) at which such Lender is willing to allow prepayment of its then outstanding Loan and the maximum aggregate principal amount and tranches of such Loans (the “Offered Amount”) such Lender is willing to have prepaid at the Offered Discount. Any Lender whose Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer is not received by the Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date shall be deemed to have declined prepayment of any of its Loans at any discount.

(2) The Auction Agent shall promptly provide the relevant Company Party with a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received on or before the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date. Such Company Party shall review all such Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers and select the largest of the Offered Discounts specified by the relevant responding Lenders in the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers that is acceptable to the Company Party (the “Acceptable Discount”), if any. If the Company Party elects to accept any Offered Discount as the Acceptable Discount, then as soon as practicable after the determination of the Acceptable Discount, but in no event later than by the third Business Day after the date of receipt by such Company Party from the Auction Agent of a copy of all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection (2) (the “Acceptance Date”), the Company Party shall submit an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice to the Auction Agent setting forth the Acceptable Discount. If the Auction Agent shall fail to receive an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice from the Company Party by the Acceptance Date, such Company Party shall be deemed to have rejected all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers.

(3) Based upon the Acceptable Discount and the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, within three (3) Business Days after receipt of an Acceptance and Prepayment Notice (the “Discounted Prepayment Determination Date”), the Auction Agent will determine (in consultation with the relevant Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of Loans (the “Acceptable Prepayment Amount”) to be prepaid by the relevant Company Party at the Acceptable Discount in accordance with this Section 2.03(a)(iv)(D). If the Company Party elects to accept any Acceptable Discount, then the Company Party agrees to accept all Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offers received by Auction Agent by the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Response Date, in the order from largest Offered Discount to smallest Offered Discount, up to and including the Acceptable Discount. Each Lender that has submitted a Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer with an Offered Discount that is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount shall be deemed to have irrevocably consented to prepayment of Loans equal to its Offered Amount (subject to any required pro rata

 

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reduction pursuant to the following sentence) at the Acceptable Discount (each such Lender, a “Qualifying Lender”). The Company Party will prepay outstanding Loans pursuant to this subsection (D) to each Qualifying Lender in the aggregate principal amount and of the tranches specified in such Lender’s Solicited Discounted Prepayment Offer at the Acceptable Discount; provided that if the aggregate Offered Amount by all Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount exceeds the Solicited Discounted Prepayment Amount, prepayment of the principal amount of the Loans for those Qualifying Lenders whose Offered Discount is greater than or equal to the Acceptable Discount (the “Identified Qualifying Lenders”) shall be made pro rata among the Identified Qualifying Lenders in accordance with the Offered Amount of each such Identified Qualifying Lender and the Auction Agent (in consultation with such Company Party and subject to rounding requirements of the Auction Agent made in its sole reasonable discretion) will calculate such proration (the “Solicited Discount Proration”). On or prior to the Discounted Prepayment Determination Date, the Auction Agent shall promptly notify (I) the relevant Company Party of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and Acceptable Prepayment Amount comprising the Discounted Loan Prepayment and the tranches to be prepaid, (II) each Lender of the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date, the Acceptable Discount, and the Acceptable Prepayment Amount of all Loans and the tranches to be prepaid to be prepaid at the Applicable Discount on such date, (III) each Qualifying Lender of the aggregate principal amount and the tranches of such Lender to be prepaid at the Acceptable Discount on such date, and (IV) if applicable, each Identified Qualifying Lender of the Solicited Discount Proration. Each determination by the Auction Agent of the amounts stated in the foregoing notices to such Company Party and Lenders shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes absent manifest error. The payment amount specified in such notice to such Company Party shall be due and payable by such Company Party on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in accordance with subsection (F) below (subject to subsection (J) below).

(E) In connection with any Discounted Loan Prepayment, the Company Parties and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may require as a condition to any Discounted Loan Prepayment, the payment of customary fees and expenses from a Company Party in connection therewith.

(F) If any Loan is prepaid in accordance with paragraphs (B) through (D) above, a Company Party shall prepay such Loans on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. The relevant Company Party shall make such prepayment to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in immediately available funds not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date and all such prepayments shall be applied to the remaining principal installments of the relevant tranche of Loans on a pro rata basis across such installments. The Loans so prepaid shall be accompanied by all accrued and unpaid interest on the par principal amount so prepaid up to, but not including, the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date. Each prepayment of the outstanding Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv) shall be paid to the Discount Prepayment Accepting Lenders, Participating Lenders, or Qualifying Lenders, as applicable, and shall be applied to the relevant Loans of such Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share. The aggregate principal amount of the tranches and installments of the relevant Loans outstanding shall be deemed reduced by the full par value of the aggregate principal amount of the tranches of Loans prepaid on the Discounted Prepayment Effective Date in any Discounted Loan Prepayment. In connection with each prepayment pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv), the relevant Company Party shall make a representation to the Lenders that it does not possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information).

(G) To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each Discounted Loan Prepayment shall be consummated pursuant to procedures consistent with the provisions in this Section 2.03(a)(iv), established by the Auction Agent acting in its reasonable discretion and as reasonably agreed by the Borrower.

(H) Notwithstanding anything in any Loan Document to the contrary, for purposes of this Section 2.03(a)(iv), each notice or other communication required to be delivered or otherwise provided to the Auction Agent (or its delegate) shall be deemed to have been given upon Auction Agent’s (or its delegate’s) actual receipt during normal business hours of such notice or communication; provided that any notice or communication actually received outside of normal business hours shall be deemed to have been given as of the opening of business on the next Business Day.

 

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(I) Each of the Company Parties and the Lenders acknowledge and agree that the Auction Agent may perform any and all of its duties under this Section 2.03(a)(iv) by itself or through any Affiliate of the Auction Agent and expressly consents to any such delegation of duties by the Auction Agent to such Affiliate and the performance of such delegated duties by such Affiliate. The exculpatory provisions pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to each Affiliate of the Auction Agent and its respective activities in connection with any Discounted Loan Prepayment provided for in this Section 2.03(a)(iv) as well as activities of the Auction Agent.

(J) Each Company Party shall have the right, by written notice to the Auction Agent, to revoke in full (but not in part) its offer to make a Discounted Loan Prepayment and rescind the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Notice, Discount Range Prepayment Notice or Solicited Discounted Prepayment Notice therefor at its discretion at any time on or prior to the applicable Specified Discount Prepayment Response Date (and if such offer is revoked pursuant to the preceding clauses, any failure by such Company Party to make any prepayment to a Lender, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 2.03(a)(iv) shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 8.01 or otherwise).

(b) Mandatory.

(i) Subject to Section 2.03(b)(vii), within fifteen (15) Business Days after financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and the related Compliance Certificate has been delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a), the Borrower shall, subject to clause (b)(v) of this Section 2.03, prepay an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to (A) 50% (such percentage as it may be reduced as described below, the “ECF Percentage”) of Excess Cash Flow, if any, for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements (commencing with the fiscal year ended on or about January 31, 2019) minus (B) the sum of (at the Borrower’s option) (i) all voluntary prepayments of Loans (including any Incremental Loans), pursuant to Section 2.03(a)(i), 2.03(a)(iv) (in an amount equal to the discounted amount actually paid in respect of the principal amount of such Loans), and the amount actually paid in cash pursuant to any assignment made in accordance with Section 10.07(h)(iv), in each case, during such fiscal year (or after the end of such fiscal year and prior to the time such mandatory prepayment is due, without duplication in any other Excess Cash Flow period) and (ii) all voluntary prepayments of loans under the ABL Facilities during such fiscal year (or after the end of such fiscal year and prior to the time such mandatory prepayment is due, without duplication in any other Excess Cash Flow period) to the extent accompanied by a corresponding permanent reduction in the commitments under the ABL Facilities, in the case of each of the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii), to the extent such prepayments are not funded with the proceeds of long term Indebtedness (other than revolving borrowings); provided that (x) the ECF Percentage shall be 25% if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements was less than or equal to 2.50 to 1.0 and greater than 2.00 to 1.0 and (y) the ECF Percentage shall be 0% if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for the fiscal year covered by such financial statements was less than or equal to 2.00 to 1.0.

(ii) Subject to Section 2.03(b)(vii), (A) if (x) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Disposes of any property or assets (other than (X) any Disposition of any property or assets permitted by Sections 7.05(a), (b), (c), (d) (to the extent constituting a Disposition to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor), (e), (g), (h), (i), (k), (l), (m), (n), (p), (s) and (t) and (Y) so long as the ABL Credit Agreement is in effect, any Disposition of Current Asset Collateral) or (y) any Casualty Event occurs (other than with respect to Current Asset Collateral so long as the ABL Facility or any Permitted Refinancing thereof is in effect), which results in the realization or receipt by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary of Net Cash Proceeds, the Borrower shall prepay on or prior to the date which is ten (10) Business Days after the date of the realization or receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds, subject to clause (b)(v) of this Section 2.03, an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds realized or received; provided, that if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing thereof that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Obligations) pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Indebtedness with the net proceeds of such Disposition or Casualty Event (such Permitted Pari

 

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Passu Secured Debt (or Permitted Refinancing thereof) required to be offered to be so repurchased, “Other Applicable Indebtedness”), then the Borrower may apply such Net Cash Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time; provided that the portion of such net proceeds allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of such net proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof, and the remaining amount, if any, of such net proceeds shall be allocated to the Loans in accordance with the terms hereof) to the prepayment of the Loans and to the repurchase or prepayment of Other Applicable Indebtedness, and the amount of prepayment of the Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to this Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) shall be reduced accordingly; provided, further, that to the extent the holders of Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such indebtedness repurchased or prepaid, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Loans in accordance with the terms hereof; provided, further, that, no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) with respect to such portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that the Borrower shall have, on or prior to such date, given written notice to the Administrative Agent of its intent to reinvest in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B).

(B) With respect to any Net Cash Proceeds realized or received with respect to any Disposition (other than any Disposition specifically excluded from the application of Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A)) or any Casualty Event, at the option of the Borrower, the Borrower may reinvest all or any portion of such Net Cash Proceeds in assets useful for its business within (x) twelve (12) months following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds or (y) if the Borrower enters into a legally binding commitment to reinvest such Net Cash Proceeds within twelve (12) months following receipt thereof, within the later of (1) twelve (12) months following receipt thereof and (2) one hundred and eighty (180) days of the date of such legally binding commitment; provided that if any Net Cash Proceeds are no longer intended to be or cannot be so reinvested at any time after delivery of a notice of reinvestment election, and subject to clauses (iv) and (v) of this Section 2.03(b), an amount equal to any such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied within five (5) Business Days after the Borrower reasonably determines that such Net Cash Proceeds are no longer intended to be or cannot be so reinvested to the prepayment of the Loans as set forth in this Section 2.03.

(iii) If the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurs or issues any Indebtedness (A) not expressly permitted to be incurred or issued pursuant to Section 7.03 or (B) that constitutes Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the Borrower shall prepay an aggregate principal amount of Loans equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds received therefrom on or prior to the date which is five (5) Business Days after the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds.

(iv) (A) Except as may otherwise be set forth in any Refinancing Amendment, Extension Offer or any Incremental Amendment, each prepayment of Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) shall be applied ratably to each Class of Loans then outstanding (provided, that any prepayment of Loans with the Net Cash Proceeds of Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall be applied solely to each applicable Class of Loans selected by the Borrower) and (B) each such prepayment shall be paid to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares of such prepayment; provided that the Borrower may apply the Net Cash Proceeds of any mandatory prepayment from asset sales or casualty events ratably to the payment of Loans under the Facility, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (or any Permitted Refinancing thereof that is secured on a pari passu basis with the Obligations) to the extent required by the terms of such other indebtedness.

(v) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 2.03(b), (A) to the extent that any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition by a Foreign Subsidiary giving rise to a prepayment event pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) (a “Foreign Disposition”), the Net Cash Proceeds of any Casualty Event from a Foreign Subsidiary (a “Foreign Casualty Event”), or Excess Cash Flow are prohibited or delayed by applicable local law from being repatriated to the United States, the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected will not be required to be applied to repay Loans at the times provided in this Section 2.03(b) but may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary so long, but only so long, as the applicable local law will not permit repatriation to the United States (the Borrower hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Foreign Subsidiary to promptly take all actions reasonably required by the applicable local law to permit such repatriation), and once such repatriation of any of such affected Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow is permitted under the applicable local law, such repatriation will be immediately effected and such repatriated Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow will be promptly (and in

 

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any event not later than two (2) Business Days after such repatriation) applied (net of additional taxes payable or reserved against as a result thereof) to the repayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) to the extent provided herein and (B) to the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation of any of or all the Net Cash Proceeds of any Foreign Disposition, any Foreign Casualty Event or Excess Cash Flow would have a material adverse tax cost consequence (taking into account any foreign tax credit or benefit actually realized in connection with such repatriation) with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow, the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of this clause (B), on or before the date on which any Net Cash Proceeds so retained would otherwise have been required to be applied to reinvestments or prepayments pursuant to this Section 2.03(b) (or such Excess Cash Flow would have been so required if it were Net Cash Proceeds), (x) the Borrower applies an amount equal to such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow to such reinvestments or prepayments as if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been received by the Borrower rather than such Foreign Subsidiary, less the amount of additional taxes that would have been payable or reserved against if such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow had been repatriated (or, if less, the Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow that would be calculated if received by such Foreign Subsidiary) or (y) such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow are applied to the repayment of Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary.

(vi) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any mandatory prepayment of Loans required to be made pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.03(b) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify the date of such prepayment and provide a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of the contents of the Borrower’s prepayment notice and of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the prepayment. Each Lender may reject all or a portion of its share of any mandatory prepayment (such declined amounts, the “Declined Proceeds”) of Loans required to be made pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.03(b) by providing written notice (each, a “Rejection Notice”) to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower no later than 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) one Business Day after the date of such Lender’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent regarding such prepayment. Each Rejection Notice from a given Lender shall specify the principal amount of the mandatory prepayment of Loans to be rejected by such Lender. If a Lender fails to deliver a Rejection Notice to the Administrative Agent within the time frame specified above or such Rejection Notice fails to specify the principal amount of the Loans to be rejected, any such failure will be deemed an acceptance of the total amount of such mandatory repayment of Loans. Subject to any requirements of any other Indebtedness, any Declined Proceeds remaining after offering such Declined Proceeds to Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof may be retained by the Borrower.

(vii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, for so long as any Indebtedness is outstanding under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement, any Permitted Priority Secured Debt or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing that is secured by Liens on the Collateral on a basis that is senior to the Liens securing the Obligations, only Declined Proceeds (under and as defined in the First Lien Term Credit Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date) shall be subject to the prepayment requirements of Section 2.03(b)(i) and 2.03(b)(ii) above.

(c) Interest, Funding Losses, Etc. All prepayments under this Section 2.03 shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with, in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a date prior to the last day of an Interest Period therefor, any amounts owing in respect of such Eurodollar Rate Loan pursuant to Section 3.05.

Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Section 2.03, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans is required to be made under this Section 2.03 prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor, in lieu of making any payment pursuant to this Section 2.03 in respect of any such Eurodollar Rate Loan prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, deposit an amount sufficient to make any such prepayment otherwise required to be made thereunder together with accrued interest to the last day of such Interest Period into a Cash Collateral Account until the last day of such Interest Period, at which time the Administrative Agent shall be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of such Loans in accordance with this Section 2.03. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall also be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of the outstanding Loans in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Section 2.03.

 

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SECTION 2.04 Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

(a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the unused Commitments of any Class, or from time to time permanently reduce the unused Commitments of any Class, in each case without premium or penalty; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent one (1) Business Day prior to the date of termination or reduction and (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire amount thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of termination of the Commitments if such termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all of the applicable Facility, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

(b) Mandatory. The Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to $0 upon the making of the Initial Loans pursuant to Section 2.01.

SECTION 2.05 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Appropriate Lenders on the Maturity Date for the Initial Loans, the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Loans outstanding on such date.

SECTION 2.06 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.06(b), (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable Borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) The Borrower shall pay interest on past due amounts hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

SECTION 2.07 Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agents such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever (except as expressly agreed between the Borrower and the applicable Agent).

SECTION 2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 days or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.10(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

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SECTION 2.09 Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) The Borrowings made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and evidenced by one or more entries in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent, acting solely for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 5f.103-1(c), as agent for the Borrower, in each case in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be prima facie evidence absent manifest error of the amount of the Borrowings made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note payable to such Lender, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) Entries made in good faith by the Administrative Agent in the Register pursuant to Section 2.09(a), and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to Section 2.09(a), shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, absent manifest error; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 2.10 Payments Generally.

(a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office for payment and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Appropriate Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. (New York City standard time), shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

(b) If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(c) Unless the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it to the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of any Lender, that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has timely made such payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make available a corresponding amount to such Lender. If and to the extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds, then such Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Administrative Agent the portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender in Same Day Funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

 

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(d) If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Borrowing set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(e) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or purchase its participation.

(f) Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

(g) Whenever any payment received by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents is insufficient to pay in full all amounts due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under or in respect of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents on any date, such payment shall be distributed by the Administrative Agent and applied by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in the order of priority set forth in Section 8.03. If the Administrative Agent receives funds for application to the Obligations of the Loan Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents under circumstances for which the Loan Documents do not specify the manner in which such funds are to be applied, the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, elect to distribute such funds to each of the Lenders in accordance with such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such of the outstanding Loans or other Obligations then owing to such Lender.

SECTION 2.11 Sharing of Payments. If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on account of the Loans made by it (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of setoff, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment of principal of or interest on such Loans, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further interest thereon. For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement as in effect from time to time or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant permitted hereunder. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of setoff, but subject to Section 10.09) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 2.11 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 2.11 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

SECTION 2.12 Incremental Borrowings.

(a) The Borrower may at any time or from time to time after the Closing Date, by notice to the Administrative Agent (whereupon the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver a copy to each of the Lenders), request one or more additional tranches of Loans (the “Incremental Loans”); provided that, subject to the

 

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Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, at the time when any such Incremental Loan is made (and after giving effect thereto), no Default or Event of Default (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) as of the Transaction Agreement Date) shall exist. Each tranche of Incremental Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $20,000,000 (provided that such amount may be less than $20,000,000 if such amount represents all remaining availability under the limit set forth in the next sentence). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the aggregate amount of the Incremental Loans, when aggregated with (A) the aggregate amount of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt (that is not designated as Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness) and (B) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Ratio Debt incurred in reliance on clauses (x) or (y) of the definition of “Maximum Incremental Amount” shall not exceed the Maximum Incremental Amount. (a) The Incremental Loans shall rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the Loans, (b) the Incremental Loans shall not mature earlier than the Original Loan Maturity Date, (c) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Loans shall be no shorter than that of the then-existing Loans, (d) the interest rate margin applicable to any Incremental Loans will be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Loans, provided that, in the event that the All-In Yield applicable to any Incremental Loans exceeds the All-In Yield of any Class of Loans existing at such time by more than 50 basis points, then the interest rate margins for each such Class of Loans shall be increased to the extent necessary so that the All-In Yield of such Loans is equal to the All-In Yield of such Incremental Loans minus 50 basis points, (e) the Specified Representations shall be accurate in all material respects before and after the effectiveness of any Incremental Amendment referred to below and (f) except as otherwise required or permitted in clauses (a) through (e) above, all other terms of such Incremental Loans, if not consistent with the terms of the existing Loans, shall either be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or not more favorable, taken as a whole, to the lenders providing such Incremental Loans than the terms of the existing Loans (other than with respect to any terms and conditions applicable after the maturity date of the Loans); provided that no such Incremental Loans shall have financial covenants and more restrictive covenants than those contained in this Agreement unless (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not require the consent of any Lender). Any Incremental Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Incremental Amendment. Each notice from the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall set forth the requested amount and proposed terms of the relevant Incremental Loans. Incremental Loans may be made by any existing Lender (it being understood that no existing Lender will have an obligation to make a portion of any Incremental Loan) or by any Additional Lender on terms permitted in this Section 2.12 and otherwise on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Commitments in respect of Incremental Loans shall become Commitments under this Agreement pursuant to an amendment (an “Incremental Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by Holdings, the Borrower, each Lender agreeing to provide such Commitment, if any, each Additional Lender, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.12. The effectiveness of (and, in the case of any Incremental Amendment for an Incremental Loan, the Borrowing under) any Incremental Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof (each, an “Incremental Facility Closing Date”) of each of the conditions described in this Section 2.12(a) and such other conditions as the parties thereto shall agree. The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Incremental Loans for any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement.

(b) This Section 2.12 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.13 Refinancing Amendments. At any time after the Closing Date, the Borrower may obtain, from any Lender or any Additional Lender, Other Loans to refinance all or any portion of the Loans then outstanding under this Agreement which will be made pursuant to Other Term Commitments in each case pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment; provided that such Other Loans (i) will rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the other Loans and Commitments hereunder, (ii) will have such pricing, premiums and optional prepayment or redemption terms as may be agreed by the Borrower and the Lenders thereof, (iii) will have a final maturity date no earlier than, and will have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than, the Loans being refinanced, and (iv) will have terms and conditions that are substantially identical to, or (taken as a whole) are

 

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no more favorable to the lenders or holders providing such Other Term Commitments and Other Loans than those applicable to the Loans being refinanced unless (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall not require the consent of any Lender). Any Other Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment. The effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 and, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, receipt by the Administrative Agent of legal opinions, board resolutions, officers’ certificates and/or reaffirmation agreements consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date under Section 4.01 (other than changes to such legal opinions resulting from a change in law, change in fact or change to counsel’s form of opinion reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent). Each Class of Other Term Commitments and Other Loans incurred under this Section 2.13 shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is not less than $100,000,000. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Refinancing Amendment. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Other Term Commitments and Other Loans incurred pursuant thereto (including any amendments necessary to treat the Other Loans and/or Other Term Commitments as Loans and Commitments). Any Refinancing Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.13. This Section 2.13 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary. No Lender shall be under any obligation to provide any Other Term Commitment unless such Lender executes a Refinancing Amendment.

SECTION 2.14 Extensions of Loans.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, an “Extension Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders of Loans with a like Maturity Date on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Loans with the same Maturity Date) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower may from time to time with the consent of any Lender that shall have accepted such offer to extend the maturity date of any Loans and otherwise modify the terms of such Loans of such Lender pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including, without limitation, by increasing the interest rate or fees payable in respect of such Loans and/or modifying the amortization schedule in respect of such Loans) (each, an “Extension,” and each group of Loans as so extended, as well as the original Loans not so extended, being a “tranche”; any Extended Loans shall constitute a separate tranche of Loans from the tranche of Loans from which they were converted), so long as the following terms are satisfied: (i) no Default shall exist at the time the notice in respect of an Extension Offer is delivered to the Lenders, and no Default shall exist immediately prior to or after giving effect to the effectiveness of any Extended Loans, (ii) except as to interest rates, fees, amortization, final maturity date, premium, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the Loans of any Lender (an “Extending Lender”) extended pursuant to any Extension (“Extended Loans”) shall have the same terms as the tranche of Loans subject to such Extension Offer unless, with respect to any covenants and defaults that are, taken as a whole, more restrictive than the terms of this Agreement (A) such more restrictive terms are not applicable until after the then Latest Maturity Date or (B) this Agreement is amended in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to incorporate such more restrictive provisions for the benefit of the Lenders (which amendment shall, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, not require the consent of any Lender), (iii) the final maturity date of any Extended Loans shall be no earlier than the then Latest Maturity Date at the time of extension and the amortization schedule applicable to Loans pursuant to Section 2.05 for periods prior to the Original Loan Maturity Date may not be increased, (iv) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Extended Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Loans extended thereby, (v) any Extended Loans may participate on a pro rata basis or on a less than pro rata basis (but not on a greater than pro rata basis) in any voluntary or mandatory prepayments hereunder, as specified in the applicable Extension Offer, (vi) if the aggregate principal amount of Loans (calculated on the face amount thereof) in respect of which Lenders shall have accepted the relevant Extension Offer shall exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Loans offered to be extended by the Borrower pursuant to

 

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such Extension Offer, then the Loans of such Lenders shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Lenders have accepted such Extension Offer, (vii) all documentation in respect of such Extension shall be consistent with the foregoing, (viii) any applicable Minimum Extension Condition shall be satisfied unless waived by the Borrower and (ix) the interest rate margin applicable to any Extended Loans will be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Extended Loans.

(b) With respect to all Extensions consummated by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.14, (i) such Extensions shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments for purposes of Section 2.03 and (ii) any Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount of $25,000,000, provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Extension Condition”) to consummating any such Extension that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion and may be waived by the Borrower) of Loans of any or all applicable tranches be tendered.

(c) The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to enter into amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Borrower as may be necessary in order to establish new tranches or sub-tranches in respect of Loans so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new tranches or sub-tranches, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.14.

(d) In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably, to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.14.

(e) This Section 2.14 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary.

SECTION 2.15 Loan Prepayment Protection. In the event that, on or prior to the date that is two years after the Closing Date, the Borrower (x) prepays any Initial Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(a) or 2.03(b)(iii) or (y) effects an assignment of the Loans held by a Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to Section 3.07 in connection with any amendment of this Agreement requiring the consent of each Lender with Initial Loans, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each of the applicable Lenders whose Initial Loans are so prepaid (in the case of clause (x) above) or that is a Non-Consenting Lender that is required to assign its Loans pursuant to Section 3.07 in connection with an amendment described in clause (y) above, in each case, a fee equal to the Applicable Prepayment Premium with respect to the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Loans of such Lender so prepaid or required to be assigned pursuant to Section 3.07. Such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of the applicable prepayment or assignment pursuant to Section 3.07.

SECTION 2.16 LIBOR Successor Rate.

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period, including, without limitation, because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or

(ii) the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”), or

(iii) syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR,

 

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then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, as applicable, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein), giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar U.S. dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks (any such proposed rate, a “LIBOR Successor Rate”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes and any such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent by the Lenders at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders do not accept such amendment.

(b) If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (a)(i) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) the Eurodollar Rate component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified in such request.

(c) Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than 1% for purposes of this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

Taxes, Increased Costs Protection and Illegality

SECTION 3.01 Taxes.

(a) All sums payable by any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Lender or Agent shall (except to the extent required by law) be paid free and clear of, and without any deduction or withholding on account of, any Taxes.

(b) If any Loan Party or any Agent is required by law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any Non-Excluded Tax or Other Taxes from any sum paid or payable by any Loan Party to any Lender or Agent under any of the Loan Documents: (i) the applicable Loan Party (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall notify the applicable Agent of any such requirement or any change in any such requirement as soon as such Loan Party becomes aware of it; (ii) the applicable Loan Party or Agent, as applicable, shall make such deduction or withholding and pay to the relevant Governmental Authority, in accordance with applicable law, any such Non-Excluded Tax or Other Tax before the date on which penalties attach thereto; (iii) the sum payable to such Lender or Agent (as applicable) shall be increased by such Loan Party to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of any required deduction or withholding (including any deductions or withholdings attributable to any payments required to be made under this Section 3.01), the Lender or the Agent (as applicable), receives on the due date a net sum equal to what it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required or made; and (iv) within thirty days after paying any sum from which it is required by Law to make any deduction or withholding, and within thirty days after the due date of payment of any Tax which it is required by clause (ii) above to pay, the Loan Party making such payments (if it is required to make the deduction or withholding) shall deliver to the applicable Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the other affected parties of such deduction or withholding and of the remittance thereof to the relevant Governmental Authority.

 

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(c) Each Lender shall, at such times as are reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, provide the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with any documentation prescribed by Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent certifying as to any entitlement of such Lender to an exemption from, or reduction in, any withholding Tax with respect to any payments to be made to such Lender under any Loan Document. Each such Lender shall, whenever a lapse in time or change in circumstances renders such documentation (including any specific documentation required below in this Section 3.01(c)) obsolete, expired or inaccurate in any material respect, deliver promptly to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent updated or other appropriate documentation (including any new documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of its inability to do so.

Without limiting the foregoing:

(1) Each U.S. Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding.

(2) Each Non-US Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date on which it becomes a party to this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or any successor forms) claiming eligibility for the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party, and such other documentation as required under the Code,

(B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor forms),

(C) in the case of a Non-US Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 871(h) or Section 881(c) of the Code, (A) two properly completed and duly signed certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit I (any such certificate, a “United States Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (B) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, (or any successor forms),

(D) to the extent a Non-US Lender is not the beneficial owner (for example, where the Non-US Lender is a partnership or a participating Lender), two properly completed duly signed original copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor forms) of the Non-US Lender, accompanied by a Form W-8ECI, W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, United States Tax Compliance Certificate, Form W-9, Form W-8IMY or any other required information (or any successor forms) from each beneficial owner that would be required under this Section 3.01(c) if such beneficial owner were a Lender, as applicable (provided that, if one or more beneficial owners are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, the United States Tax Compliance Certificate may be provided by such Non-US Lender on behalf of such beneficial owner), or

(E) two properly completed and duly signed original copies of any other form prescribed by applicable U.S. federal income tax Laws (including the Treasury Regulations) as a basis for claiming a complete exemption from, or a reduction in, United States federal withholding tax on any payments to such Lender under the Loan Documents.

(3) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (including any successor provisions), such Lender shall deliver to Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may

 

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be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and to determine whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under such Sections and, if necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this clause (c), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any form that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

(d) In addition to the payments by a Loan Party required by Section 3.01(b), the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(e) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and Agent (each a “Tax Indemnitee”), within 20 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Non-Excluded Taxes paid or payable by such Tax Indemnitee that is imposed on or in respect of any payment under or with respect to any Loan Document, and any Other Taxes payable by such Tax Indemnitee (including Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01), whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability prepared in good faith and delivered by the Tax Indemnitee or by the Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of another Tax Indemnitee shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(f) If and to the extent that a Tax Indemnitee, in its sole discretion (exercised in good faith), determines that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes in respect of which it has received additional payments under this Section 3.01, then such Tax Indemnitee shall pay to the relevant Loan Party the amount of such refund, net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Tax Indemnitee (including any Taxes imposed with respect to such refund), and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Tax Indemnitee, agrees to repay the amount paid over by the Tax Indemnitee (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Tax Indemnitee if the Tax Indemnitee is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) In the event that a Loan Party makes an indemnification payment to a Tax Indemnitee with respect to Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 3.01 or a Loan Party is required to repay to a Tax Indemnitee an amount in respect of a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes previously paid over to such Loan Party pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 3.01, such Tax Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with all reasonable requests of such Loan Party, at the sole expense of such Loan Party, if (i) in the reasonable judgment of the Tax Indemnitee such cooperation shall not subject such Tax Indemnitee, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed third party cost or expense or otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Tax Indemnitee and (ii) there is a reasonable basis for such Loan Party to contest with the applicable Governmental Authority the imposition of such Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes or the repayment of such refund. Any resulting refund shall be governed by Section 3.01(f). This subsection shall not be construed to require a Tax Indemnitee to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

SECTION 3.02 Illegality. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined

 

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by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans and shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate with respect to any Base Rate Loans, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Required Lenders (or, in the case of clause (b), the Administrative Agent) reasonably determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders except in the case of clause (b) above) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

SECTION 3.04 Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender;

(ii) subject any Lender to any Tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it (except for any Excluded Tax or any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes indemnified or otherwise paid under Section 3.01); or

(iii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender that is not otherwise accounted for in this clause (a);

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by

 

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such Lender (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, from time to time within fifteen (15) days after demand by such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail such increased costs (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender reasonably determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by it to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the charge and the calculation of such reduced rate of return (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent),the Borrower will pay to such Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 3.04 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

SECTION 3.05 Funding Losses. Upon written demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, which demand shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day prior to the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day prior to the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.07;

including any loss or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits or margin) actually incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.

 

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SECTION 3.06 Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender in any material economic, legal or regulatory respect.

(b) Suspension of Lender Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under Section 3.04, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans from one Interest Period to another Interest Period, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.06(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

(c) Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans. If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in Section 3.02, 3.03 or 3.04 hereof that gave rise to the conversion of such Lender’s Eurodollar Rate Loans no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurodollar Rate Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans of a given Class held by the Lenders of such Class holding Eurodollar Rate Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

SECTION 3.07 Replacement of Lenders under Certain Circumstances. If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04 or ceases to make Eurodollar Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.02 or Section 3.04, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender or (iv) any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.07), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to one or more Eligible Assignees or, subject to Sections 10.07(h) and (i), Affiliated Lenders, that shall assume such obligations (any of which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.07(b)(iv);

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(c) such Lender being replaced pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans, and (ii) deliver any Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or Administrative Agent (or a lost or destroyed note indemnity in lieu thereof); provided that the failure of any such Lender to execute an Assignment and Assumption or deliver such Notes shall not render such sale and purchase (and the corresponding assignment) invalid and such assignment shall be recorded in the Register and the Notes shall be deemed to be canceled upon such failure;

 

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(d) the Eligible Assignee or Affiliated Lender, as applicable, shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender;

(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

(f) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

In the event that (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent has requested that the Lenders consent to a departure or waiver of any provisions of the Loan Documents or agree to any amendment thereto, (ii) the consent, waiver or amendment in question requires the agreement of each Lender, all affected Lenders or all the Lenders or all affected Lenders with respect to a certain Class or Classes of the Loans and (iii) the Required Lenders or Required Facility Lenders, as applicable, have agreed to such consent, waiver or amendment, then any Lender who does not agree to such consent, waiver or amendment shall be deemed a “Non-Consenting Lender.”

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 3.08 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions Precedent to Borrowings

SECTION 4.01 Conditions to Initial Borrowing. The obligation of each Lender to make a Borrowing hereunder on the Closing Date is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent, except as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent:

(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles or “PDF” copies (in each case followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i) a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof;

(ii) executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Guaranty;

(iii) a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender that has requested a Note at least two (2) Business Days in advance of the Closing Date;

(iv) each Collateral Document set forth on Schedule 1.01A required to be executed on the Closing Date as indicated on such schedule, duly executed by each Loan Party thereto, together with evidence that certificates, if any, representing the Pledged Equity referred to therein accompanied by undated stock powers executed in blank and instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt indorsed in blank have been delivered to the First Lien Term Administrative Agent;

 

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(v) such certificates of good standing from the applicable secretary of state of the state of organization of each Loan Party, certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party on the Closing Date;

(vi) an opinion from Latham & Watkins LLP, New York counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 and an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, Ohio counsel to the Loan Parties substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2.

(vii) a solvency certificate from the chief financial officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the 2018 Refinancing Transaction) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit K;

(viii) evidence that all insurance (other than title insurance) required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents as of the Closing Date has been obtained and is in effect and that the Collateral Agent has been named as loss payee and/or additional insured, as applicable, under each insurance policy with respect to such insurance as to which the Collateral Agent shall have requested to be so named;

(ix) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), and evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof; and

(x) copies of a recent Lien and judgment search in each jurisdiction reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent with respect to the Loan Parties.

(b) All fees and expenses required to be paid hereunder and invoiced at least two (2) Business Days before the Closing Date shall have been paid in full in cash.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received reasonably satisfactory evidence that the Topco Notes have been called for redemption in full on a redemption date that is no later than the Closing Date.

(d) The Arrangers shall have received the Annual Financial Statements.

(e) (i) The Arrangers shall have received at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date all documentation and other information reasonably requested in writing by them at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the Closing Date in order to allow the Arrangers and the Lenders to comply with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

(ii) At least five days prior to the Closing Date, to the extent the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation then it shall deliver a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to such Borrower.

(f) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date; provided that, to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; provided, further that, any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar language shall be true and correct (after giving effect to any qualification therein) in all respects on such respective dates.

 

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(g) No Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from the Borrowing of the Loans on the Closing Date or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

SECTION 4.02 Conditions to All Borrowings After the Closing Date. Subject to Section 1.10, the obligation of each Lender to honor a Committed Loan Notice (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) after the Closing Date is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Specified Representations shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Committed Loan Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof.

Each Committed Loan Notice (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the condition specified in Section 4.02(a) has been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Borrowing.

ARTICLE V

Representations and Warranties

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Material Subsidiary (a) is a Person duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (to the extent such concept exists in such jurisdiction), (b) has all corporate or other organizational power and authority to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and in good standing (to the extent such concept exists) under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all applicable Laws, orders, writs, injunctions and orders and (e) has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case referred to in clause (c), (d) or (e), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. (a) The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action. (b) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party nor the consummation of the 2018 Refinancing Transactions will (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents, (ii) result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of such Person or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than as permitted by Section 7.01) under (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such

 

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Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any applicable Law; except with respect to any breach, contravention or violation (but not creation of Liens) referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent that such breach, contravention or violation would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.03 Governmental Authorization. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for (i) filings necessary to perfect the Liens on the Collateral granted by the Loan Parties in favor of the Secured Parties, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings that have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force and effect and (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity and principles of good faith and fair dealing.

SECTION 5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a) The Annual Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

(b) Since February 3, 2018, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.07 Labor Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes or other labor disputes against any of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened and (b) since January 31, 2016, hours worked by and payment made based on hours worked to employees of each of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries have not been in material violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Laws dealing with wage and hour matters.

SECTION 5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and except where the failure to have such title or other interest would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.09 Environmental Matters.

(a) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries and their respective operations is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws (including having obtained all Environmental Permits) and (ii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has become subject to any pending, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened Environmental Claim or any other Environmental Liability.

 

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(b) None of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries has released, treated, stored, transported, arranged for transport or disposed of Hazardous Materials at or from any currently or formerly owned or operated real estate or facility in a manner that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.10 Taxes. Holdings, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local, foreign and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state, local, foreign and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets or otherwise due and payable (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except those (a) which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted that stay the enforcement of the Tax in question and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (b) with respect to which the failure to make such filing or payment could not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no proposed Tax assessment, Tax deficiency or other Tax claim against Holdings, Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries except (i) those being actively contested by Holdings, Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted that stay the enforcement of the Tax in question and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (ii) those that would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.11 ERISA Compliance.

(a) Except as would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state Laws.

(b) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) no Pension Plan has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Pension Plan; (iii) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 et seq. or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; (iv) none of the Loan Parties or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) or has been determined to be in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA) and no such Multiemployer Plan is expected to be insolvent or in endangered or critical status, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.11(b), as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Except where noncompliance or the incurrence of an obligation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Foreign Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of any and all applicable Laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders, and neither Holdings nor any Subsidiary has incurred any obligation in connection with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign Plan.

SECTION 5.12 Subsidiaries. As of the Closing Date, neither Holdings nor any other Loan Party has any Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.12, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have been validly issued and are fully paid and (if applicable) nonassessable, and all Equity Interests owned by Holdings or any other Loan Party are owned free and clear of all security interests of any person except (i) those created under the Collateral Documents or under the ABL Facilities Documentation (which Liens shall be subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) or under the First Lien Term Facilities Documentation (which Liens shall be subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement) and

 

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(ii) any nonconsensual Lien that is permitted under Section 7.01. As of the Closing Date, Schedule 5.12 (a) sets forth the name and jurisdiction of each Subsidiary, (b) sets forth the ownership interest of Holdings, the Borrower and any other Subsidiary in each Subsidiary, including the percentage of such ownership and (c) identifies each Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which are required to be pledged on the Closing Date pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

SECTION 5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a) As of the Closing Date, none of the Collateral is Margin Stock. No Loan Party is engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, and no proceeds of any Borrowings will be used for any purpose that violates Regulation U.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Guarantor is an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 5.14 Disclosure. None of the information and data heretofore or contemporaneously furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party to any Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) when taken as a whole contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make such information and data (taken as a whole), in the light of the circumstances under which it was delivered, not materially misleading; it being understood that for purposes of this Section 5.14, such information and data shall not include projections and pro forma financial information or information of a general economic or general industry nature.

SECTION 5.15 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.The Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or a valid license or right to use, all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, technology, software, know-how, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to have any such rights, either individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, the operation of the respective businesses of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe upon, misuse, misappropriate or violate any IP Rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misuses, misappropriations or violations individually or in the aggregate, that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any IP Rights is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against any Loan Party or Subsidiary, that, either individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.16 Solvency. On the Closing Date after giving effect to the 2018 Refinancing Transaction, the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

SECTION 5.17 OFAC. Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, Affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

SECTION 5.18 USA PATRIOT Act. To the extent applicable, each of Holdings and its Subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto and (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act. No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in any jurisdiction.

 

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SECTION 5.19 Collateral Documents. Except as otherwise contemplated hereby or under any other Loan Documents, the provisions of the Collateral Documents, together with such filings and other actions required to be taken hereby or by the applicable Collateral Documents (including the delivery to Collateral Agent of any Pledged Debt and any Pledged Equity required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Collateral Documents), are effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a legal, valid and enforceable second priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement) on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral described therein.

SECTION 5.20 Anti-Corruption Laws. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

SECTION 5.21 EEA Financial Institution. No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

SECTION 5.22 Bank Secrecy Act Notice. As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.

ARTICLE VI

Affirmative Covenants

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03) cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender each of the following and shall take the following actions:

(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower commencing with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2019, a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year together with related notes thereto, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the First Lien Term Facilities, the ABL Facilities, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Priority Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness);

(b) as soon as available, but in any event within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended on May 5, 2018), a condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related (i) condensed consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended and (ii) condensed consolidated

 

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statements of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2019) of the Borrower, a reasonably detailed consolidated budget for the following fiscal year as customarily prepared by management of the Borrower for its internal use (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected operations or income and projected cash flow and setting forth the material underlying assumptions applicable thereto) (collectively, the “Projections”), which Projections shall in each case be accompanied by a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections, it being understood that actual results may vary from such Projections and that such variations may be material;

(d) simultaneously with the delivery of each set of consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) above, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) from such consolidated financial statements; and

(e) quarterly, at a time mutually agreed with the Administrative Agent that is promptly after the delivery of the information required pursuant to clause (a) above and the information delivered pursuant to clause (b) above for each fiscal quarter, participate in a conference call for Lenders to discuss the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recently-ended period for which financial statements have been delivered, which requirement may be satisfied by including the Lenders and the Administrative Agent on quarterly conference calls with the lenders under the ABL Facilities and/or First Lien Term Facilities or any debt securities of Holdings or the Borrower.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6.01 may be satisfied with respect to financial information of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower that holds all of the Equity Interests of the Borrower or (B) the Borrower’s or such entity’s Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC; provided that, with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B), (i) to the extent such information relates to a parent of the Borrower, such information is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to the Borrower (or such parent), on the one hand, and the information relating to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such information is in lieu of information required to be provided under Section 6.01(a), such materials are accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP or any other independent registered public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit other than as permitted by Section 6.01(a).

SECTION 6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver to the Administrative Agent for prompt further distribution to each Lender:

(a) no later than five (5) days after the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower;

 

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(b) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports, proxy statements and registration statements which Holdings or the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary files with the SEC or with any Governmental Authority that may be substituted therefor or with any national securities exchange, as the case may be (other than amendments to any registration statement (to the extent such registration statement, in the form it became effective, is delivered to the Administrative Agent), exhibits to any registration statement and, if applicable, any registration statement on Form S-8), and in any case not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(c) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statements or material reports furnished to any holder of any class or series of debt securities of any Loan Party having an aggregate outstanding principal amount greater than the Threshold Amount or pursuant to the terms of the ABL Credit Agreement or the First Lien Term Credit Agreement, in each case, so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereunder is greater than the Threshold Amount and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Administrative Agent pursuant to any other clause of this Section 6.02;

(d) together with the delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a), (i) a report setting forth the information required by Section 3.03(c) of the Security Agreement (or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the Closing Date or the date of the last such report), (ii) a description of each event, condition or circumstance during the last fiscal quarter covered by such Compliance Certificate requiring a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.03(b) and (iii) a list of each Subsidiary of the Borrower that identifies each Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or an Unrestricted Subsidiary as of the date of delivery of such Compliance Certificate or a confirmation that there is no change in such information since the later of the Closing Date and the date of the last such list;

(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, legal, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time on its own behalf or on behalf of any Lender reasonably request; and

(f) promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act, the Beneficial Ownership Regulation or other applicable anti-money laundering laws.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(c) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on IntraLinks/IntraAgency or another relevant website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that (i) upon written request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents from the Administrative Agent and maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, or the respective

 

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securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities Laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.08); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information”; and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”

SECTION 6.03 Notices. Promptly after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains actual knowledge thereof, notify the Administrative Agent:

(a) of the occurrence of any Default; and

(b) of (i) any dispute, litigation, investigation or proceeding between any Loan Party and any arbitrator or Governmental Authority, (ii) the filing or commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws or in respect of IP Rights, the occurrence of any noncompliance by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries with, or liability under, any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit, or (iii) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, in any such case referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Section 6.03(a) or (b) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 6.04 Payment of Taxes. Timely pay, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all Taxes imposed upon it or any of its properties or assets or in respect of any of its income, businesses or franchises before any penalty or fine accrues thereon; provided, no such Tax or claim need be paid if it is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted, so long as (a) adequate reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor, and (b) in the case of a Tax or claim which has or may become a Lien against any of the Collateral, such contest proceedings operate to stay the sale of any portion of the Collateral to satisfy such Tax or claim.

SECTION 6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (b) take all reasonable action to obtain, preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clause (a) or (b) to the extent (other than with respect to the preservation of the existence of Holdings and the Borrower) that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or pursuant to any merger, consolidation, liquidation, dissolution or Disposition permitted by Article VII.

SECTION 6.06 Maintenance of Properties. Except if the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment used in the operation of its business in good working order, repair and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and casualty or condemnation excepted.

 

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SECTION 6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Maintain with insurance companies that the Borrower believes (in the good faith judgment of its management) are financially sound and reputable at the time the relevant coverage is placed or renewed, 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 (after giving effect to any self-insurance reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons, and will furnish to the Lenders, upon written request from the Administrative Agent, information presented in reasonable detail as to the insurance so carried. Each such policy of insurance shall as appropriate, (i) name the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, as an additional insured thereunder as its interests may appear and/or (ii) in the case of each casualty insurance policy, contain a loss payable clause or endorsement that names the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Lenders as the loss payee thereunder and (b) with respect to each Mortgaged Property, obtain flood insurance in such total amounts as the Collateral Agent may from time to time reasonably require, if at any time the area in which any improvements located on any Mortgaged Property is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), and otherwise comply with the Flood Insurance Laws.

SECTION 6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with its Organization Documents and the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected individually or in the aggregate to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 6.09 Books and Records. Maintain proper books of record and account, in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material respects and are in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

SECTION 6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants (subject to such accountants’ customary policies and procedures), all at the reasonable expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided that, excluding any such visits and inspections during the continuation of an Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under this Section 6.10 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than two (2) times during any calendar year absent the existence of an Event of Default and only one (1) such time shall be at the Borrower’s expense; provided, further, that when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall give the Borrower the opportunity to participate in any discussions with the Borrower’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.10, none of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies or abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter that (a) constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (b) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by Law or any binding agreement or (c) is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

SECTION 6.11 Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security. At the Borrower’s expense, subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitation in any Collateral Document, take all action necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement continues to be satisfied, including:

(a) (x) upon the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary (in each case, other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary or an Excluded Subsidiary) by any Loan Party, the designation in accordance with Section 6.14, of any existing direct or indirect wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Subsidiary becoming a wholly owned Material Domestic Subsidiary, (y) upon the acquisition of any material assets by the Borrower or

 

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any other Loan Party or (z) with respect to any Subsidiary at the time it becomes a Loan Party, for any material assets held by such Subsidiary (in each case, other than assets constituting Collateral under a Collateral Document that becomes subject to the Lien created by such Collateral Document upon acquisition thereof (without limitation of the obligations to perfect such Lien)):

(i) within forty-five (45) days (or such greater number of days specified below) after such formation, acquisition or designation or, in each case, such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion:

(A) cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to furnish to the Collateral Agent a description of the Material Real Properties owned by such Material Domestic Subsidiary in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent;

(B) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after such formation, acquisition or designation, cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to duly execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent Mortgages with respect to any Material Real Property, Security Agreement Supplements, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other security agreements and documents (including, with respect to Mortgages, the documents listed in Section 6.13(b)), as reasonably requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent (consistent, to the extent applicable, with the Mortgages, Security Agreement, Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other Collateral Documents in effect on the Closing Date), in each case granting Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement;

(C) subject to the terms of the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the Collateral Documents, cause each such Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to deliver any and all certificates representing Equity Interests (to the extent certificated) that are required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank (or any other documents customary under local law) and instruments evidencing the intercompany Indebtedness held by such Material Domestic Subsidiary and required to be pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents, indorsed in blank to the Collateral Agent;

(D) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after such formation, acquisition or designation, take and cause the applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary and each direct or indirect parent of such applicable Material Domestic Subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to take whatever action (including the recording of Mortgages, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and, subject to the terms of the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, delivery of stock and membership interest certificates to the extent certificated) may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent to vest in the Collateral Agent (or in any representative of the Collateral Agent designated by it) valid Liens required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, enforceable against all third parties in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);

 

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(ii) within forty-five (45) days (or within ninety (90) days in the case of documents listed in Section 6.13(b)) after the request therefor by the Administrative Agent (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), deliver to the Administrative Agent a signed copy of an opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, of counsel for the Loan Parties reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to such matters set forth in this Section 6.11(a) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request; and

(iii) as promptly as practicable after the reasonable request therefor by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, deliver to the Collateral Agent with respect to each Material Real Property, title reports, surveys and environmental assessment reports provided that the Collateral Agent may in its reasonable discretion accept any such existing report or survey to the extent prepared as of a date reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent; provided, however, that there shall be no obligation to deliver to the Collateral Agent any environmental assessment report whose disclosure to the Collateral Agent would require the consent of a Person other than the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries, where, despite the commercially reasonable efforts of the Borrower to obtain such consent, such consent cannot be obtained; and

(b) (i) the Borrower shall obtain the security interests and Guarantees set forth on Schedule 1.01A on or prior to the dates corresponding to such security interests and Guarantees set forth on Schedule 1.01A; and

(ii) after the Closing Date, promptly after the acquisition of any Material Real Property by any Loan Party other than Holdings, and such Material Real Property shall not already be subject to a perfected Lien pursuant to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Borrower shall give notice thereof to the Collateral Agent and will take, or cause the relevant Loan Party to take, the actions referred to in Section 6.13(b).

SECTION 6.12 Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except, in each case, to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (a) comply, and take all reasonable actions to cause any lessees and other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; (b) obtain and renew all Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and, (c) in each case to the extent required by applicable Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, in accordance with the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws.

SECTION 6.13 Further Assurances and Post-Closing Conditions. Subject to the provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and any applicable limitations in any Collateral Document and in each case at the expense of the Loan Parties:

(a) Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or as may be required by applicable law (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Collateral Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral, and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may reasonably request from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents.

(b) In the case of any Material Real Property, provide the Collateral Agent with Mortgages with respect to such owned real property within ninety (90) days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its sole discretion) of the acquisition of such real property in each case together with:

(i) evidence that counterparts of the Mortgages have been duly executed, acknowledged and delivered and are in form suitable for filing or recording in all filing or recording offices that the Collateral Agent may deem reasonably necessary or desirable in order to create a valid and subsisting perfected Lien on the property and/or rights described therein in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and that all filing and recording taxes and fees have been paid or otherwise provided for in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent;

 

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(ii) fully paid American Land Title Association Lender’s Extended Coverage title insurance policies or the equivalent or other form available in each applicable jurisdiction (the “Mortgage Policies”) in form and substance, with endorsements available in the applicable jurisdiction and in amount, reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent (not to exceed the fair market value of the real properties covered thereby), issued, coinsured and reinsured by title insurers reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent, insuring the Mortgages to be valid subsisting Liens on the property described therein, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 7.01, and providing for such other affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances under the Loan Documents) and such coinsurance and direct access reinsurance as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request and is available in the applicable jurisdiction;

(iii) opinions of local counsel for the Loan Parties in states in which the real properties are located, with respect to the enforceability and perfection of the Mortgages and any related fixture filings in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(iv) (A) a completed “life of the loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to each Mortgaged Property duly executed and acknowledged by the appropriate Loan Parties and (B) with respect to any Mortgaged Property which is designated as a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) and evidence of flood insurance as required by Section 6.07 hereof; and

(v) such other evidence that all other actions that the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to create valid and subsisting Liens on the property described in the Mortgages has been taken, including the delivery of those documents necessary to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.

(c) Within sixty (60) days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent may agree in its sole discretion) of the Closing Date, and without duplication of Section 4.01(a)(iv), provide evidence that all other actions, recordings and filings that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may deem reasonably necessary to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement at such time shall have been taken, completed or otherwise provided for in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 6.14 Designation of Subsidiaries. The board of directors of the Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) other than for purposes of designating a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary that is a Securitization Subsidiary in connection with the establishment of a Qualified Securitization Financing, immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such designation for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 is less than or equal to 4.50 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (and, as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of any such designation, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations demonstrating satisfaction of such test) and (iii) no Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, after such designation, it would be a “Restricted Subsidiary” for the purpose of the ABL Facilities, the First Lien Term Facilities or any Junior Financing or any other Indebtedness for borrowed money of any Loan Party in a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment therein. The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and a return on any Investment by the Borrower in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or its Subsidiary’s (as applicable) Investment in such Subsidiary.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary that has been re-designated a Restricted Subsidiary may not be subsequently re-designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 6.15 Maintenance of Ratings. Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain (i) a public corporate credit rating from S&P and a public corporate family rating from Moody’s, in each case in respect of the Borrower, and (ii) a public rating in respect of the Loans from each of S&P and Moody’s.

ARTICLE VII

Negative Covenants

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than (i) contingent indemnification obligations as to which no claim has been asserted and (ii) Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall not (and, with respect to Section 7.13, only Holdings shall not), nor shall Holdings or the Borrower permit any Restricted Subsidiary to:

SECTION 7.01 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 7.01(b);

(c) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP;

(d) statutory or common law Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens, or other customary Liens (other than in respect of Indebtedness) in favor of landlords, so long as, in each case, such Liens arise in the ordinary course of business that secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or, if more than thirty (30) days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Lien or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate actions, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

(e) (i) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and (ii) pledges and deposits in the ordinary course of business securing liability for reimbursement or indemnification obligations of (including obligations in respect of letters of credit or bank guarantees for the benefit of) insurance carriers providing property, casualty or liability insurance to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and title defects affecting real property that, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the use of the property for its intended purpose, and any other exceptions to title on the Mortgage Policies accepted by the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Loan Documents;

 

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(h) Liens arising from judgments or orders for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(g);

(i) (i) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (A) such Liens attach concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after completion of the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (as applicable) of the property subject to such Liens, (B) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, replacements thereof and additions and accessions to such property and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits and (C) such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for additions and accessions to such assets, replacements and products thereof and customary security deposits) other than the assets subject to, or acquired, constructed, repaired, replaced or improved with the proceeds of such Indebtedness; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender and (ii) Liens on assets of Restricted Subsidiaries that are Non-Loan Parties securing Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(n);

(j) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business which do not (i) interfere in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) secure any Indebtedness;

(k) Liens (i) in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business and (ii) on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds thereof of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or letters of credit issued or created for the account of such person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or such other goods in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code on the items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other commodities brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set off) and that are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

(m) Liens (i) on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02(i) or Section 7.02(n) to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment or (ii) consisting of an agreement to Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment or Disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(n) Liens on property of any Foreign Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(b), (g), (n) or (t);

(o) Liens in favor of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(d);

(p) Liens existing on property at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14), in each case after the date hereof (other than Liens on the Equity Interests of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that (i) such Lien does not extend to or cover any other assets or property (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after-acquired property of such acquired Restricted Subsidiary), and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 7.03(e) or (g);

 

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(q) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, licensor or sublicensor or secured by a lessor’s, sublessor’s, licensor’s or sublicensor’s interest under leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or licenses entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(r) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(s) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under Section 7.02 and reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

(t) Liens that are customary contractual rights of setoff (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks or other deposit-taking financial institutions in the ordinary course and not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

(u) Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement not prohibited hereunder;

(v) ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are located;

(w) purported Liens evidenced by the filing of precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statements or similar public filings;

(x) Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

(y) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(r)(i) and obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement (in each case, as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) permitted under Section 7.03(r)(ii) (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing in respect thereof) that are subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement;

(z) Liens on the Securitization Assets arising in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing;

(aa) any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(bb) the modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Lien permitted by clauses (b), (i) and (p) of this Section 7.01; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e), and (B) proceeds and products thereof, and (ii) the renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens is permitted by Section 7.03;

 

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(cc) Liens on the Collateral securing obligations in respect of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing; provided that (x) any such Liens securing any Permitted Refinancing in respect of Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt are subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and a Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement and (y) any such Liens securing Permitted Ratio Debt or any Permitted Refinancing in respect of Permitted Junior Secured Refinancing Debt or Permitted Ratio Debt are subject to a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

(dd) Liens or rights of setoff against credit balances of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with credit card issuers or credit card processors on amounts owing by such credit card issuers or credit card processors to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, but not Liens on or rights of setoff against any other property or assets of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the credit card agreements in effect on the date hereof or as subsequently amended in any manner not materially adverse to the Lenders, to secure the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the credit card issuers or credit card processors as a result of fees and chargebacks;

(ee) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and the proceeds thereof securing such Person’s obligations in respect of documentary letters of credit or banker’s acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods;

(ff) deposits of cash with the owner or lessor of premises leased and operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and such Subsidiary to secure the performance of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s obligations under the terms of the lease for such premises;

(gg) other Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $46,000,000 and 2.30% of Total Assets, in each case determined as of the date of incurrence; and

(hh) Liens securing obligations in respect of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(s) and obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement (in each case, as defined in the First Lien Term Credit Agreement) (or, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing in respect thereof) that are subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

SECTION 7.02 Investments. Make or hold any Investments, except:

(a) Investments by Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in assets that are Cash Equivalents;

(b) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof; provided that, to the extent such loans or advances are made in cash, the amount of such loans and advances used to acquire such Equity Interests shall be contributed to Holdings in cash) and (iii) for any other purpose, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding under clauses (i) through (iii) not to exceed $20,125,000;

(c) Investments (i) by (A) Holdings in any Loan Party and (B) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, (ii) by any Non-Loan Party in any other Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) by any Non-Loan Party in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and (iv) by any Loan Party in any Non-Loan Party that is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) any such Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) in the form of intercompany loans shall be evidenced by notes that have been pledged (individually or pursuant to a global note) to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Lenders (it being

 

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understood and agreed that any Investments permitted under this clause (iv) that are not so evidenced as of the Closing Date are not required to be so evidenced and pledged until the date that is sixty (60) days after the Closing Date (or such later date as may be acceptable to the Administrative Agent)) and (B) the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to this clause (iv) shall not exceed at any time outstanding the sum of (x) the greater of $51,750,000 and 2.60% of Total Assets and (y) the Available Amount at such time.

(d) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Investments consisting of Liens, Indebtedness, fundamental changes, Dispositions and Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.01, 7.03 (other than Section 7.03(c)(ii) or (d)), 7.04 (other than Section 7.04(c)(ii) or (f)), 7.05 (other than Section 7.05(d)(ii) or (e)) and 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(d) or (g)(iv)), respectively;

(f) Investments existing on the date hereof or made pursuant to legally binding written contracts in existence on the date hereof, in each case, set forth on Schedule 7.02(f) and any modification, replacement, renewal, reinvestment or extension of any of the foregoing; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 7.02(f) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Closing Date except pursuant to the terms of such Investment as of the Closing Date or as otherwise permitted by another clause of this Section 7.02;

(g) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 7.03;

(h) promissory notes and other non-cash consideration that is permitted to be received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 7.05;

(i) the purchase or other acquisition of property and assets or businesses of any Person or of assets constituting a business unit, a line of business or division of such Person, a Store or Equity Interests in a Person that, upon the consummation thereof, will be a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower (including as a result of a merger or consolidation); provided that with respect to each purchase or other acquisition made pursuant to this Section 7.02(i) (each, a “Permitted Acquisition”):

(A) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall constitute Collateral and each applicable Loan Party and any such newly created or acquired Subsidiary (and, to the extent required under the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the Subsidiaries of such created or acquired Subsidiary) shall be Guarantors and shall have complied with the requirements of Section 6.11, within the times specified therein (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (A) shall not override any provisions of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, subject to the limit in clause (B) below);

(B) the aggregate amount of Investments made in Persons that do not become Loan Parties shall not exceed at any time outstanding the sum of (i) the greater of $51,750,000 and 2.60% of Total Assets and (ii) the Available Amount at such time;

(C) the acquired property, assets, business or Person is in a business permitted under Section 7.07; and

(D) (1) immediately before and immediately after giving Pro Forma Effect to any such purchase or other acquisition, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or, in the case of any Limited Condition Acquisition, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f) shall have occurred and be continuing on the Transaction Agreement Date) and (2) subject to the Limited Condition Acquisition provisions, immediately after giving effect to such purchase

 

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or other acquisition, the Net Leverage Ratio for the Test Period immediately preceding such purchase or other acquisition (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis) (x) is less than or equal to 4.90 to 1.0 or (y) if clause (x) is not satisfied, is less than or equal to the Net Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such purchase or other acquisition for such Test Period, and satisfaction of such test shall be evidenced by a certificate from the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower demonstrating such satisfaction calculated in reasonable detail;

(j) Investments made to effect the Transaction;

(k) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

(l) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers or in settlement of delinquent obligations of, or other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment;

(m) loans and advances to Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other loans, advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to Holdings (or such direct or indirect parent) in accordance with Section 7.06(f) or (g);

(n) other Investments that do not exceed in the aggregate at any time outstanding the sum of (i) the greater of $86,250,000 and 4.00% of Total Assets, determined as of the date of such Investment, and (ii) so long as no Event of Default (or, in the case of any Investment that is a Permitted Acquisition or similar Investment for which no Event of Default existed on the date the relevant Permitted Acquisition or Investment was contractually committed to, no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or 8.01(f)) shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the making of any such Investment, the Available Amount at such time;

(o) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);

(q) Investments held by a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date or of a Person merged into the Borrower or merged or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 7.04 after the Closing Date (other than existing Investments in subsidiaries of such Subsidiary or Person, which must comply with the requirements of Section 7.02(i) or (n)) to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

(r) Guarantees by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(s) (i) Investments in a Securitization Subsidiary or any Investment by a Securitization Subsidiary in any other Person in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing; provided, however, that any such Investment in a Securitization Subsidiary is in the form of a contribution of additional Securitization Assets or as equity, and (ii) distributions or payments of Securitization Fees and purchases of Securitization Assets pursuant to a Securitization Repurchase Obligation in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing; and

 

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(t) Investments made by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the extent such Investments are financed with the proceeds received by such Restricted Subsidiary from an Investment in such Restricted Subsidiary made pursuant to Section 7.02(c)(iv), (i)(B) or (n).

SECTION 7.03 Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or issue any Disqualified Equity Interest, other than:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) (i) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof set forth on Schedule 7.03(b) and any Permitted Refinancing thereof and (ii) intercompany Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Non-Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(c) (i) Guarantees by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries otherwise permitted hereunder (except that a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may not, by virtue of this Section 7.03(c), Guarantee Indebtedness that such Restricted Subsidiary could not otherwise incur under this Section 7.03); provided that (A) no Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary of any Junior Financing shall be permitted unless such Restricted Subsidiary is a Loan Party and (B) if the Indebtedness being Guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness and (ii) any Guaranty by a Loan Party of Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that would have been permitted as an Investment by such Loan Party in such Restricted Subsidiary under Section 7.02(c);

(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries owing to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary to the extent constituting an Investment permitted by Section 7.02; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;

(e) (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Capitalized Leases) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred concurrently with or within two hundred and seventy (270) days after the applicable acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate principal amount pursuant to this subclause (i) not to exceed the greater of $46,000,000 and 2.30% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the date of incurrence, (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions (other than sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets) with respect to properties acquired after the Closing Date and any Permitted Refinancing thereof in an aggregate amount outstanding pursuant to this sub-clause (ii) at any time not to exceed the greater of (x) $35,000,000 and (y) 1.75% of Total Assets, in each case, determined at the date of incurrence and (iii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of sale-leaseback transactions with respect to any Designated Assets, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(f) Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts designed to hedge against Holdings’, the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s exposure to interest rates, foreign exchange rates or commodities pricing risks incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes and Guarantees thereof;

(g) Indebtedness (i) of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof, which Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and is not incurred in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary that is non-recourse to the Borrower, Holdings or any other Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary of such Person that is a Subsidiary on the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof) and is either (A) unsecured or (B) secured only by the assets of such Restricted Subsidiary by Liens permitted under Section 7.01(p)

 

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and, in each case, any Permitted Refinancing thereof, and (ii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred or assumed in connection with any Permitted Acquisition that is secured only by Liens permitted under Section 7.01(p) (and any Permitted Refinancing of the foregoing) and so long as the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness and all Indebtedness resulting from any Permitted Refinancing thereof at any time outstanding pursuant to this clause (g)(ii) does not exceed $51,750,000;

(h) Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness;

(i) Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(j) Indebtedness to current or former officers, directors, managers, consultants and employees, their respective estates, spouses or former spouses to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) permitted by Section 7.06;

(k) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in a Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case to the extent constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earn-outs) or other similar adjustments;

(l) Indebtedness consisting of obligations of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred compensation or other similar arrangements with employees incurred by such Person in connection with the Transaction and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

(m) Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections, employee credit card programs and other cash management and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business and any Guarantees thereof;

(n) Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $86,250,000 and 4.00% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of incurrence; provided that a maximum of the greater of $28,750,000 and 1.45% of Total Assets in aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness may be incurred by Non-Loan Parties, in each case determined at the time of incurrence;

(o) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(p) Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

(q) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

(r) (i) Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (A) $500,000,000 and (B) the then applicable Borrowing Base at any time outstanding under the ABL Facilities and (ii) the amount of obligations in respect of any Secured Hedge Agreement and any Secured Cash Management Agreement (in each case, as defined in the ABL Credit Agreement) at any time outstanding and not incurred in violation of Section 7.03(f) and, in respect of clauses (i) and (ii), any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

 

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(s) Indebtedness under the First Lien Term Credit Agreement outstanding on the Closing Date, Permitted Priority Secured Debt and Permitted Refinancings of the foregoing;

(t) Indebtedness incurred by a Foreign Subsidiary which, when aggregated with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (t) and then outstanding, does not exceed $25,875,000;

(u) Permitted Ratio Debt and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

(v) Indebtedness incurred by a Securitization Subsidiary in a Qualified Securitization Financing that is not recourse (except for Standard Securitization Undertakings) to the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(w) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit issued for the account of any of the Subsidiaries of Holdings to finance the purchase of inventory so long as (x) such Indebtedness is unsecured and (y) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed $46,000,000 at any time;

(x) in the case of Holdings, Qualified Holding Company Debt; and

(y) all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (a) through (x) above.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Restricted Subsidiary that is a Non-Loan Party will guarantee any Indebtedness for borrowed money of a Loan Party unless such Restricted Subsidiary becomes a Guarantor.

For purposes of determining compliance with any Dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the Dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance would cause the applicable Dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance, such 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 extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased, plus the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancing.

The accrual of interest, the accretion of original issue discount and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.03. The principal amount of any non-interest bearing Indebtedness or other discount security constituting Indebtedness at any date shall be the principal amount thereof that would be shown on a balance sheet of the Borrower dated such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the ABL Facilities (and any Permitted Refinancing thereof) may only be incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(r).

SECTION 7.04 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that:

 

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(a) Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with the Borrower (including a merger, the purpose of which is to reorganize the Borrower into a new jurisdiction); provided that (x) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (y) such merger or consolidation does not result in the Borrower ceasing to be organized under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (z) in the case of a merger or consolidation of Holdings with and into the Borrower, Holdings shall not be an obligor in respect of any Qualified Holding Company Debt or other Indebtedness that is not permitted to be Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement, shall have no direct Subsidiaries at the time of such merger or consolidation other than the Borrower and, after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, the direct parent of the Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(b) (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Loan Party, (iii) any merger the sole purpose of which is to reincorporate or reorganize a Loan Party in another jurisdiction in the United States shall be permitted and (iv) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve or change its legal form if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders, provided, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv), that (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom, (B) no Change of Control shall result therefrom and (C) the surviving Person (or, with respect to clause (iv), the Person who receives the assets of such dissolving or liquidated Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor) shall be a Loan Party;

(c) any Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party in accordance with Sections 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e));

(d) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Borrower”), (A) the Successor Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume all the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Guaranty confirmed that its Guarantee of the Obligations shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (D) each Loan Party, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by a supplement to the Security Agreement confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, (E) each mortgagor of a Mortgaged Property, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have by an amendment to or restatement of the applicable Mortgage (or other instrument reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent) confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to the Successor Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement, and (F) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement;

(e) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, Holdings may merge or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (A) Holdings shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is not Holdings or is a

 

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Person into which Holdings has been liquidated (any such Person, the “Successor Holdings”) (A) the Successor Holdings shall be an entity organized or existing under the Laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Holdings shall expressly assume all the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (C) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Collateral Document comply with this Agreement; provided, further, that if the foregoing are satisfied, the Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings under this Agreement;

(f) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in order to effect an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)); provided that the continuing or surviving Person shall be the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, which together with each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, shall have complied with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11;

(g) [reserved]; and

(h) so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, a merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or Disposition, the purpose of which is to effect a Disposition permitted pursuant to Section 7.05 (other than Section 7.05(e)).

SECTION 7.05 Dispositions. Make any Disposition, except:

(a) Dispositions of obsolete, worn-out, used or surplus property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(b) Dispositions of inventory and goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

(c) Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Term Priority Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Term Priority Collateral;

(d) Dispositions of property to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party (i) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (ii) such Investment must be a permitted Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e));

(e) Dispositions permitted by Sections 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)), 7.04 (other than Section 7.04(h)) and 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(d)) and Liens permitted by Section 7.01 (other than Section 7.01(m)(ii));

(f) Dispositions of property pursuant to sale-leaseback transactions; provided that the Net Cash Proceeds thereof are applied in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii);

(g) Dispositions of Cash Equivalents;

(h) leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

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(i) transfers of property subject to Casualty Events upon receipt of the Net Cash Proceeds of such Casualty Event;

(j) Dispositions of property not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition (other than any such Disposition made pursuant to a legally binding commitment entered into at a time when no Default exists), no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition; and (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this clause (j) for a purchase price in excess of $11,500,000, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than nonconsensual Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and Liens permitted by Sections 7.01(a), (l), (m), (s), (t)(i), (t)(ii), (u), (y) and (cc)); provided, however, that for the purposes of this clause (ii), (A) any liabilities (as shown on the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, (B) any securities received by such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by such Restricted Subsidiary into cash (to the extent of the cash received) within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value as determined by the Borrower in good faith, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of the greater of $23,000,000 and 1.15% 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 be deemed to be cash;

(k) Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

(l) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof;

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

(n) to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code (or comparable or successor provision), any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon permitted by such provision) for use in any business conducted by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not in contravention of Section 7.07; provided that to the extent the property being transferred constitutes Term Priority Collateral, such replacement property shall constitute Term Priority Collateral;

(o) [reserved];

(p) the unwinding of any Swap Contract;

(q) sales or other dispositions by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets in connection with the closing or sale of a Store (including a factory Store) in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which consist of leasehold interests in the premises of such Store, the equipment and fixtures located at such premises and the books and records relating exclusively and directly to the operations of such Store; provided that as to each and all such sales and closings, (A) no Event of Default shall result therefrom and (B) such sale shall be on commercially reasonable prices and terms in a bona fide arm’s-length transaction;

 

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(r) bulk sales or other Dispositions of the inventory of a Loan Party not in the ordinary course of business in connection with Store closings, at arm’s length;

(s) any Disposition of Securitization Assets to a Securitization Subsidiary; and

(t) the lapse or abandonment in the ordinary course of business of any registrations or applications for registration of any IP Rights;

provided that any Disposition of any property pursuant to this Section 7.05 (except pursuant to Sections 7.05(e), (i), (k), (p) and (t) and except for Dispositions from the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party), shall be for no less than the fair market value of such property at the time of such Disposition as determined by the Borrower in good faith. To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 7.05 to any Person other than a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, upon the certification by the Borrower that such Disposition is permitted by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

SECTION 7.06 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

(a) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower and to its other Restricted Subsidiaries (and, in the case of a Restricted Payment by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, to the Borrower and any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries and to each other owner of Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary based on their relative ownership interests of the relevant class of Equity Interests);

(b) Holdings, the Borrower and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests not otherwise permitted by Section 7.03) of such Person;

(c) [reserved];

(d) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Section 7.02 (other than Section 7.02(e)), 7.04 (other than a merger or consolidation of Holdings and the Borrower) or 7.08 (other than Section 7.08(a), (j), (k) or (r));

(e) repurchases of Equity Interests in Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or similar rights if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants or similar rights;

(f) Holdings and the Borrower may pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of Holdings (or of any such direct or indirect parent thereof) held by any future, present or former employee, director, consultant or distributor (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) or any of its Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise pursuant to any employee or director equity plan, employee or director stock option plan or any other employee or director benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, director, consultant or distributor of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower) or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount after the Closing Date together with the aggregate amount of loans and advances to Holdings made pursuant to Section 7.02(m) in lieu of Restricted Payments permitted by this clause (f) not to exceed $17,500,000 in any calendar year with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to the next two succeeding calendar years; provided that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date;

 

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(g) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to Holdings or to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings (and Holdings may make Restricted Payments to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings):

(i) the proceeds of which will be used to pay (in amounts required for Holdings or such other parent company) consolidated or combined federal, state and/or local income Taxes imposed on such entity to the extent such income Taxes are attributable to the income of the Borrower 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 Borrower and its Subsidiaries whose activities are included in such consolidated or combined group would have been required to pay in respect of the relevant federal, state and/ or local income Taxes (as the case may be) in respect of such year if the Borrower and such 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary) and (ii) the permitted payment pursuant to this clause (g) 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 Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purposes of paying such consolidated, combined or similar Taxes;

(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) its operating costs and expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business, attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(iii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof which does not own other Subsidiaries besides Holdings, its Subsidiaries and the direct or indirect parents of Holdings to pay) franchise taxes and other fees, taxes and expenses required to maintain its (or any of such direct or indirect parents’) corporate existence;

(iv) to finance any Investment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 7.02; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) Holdings and the Borrower shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be contributed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 7.04) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.11 and 7.02;

(v) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) costs, fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any unsuccessful equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement; and

(vi) the proceeds of which (A) shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent company of Holdings to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or (B) shall be used to make payments permitted under Sections 7.08(e), (h), (k) and (q) (but only to the extent such payments have not been and are not expected to be made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary);

 

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(h) Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries may pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition;

(i) the declaration and payment of dividends on the Borrower’s common stock following the first public offering of the Borrower’s common stock or the common stock of any of its direct or indirect parents after the Closing Date, of up to 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by or contributed to the Borrower in or from any such public offering, other than public offerings with respect to the Borrower’s common stock registered on Form S-4 or Form S-8;

(j) repurchases of Equity Interests (i) deemed to occur on the exercise of options by the delivery of Equity Interests in satisfaction of the exercise price of such options or (ii) in consideration of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing), including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options; and

(k) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments (the proceeds of which may be utilized by Holdings to make additional Restricted Payments) in an aggregate amount, together with the aggregate amount of prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings made pursuant to Section 7.12(a)(i)(D), not to exceed the sum of (i) the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of such Restricted Payment and (ii) so long as immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a Pro Forma Basis the Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 4.50 to 1.0, the Available Amount at such time; and

(l) Borrower may make to Holdings, and Holdings may make to its direct parent, the Closing Date Distribution on the Closing Date.

SECTION 7.07 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business reasonably related or ancillary thereto.

SECTION 7.08 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of Holdings or the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, in excess of $11,500,000 other than:

(a) transactions between or among the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction,

(b) transactions on terms substantially as favorable to Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by Holdings, the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate,

(c) the Transaction and the payment of fees and expenses (including the Transaction Expenses) related to the Transaction,

(d) the issuance of Equity Interests of Holdings to any officer, director, employee or consultant of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in connection with the Transaction,

(e) the payment of management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses to the Sponsor pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement (plus any unpaid management, consulting, monitoring, advisory and other fees, indemnities and expenses accrued in any prior year) and any Sponsor Termination Fees pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement,

 

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(f) employment and severance arrangements between Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees in the ordinary course of business and transactions pursuant to stock option plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements,

(g) the non-exclusive licensing of trademarks, copyrights or other IP Rights in the ordinary course of business to permit the commercial exploitation of IP Rights between or among Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Holdings or the Borrower,

(h) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out-of-pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, officers and employees of Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries,

(i) any agreement, instrument or arrangement as in effect as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.08, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the Closing Date),

(j) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06,

(k) customary payments by the Borrower and any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of Holdings in good faith,

(l) transactions in which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter from an Independent Financial Advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or meets the requirements of clause (b) of this Section 7.08,

(m) the issuance or transfer of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings to any Permitted Holder or to any former, current or future director, manager, officer, employee or consultant (or any spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent thereof to the extent otherwise permitted by this Agreement and to the extent such issuance or transfer would not give rise to a Change of Control,

(n) investments by the Sponsor or the Co-Investors in securities of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries so long as (A) the investment is being offered generally to other investors on the same or more favorable terms and (B) the investment constitutes less than 5.0% of the proposed or outstanding issue amount of such class of securities,

(o) payments to or from, and transactions with, Joint Ventures (to the extent any such Joint Venture is only an Affiliate as a result of Investments by Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in such Joint Venture) in the ordinary course of business to the extent otherwise permitted under Section 7.02,

(p) any Disposition of Securitization Assets or related assets in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing,

(q) the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to registration rights and indemnities provided to shareholders of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent thereof pursuant to the stockholders agreement or the registration and participation rights agreement entered into on the Closing Date in connection therewith,

 

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(r) the entering into of any tax sharing agreement or arrangement and any payments pursuant thereto, to the extent permitted by Section 7.06(g)(i), and

(s) payments to an Affiliate in respect of the Indebtedness or Equity Interests of Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that are payable to Affiliates that may from time to time own such Indebtedness or Equity Interests.

SECTION 7.09 Burdensome Agreements. Enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that prohibits, restricts, imposes any condition on or limits the ability of (a) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to make Restricted Payments to (directly or indirectly) or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or to Guarantee the Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or (b) any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person for the benefit of the Lenders with respect to the Facility and the Obligations under the Loan Documents; provided that the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) shall not apply to Contractual Obligations that:

(i) (x) exist on the date hereof and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 7.09) are listed on Schedule 7.09 hereto and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such Contractual Obligation,

(ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary,

(iii) represent Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party that is permitted by Section 7.03,

(iv) are customary restrictions that arise in connection with (x) any Lien permitted by Sections 7.01(a), (l), (m), (s), (t)(i), (t)(ii), (u), (y) and (cc) and relate to the property subject to such Lien or (y) any Disposition permitted by Section 7.05 applicable pending such Disposition solely to the assets subject to such Disposition,

(v) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 7.02 and applicable solely to such joint venture entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(vi) are negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03 but solely to the extent any negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness (and excluding in any event any Indebtedness constituting any Junior Financing) and the proceeds and products thereof and, in the case of the ABL Facilities, First Lien Term Facilities, Permitted Priority Secured Debt, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Ratio Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing, permit the Liens securing the Obligations without restriction (subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement),

(vii) are customary restrictions on leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate to the assets subject thereto,

(viii) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Sections 7.03(e), (g), (h), (o)(i), (r), (s) or (t) to the extent that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or to the Restricted Subsidiary party to such Indebtedness,

 

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(ix) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary,

(x) are customary provisions restricting assignment of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xi) are restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business,

(xii) are restrictions contained in the ABL Credit Agreement, the ABL Facilities Documentation, the First Lien Term Facilities Documentation and any documentation governing a Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing,

(xiii) arise in connection with cash or other deposits permitted under Section 7.01, or

(xiv) comprise restrictions imposed by any agreement governing Indebtedness entered into after the Closing Date and permitted under Section 7.03 that are, taken as a whole, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, no more restrictive with respect to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary than customary market terms for Indebtedness of such type, so long as the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such restrictions will not affect its obligation or ability to make any payments required hereunder.

SECTION 7.10 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Borrowing, whether directly or indirectly, in a manner prohibited by this Agreement.

SECTION 7.11 Accounting Changes. Make any change in fiscal year; provided, however, that Holdings and the Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, change its fiscal year to any other fiscal year reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in which case, Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary to reflect such change in fiscal year.

SECTION 7.12 Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness.

(a) Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of regularly scheduled principal, interest and mandatory prepayments shall be permitted) any Indebtedness of a Loan Party (except, with respect to Holdings, to the extent such prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction thereof is funded with a Restricted Payment permitted under Section 7.06(k)) that is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations expressly by its terms (other than Indebtedness among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) (collectively, “Junior Financing”), except (A) the refinancing thereof with the Net Cash Proceeds of, or in exchange for, any Permitted Refinancing, to the extent not required to prepay any Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b), (B) the conversion of any Junior Financing to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings or any of its direct or indirect parents, (C) the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary owed to Holdings, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of any other Junior Financing with the proceeds of any other Junior Financing otherwise permitted by Section 7.03 and (D) prepayments, redemptions, purchases, defeasances and other payments in respect of Junior Financings prior to their scheduled maturity in an aggregate amount, together with the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 7.06(k)(i), not to exceed the sum of (1) the greater of $25,000,000 and 1.25% of Total Assets, in each case determined at the time of such payment and (2) if (after giving effect to such prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction on a Pro Forma Basis) the Net Leverage Ratio is not greater than 4.50 to 1.0, and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Available Amount at such time.

(b) Amend, modify or change in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders any term or condition of any Junior Financing Documentation or, other than as a result of a Permitted Refinancing thereof, without the consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

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SECTION 7.13 Holdings. In the case of Holdings, conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than the following (and activities incidental thereto): (i) its ownership of the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (ii) the maintenance of its legal existence (including the ability to incur fees, costs and expenses relating to such maintenance), (iii) the performance of its obligations with respect to the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities, the First Lien Term Facilities, any Qualified Holding Company Debt, any Permitted Ratio Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt and any other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by Holdings pursuant to Section 7.03, (iv) any public offering of its common stock or any other issuance of its Equity Interests or any transaction permitted under Section 7.04, (v) financing activities, including the issuance of securities, incurrence of debt, payment of Restricted Payments, making contributions to the capital of its Subsidiaries and guaranteeing the obligations of its Subsidiaries in each case solely to the extent permitted hereunder, (vi) participating in tax, accounting and other administrative matters as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and the Borrower, (vii) holding any cash or property received in connection with Restricted Payments made by the Borrower in accordance with Section 7.06 pending application thereof by Holdings, (viii) providing indemnification to officers and directors and (ix) activities incidental to the businesses or activities described in clauses (i) to (viii) of this Section 7.13.

ARTICLE VIII

Events of Default and Remedies

SECTION 8.01 Events of Default. Each of the events referred to in clauses (a) through (l) of this Section 8.01 shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within five (5) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or, in the case of Section 7.13, Holdings, fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 6.03(a) or 6.05(a) (solely with respect to the Borrower) or Article VII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after receipt by the Borrower of written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent; or

(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be untrue in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder) having an aggregate outstanding principal amount (individually or in the aggregate with all other Indebtedness as to which such a failure shall exist) of not less than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts and not as a result of any default thereunder by any Loan Party), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(B) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets

 

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securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness; provided, further, that such failure is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the Commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Section 8.02; provided that no such event under the ABL Facilities or the First Lien Term Facilities (other than the failure of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary to make any payment beyond the applicable grace period, if any, whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise, in respect of the ABL Facilities or the First Lien Term Facilities) shall constitute an Event of Default under this Section 8.01(e) until the earliest to occur of (x) the acceleration of the Indebtedness under the ABL Facilities or the First Lien Term Facilities and (y) the exercise of any remedies by the ABL Administrative Agent or First Lien Term Administrative Agent in respect of any Collateral; or

(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Holdings, the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and has not denied or failed to acknowledge coverage thereof) and such judgment or order shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending an appeal for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days; or

(h) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates under Title IV of ERISA in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any Loan Party or any of their respective ERISA Affiliates fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its Withdrawal Liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) with respect to a Foreign Plan, a termination, withdrawal or noncompliance with applicable law or plan terms that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

(i) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any material provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or 7.05) or the satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in writing the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies in writing that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document (other than as a result of repayment in full of the Obligations and termination of the Aggregate Commitments), or purports in writing to revoke or rescind any Loan Document; or

(j) Collateral Documents. (i) Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.01 or 6.11 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or 7.05) cease to create, or any Lien purported to be created by any Collateral Document shall be asserted in writing by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and perfected lien, with the priority required by the Collateral Documents (or other security purported to be created on the applicable Collateral) on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral purported

 

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to be covered thereby, subject to Liens permitted under Section 7.01, except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from the failure of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents or to file Uniform Commercial Code continuation statements and except as to Collateral consisting of real property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied coverage, or (ii) any of the Equity Interests of the Borrower ceasing to be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement free of Liens other than Liens permitted by the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, any Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement (if any) and the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (if any) or any nonconsensual Liens arising solely by operation of Law; or

(k) Junior Financing Documentation. (i) Any of the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents for any reason shall cease to be “Senior Indebtedness” (or any comparable term) or “Senior Secured Financing” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in any Junior Financing Documentation with an aggregate principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount or (ii) the subordination provisions set forth in any Junior Financing Documentation with an aggregate principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount shall, in whole or in part, cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and enforceable against the holders of any such Junior Financing, if applicable; or

(l) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

SECTION 8.02 Remedies upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent may with the consent of, and shall at the request of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare Commitments of each Lender to be terminated, whereupon such Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and

(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;

provided that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the Commitments of each Lender shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

SECTION 8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent, subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (other than principal and interest, but including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs payable under Section 10.04 and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

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Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, the Obligations under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Obligations, ratably among the Secured Parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

Fifth, to the payment of all other Obligations of the Loan Parties that are due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

ARTICLE IX

Administrative Agent and Other Agents

SECTION 9.01 Appointment and Authorization of the Administrative Agent.

(a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America, N.A. to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article IX (other than Sections 9.09 and 9.11) are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any such provision.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a Lender and a potential Hedge Bank and/or Cash Management Bank) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of (and to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or in trust for) such Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” (and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX (including Section 9.07, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lenders hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent to execute any and all documents (including releases) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto (including the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), as contemplated by and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents and acknowledge and agree that any such action by any Agent shall bind the Lenders.

SECTION 9.02 Rights as a Lender. Any Person serving as an Agent (including as Administrative Agent) hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include each Person serving as an Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, any Agent or its Affiliates may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or such Affiliate) and acknowledge that no Agent shall be under any obligation to provide such information to them.

 

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SECTION 9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Agent shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, an Agent (including the Administrative Agent):

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law and instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties;

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that such Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that no Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by any Person serving as an Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, in connection with its duties expressly set forth herein. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.

No Agent-Related Person shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any recital, statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof.

SECTION 9.04 Reliance by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender

 

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unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders; provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or in the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law.

SECTION 9.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Documents by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Agent-Related Persons. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Agent-Related Persons of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.06 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders; Disclosure of Information by Agents. Each Lender acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person to any Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to each Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereunder. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person.

SECTION 9.07 Indemnification of Agents. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Lenders shall indemnify upon demand the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), pro rata, and hold harmless the Administrative Agent and each other Agent-Related Person (solely to the extent any such Agent-Related Person was performing services on behalf of the Administrative Agent) from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by it; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required

 

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Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be required by the Loan Documents) shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 9.07. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 9.07 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower, provided that such reimbursement by the Lenders shall not affect the Borrower’s continuing reimbursement obligations with respect thereto, provided, further, that the failure of any Lender to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation in respect thereof. The undertaking in this Section 9.07 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.08 No Other Duties; Arranger, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Arrangers shall not have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder and such Person shall have the benefit of this Article IX. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Lenders or other Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any agency or fiduciary or trust relationship with any Lender, Holdings, the Borrower or any of their respective Subsidiaries. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Lenders or other Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

SECTION 9.09 Resignation of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to appoint a successor, which shall be a Lender or a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such Lender or bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (a) the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor of such Agent is appointed) and (b) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, hereunder and upon the execution and filing or recording of such financing statements, or amendments thereto, and such amendments or supplements to the Mortgages, and such other instruments or notices, as may be necessary or desirable, or as the Required Lenders may request, in order to (i) continue the perfection of the Liens granted or purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents or (ii) otherwise ensure that the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement is satisfied, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, and the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and

 

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such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Sections 10.04 and 10.05 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Agent-Related Persons in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable.

SECTION 9.10 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.07 and 10.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

The holders of the Obligations hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject or (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the holders thereof shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 10.01 of this Agreement, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata

 

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by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Obligations to be credit bid, all without the need for any Lender or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Lender or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

SECTION 9.11 Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, and each of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent agrees that it will:

(a) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than (x) obligations and liabilities under Secured Hedge Agreements as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Hedge Bank shall have been made, (y) Cash Management Obligations as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank shall have been made and (z) contingent indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable), (ii) at the time the property subject to such Lien is transferred or to be transferred as part of or in connection with any transfer permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, (iv) if the property subject to such Lien is owned by a Guarantor, upon release of such Guarantor from its obligations under its Guaranty pursuant to clause (c) below or (v) when required pursuant to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement or First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

(b) release or subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i);

(c) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if (i) in the case of any Subsidiary, such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder or (ii) in the case of Holdings, as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of the ABL Facilities, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, the First Lien Term Facilities, any Permitted Priority Secured Debt or any Junior Financing; and

(d) if any Guarantor shall cease to be a Material Domestic Subsidiary (as certified in writing by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower), and the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that it wishes such Guarantor to be released from its obligations under the Guaranty and provides the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent such certifications or documents as either such Agent shall reasonably request, (i) release such Subsidiary from its obligations under the Guaranty and (ii) release any Liens granted by such Subsidiary or Liens on the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary continues to be a guarantor in respect of the ABL Facilities, the First Lien Term Facilities, any Permitted Priority Secured Debt, any Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or any Junior Financing.

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.11. In each case as specified in this Section 9.11, the applicable Agent will (and each Lender irrevocably authorizes the applicable Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may

 

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reasonably request to evidence the release or subordination of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.11.

SECTION 9.12 Appointment of Supplemental Administrative Agents.

(a) It is the purpose of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that there shall be no violation of any Law of any jurisdiction denying or restricting the right of banking corporations or associations to transact business as agent or trustee in such jurisdiction. It is recognized that in case of litigation under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and in particular in case of the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents, or in case the Administrative Agent deems that by reason of any present or future Law of any jurisdiction it may not exercise any of the rights, powers or remedies granted herein or in any of the other Loan Documents or take any other action which may be desirable or necessary in connection therewith, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to appoint an additional individual or institution selected by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion as a separate trustee, co-trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, administrative sub-agent or administrative co-agent (any such additional individual or institution being referred to herein individually as a “Supplemental Administrative Agent” and collectively as “Supplemental Administrative Agents”).

(b) In the event that the Administrative Agent appoints a Supplemental Administrative Agent with respect to any Collateral, (i) each and every right, power, privilege or duty expressed or intended by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to be exercised by or vested in or conveyed to the Administrative Agent with respect to such Collateral shall be exercisable by and vest in such Supplemental Administrative Agent to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to enable such Supplemental Administrative Agent to exercise such rights, powers and privileges with respect to such Collateral and to perform such duties with respect to such Collateral, and every covenant and obligation contained in the Loan Documents and necessary to the exercise or performance thereof by such Supplemental Administrative Agent shall run to and be enforceable by either the Administrative Agent or such Supplemental Administrative Agent, and (ii) the provisions of this Article IX and of Sections 10.04 and 10.05 that refer to the Administrative Agent shall inure to the benefit of such Supplemental Administrative Agent and all references therein to the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to be references to the Administrative Agent and/or such Supplemental Administrative Agent, as the context may require.

(c) Should any instrument in writing from any Loan Party be required by any Supplemental Administrative Agent so appointed by the Administrative Agent for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to him or it such rights, powers, privileges and duties, the Borrower or Holdings, as applicable, shall, or shall cause such Loan Party to, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all such instruments promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent. In case any Supplemental Administrative Agent, or a successor thereto, shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of such Supplemental Administrative Agent, to the extent permitted by Law, shall vest in and be exercised by the Administrative Agent until the appointment of a new Supplemental Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.13 Intercreditor Agreements. The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are authorized to enter into the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, any Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement and any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the parties hereto acknowledge that the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, and any such Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement is binding upon them. Each Lender (a) hereby consents to the subordination of the Liens on the Current Asset Collateral securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, to the subordination of the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations on the terms set forth in in the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to the provisions of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the parity nature of the Liens on the Collateral, (b) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and any such Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and (c) hereby authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent to enter into the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and, if applicable, any such Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations to the provisions thereof.

 

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SECTION 9.14 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Guaranty or any Collateral Document, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 8.03, any Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

SECTION 9.15 Withholding Taxes.To the extent required by any applicable Laws, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. Without limiting or expanding the provisions of Section 3.01, each Lender shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent against, and shall make payable in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent by the IRS or any other Governmental Authority as a result of the failure of the Administrative Agent to properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of such Lender for any reason (including, without limitation, because the appropriate form was not delivered or properly executed, or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of withholding Tax ineffective). A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this Section 9.15. The agreements in this Section 9.15 shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

SECTION 9.16 Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans or the Commitments,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement,

 

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(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or if such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that:

(i) none of the Administrative Agent or the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto),

(ii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50 million, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

(iii) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the Obligations),

(iv) the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Code, or both, with respect to the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

(v) no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent or the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement.

(c) The Administrative Agent and the Arrangers hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees,

 

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commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

ARTICLE X

Miscellaneous

SECTION 10.01 Amendments, Etc. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that, no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);

(b) postpone any date scheduled for, or reduce the amount of, any payment of principal or interest under Section 2.05 or 2.06 without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, it being understood that the waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Loans shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest;

(c) reduce the principal of, or, subject to Section 2.16 and Section 3.03, the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or (subject to clause (i) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;

(d) change any provision of this Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders,” “Required Facility Lenders” or “Pro Rata Share” or any other provision specifying the number of Lenders or portion of the Loans or Commitments required to take any action under the Loan Documents, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby;

(e) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, without the written consent of each Lender; or

(f) other than in a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, release all or substantially all of the aggregate value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender;

and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) Section 10.07(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification and (iii) the consent of Required Facility Lenders shall be required with respect to any amendment that by its terms adversely affects the rights of Lenders under such Facility in respect of payments hereunder in a manner different than such amendment affects other Facilities.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing,

(a) No Lender consent is required to effect any amendment or supplement to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement or any Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (i) that is for the purpose of adding the holders of other secured Indebtedness (or a Senior Representative with respect thereto) as parties thereto, as expressly contemplated by the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, such Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or such Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, as applicable (it being understood that any such amendment or supplement may make such other changes to the applicable intercreditor agreement as, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, are required to effectuate the foregoing and provided that such other changes are not adverse, in any material respect, to the interests of the Lenders) or (ii) that is expressly contemplated by the ABL Intercreditor Agreement or First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (or the comparable provisions, if any, of any Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement or any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement); provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable; and

(b) This Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (i) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders.

In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders providing the Replacement Loans (as defined below) to permit the refinancing of all outstanding Loans of any Class (“Refinanced Loans”) with replacement term loans (“Replacement Loans”) hereunder; provided that (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Replacement Loans shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Refinanced Loans, (b) the All-In Yield with respect to such Replacement Loans (or similar interest rate spread applicable to such Replacement Loans) shall not be higher than the All-In Yield for such Refinanced Loans (or similar interest rate spread applicable to such Refinanced Loans) immediately prior to such refinancing, (c) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Replacement Loans shall not be shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Refinanced Loans at the time of such refinancing (except by virtue of amortization or prepayment of the Refinanced Loans prior to the time of such incurrence) and (d) all other terms applicable to such Replacement Loans shall be substantially identical to, or less favorable to the Lenders providing such Replacement Loans than, those applicable to such Refinanced Loans, except to the extent necessary to provide for covenants and other terms applicable to any period after the Latest Maturity Date of the Loans in effect immediately prior to such refinancing.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10.01, guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law or advice of local counsel, (ii) to cure ambiguities or defects or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 10.02 Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.

(a) General. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

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(i) if to Holdings, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b) Electronic Communication. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

(c) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(d) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Agent-Related Persons or any Arranger (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to Holdings, the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(e) Change of Address. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i)

 

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an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities Laws.

(f) Reliance by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent each Lender and the Agent-Related Persons of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

SECTION 10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

SECTION 10.04 Attorney Costs and Expenses. The Borrower agrees (a) if the Closing Date occurs, to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent, each Co-Syndication Agent and the Arrangers for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, syndication and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including all Attorney Costs of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction material to the interests of the Lenders taken as a whole, and (b) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and including all Attorney Costs of one counsel to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders taken as a whole (and, if reasonably necessary, one local counsel in any relevant material jurisdiction and, in the event of any conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Lenders similarly situated taken as a whole)). The agreements in this Section 10.04 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations. All amounts due under this Section 10.04 shall be paid promptly following receipt by the Borrower of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such expenses in reasonable detail and such backup material as the Borrower may reasonably request. If any Loan Party fails to pay when due any costs, expenses or other amounts payable by it hereunder or under any Loan Document, such amount may be paid on behalf of such Loan Party by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion. The Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby acknowledge that the Administrative Agent and/or any Lender may receive a benefit, including without limitation, a discount, credit or other accommodation, from any of such counsel based on the fees such counsel may receive on account of their relationship with the Administrative Agent and/or such Lender, including, without limitation, fees paid pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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SECTION 10.05 Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agents, each Lender, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, trustees or advisors and other representatives (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses and disbursements (including Attorney Costs) of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with (but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one counsel to all Indemnitees taken as a whole and, if reasonably necessary, a single local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant jurisdiction that is material to the interest of the Lenders, and solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to each group of affected Indemnitees similarly situated taken as a whole) (a) the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) any Commitment, Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, or (c) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or any Environmental Liability arising out of the activities or operations of the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Loan Party, or (d) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”); provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulted from (x) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or of any affiliate, director, officer, employee or agent of such Indemnitee, (y) a material breach of any obligations under any Loan Document by such Indemnitee or of any Related Indemnified Person as determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an administrative agent or arranger or any similar role under the Facility and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the Borrower or any of its Affiliates. To the extent that the undertakings to indemnify and hold harmless set forth in this Section 10.05 may be unenforceable in whole or in part because they are violative of any applicable law or public policy, the Borrower shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted to pay and satisfy under applicable law to the payment and satisfaction of all Indemnified Liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, nor shall any Indemnitee or any Loan Party have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date) (other than, in the case of any Loan Party, in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party). In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 10.05 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, its directors, stockholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents is consummated. All amounts due under this Section 10.05 shall be paid within twenty (20) Business Days after written demand therefor. The agreements in this Section 10.05 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. This Section 10.05 shall not apply to Taxes, except any Taxes that represent liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, etc., arising from a non-Tax claim.

SECTION 10.06 Marshaling; Payments Set Aside. None of the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall be under any obligation to marshal any assets in favor of the Loan Parties or any other party or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not

 

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occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

SECTION 10.07 Successors and Assigns.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither Holdings nor the Borrower may, except as permitted by Section 7.04, assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Agent-Related Persons of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment or, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower or any Guarantor, Section 8.01(f) has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned.

(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a) or, solely with respect to the Borrower, Section 8.01(f), has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or (3) such assignment is by the Arrangers or their Affiliates prior to the completion of the primary syndication (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or the 90th day after the Closing Date, whichever shall occur first; provided that if the Borrower does not respond to a request for an assignment within ten (10) Business Days after receiving written notice of a request for such consent, the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to such assignment; and

 

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(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire. All assignments shall be by novation.

(v) No Assignments to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries except as permitted under Section 2.03(a)(iv), (B) subject to subsection (h) below, any of the Borrower’s Affiliates, (C) to a natural person or an investment vehicle of a natural person or (D) any Disqualified Institution to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 10.04 and 10.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Note, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

(c) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans, owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agents and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Agent and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. This Section 10.07(c) and Section 2.09 shall be construed so that all Loans are at all times maintained in “registered form” within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2) and 881(c)(2) of the Code and any related Treasury regulations (or any other relevant or successor provisions of the Code or of such Treasury regulations).

(d) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, an investment vehicle of a natural person or, to the extent that the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to all Public Lenders on the Platform, any Disqualified Institution or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for

 

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the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Agents and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that directly affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled (through the applicable Lender) to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.06(a) and 3.07, as if the Participant were a Lender) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.09 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.11 as though it were a Lender.

(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01, 3.04 or 3.05 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). Each Lender that sells a participation shall (acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower) maintain a register on which is entered the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”). A Lender shall not be obligated to disclose the Participant Register to any Person except to the extent such disclosure is necessary to establish that any Loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

(f) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. Each party hereto hereby agrees that an SPC shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations of such Sections (including the limitation in the definition of “Excluded Taxes”), and Sections 3.06(a) and 3.07, as if the SPC were a Lender); provided, that neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Sections 3.01, 3.04 or 3.05) unless such increase or change results from a Change in Law after the grant was made. Each party hereto further agrees that (i) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable and (ii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the Laws of the United

 

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States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

(h) Any Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to a Person who is or will become, after such assignment, the Borrower or an Affiliated Lender through (x) Dutch auctions open to all Lenders in accordance with procedures of the type described in Section 2.03(a)(iv) or (y) open market purchase on a non-pro rata basis, in each case subject to the following limitations:

(i) Affiliated Lenders will not receive information provided solely to Lenders by the Administrative Agent or any Lender and will not be permitted to attend or participate in meetings attended solely by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, other than the right to receive notices of prepayments and other administrative notices in respect of its Loans or Commitments required to be delivered to Lenders pursuant to Article II;

(ii) if the Borrower or an Affiliated Lender (A) purchases any Loans pursuant to this clause (h) or (B) sells any Loan hereunder, then either (I) the Borrower or such Affiliated Lender shall represent and warrant to the seller or the buyer, as applicable, that it does not possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information) or (II) each of the seller and buyer shall render to each other a customary “big boy” disclaimer letter;

(iii) the aggregate principal amount of Loans held at any one time by Affiliated Lenders (measured immediately after giving effect to any such acquisition of Loans) may not exceed 25% of the principal amount of all Loans at such time outstanding; and

(iv) in the case of an assignment to the Borrower (A) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such assignment and (B) the Loans assigned to the Borrower shall be automatically and permanently cancelled upon the closing of such assignment.

(i) Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” to the contrary, for purposes of determining whether the Required Lenders have (i) consented (or not consented) to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action with respect to any of the terms of any Loan Document or any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, or subject to Section 10.07(j), any plan of reorganization pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, (ii) otherwise acted on any matter related to any Loan Document, or (iii) directed or required the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) with respect to or under any Loan Document, no Affiliated Lender shall have any right to consent (or not consent), otherwise act or direct or require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to take (or refrain from taking) any such action and:

(A) all Loans held by any Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether the Required Lenders have taken any actions; and

(B) all Loans held by Affiliated Lenders shall be deemed to be not outstanding for all purposes of calculating whether all Lenders have taken any action unless the action in question affects such Affiliated Lender in a disproportionately adverse manner than its effect on other Lenders.

(j) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary, each Affiliated Lender hereby agrees that, if a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law shall be commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Loan Party at a time when such Lender is an Affiliated Lender, such Affiliated Lender irrevocably authorizes and empowers the Administrative Agent to vote on behalf of such Affiliated Lender with respect to the Loans held by such Affiliated Lender in any manner in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, unless the Administrative Agent instructs such Affiliated Lender to vote, in which case such Affiliated

 

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Lender shall vote with respect to the Loans held by it as the Administrative Agent directs; provided that such Affiliated Lender shall be entitled to vote in accordance with its sole discretion (and not in accordance with the direction of the Administrative Agent) in connection with any plan of reorganization to the extent any such plan of reorganization proposes to treat any Obligations held by such Affiliated Lender in a manner that is less favorable in any material respect to such Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of similar Obligations held by Lenders that are not Affiliates of the Borrower.

SECTION 10.08 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information in accordance with its customary procedures (as set forth below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners); provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable prior to any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, provided that the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, agrees that it will notify the Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation or except in connection with any request as part of a regulatory examination, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions at least as restrictive as those of this Section 10.08, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be an Additional Lender (other than to a Disqualified Institution; provided that the list of Disqualified Institutions may be provided) or (ii) any actual or prospective direct or indirect counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, (h) to any rating agency when required by it (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to the Loan Parties received by it from the Administrative Agent or such Lender) or (i) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, and which source is not known by such Agent or Lender to be subject to a confidentiality restriction in respect thereof in favor of the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; it being understood that all information received from Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof shall be deemed confidential unless such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as not being confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so in accordance with its customary procedures if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

SECTION 10.09 Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply

 

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any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

SECTION 10.10 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If any Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by an Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

SECTION 10.11 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.12 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state Laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

SECTION 10.13 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Borrowing, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.

SECTION 10.14 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall

 

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endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 10.15 GOVERNING LAW.

(a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

(b) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. EACH PARTY HERETO AGREES THAT THE AGENTS AND LENDERS RETAIN THE RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXERCISE OF ANY RIGHTS UNDER ANY COLLATERAL DOCUMENT OR THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT.

(c) THE BORROWER, HOLDINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (b) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

SECTION 10.16 WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 10.17 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, Holdings and the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender that each such Lender has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, Holdings, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.

 

124


SECTION 10.18 Lender Action. Each Lender agrees that it shall not take or institute any actions or proceedings, judicial or otherwise, for any right or remedy against any Loan Party under any of the Loan Documents or the Secured Hedge Agreements (including the exercise of any right of setoff, rights on account of any banker’s lien or similar claim or other rights of self-help), or institute any actions or proceedings, or otherwise commence any remedial procedures, with respect to any Collateral or any other property of any such Loan Party, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (which shall not be withheld in contravention of Section 9.04). The provision of this Section 10.18 are for the sole benefit of the Lenders and shall not afford any right to, or constitute a defense available to, any Loan Party.

SECTION 10.19 Use of Name, Logo, etc. Each Loan Party consents to the publication in the ordinary course by Administrative Agent or the Arrangers of customary advertising material relating to the financing transactions contemplated by this Agreement using such Loan Party’s name, product photographs, logo or trademark. Such consent shall remain effective until revoked by such Loan Party in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers.

SECTION 10.20 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 10.21 Service of Process. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 10.22 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrower and Holdings acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Agents and the Arrangers are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower, Holdings and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agents and the Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrower and Holdings has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Borrower and Holdings is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Agents, the Arrangers and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) none of the Agents, the Arranger, nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Agents, the Arrangers, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower, Holdings their respective Affiliates, and none of the Agents, the Arrangers, nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, Holdings or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and Holdings hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Agents, the Arrangers and any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

125


SECTION 10.23 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

126


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as Borrower
By:   /s/ Wade Miquelon
  Name:   Wade Miquelon
  Title:   Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

 

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, as Holdings
By:   /s/ Wade Miquelon
  Name:   Wade Miquelon
  Title:   Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

 

127


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
By:   /s/ Denise Jones
  Name: Denise Jones
  Title:    Vice President

 

128


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as a Lender
By:   /s/ Adam Cady
  Name: Adam Cady
  Title:    Managing Director

 

129


SCHEDULE 2.01

COMMITMENT

 

Lender

   Commitment  

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 225,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 225,000,000  
  

 

 

 

 

130


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

Date: _______, ____

 

To:

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

☐ A Borrowing of Loans

☐ A conversion or continuation of Loans made on __________.

To be made on the terms set forth below:

Class of Borrowing: __________.1

On __________ (a Business Day).

In the principal amount of $__________.

Comprised of [Type of Loan requested].

For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of __ months.

[Except in respect of any conversion or continuation of a Borrowing, the undersigned hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that the conditions to lending specified in Section 4.02(a) of the Credit Agreement will be satisfied as of the date of the Borrowing set forth above.]2

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

1 

E.g., Initial Loans, Incremental Loans, Other Loans or Extended Loans.

2 

Applies only to Borrowings, conversions or continuations after the Closing Date.

 

A-1


JO-ANN STORES, LLC, as Borrower
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF NOTE

 

$__________    [New York, New York]
   [Date]

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby promises to pay to [LENDER] or its registered assigns (the “Lender”) in accordance with Section 10.07 of the Credit Agreement (as defined below), in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately available funds at the office of the Administrative Agent (such term, and each other capitalized term used but not defined herein, having the meaning assigned to it in the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent) at One Bryant Park New York, New York 10036, (or such other office notified by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower in accordance with Section 10.02 of the Credit Agreement) (i) on the dates set forth in the Credit Agreement, the principal amounts set forth in the Credit Agreement with respect to Loans made by the Lender to Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and (ii) on each Interest Payment Date, interest at the rate or rates per annum as provided in the Credit Agreement on the unpaid principal amount of all Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest, on demand, on any overdue principal and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest from their due dates at the rate or rates provided in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and notice of any kind whatsoever. The non-exercise by the holder hereof of any of its rights hereunder in any particular instance shall not constitute a waiver thereof in that or any subsequent instance.

All Borrowings evidenced by this note and all payments and prepayments of the principal hereof and interest hereon and the respective dates thereof shall be endorsed by the holder hereof on the schedule attached hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be attached hereto and made a part hereof, or otherwise recorded by such holder in its internal records; provided, however, that the failure of the holder hereof to make such a notation or any error in such notation shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower under this note.

This note is one of the Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement that, among other things, contains provisions for the acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain events, for optional and mandatory prepayment of the principal hereof prior to the maturity hereof and for the amendment or waiver of certain provisions of the Credit Agreement, all upon the terms and conditions therein specified. This note is also entitled to the benefits of the Guaranty and is secured by the Collateral.

 

B-1


THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

B-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be duly executed by its authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

B-3


JO-ANN STORES, LLC (as the “Borrower”)
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

B-4


LOANS AND PAYMENTS

 

Date

  

Amount of
Loan

  

Maturity
Date

  

Payments of
Principal/Interest

  

Principal
Balance of
Note

  

Name of
Person
Making this
Notation

___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________
___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________    ___________

 

B-5


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

[Insert Date]

Reference is made to the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended, extended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (capitalized terms used herein have the meanings attributed thereto in the Credit Agreement unless otherwise defined herein). Pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]3 of the Borrower, certifies as follows:

(B) [Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended [____], 201[_], and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, together with related notes thereto setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, which report and opinion has been prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and is not subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a “going concern” qualification that is due to the impending maturity of any of the Facility, the First Lien Term Facilities, the ABL Facilities, Permitted Pari Passu Secured Debt, Permitted Priority Secured Debt, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or any Permitted Refinancing of any of the foregoing Indebtedness). Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]4

(C) [Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of the fiscal quarter ended [____], and the related (i) condensed consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended and (ii) condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail (collectively, the “Financial Statements”). Such Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes. Also attached hereto as Exhibit A are the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements.]5

 

3 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

4 

To be included if accompanying annual financial statements only.

5 

To be included if accompanying quarterly financial statements only.

 

C-1


(D) [Attached hereto as Exhibit B are the Projections required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(c) of the Credit Agreement. Such Projections have been prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation of such Projections. Actual results may vary from such Projections and such variations may be material.]6

(E) [To my knowledge, except as otherwise disclosed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, no Default has occurred and is continuing.] [If unable to provide the foregoing certification, attach an Annex A specifying the details of the Default that has occurred and is continuing and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.]

(F) [Attached hereto as Schedule 1 is a calculation of the Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent Test Period, which calculation is true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.]7

(G) [Attached hereto as Schedule 2 are reasonably detailed calculations setting forth Excess Cash Flow for the most recently ended fiscal year, which calculations are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.]8

(H) [Attached hereto as Schedule 3 are reasonably detailed calculations, which calculations are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate, of the Net Cash Proceeds received during the fiscal year ended [____] by or on behalf of Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Disposition subject to prepayment pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii)(A) of the Credit Agreement and the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds that has been invested or are intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B) of the Credit Agreement.]9

(I) [Attached hereto is the information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(d) of the Credit Agreement.]10]11

 

 

6 

To be included only in annual compliance certificates (beginning with the fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2019).

7 

To be included in quarterly and annual compliance certificates beginning with the first fiscal quarter ended on May 5, 2018.

8 

To be included only in annual compliance certificates beginning with the annual compliance certificate for fiscal year ending on or about January 31, 2019.

9 

To be included only in annual compliance certificate.

10 

To be included in quarterly and annual compliance certificates beginning with the first fiscal quarter ended on May 5, 2018, except information required by Section 6.02(d)(i) to be included only in annual compliance certificate.

11 

Items 4-6 may be disclosed in a separate certificate no later than five (5) business days after delivery of the financial statements pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement.

 

C-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, solely in his/her capacity as the [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]12 of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, has executed this certificate for and on behalf of Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, and has caused this certificate to be delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
  Name:
 

Title:  [Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer]13

 

 

12 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

13 

This certificate must be executed by the current Chief Financial Officer of Borrower. Please insert his or her full title as applicable.

 

C-3


SCHEDULE 1

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(i) Net Leverage Ratio: Consolidated Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA

  

(A)  Consolidated Net Debt as of [_____], 20[__]:

  

(A)  Consolidated Net Debt:

  

(aa)  Consolidated Total Debt

  

At any date of determination,

  

(1)   the aggregate principal amount of TopCo Notes outstanding on such date (if any), plus

   $ _____  

(2)   the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (but excluding the effects of any discounting of Indebtedness resulting from the application of purchase accounting in connection with the Transaction, any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder), consisting of:

   $ _____  

(a)   Indebtedness for borrowed money

   $ _____  

(b)   unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit

   $ _____  

(c)   obligations in respect of Capitalized Leases

   $ _____  

(d)   debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes or similar instruments

   $ _____  

provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include Indebtedness in respect of (i) any Qualified Securitization Financing, (ii) any letter of credit, except to the extent of unreimbursed obligations in respect of drawn letters of credit (provided that any unreimbursed amount under commercial letters of credit shall not be counted as Consolidated Total Debt until three (3) Business Days after such amount is drawn (it being understood that any borrowing, whether automatic or otherwise, to fund such reimbursement shall be counted)) and (iii) obligations under Swap Contracts.

  

ConsolidatedTotal Debt (sum of items (A)(1)(a)(i)(A) and (A)(1)(a)(i)(B)(1) through (4))

   $ _____  

 

C-4


(bb)  minus the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower that are not “Restricted” for purposes of GAAP on such balance sheet

   $ _____  

ConsolidatedNet Debt (Consolidated Total Debt minus (A)(1)(a)(ii))

   $ _____  

(B) Consolidated EBITDA:

   $ _____  

(A) Consolidated Net Income:

  

(aa)  the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding, without duplication:

   $ _____  

(1)   any net after-tax extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) or expenses, and Transaction Expenses, fees and expenses in connection with the Refinancing Transactions and the 2018 Refinancing Transactions, relocation costs, integration costs, facility consolidation and closing costs (other than with respect to Stores), severance costs and expenses and non-recurring compensation charges (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation thereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC)

   $ _____  

(2)   the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles during such period, whether effected through a cumulative effect adjustment or a retroactive application in each case in accordance with GAAP

   $ _____  

 

C-5


(3)   effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries) in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP (including in the inventory, property and equipment, software, goodwill, intangible assets, in-process research and development, deferred revenue and debt line items thereof) resulting from the application of recapitalization accounting or purchase accounting, as the case may be, in relation to the Transaction or any consummated acquisition or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof, net of taxes

   $ _____  

(4)   any net after-tax income (loss) from disposed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations

   $ _____  

(5)   any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) attributable to asset dispositions or the sale or other disposition of any Equity Interests of any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined in good faith by the Borrower

   $ _____  

(6)   the Net Income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower shall be increased by the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments that are actually 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)   (i) any net unrealized gain or loss (after any offset) resulting in such period from obligations in respect of Swap Contracts and the application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 (Derivatives and Hedging), (ii) any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including the net loss or gain (A) resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk and (B) resulting from intercompany Indebtedness) and all other foreign currency translation gains or losses to the extent such gain or losses are non-cash items, and (iii) any net after-tax income (loss) for such period attributable to the early extinguishment or conversion of (A) Indebtedness, (B) obligations under any Swap Contracts or (C) other derivative instruments

   $ _____  

 

C-6


(8)   any impairment charge or asset write-off, including impairment charges or asset write-offs or write-downs related to intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities or as a result of a change in law or regulation, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP

   $ _____  

(9)   any expenses, charges or losses that are covered by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any Investment, Permitted Acquisition or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted under this Agreement, to the extent actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that a reasonable basis exists for indemnification or reimbursement and only to the extent that such amount is in fact indemnified or reimbursed within 365 days of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so indemnified or reimbursed within such 365 days)

   $ _____  

(10)  to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such determination (with a deduction in the applicable future period for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses, charges or losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption

   $ _____  

(11)  any non-cash (for such period and all other periods) compensation charge or expense, including any such charge or expense arising from the grants of stock appreciation or similar rights, stock options, restricted stock or other rights or equity incentive programs shall be excluded, and any cash charges associated with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests by, or to, management of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with the Transaction

   $ _____  

 

C-7


Consolidated Net Income (item (A)(2)(a)(i) minus the sum of items (A)(2)(a)(i)(A) through (K))

   $ _____  

(B)  increased by (without duplication):

  

(aa)   provision for taxes based on income or profits or capital, plus state, provincial, franchise, property or similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes and foreign unreimbursed value added taxes, of such Person for such period (including, in each case, penalties and interest related to such taxes or arising from tax examinations) deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(bb)   amounts paid to Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in respect of taxes in accordance with Section 7.06(g) of the Credit Agreement, solely to the extent such amounts were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(cc)   (A) total interest expense of such Person for such period and (B) bank fees and costs of surety bonds, in each case under this clause (B), in connection with financing activities and, in each case under clauses (A) and (B), to the extent the same was deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(dd)   Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period to the extent such depreciation and amortization were deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(ee)   any expenses or charges related to any issuance of Equity Interests, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred hereunder including a refinancing thereof (whether or not successful) and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transactions, including such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transaction, the Refinancing Transactions and the 2018 Refinancing Transactions, in each case, deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

 

C-8


(ff)   the amount of any restructuring charge or reserve deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income, including any one-time costs incurred in connection with (A) Permitted Acquisitions after the Closing Date or (B) the closing of any Stores or distribution centers after the Closing Date

  

(gg)   the amount of costs relating to pre-opening and opening costs for Stores, signing, retention and completion bonuses, costs incurred in connection with any strategic initiatives, transition costs, consolidation and closing costs for Stores and costs incurred in connection with non-recurring (without, in any such case, limitation on the calculation hereof by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC) product and intellectual property development after the Closing Date, other business optimization expenses (including costs and expenses relating to business optimization programs), and new systems design and implementation costs and project start-up costs

   $ _____  

(hh)   any other non-cash charges including any write offs or write downs reducing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (provided that if any such non-cash charges represent an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period, (1) the Borrower may determine not to add back such non-cash charge in the current period and (2) to the extent the Borrower does decide to add back such non-cash charge, the cash payment in respect thereof in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA to such extent, and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period)

   $ _____  

(ii)   the amount of any minority interest expense deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(jj)   the amount of management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period under the Sponsor Management Agreement or otherwise to the Sponsors to the extent permitted under Section 7.08 of the Credit Agreement and deducted in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(kk)   the amount of loss on sale of receivables, Securitization Assets and related assets to any Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing

   $ _____  

 

C-9


(ll)   cash receipts (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to item (A)(2)(c) below for any previous period and not added back

   $
_____
 

(mm)  any costs or expenses incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or stockholders agreement, to the extent that such costs or expenses are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower or net cash proceeds of issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), in each case, solely to the extent that such cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation of the Available Amount

   $ _____  

(C)  decreased by (without duplication):

  

(aa)   any non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with the calculation set forth in this Schedule 1)

   $ _____  

(bb)   any non-cash gains with respect to cash actually received in a prior period unless such cash did not increase Consolidated EBITDA in such prior period

   $ _____  

Consolidated EBITDA (Consolidated Net Income plus the sum of items (A)(2)(b)(i) through (xiii) minus the sum of items (A)(2)(c)(i) and (ii))

   $ _____ 14 

Consolidated Net Debt to Consolidated EBITDA

     ___: 1.00  

 

 

14 

For the avoidance of doubt, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, including pro forma adjustments, in accordance with Section 1.08 of the Credit Agreement.

 

C-10


SCHEDULE 2

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(ii)  Excess Cash Flow Calculation

  

(A)  the sum, without duplication, of:

  

(aa)  Consolidated Net Income of the Borrower for such period (the amount set forth at the end of item (A)(2)(a) in Schedule 1 to this Compliance Certificate)

   $ _____  

(bb)  an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation and amortization) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, but excluding any such non-cash charges representing an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period and excluding amortization of a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period

   $ _____  

(cc)  decreases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such decreases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting)

   $ _____  

(dd)  an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash loss on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(ee)  the amount deducted as tax expense in determining Consolidated Net Income to the extent in excess of cash taxes paid in such period

   $ _____  

(ff)  cash receipts in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not otherwise included in such Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(B)  over, the sum, without duplication of:

  

(aa)  an amount equal to the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (but excluding any non-cash credit to the extent representing the reversal of an accrual or reserve described in item (B)(a)(ii) above) and cash charges excluded by virtue of clauses (a)(i)(A) through (a)(i)(K) of the definition of Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

 

C-11


(bb)  without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to item (B)(b)(xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property accrued or made in cash during such period to the extent financed with (A) internally generated funds or (B) the proceeds of extensions of credit under the ABL Facilities or any other revolving credit facility, in each case, of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries

   $ _____  

(cc)  the aggregate amount of all principal payments of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including (A) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases and (B) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.03(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement to the extent required due to a Disposition that resulted in an increase to such Consolidated Net Income and not in excess of the amount of such increase, but excluding (X) all other prepayments of Loans, (Y) all prepayments in respect of the ABL Facilities and except to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder, all other prepayments of any other revolving credit facility and (Z) payments of any subordinated indebtedness except to the extent permitted to be paid pursuant to Section 7.12(a) of the Credit Agreement) made during such period, in each case except to the extent financed with the proceeds of other long term Indebtedness (other than the proceeds of any revolving Indebtedness) of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries

   $ _____  

(dd)  an amount equal to the aggregate net non-cash gain on Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (other than Dispositions in the ordinary course of business) to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and the net cash loss on Dispositions to the extent otherwise added to arrive at Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(ee)  increases in Consolidated Working Capital for such period (other than any such increases arising from acquisitions or Dispositions by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries completed during such period or the application of purchase accounting)

   $ _____  

 

C-12


(ff)  cash payments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period in respect of long-term liabilities of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness) to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(gg)  without duplication of amounts deducted pursuant to items (B)(b)(viii) and (xi) below in prior periods, the amount of Investments made pursuant to Sections 7.02(b)(iii), (m) (but excluding such loans and advances in respect of Sections 7.06(g)(i), (g)(iv) (to the extent the amount of such Investment would not have been deducted pursuant to this item (B)(b)(vii) if made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) and (k)) and (n) of the Credit Agreement and acquisitions made during such period to the extent that such Investments and acquisitions were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and not made in reliance on any basket calculated by reference to the Available Amount

   $ _____  

(hh)  the amount of Restricted Payments paid during such period pursuant to Sections 7.06(f), (g), (h), (i), (k)(i), (k)(ii) (solely to the extent made in reliance on clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Available Amount”) and (l) of the Credit Agreement, in each case to the extent such Restricted Payments were financed with internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries

   $ _____  

(ii)  the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries from internally generated cash flow of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income

   $ _____  

(jj)  the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries during such period that are made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness to the extent such payments are not expensed during such period or are not deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income and such payments reduced Excess Cash Flow pursuant to item (B)(b)(iii) above or reduced the mandatory prepayment required by Section 2.03(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement

   $ _____  

 

C-13


(kk)   without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in prior periods, the aggregate consideration required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into prior to or during such period relating to Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower following the end of such period; provided that, to the extent the aggregate amount of internally generated cash flow actually utilized to finance such Permitted Acquisitions, Capital Expenditures or acquisitions of intellectual property during such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such period of four consecutive fiscal quarters

   $ _____  

(ll)   the amount of cash taxes paid or tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such period to the extent they exceed the amount of tax expense deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period

   $ _____  

(mm)  cash expenditures in respect of Swap Contracts during such period to the extent not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income.

   $ _____  
Excess Cash Flow (the sum of items (B)(a)(i) through (vi) minus the sum of items (B)(b)(i) through (xiii))    $ _____  

 

C-14


SCHEDULE 3

TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(iii)  Net Cash Proceeds

  

with respect to the Disposition of any asset by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any Casualty Event, the excess, if any, of:

  

(aa)   the sum of:

  

(1)    cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (including any cash and Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received and, with respect to any Casualty Event, any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of such Casualty Event actually received by or paid to or for the account of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries)

   $ _____  

(bb)   over the sum of:

  

(1)    the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and required to be repaid in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, the ABL Facilities Documentation, Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and other Indebtedness secured on a pari passu basis with (or junior priority basis to) the Obligations)

   $ _____  

(2)    the out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer taxes, deed or mortgage recording taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event

   $ _____  

 

C-15


(3)    taxes or distributions made pursuant to Section 7.06(g)(i) or (g)(iii) of the Credit Agreement paid or reasonably estimated to be payable in connection therewith (including taxes imposed on the distribution or repatriation of any such Net Cash Proceeds)

   $ _____  

(4)    in the case of any Disposition or Casualty Event by a non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary, the pro-rata portion of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this item (C)(ii)(D)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the Borrower or a wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof

   $ _____  

(5)    any reserve for adjustment in respect of (x) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (y) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction, it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include the amount of any reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in this item (C)(ii)(E)

   $ _____  
Net Cash Proceeds (item (C)(i)(A) minus the sum of items (C)(ii)(A) through (E))    $ _____ 15 
Portion of Net Cash Proceeds that has been invested or is intended to be reinvested in accordance with Section 2.03(b)(ii)(B) of the Credit Agreement    $ _____  

 

 

15 

No net cash proceeds calculated in accordance with the above realized in any fiscal year shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this item (C) in such fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such net cash proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $11,500,000 (and thereafter only net cash proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this item (C)).

 

C-16


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each]16 Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each]17 Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees]18 hereunder are several and not joint.]19 Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of [the Assignor][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

 

16 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignor(s), if the assignment is from a single Assignor, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is from multiple Assignors, choose the second bracketed language.

17 

For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language. If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

18 

Select as appropriate.

19 

Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

 

D-1


1.    Assignor[s]:       
         
2.    Assignee[s]:       
         
   [for each Assignee, indicate if [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]
3.    Affiliate Status:     
  

a.   Assignor(s):

    

 

   

Assignor[s]20

  

Affiliate of Borrower/Sponsor21

    
     Yes    No   
     Yes    No   

 

  

b.  Assignee(s):

     

 

   

Assignor[s]22

  

Affiliate of Borrower/Sponsor23

    
     Yes    No   
     Yes    No   

 

   [If any Assignor or Assignee hereunder indicates above that it is an Affiliate of the Borrower, set forth in this Section 3: (i) the tranche(s) of [Loans/Commitments] being sold hereunder to such Affiliate of the Borrower and (ii) the aggregate amount of all [Loans/Commitments] of such tranche(s) held by Affiliates of the Borrower after giving effect to the assignment hereunder (and the percentage that such [Loans/Commitments] represent when compared to the aggregate amount of all [Loans/Commitments] of such tranche(s) held by all Lenders).

 

4.

Borrower(s): Jo-Ann Stores, LLC

 

5.

Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., including any successor thereto, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

20 

List each Assignor.

21 

For each Assignor, check the box in this column immediately to the right of such Assignor’s name indicating whether or not such Assignor is an Affiliate of the Borrower.

22 

List each Assignee.

23 

For each Assignee, check the box in this column immediately to the right of such Assignee’s name indicating whether or not such Assignee is an Affiliate of the Borrower.

 

D-2


6. Credit Agreement: The Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018, among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.

7. Assigned Interest:

 

Assignor[s]24

   Assignee[s]25      Facility
Assigned26
     Aggregate
Amount of Commitment/
Loans for all Lenders27
   Amount of
Commitment
/Loans Assigned
   Percentage
Assigned of
Commitment/
Loans28
     CUSIP
Number
 
         $    $      %     
         $    $      %     
         $    $      %     

[8. Trade Date: __________________]29

Effective Date: _______________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

By:    
 

Name:

Title:

ASSIGNEE

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

 

24 

List each Assignor, as appropriate.

25 

List each Assignee, as appropriate.

26 

Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment and Assumption (e.g. “Initial Loans”, “Extended Loans”, etc.).

27 

Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

28 

Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

29 

To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

D-3


By:    
 

Name:

Title:

 

[Consented to and]30 Accepted:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as

Administrative Agent

By:    
 

Name:

Title:

 

30 

To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

D-4


[Consented to

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC

By:    
 

Name:

Title: ]:31

 

31 

To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

D-5


ANNEX 1

TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

(J) ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

Representations and Warranties.

Assignor. [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim [,][and] (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby [and (iv) it does not possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information)]32; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

Assignee. [The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.07(b)(iii) and (v) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.07(b)(iii) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date referred to in this Assignment and Assumption, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and (b) thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment

 

32 

Insert if an Affiliated Lender is an Assignor under this Assignment and Assumption or, in the alternative, each of the Assignor and Assignee shall render to each other a customary “big boy” disclaimer letter.

 

D-6


and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, [and] (vii) attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee [,][and] [(viii) after giving effect to its purchase and assumption of [the][each] Assigned Interest hereunder, the aggregate principal amount of Loans held at such time by Lenders that are Affiliated Lenders does not exceed 25% of the principal amount of all Loans outstanding on the Effective Date]33 [and (ix) it does not possess material non-public information with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries or the securities of any of them that has not been disclosed to the Lenders generally (other than Lenders who elect not to receive such information)]34; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the][any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

33 

Insert only if an Affiliate of the Borrower/Sponsor is an Assignee under this Assignment and Assumption.

34 

Insert if an Affiliated Lender is an Assignee under this Assignment and Assumption or, in the alternative, each of the Assignor and Assignee shall render to each other a customary “big boy” disclaimer letter.

 

D-7


EXHIBIT H-1

SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

the other Grantors party hereto,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Senior Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as the Initial Second Priority Representative

and

each additional Representative from time to time party hereto

dated as of May 21, 2018


SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the other Grantors (as defined below) from time to time party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as Senior Representative for the Term Loan Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Representative for the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Initial Second Priority Representative”), and each additional Second Priority Representative and Senior Representative that from time to time becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.09.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Administrative Agent (for itself and on behalf of the Term Loan Secured Parties), the Initial Second Priority Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties) and each additional Senior Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Additional Senior Debt Parties under the applicable Additional Senior Debt Facility) and each additional Second Priority Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under the applicable Second Priority Debt Facility) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Term Loan Agreement or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018, by and among Bank of America, N.A., as ABL Agent, Bank of America, as First Lien Term Agent, Bank of America, as Second Lien Term Agent and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Additional Senior Debt” means any Indebtedness that is issued or guaranteed by the Borrower and/or any Guarantor (other than Indebtedness constituting Term Loan Debt) which Indebtedness and Guarantees are secured by the Senior Collateral (or a portion thereof) on a pari passu basis (but without regard to control of remedies) with the Term Loan Debt; provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to (A) this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof, (B) the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 5.13 thereof and (C) the ABL Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to Section 7.4 thereof; provided further that, if such Indebtedness will be the initial Additional Senior Debt incurred by the Borrower after the date hereof, then the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent and the Representative for such Indebtedness shall have executed and delivered the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Additional Senior Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

Additional Senior Debt Documents” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the promissory notes, indentures, Collateral Documents applicable to such Additional Senior Debt or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including the Senior Collateral Documents.

Additional Senior Debt Facility” means each indenture or other governing agreement with respect to any Additional Senior Debt.


Additional Senior Debt Obligations” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, (a) all principal of, and interest, fees, and expenses (including, without limitation, any interest, fees, or expenses which accrues after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) payable with respect to, such Additional Senior Debt, (b) all other amounts payable to the related Additional Senior Debt Parties under the related Additional Senior Debt Documents and (c) any renewals or extensions of the foregoing.

Additional Senior Debt Parties” means, with respect to any series, issue or class of Additional Senior Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any Guarantor under any related Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement and shall include any successor administrative agent and collateral agent as provided in Article IX of the Term Loan Agreement.

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bank of America” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Class Debt Representatives” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Collateral” means the Senior Collateral and the Second Priority Collateral.

Collateral Documents” means the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

Debt Facility” means any Senior Facility and any Second Priority Debt Facility.

Designated Second Priority Representative” means (i) the Initial Second Priority Representative, until such time as the Second Priority Debt Facility under the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents ceases to be the only Second Priority Debt Facility under this Agreement and (ii) thereafter, the Second Priority Representative designated from time to time by the Second Priority Instructing Group, in a notice to the Designated Senior Representative and the Borrower hereunder, as the “Designated Second Priority Representative” for purposes hereof.

 

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Designated Senior Representative” means (i) if at any time there is only one Senior Representative for a Senior Facility with respect to which the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, such Senior Representative and (ii) at any time when clause (i) does not apply, the Applicable Authorized Representative (as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement) at such time.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.

Discharge” means, with respect to any Debt Facility, the date on which such Debt Facility and the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations thereunder, as the case may be, are no longer secured by the Shared Collateral pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Debt Facility. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of Term Loan Debt” means the Discharge of the Term Loan Debt; provided that the Discharge of Term Loan Debt shall not be deemed to have occurred in connection with a Refinancing of such Term Loan Debt with an Additional Senior Debt Facility secured by the Shared Collateral under one or more Additional Senior Debt Documents which has been designated in writing by the Administrative Agent (under the Term Loan Agreement so Refinanced) to the Designated Senior Representative as the “Term Loan Agreement” for purposes of this Agreement.

Discharge of Senior Obligations” means the date on which the Discharge of Term Loan Debt and the Discharge of each Additional Senior Debt Facility has occurred.

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Term Loan Agreement.

Grantors” means Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary or direct or indirect parent Borrower of the Borrower that has granted a security interest pursuant to any Collateral Document to secure any Secured Obligations.

Guarantors” means Holdings, and each “Material Domestic Subsidiaries”, other than “Excluded Subsidiaries”, each as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Initial Second Priority Debt” means the Second Priority Debt incurred pursuant to the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents.

Initial Second Priority Debt Documents” means the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement and any notes, security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including any agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations” means the Second Priority Debt Obligations arising pursuant to the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents.

Initial Second Priority Debt Parties” means the holders of any Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations and the Initial Second Priority Representative.

Initial Second Priority Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case or proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

 

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(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or

(3) any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

Intellectual Property” means all “Copyrights,” “Patents” and “Trademarks,” each as defined in the Collateral Agreement.

Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement in substantially the form of Annex III or Annex IV hereof required to be delivered by a Representative to the Designated Senior Representative pursuant to Section 8.09 hereof in order to include an additional Debt Facility hereunder and to become the Representative hereunder for the Senior Secured Parties or Second Priority Debt Parties, as the case may be, under such Debt Facility.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge, trust (deemed or statutory) or security interest in, on or of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to be a Lien.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Officer’s Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.08.

parent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Subsidiary.”

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, Borrower, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

Pledged or Controlled Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.05(a).

Proceeds” means the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of Shared Collateral and any payment or distribution made in respect of Shared Collateral in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any amounts received by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party from a Second Priority Debt Party in respect of Shared Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

Recovery” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04.

Refinance” means, in respect of any indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such indebtedness (in whole or in part), including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such indebtedness has been terminated and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” have correlative meanings.

 

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Registered Equivalent Notes” means, with respect to any notes originally issued in a Rule 144A or other private placement transaction under the Securities Act of 1933, substantially identical notes (having the same Guarantees) issued in a dollar-for-dollar exchange therefor pursuant to an exchange offer registered with the SEC.

Representatives” means the Senior Representatives and the Second Priority Representatives.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor agency thereto.

Second Lien Term Credit Agreement” means that certain Second Lien Term Credit Agreement dated as of May 21, 2018, among the Borrower, Holdings, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent and each lender from time to time party thereto.

Second Priority Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Second Priority Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any Second Priority Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Second Priority Collateral Document as security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Collateral Documents” means the Initial Second Priority Collateral Documents and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by the Borrower or any Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Second Priority Debt Obligation.

Second Priority Debt” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Grantor guaranteed by the Guarantors (and not guaranteed by any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor), including the Initial Second Priority Debt, which Indebtedness and guarantees are secured by the Second Priority Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to control of remedies, other than as provided by the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents) with any other Second Priority Debt Obligations and the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents which provide that such Indebtedness and guarantees are to be secured by such Second Priority Collateral on a subordinate basis to the Senior Debt Obligations (and which is not secured by Liens on any assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor other than the Second Priority Collateral or which are not included in the Senior Collateral); provided, however, that (i) such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred, secured and guaranteed on such basis by each then extant Senior Debt Document and Second Priority Debt Document and (ii) except in the case of the Initial Second Priority Debt hereunder, the Representative for the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become party to this Agreement pursuant to, and by satisfying the conditions set forth in, Section 8.09 hereof. Second Priority Debt shall include any Registered Equivalent Notes and Guarantees thereof by the Guarantors issued in exchange therefor.

Second Priority Debt Documents” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Documents and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, the promissory notes, indentures, Collateral Documents or other operative agreements evidencing or governing such Indebtedness, including the Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Second Priority Debt Facility” means each indenture or other governing agreement with respect to any Second Priority Debt.

 

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Second Priority Debt Obligations” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Obligations and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, (a) all principal of, and interest (including, without limitation, any interest, fees, or expenses which accrues after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding) payable with respect to, such Second Priority Debt, (b) all other amounts payable to the related Second Priority Debt Parties under the related Second Priority Debt Documents and (c) any renewals or extensions of the foregoing.

Second Priority Debt Parties” means the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties and, with respect to any series, issue or class of Second Priority Debt, the holders of such Indebtedness, the Representative with respect thereto, any trustee or agent therefor under any related Second Priority Debt Documents and the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by the Borrower or any other Grantor under any related Second Priority Debt Documents.

Second Priority Instructing Group” means Second Priority Representatives with respect to Second Priority Debt Facilities under which at least a majority of the then aggregate amount of Second Priority Debt Obligations are outstanding.

Second Priority Lien” means the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral in favor of Second Priority Debt Parties under Second Priority Collateral Documents.

Second Priority Representative” means (i) in the case of the Initial Second Priority Debt Facility covered hereby, the Initial Second Priority Representative and (ii) in the case of any Second Priority Debt Facility and the Second Priority Debt Parties thereunder the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Second Priority Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Second Priority Debt Facility in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Secured Obligations” means the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

Secured Parties” means the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties.

Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016, among Borrower, Holdings, the other Grantors party thereto and the Term Loan Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Senior Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.09.

Senior Collateral” means any “Collateral” as defined in any Term Loan Agreement Loan Document or any other Senior Debt Document or any other assets of the Borrower or any other Grantor with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to a Senior Collateral Document as security for any Senior Obligations.

Senior Collateral Documents” means the Security Agreement and the other “Collateral Documents” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement (upon and after the initial execution and delivery thereof by the initial parties thereto) and each of the collateral agreements, security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrower or any other Grantor for purposes of providing collateral security for any Senior Obligation.

Senior Debt Documents” means (a) the Term Loan Documents and (b) any Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Senior Facilities” means the Term Loan Agreement and any Additional Senior Debt Facilities.

 

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Senior Lien” means the Liens on the Senior Collateral in favor of the Senior Secured Parties under the Senior Collateral Documents.

Senior Obligations” means the Term Loan Debt and any Additional Senior Debt Obligations.

Senior Representative” means (i) in the case of any Term Loan Debt or the Term Loan Secured Parties, the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of any Additional Senior Debt Facility and the Additional Senior Debt Parties thereunder (including with respect to any Additional Senior Debt Facility initially covered hereby on the date of this Agreement) the trustee, administrative agent, collateral agent, security agent or similar agent under such Additional Senior Debt Facility that is named as the Representative in respect of such Additional Senior Debt Facility in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Senior Secured Parties” means the Term Loan Secured Parties and any Additional Senior Debt Parties.

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of Senior Obligations under at least one Senior Facility and the holders of Second Priority Debt Obligations under at least one Second Priority Debt Facility (or their Representatives) hold a security interest at such time (or, in the case of the Senior Facilities, are deemed pursuant to Article II to hold a security interest). If, at any time, any portion of the Senior Collateral under one or more Senior Facilities does not constitute Second Priority Collateral under one or more Second Priority Debt Facilities, then such portion of such Senior Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral only with respect to the Second Priority Debt Facilities for which it constitutes Second Priority Collateral and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Second Priority Debt Facility which does not have a security interest in such Collateral at such time.

Subsidiary” with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Term Loan Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time) among Borrower, Holdings, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, as administrative agent (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), and the other parties thereto.

Term Loan Documents” means the Term Loan Agreement and the other “Loan Documents” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Debt” means the “Obligations” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Term Loan Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Term Loan Agreement.

Uniform Commercial Code” or “UCC” means, unless otherwise specified, the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

 

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SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01. Subordination. (a) Notwithstanding the date, time, manner or order of filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens granted to any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Parties on the Shared Collateral or of any Liens granted to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party on the Shared Collateral (or any actual or alleged defect in any of the foregoing) and notwithstanding any provision of the UCC, any applicable law, any Second Priority Debt Document or any Senior Debt Document or any other circumstance whatsoever, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that (a) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party or other agent or trustee therefor, regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall have priority over and be senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) any Lien on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative, any Second Priority Debt Parties or any Second Priority Representative or other agent or trustee therefor, regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be junior and subordinate in all respects to all Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations. All Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations shall be and remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Shared Collateral securing, or purporting to secure, any Second Priority Debt Obligations for all purposes, whether or not such Liens securing, or purporting to secure, any Senior Obligations are subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the Borrower, any Grantor or any other Person or otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed.

SECTION 2.02. Nature of Senior Lender Claims. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that (a) the terms of the Senior Debt Documents and the Senior Obligations may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, and the Senior Obligations, or a portion thereof, may be Refinanced from time to time and (b) the aggregate amount of the Senior Obligations may be increased, in each case, without notice to or consent by the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties and without affecting the provisions hereof. The Lien priorities provided for in Section 2.01 shall not be altered or otherwise affected by any amendment, supplement or other modification, or any Refinancing, of either the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations, or any portion thereof. As between the Borrower and the other Grantors and the Second Priority Debt Parties, the foregoing provisions will not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower and the Grantors contained in any Second Priority Debt Document with respect to the incurrence of additional Senior Obligations.

SECTION 2.03. Prohibition on Contesting Liens. Each of the Second Priority Representatives, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any

 

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Lien securing, or the allowability of any claim asserted with respect to, any Senior Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any of the other Senior Secured Parties or other agent or trustee therefor in any Senior Collateral, and the Senior Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Senior Secured Party under its Senior Facility, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, extent, perfection, priority or enforceability of any Lien securing, or the allowability of any claim asserted with respect to, any Second Priority Debt Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any Second Priority Representative or any of the Second Priority Debt Parties in the Second Priority Collateral. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Senior Representative to enforce this Agreement (including the priority of the Liens securing the Senior Obligations as provided in Section 2.01) or any of the Senior Debt Documents.

SECTION 2.04. No New Liens. The parties hereto agree that, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, (a) none of the Grantors shall grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property of any Grantor to secure any Second Priority Debt Obligation unless it has granted, or concurrently therewith grants, a Lien on such asset or property of such Grantor to secure the Senior Obligations; and (b) if any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall hold any Lien on any assets or property of any Grantor securing any Second Priority Obligations that are not also subject to the first-priority Liens securing all Senior Obligations under the Senior Collateral Documents, such Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party (i) shall notify the Designated Senior Representative promptly upon becoming aware thereof and, unless such Grantor shall promptly grant a similar Lien on such assets or property to each Senior Representative as security for the Senior Obligations, shall assign such Lien to the Designated Senior Representative as security for all Senior Obligations for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties (but may retain a junior lien on such assets or property subject to the terms hereof) and (ii) until such assignment or such grant of a similar Lien to each Senior Representative, shall be deemed to hold and have held such Lien for the benefit of each Senior Representative and the other Senior Secured Parties as security for the Senior Obligations. To the extent that the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 2.04 are not complied with for any reason, without limiting any other right or remedy available to any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party, each Second Priority Representative agrees, for itself and on behalf of the other Second Priority Debt Parties, that any amounts received by or distributed to any Second Priority Debt Party pursuant to or as a result of any Lien granted in contravention of this Section 2.04 shall be subject to Section 4.02.

SECTION 2.05. Perfection of Liens. Except for the limited agreements of the Senior Representatives pursuant to Section 5.05 hereof, none of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens with respect to the Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties. The provisions of this Agreement are intended solely to govern the respective Lien priorities as between the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties and shall not impose on the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties or any agent or trustee therefor any obligations in respect of the disposition of Proceeds of any Shared Collateral which would conflict with prior perfected claims therein in favor of any other Person or any order or decree of any court or governmental authority or any applicable law.

SECTION 2.06. Certain Cash Collateral. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Senior Debt Documents or Second Priority Debt Documents to the contrary, collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure Term Loan Debt consisting of reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit or otherwise held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Term Loan Agreement (or any equivalent successor provision) shall be applied as specified in the Term Loan Agreement and will not constitute Shared Collateral.

 

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ARTICLE III

Enforcement

SECTION 3.01. Exercise of Remedies.

(a) So long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, (i) neither any Second Priority Representative nor any Second Priority Debt Party will (x) exercise or seek to exercise any rights or remedies (including setoff) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of any Second Priority Debt Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including any action of foreclosure), (y) contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought with respect to the Shared Collateral or any other Senior Collateral by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party in respect of the Senior Obligations, the exercise of any right by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party (or any agent or sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the Senior Obligations under any lockbox agreement, control agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement to which any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party either is a party or may have rights as a third party beneficiary, or any other exercise by any such party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Senior Collateral or the Senior Obligations, or (z) object to the forbearance by the Senior Secured Parties from bringing or pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or any other exercise of any rights or remedies relating to the Shared Collateral in respect of Senior Obligations and (ii) except as otherwise provided herein, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall have the exclusive right to enforce rights, exercise remedies (including setoff, recoupment, and the right to credit bid their debt) and make determinations regarding the release, disposition or restrictions with respect to the Shared Collateral without any consultation with or the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party; provided, however, that (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, any Second Priority Representative may file a claim, proof of claim, or statement of interest with respect to the Second Priority Debt Obligations under its Second Priority Debt Facility, (B) any Second Priority Representative may take any action (not adverse to the prior Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations or the rights of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties to exercise remedies in respect thereof) in order to create, prove, perfect, preserve or protect (but not enforce) its rights in, and perfection and priority of its Lien on, the Shared Collateral, (C) any Second Priority Representative and the Second Priority Debt Parties may exercise their rights and remedies as unsecured creditors, to the extent provided in Section 5.04, (D) any Second Priority Representative may exercise the rights and remedies provided for in Section 6.03 and the Second Priority Debt Parties may file any necessary or appropriate responsive or defensive pleadings in opposition to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleading made by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of the claims or Liens of the Second Priority Debt Parties or the avoidance of any Second Priority Lien to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement and (E) any Second Priority Debt Party may (subject to the provisions of Section 6.10(b)) vote on any plan of reorganization, plan of liquidation, agreement for composition, or other dispositive type of plan of arrangement proposed in or in connection with any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding that conforms to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. In exercising rights and remedies with respect to the Senior Collateral, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties may enforce the provisions of the Senior Debt Documents and exercise remedies thereunder, all in such order and in such manner as they may determine in the exercise of their sole discretion. Such exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of Shared Collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with such sale or disposition and to exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured lender under the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction and of a secured creditor under Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

(b) So long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not take or receive any Shared Collateral or any Proceeds of Shared Collateral in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff) with respect to any Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), the sole right of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Shared Collateral is to hold a Lien on the Shared Collateral in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to the Second Priority Debt Documents for the period and to the extent granted therein and to receive a share of the Proceeds thereof, if any, after the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

 

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(c) Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), (i) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that neither such Second Priority Representative nor any such Second Priority Debt Party will take any action that would hinder or delay any exercise of remedies undertaken by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party with respect to the Shared Collateral under the Senior Debt Documents, including any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral, whether by foreclosure or otherwise, and (ii) each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any and all rights it or any such Second Priority Debt Party may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to object to the manner in which the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties seek to enforce or collect the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted on any of the Senior Collateral, regardless of whether any action or failure to act by or on behalf of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party is adverse to the interests of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

(d) Each Second Priority Representative hereby acknowledges and agrees that no covenant, agreement or restriction contained in any Second Priority Debt Document shall be deemed to restrict in any way the rights and remedies of the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties with respect to the Senior Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the Senior Debt Documents.

(e) Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Designated Senior Representative shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Shared Collateral and shall have the exclusive right to determine and direct the time, method and place for exercising such right or remedy or conducting any proceeding with respect thereto. Following the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Second Priority Instructing Group and the Designated Second Priority Representative shall have the exclusive right to exercise any right or remedy with respect to the Collateral, and the Second Priority Instructing Group and Designated Second Priority Representative shall have the exclusive right to direct the time, method and place of exercising or conducting any proceeding for the exercise of any right or remedy available to the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Collateral, or of exercising or directing the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the Second Priority Representatives, or for the taking of any other action authorized by the Second Priority Collateral Documents; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall impair the right of any Second Priority Representative or other agent or trustee acting on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties to take such actions with respect to the Collateral after the Discharge of Senior Obligations as may be otherwise required or authorized pursuant to any intercreditor agreement governing the Second Priority Debt Parties or the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.02. Cooperation. Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a), each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, it will not commence, or join with any Person (other than the Senior Secured Parties and the Senior Representatives upon the request of the Designated Senior Representative) in commencing, any enforcement, collection, execution, levy or foreclosure action or proceeding with respect to any Lien held by it in the Shared Collateral under any of the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise in respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations.

SECTION 3.03. Actions upon Breach. Should any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, contrary to this Agreement, in any way take, attempt to take or threaten to take any action with respect to the Shared Collateral (including any attempt to realize upon or enforce any remedy with respect to this Agreement) or fail to take any action required by this Agreement, any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party (in its or their own name or in the name of the Borrower or any other Grantor) may obtain relief against such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party by injunction, specific performance or other appropriate equitable relief. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Facility, hereby (i) agrees that the Senior Secured Parties’ damages from the actions of the Second Party Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party may at that time be difficult to ascertain and may be irreparable and waives any defense that the Borrower, any other Grantor or the Senior Secured Par

 

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ties cannot demonstrate damage or be made whole by the awarding of damages and (ii) irrevocably waives any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law and any other defense that might be asserted to bar the remedy of specific performance in any action that may be brought by any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party.

ARTICLE IV

Payments

SECTION 4.01. Application of Proceeds. Subject to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral, after an event of default under any Senior Debt Document has occurred and until such event of default is cured or waived, so long as the Discharge of Senior Obligations has not occurred, the Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof received in connection with the sale or other disposition of, or collection on, such Shared Collateral upon the exercise of remedies and any distribution in respect of Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding shall be applied by the Designated Senior Representative to the Senior Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Senior Debt Documents until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred. Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall deliver promptly to the Designated Second Priority Representative any Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof held by it in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, to be applied by the Designated Second Priority Representative to the Second Priority Debt Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

SECTION 4.02. Payments Over. Any Shared Collateral or Proceeds thereof and (except as otherwise set forth in Article VI) any distribution in respect of Shared Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding received by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including setoff) or otherwise relating to the Shared Collateral in contravention of this Agreement shall be segregated and held in trust for the benefit of and forthwith paid over to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. The Designated Senior Representative is hereby authorized to make any such endorsements as agent for each of the Second Priority Representatives or any such Second Priority Debt Party. This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

ARTICLE V

Other Agreements

SECTION 5.01. Releases.

(a) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that, in the event of a sale, transfer or other disposition of any specified item of Shared Collateral (including all or substantially all of the equity interests of any subsidiary of the Borrower), (i) in connection with the exercise of remedies in respect of Collateral by a Senior Representative or (ii) if not in connection with the exercise of remedies in respect of Collateral by a Senior Representative, so long as such sale or other disposition is permitted by the terms of the Second Priority Debt Documents and the Senior Debt Documents and, in the case of this clause (ii) other than in connection with the Discharge of Senior Obligations, the Liens granted to the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties upon such Shared Collateral to secure Second Priority Debt Obligations (but not on the Proceeds thereof that were not applied to the payment of Senior Obligations) shall terminate and be released, automatically and without any further action, concurrently with the termination and release of all Liens granted upon such Shared Collateral to secure Senior Obligations. Upon delivery to a Second Priority Representative of an Officer’s Certificate stating that any such termination and release of Liens securing the Senior Obligations has become effective (or shall become effective concurrently with such termination and release of the Liens granted to the Second Priority Debt Parties and the Second Priority Representatives) and any necessary or proper instruments of termination or release prepared by the Borrower or any other Grantor, such Second Priority Representative will promptly execute, deliver or acknowledge, at the Borrower’s or the other Grantor’s sole cost and expense, such instruments to evidence such termination and release of

 

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the Liens. Nothing in this Section 5.01(a) will be deemed to affect any agreement of a Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under its Second Priority Debt Facility, to release the Liens on the Second Priority Collateral as set forth in the relevant Second Priority Debt Documents.

(b) Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Designated Senior Representative and any officer or agent of the Designated Senior Representative, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of such Second Priority Representative or such Second Priority Debt Party or in the Designated Senior Representative’s own name, from time to time in the Designated Senior Representative’s discretion, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of Section 5.01(a), to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments that may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of Section 5.01(a), including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release.

(c) Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby consents to the application, whether prior to or after an event of default under any Senior Debt Document of proceeds of Shared Collateral to the repayment of Senior Obligations pursuant to the Senior Debt Documents, provided that nothing in this Section 5.01(c) shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of the Second Priority Representatives or the Second Priority Debt Parties to receive proceeds in connection with the Second Priority Debt Obligations not otherwise in contravention of this Agreement.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Second Priority Collateral Document, in the event the terms of a Senior Collateral Document and a Second Priority Collateral Document each require any Grantor (i) to make payment in respect of any item of Shared Collateral to, (ii) to deliver or afford control over any item of Shared Collateral to, or deposit any item of Shared Collateral with, (iii) to register ownership of any item of Shared Collateral in the name of or make an assignment of ownership of any Shared Collateral or the rights thereunder to, (iv) cause any securities intermediary, commodity intermediary or other Person acting in a similar capacity to agree to comply, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, with instructions or orders from, or to treat, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, as the entitlement holder, (v) hold any item of Shared Collateral in trust for (to the extent such item of Shared Collateral cannot be held in trust for multiple parties under applicable law), (vi) obtain the agreement of a bailee or other third party to hold any item of Shared Collateral for the benefit of or subject to the control of or, in respect of any item of Shared Collateral, to follow the instructions of or (vii) obtain the agreement of a landlord with respect to access to leased premises where any item of Shared Collateral is located or waivers or subordination of rights with respect to any item of Shared Collateral in favor of, in any case, both the Designated Senior Representative and any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party, such Grantor may, until the applicable Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, comply with such requirement under the Second Priority Collateral Document as it relates to such Shared Collateral by taking any of the actions set forth above only with respect to, or in favor of, the Designated Senior Representative.

SECTION 5.02. Insurance and Condemnation Awards. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Designated Senior Representative and the Senior Secured Parties shall have the sole and exclusive right, subject to the rights of the Grantors under the Senior Debt Documents, (a) to be named as additional insured and loss payee under any insurance policies maintained from time to time by any Grantor, (b) to adjust settlement for any insurance policy covering the Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and (c) to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral. Unless and until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, all proceeds of any such policy and any such award, if in respect of the Shared Collateral, shall be paid (i) first, prior to the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Senior Representative for the benefit of Senior Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of the Senior Debt Documents, (ii) second, after the occurrence of the Discharge of Senior Obligations, to the Designated Second Priority Representative for the benefit of the Second Priority Debt Parties pursuant to the terms of the applicable Second Priority Debt Documents and (iii) third, if no Second Priority Debt Obligations or Senior Obligations are outstanding, to the owner of the subject property, such other Person as may be entitled thereto or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct. If any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party shall, at any time, receive any proceeds of any such insurance policy or any such award in contravention of this Agreement, it shall pay such proceeds over to the Designated Senior Representative in accordance with the terms of Section 4.02.

 

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SECTION 5.03. Amendments to Second Priority Collateral Documents.

(a) Except to the extent not prohibited by any Senior Debt Document, no Second Priority Collateral Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Second Priority Collateral Document, would be prohibited by or inconsistent with any of the terms of this Agreement. The Borrower agrees to deliver to the Designated Senior Representative copies of (i) any amendments, supplements or other modifications to the Second Priority Collateral Documents and (ii) any new Second Priority Collateral Documents promptly after effectiveness thereof. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that each Second Priority Collateral Document under its Second Priority Debt Facility shall include the following language (or language to similar effect reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative):

“Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the liens and security interests granted to the Initial Second Priority Representative (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement referred to below) pursuant to this Agreement are expressly subject and subordinate to the liens and security interests granted in favor of the Senior Secured Parties (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement referred to below), including liens and security interests granted to Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, pursuant to or in connection with the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2016 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and (ii) the exercise of any right or remedy by the Initial Second Priority Representative hereunder is subject to the limitations and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of May 21, 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Bank of America, N.A., as Senior Representative, Bank of America, N.A., as Initial Second Priority Representative and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities party thereto. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall govern.”

(b) In the event that each applicable Senior Representative and/or the Senior Secured Parties enter into any amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the Senior Collateral Documents for the purpose of adding to or deleting from, or waiving or consenting to any departures from any provisions of, any Senior Collateral Document or changing in any manner the rights of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Borrower or any other Grantor thereunder (including the release of any Liens in Senior Collateral) in a manner that is applicable to all Senior Facilities, then such amendment, waiver or consent shall apply automatically to any comparable provision of each comparable Second Priority Collateral Document without the consent of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party and without any action by any Second Priority Representative, the Borrower or any other Grantor; provided, however, that written notice of such amendment, waiver or consent shall have been given to each Second Priority Representative within 10 Business Days after the effectiveness of such amendment, waiver or consent.

SECTION 5.04. Rights as Unsecured Creditors. The Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties may exercise rights and remedies as unsecured creditors against the Borrower and any other Grantor in accordance with the terms of the Second Priority Debt Documents and applicable law so long as such rights and remedies do not violate or are not otherwise inconsistent with any other provision of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of the required payments of principal, premium, interest, fees and other amounts due under the Second Priority Debt Documents so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by a Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party of rights or remedies in respect of Shared Collateral. In the event any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party becomes a judgment lien creditor

 

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in respect of Shared Collateral as a result of its enforcement of its rights as an unsecured creditor in respect of Second Priority Debt Obligations, such judgment lien shall be subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall impair or otherwise adversely affect any rights or remedies the Senior Representatives or the Senior Secured Parties may have with respect to the Senior Collateral.

SECTION 5.05. Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

(a) Each Senior Representative acknowledges and agrees that if it shall at any time hold a Lien securing any Senior Obligations on any Shared Collateral that can be perfected by the possession or control of such Shared Collateral or of any account in which such Shared Collateral is held, and if such Shared Collateral or any such account is in fact in the possession or under the control of such Senior Representative, or of agents or bailees of such Person (such Shared Collateral being referred to herein as the “Pledged or Controlled Collateral”), or if it shall at any time obtain any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, the applicable Senior Representative shall also hold such Pledged or Controlled Collateral, or take such actions with respect to such landlord waiver, bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement, as sub-agent or gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representatives, in each case solely for the purpose of perfecting the Liens granted under the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents and subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.05.

(b) In the event that any Senior Representative (or its agents or bailees) has Lien filings against Intellectual Property that is part of the Shared Collateral that are necessary for the perfection of Liens in such Shared Collateral, such Senior Representative agrees to hold such Liens as sub-agent and gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representatives and any assignee thereof, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Liens pursuant to the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.05.

(c) Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to deal with the Pledged or Controlled Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents as if the Liens under the Second Priority Collateral Documents did not exist. The rights of the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties with respect to the Pledged or Controlled Collateral shall at all times be subject to the terms of this Agreement.

(d) The Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties shall have no obligation whatsoever to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party to assure that any of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral is genuine or owned by the Grantors or to protect or preserve rights or benefits of any Person or any rights pertaining to the Shared Collateral, except as expressly set forth in this Section 5.05. The duties or responsibilities of the Senior Representatives under this Section 5.05 shall be limited solely to holding or controlling the Shared Collateral and the related Liens referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.05 as sub-agent and gratuitous bailee for the relevant Second Priority Representative for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Second Priority Representative.

(e) The Senior Representatives shall not have by reason of the Second Priority Collateral Documents or this Agreement, or any other document, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, and each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives and releases the Senior Representatives from all claims and liabilities arising pursuant to the Senior Representatives’ roles under this Section 5.05 as sub-agents and gratuitous bailees with respect to the Shared Collateral.

(f) Upon the Discharge of Senior Obligations, each applicable Senior Representative shall, at the Grantors’ sole cost and expense, (i) (A) deliver to the Designated Second Priority Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Senior Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks,

 

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securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, or (B) direct and deliver such Shared Collateral as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct, (ii) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (iii) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving any Grantor that the Designated Second Party Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding. The Borrower and the other Grantors shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Senior Representative for loss or damage suffered by such Senior Representative as a result of such transfer, except for loss or damage suffered by any such Person as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith. The Senior Representatives have no obligations to follow instructions from any Second Priority Representative or any other Second Priority Debt Party in contravention of this Agreement.

(g) None of the Senior Representatives nor any of the other Senior Secured Parties shall be required to marshal any present or future collateral security for any obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Documents or any assurance of payment in respect thereof, or to resort to such collateral security or other assurances of payment in any particular order, and all of their rights in respect of such collateral security or any assurance of payment in respect thereof shall be cumulative and in addition to all other rights, however existing or arising.

SECTION 5.06. When Discharge of Senior Obligations is Deemed Not to Have Occurred. If, at any time substantially concurrently with or after the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, the Borrower or any Subsidiary consummates any Refinancing or incurs any Senior Obligations (other than in respect of the payment of indemnities surviving the Discharge of Senior Obligations), then such Discharge of Senior Obligations shall automatically be deemed not to have occurred for all purposes of this Agreement (other than with respect to any actions taken prior to the date of such designation as a result of the occurrence of such first Discharge of Senior Obligations) and the applicable agreement governing such Senior Obligations shall automatically be treated as a Senior Debt Document for all purposes of this Agreement, including for purposes of the Lien priorities and rights in respect of Shared Collateral set forth herein and the agent, representative or trustee for the holders of such Senior Obligations shall be the Senior Representative for all purposes of this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such incurrence (including the identity of the new Senior Representative), each Second Priority Representative (including the Designated Second Priority Representative) shall promptly (a) enter into such documents and agreements (at the expense of the Borrower), including amendments or supplements to this Agreement, as the Borrower or such new Senior Representative shall reasonably request in writing in order to provide the new Senior Representative the rights of a Senior Representative contemplated hereby, (b) deliver to such Senior Representative, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, all Shared Collateral, including all proceeds thereof, held or controlled by such Second Priority Representative or any of its agents or bailees, including the transfer of possession and control, as applicable, of the Pledged or Controlled Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, and assign its rights under any landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or any similar agreement or arrangement granting it rights or access to Shared Collateral, (c) notify any applicable insurance carrier that it is no longer entitled to be a loss payee or additional insured under the insurance policies of any Grantor issued by such insurance carrier and (d) notify any governmental authority involved in any condemnation or similar proceeding involving a Grantor that the new Senior Representative is entitled to approve any awards granted in such proceeding.

ARTICLE VI

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceedings

SECTION 6.01. Financing Issues. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, if the Borrower or any other Grantor shall be subject to any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Party shall desire to consent (or not object) to the sale, use or lease of cash or other collateral or to consent (or not object) to the Borrower’s or any other Grantor’s obtaining financing under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law (“DIP Financing”), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will raise no objection to and will not otherwise contest such sale,

 

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use or lease of such cash or other collateral or such DIP Financing and, except to the extent permitted by the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.01(a) and Section 6.03, will not request adequate protection or any other relief in connection therewith and, to the extent the Liens securing any Senior Obligations are subordinated or pari passu with such DIP Financing, will subordinate (and will be deemed hereunder to have subordinated) its Liens in the Shared Collateral to (x) such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement, (y) to any “carve-out” for professional and United States Trustee fees agreed to by the Senior Representatives, and (z) to any Liens granted as adequate protection for the benefit of the Senior Secured Parties. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, further agrees that it will raise no (a) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any motion for relief from the automatic stay or from any injunction against foreclosure or enforcement in respect of Senior Obligations made by any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party, (b) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any lawful exercise by any Senior Secured Party of the right to credit bid Senior Obligations at any sale in foreclosure of Senior Collateral, including pursuant to Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, (c) objection to (and will not otherwise contest) any other request for judicial relief made in any court by any Senior Secured Party relating to the lawful enforcement of any Lien on Senior Collateral or (d) objection to (and will not otherwise contest or oppose) any order relating to a sale or other disposition of assets of any Grantor (including pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law) for which any Senior Representative has consented that provides, to the extent such sale or other disposition is to be free and clear of Liens, that the Liens securing the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations will attach to the proceeds of the sale on the same basis of priority as the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Senior Obligations rank to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations pursuant to this Agreement; provided that the Second Priority Debt Parties are not deemed to have waived any rights to credit bid on the Shared Collateral in any such sale or disposition under Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision in any Bankruptcy Law), so long as any such credit bid provides for the payment in full in cash of the Senior Obligations. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that notice received two (2) business days prior to the entry of an order approving such usage of cash or other collateral or approving such financing shall be adequate notice.

SECTION 6.02. Relief from the Automatic Stay. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or take any action in derogation thereof, in each case in respect of any Shared Collateral, without the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative.

SECTION 6.03. Adequate Protection. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that none of them shall object, contest or support any other Person objecting to or contesting (a) any request by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties for adequate protection, (b) any objection by any Senior Representative or any Senior Secured Parties to any motion, relief, action or proceeding based on any Senior Representative’s or Senior Secured Party’s claiming a lack of adequate protection or (c) the allowance and/or payment of interest, fees, expenses or other amounts of any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party under Section 506(b) or 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section 6.03 or in Section 6.01, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, (i) if the Senior Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in the form of a Lien on additional or replacement collateral in connection with any DIP Financing or use of cash collateral under Section 363 or 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law and the Senior Representatives and the other Senior Secured Parties do not object to the adequate protection being provided to the Senior Secured Parties, then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, may seek or request adequate protection in the form of a Lien on such additional or replacement collateral, which Lien is subordinated to the Liens securing and providing adequate protection for all Senior Obligations and such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to the Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement, (ii) in the event any Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of the Second Priority Debt Parties under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, seek or request adequate protection and such adequate protection is granted

 

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in the form of a Lien on additional or replacement collateral, then such Second Priority Representatives, for themselves and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under their Second Priority Debt Facilities, agree that each Senior Representative shall also be granted a senior Lien on such additional or replacement collateral as security and adequate protection for the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing and that any Lien on such additional or replacement collateral securing or providing adequate protection for the Second Priority Debt Obligations shall be subordinated to the Liens on such collateral securing the Senior Obligations and any such DIP Financing (and all obligations relating thereto) and any other Liens granted to the Senior Secured Parties as adequate protection on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Second Priority Debt Obligations are so subordinated to such Liens securing Senior Obligations under this Agreement and (iii) if the Senior Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in the form of a superpriority administrative claim in connection with any DIP Financing or use of cash collateral under Section 363 or 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, may seek or request adequate protection in the form of a superpriority administrative claim, which claim is subordinated to the claims providing adequate protection for all Senior Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent that the Senior Secured Parties (or any subset thereof) are granted adequate protection in the form of payments in the amount of current post-petition fees and expenses, and/or other cash payments, then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, shall not be prohibited from seeking adequate protection in the form of payments in the amount of current post-petition fees and expenses, and/or other cash payments (as applicable), subject to the right of the Senior Secured Parties to object to the reasonableness of the amounts of fees and expenses or other cash payments so sought by the Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 6.04. Preference Issues. If any Senior Secured Party is required in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to disgorge, turn over or otherwise pay any amount to the estate of the Borrower or any other Grantor (or any trustee, receiver or similar Person therefor), because the payment of such amount was avoided as or otherwise declared to be fraudulent or preferential in any respect or for any other reason, any amount (a “Recovery”), whether received as proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of setoff or otherwise, then the Senior Obligations shall be reinstated to the extent of such Recovery and deemed to be outstanding as if such payment had not occurred and the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to the benefits of this Agreement until a Discharge of Senior Obligations with respect to all such recovered amounts. If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect the obligations of the parties hereto. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby agrees that none of them shall be entitled to benefit from any avoidance action affecting or otherwise relating to any distribution or allocation made in accordance with this Agreement, whether by preference or otherwise, it being understood and agreed that the benefit of such avoidance action otherwise allocable to them shall instead be allocated and turned over for application in accordance with the priorities set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 6.05. Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classifications. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that (a) the grants of Liens pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents and the Second Priority Collateral Documents constitute separate and distinct grants of Liens and (b) because of, among other things, their differing rights in the Shared Collateral, the Second Priority Debt Obligations are fundamentally different from the Senior Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan proposed, confirmed, or adopted in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that any claims of the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral constitute a single class of claims (rather than separate classes of senior and junior secured claims), then each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledges and agrees that all distributions shall be made as if there were separate classes of senior and junior secured claims against the Grantors in respect of the Shared Collateral (with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the Shared Collateral is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the Second Priority Debt Parties), the Senior Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive, in addition to amounts distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest, fees, and expenses and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest, fees, and expenses (whether or not allowed or allowable) before any distribution is made in

 

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respect of the Second Priority Debt Obligations, with each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to the Designated Senior Representative amounts otherwise received or receivable by them to the extent necessary to effectuate the intent of this sentence, even if such turnover has the effect of reducing the claim or recovery of the Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 6.06. No Waivers of Rights of Senior Secured Parties. Nothing contained herein shall, except as expressly provided herein, prohibit or in any way limit any Senior Representative or any other Senior Secured Party from objecting in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to any action taken by any Second Priority Debt Party, including the seeking by any Second Priority Debt Party of adequate protection or the asserting by any Second Priority Debt Party of any of its rights and remedies under the Second Priority Debt Documents or otherwise.

SECTION 6.07. Application. This Agreement, which the parties hereto expressly acknowledge is a “subordination agreement” under Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, shall be effective before, during and after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. The relative rights as to the Shared Collateral and proceeds thereof shall continue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding on the same basis as prior to the date of the petition therefor, subject to any court order approving the financing of, or use of cash collateral by, any Grantor. All references herein to any Grantor shall include such Grantor as a debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for such Grantor.

SECTION 6.08. Other Matters. To the extent that any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party has or acquires rights under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law with respect to any of the Shared Collateral, such Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees not to assert any such rights without the prior written consent of each Senior Representative, provided that if requested by any Senior Representative, such Second Priority Representative shall timely exercise such rights in the manner requested by the Senior Representatives (acting unanimously), including any rights to payments in respect of such rights.

SECTION 6.09. 506(c) Claims. Until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will not assert or enforce any claim under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law senior to or on a parity with the Liens securing the Senior Obligations for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Shared Collateral.

SECTION 6.10. Reorganization Securities; Plan Voting.

(a) If, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, debt obligations of the reorganized debtor secured by Liens upon any property of the reorganized debtor are distributed, pursuant to a plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan, on account of both the Senior Obligations and the Second Priority Debt Obligations, then, to the extent the debt obligations distributed on account of the Senior Obligations and on account of the Second Priority Debt Obligations are secured by Liens upon the same assets or property, the provisions of this Agreement will survive the distribution of such debt obligations pursuant to such plan and will apply with like effect to the Liens securing such debt obligations.

(b) No Second Priority Debt Party (whether in the capacity of a secured creditor or an unsecured creditor) shall propose, vote in favor of, or otherwise directly or indirectly support any plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan that is inconsistent with the priorities or other provisions of this Agreement, other than with the prior written consent of the Designated Senior Representative or to the extent any such plan is proposed or supported by the number of Senior Secured Parties required under Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code.

 

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SECTION 6.11. Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, shall not object to, oppose, support any objection, or take any other action to impede, the right of any Senior Secured Party to make an election under Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law. Each Second Priority Representative, for itself and on behalf of each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, waives any claim it may hereafter have against any senior claimholder arising out of the election by any Senior Secured Party of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision of any other Bankruptcy Law.

ARTICLE VII

Reliance; etc.

SECTION 7.01. Reliance. The consent by the Senior Secured Parties to the execution and delivery of the Second Priority Debt Documents to which the Senior Secured Parties have consented and all loans and other extensions of credit made or deemed made on and after the date hereof by the Senior Secured Parties to the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been given and made in reliance upon this Agreement. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges that it and such Second Priority Debt Parties have, independently and without reliance on any Senior Representative or other Senior Secured Party, and based on documents and information deemed by them appropriate, made their own credit analysis and decision to enter into the Second Priority Debt Documents to which they are party or by which they are bound, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and they will continue to make their own credit decision in taking or not taking any action under the Second Priority Debt Documents or this Agreement.

SECTION 7.02. No Warranties or Liability. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, acknowledges and agrees that neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party has made any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectibility or enforceability of any of the Senior Debt Documents, the ownership of any Shared Collateral or the perfection or priority of any Liens thereon. The Senior Secured Parties will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective loans and extensions of credit under the Senior Debt Documents in accordance with law and as they may otherwise, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, and the Senior Secured Parties may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties have in the Shared Collateral or otherwise, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Neither any Senior Representative nor any other Senior Secured Party shall have any duty to any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party to act or refrain from acting in a manner that allows, or results in, the occurrence or continuance of an event of default or default under any agreement with the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Second Priority Debt Documents), regardless of any knowledge thereof that they may have or be charged with. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties have not otherwise made to each other, nor do they hereby make to each other, any warranties, express or implied, nor do they assume any liability to each other with respect to (a) the enforceability, validity, value or collectibility of any of the Senior Obligations, the Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee or security which may have been granted to any of them in connection therewith, (b) any Grantor’s title to or right to transfer any of the Shared Collateral or (c) any other matter except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

SECTION 7.03. Obligations Unconditional. All rights, interests, agreements and obligations of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties hereunder shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

(a) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document;

(b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other terms of, all or any of the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations, or any amendment or waiver or other modification, including any increase in the amount thereof, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, of the terms of the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or of the terms of any Second Priority Debt Document;

 

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(c) any exchange of any security interest in any Shared Collateral or any other collateral or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether in writing or by course of conduct or otherwise, of all or any of the Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations or any guarantee thereof;

(d) the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Borrower or any other Grantor; or

(e) any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, (i) the Borrower or any other Grantor in respect of the Senior Obligations or (ii) any Second Priority Representative or Second Priority Debt Party in respect of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VIII

Miscellaneous

SECTION 8.01. Conflicts. Subject to Section 8.18, in the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the relative rights and obligations of the Senior Secured Collateral Agent, the Senior Representatives and the Senior Secured Parties (as amongst themselves) with respect to any Senior Collateral shall be governed by the terms of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and in the event of any conflict between the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement and this Agreement, the provisions of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall control, subject to Section 8.23 hereto.

SECTION 8.02. Continuing Nature of this Agreement; Severability. Subject to Section 5.06 and Section 6.04, this Agreement shall continue to be effective until the Discharge of Senior Obligations shall have occurred. This is a continuing agreement of Lien subordination, and the Senior Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the Second Priority Representatives or any Second Priority Debt Party, to extend credit and other financial accommodations and lend monies to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any Subsidiary constituting Senior Obligations in reliance hereon. The terms of this Agreement shall survive and continue in full force and effect in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 8.03. Amendments; Waivers.

(a) No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) This Agreement may be amended in writing signed by each Representative (in each case, acting in accordance with the documents governing the applicable Debt Facility); provided that any such amendment, supplement or waiver which by the terms of this Agreement requires the Borrower’s consent or which increases the obligations or reduces the rights of the Borrower or any Grantor, shall require the consent of the Borrower. Any such amendment, supplement or waiver shall be in writing and shall be binding upon the Senior Secured Parties and the Second Priority Debt Parties and their respective successors and assigns.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Secured Party, any Representative may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 8.09 of this Agreement and upon such execution and delivery, such Representative and the Secured Parties and Senior Obligations or Second Priority Debt Obligations of the Debt Facility for which such Representative is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof.

SECTION 8.04. Information Concerning the Financial Condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall each be responsible for keeping themselves informed of (a) the financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and all endorsers or guarantors of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations and (b) all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Senior Obligations or the Second Priority Debt Obligations. The Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall have no duty to advise any other party hereunder of information known to it or them regarding such condition or any such circumstances or otherwise. In the event that any Senior Representative, any Senior Secured Party, any Second Priority Representative or any Second Priority Debt Party, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to any other party, it shall be under no obligation to (i) make, and the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties shall not make or be deemed to have made, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of any such information so provided, (ii) provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion, (iii) undertake any investigation or (iv) disclose any information that, pursuant to accepted or reasonable commercial finance practices, such party wishes to maintain confidential or is otherwise required to maintain confidential.

SECTION 8.05. Subrogation. Each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, hereby waives any rights of subrogation it may acquire as a result of any payment hereunder until the Discharge of Senior Obligations has occurred.

SECTION 8.06. Application of Payments. Except as otherwise provided herein, all payments received by the Senior Secured Parties may be applied, reversed and reapplied, in whole or in part, to such part of the Senior Obligations as the Senior Secured Parties, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate, consistent with the terms of the Senior Debt Documents. Except as otherwise provided herein, each Second Priority Representative, on behalf of itself and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, assents to any such extension or postponement of the time of payment of the Senior Obligations or any part thereof and to any other indulgence with respect thereto, to any substitution, exchange or release of any security that may at any time secure any part of the Senior Obligations and to the addition or release of any other Person primarily or secondarily liable therefor.

SECTION 8.07. Additional Grantors. The Borrower agrees that, if any Subsidiary shall become a Grantor after the date hereof, it will promptly cause such Subsidiary to become party hereto by executing and delivering an instrument in the form of Annex II. Upon such execution and delivery, such Subsidiary will become a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party hereunder, and will be acknowledged by the Designated Second Priority Representative and the Designated Senior Representative. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement.

SECTION 8.08. Dealings with Grantors. Upon any application or demand by the Borrower or any Grantor to any Representative to take or permit any action under any of the provisions of this Agreement or under any Collateral Document (if such action is subject to the provisions hereof), the Borrower or such Grantor, as appropriate, shall furnish to such Representative a certificate of an appropriate officer ( an “Officer’s Certificate”) stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Agreement or such Collateral Document, as the case may be, relating to the proposed action have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Agreement or any Collateral Document relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

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SECTION 8.09. Additional Debt Facilities. To the extent, but only to the extent, permitted by the provisions of the then extant Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents, the Borrower may incur or issue and sell one or more series or classes of Second Priority Debt and one or more series or classes of Additional Senior Debt. Any such additional class or series of Second Priority Debt (the “Second Priority Class Debt”) may be secured by a second priority, subordinated Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and pursuant to the relevant Second Priority Collateral Documents for such Second Priority Class Debt, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Second Priority Class Debt (each, a “Second Priority Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Second Priority Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any Second Priority Class Debt being referred to as the “Second Priority Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying conditions (i) through (vi), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph. Any such additional class or series of Senior Facilities (the “Senior Class Debt”; and the Senior Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt, collectively, the “Class Debt”) may be secured by a senior Lien on Shared Collateral, in each case under and pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Representative of any such Senior Class Debt (each, a “Senior Class Debt Representative”; and the Senior Class Debt Representatives and Second Priority Class Debt Representatives, collectively, the “Class Debt Representatives”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Senior Class Debt (such Representative and holders in respect of any such Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Senior Class Debt Parties; and the Senior Class Debt Parties and Second Priority Class Debt Parties, collectively, the “Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii), as applicable, of the immediately succeeding paragraph, and becomes a party to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement by satisfying the applicable requirements thereof. In order for a Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement:

(i) such Class Debt Representative shall have executed and delivered a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Annex III (if such Representative is a Second Priority Class Debt Representative) or Annex IV (if such Representative is a Senior Class Debt Representative) (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by the Designated Senior Representative and such Class Debt Representative, and, to the extent such changes increase the obligations or reduce the rights of a Grantor, by such Grantor) pursuant to which it becomes a Representative hereunder, and the Class Debt in respect of which such Class Debt Representative is the Representative and the related Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby;

(ii) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Designated Senior Representative an Officer’s Certificate stating that the conditions set forth in this Section 8.09 are satisfied with respect to such Class Debt and, if requested, true and complete copies of each of the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt, certified as being true and correct by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower; and

(iii) the Second Priority Debt Documents or Senior Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Class Debt shall provide that each Class Debt Party with respect to such Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Class Debt.

SECTION 8.10. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Representative, on behalf of itself and the Secured Parties of the Debt Facility for which it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the Collateral Documents, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

 

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(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Representative) at the address referred to in Section 8.11;

(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law; and

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 8.10 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 8.11. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent:

(i) if to the Borrower or any Grantor, to the Borrower as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement;

(ii) if to the Initial Second Priority Representative to it at: Bank of America, N.A., 135 S. LaSalle St., Mail Code: IL4-135-09-61, Chicago, IL 60603, Attention of Denise Jones, telecopy: 312-537-6609, e-mail: denise.j.jones@baml.com;

(iii) if to the Administrative Agent, to it as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Term Loan Agreement;

(iv) if to any other Representative, to it at the address specified by it in the Joinder Agreement delivered by it pursuant to Section 8.09.

Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and, may be personally served, telecopied, electronically mailed or sent by courier service or U.S. mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of a telecopy or electronic mail or upon receipt via U.S. mail (registered or certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed). For the purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto shall be as set forth above or, as to each party, at such other address as may be designated by such party in a written notice to all of the other parties. As agreed to in writing among each Representative from time to time, notices and other communications may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of the applicable person provided from time to time by such person.

SECTION 8.12. Further Assurances. Each Senior Representative, on behalf of itself and each Senior Secured Party under the Senior Debt Facility for which it is acting, each Second Party Representative, on behalf of itself, and each Second Priority Debt Party under its Second Priority Debt Facility, agrees that it will take such further action and shall execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as the other parties hereto may reasonably request to effectuate the terms of, and the Lien priorities contemplated by, this Agreement.

SECTION 8.13. GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

(A) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

(B) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

 

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SECTION 8.14. Binding on Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives, the Second Priority Debt Parties, the Borrower, the other Grantors party hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

SECTION 8.15. Section Titles. The section titles contained in this Agreement are and shall be without substantive meaning or content of any kind whatsoever and are not a part of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall together constitute one and the same document. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.17. Authorization. By its signature, each Person executing this Agreement on behalf of a party hereto represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that it is duly authorized to execute this Agreement. The Administrative Agent represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Term Loan Secured Parties. The Initial Second Priority Representative represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Initial Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 8.18. No Third Party Beneficiaries; Successors and Assigns. The lien priorities set forth in this Agreement and the rights and benefits hereunder in respect of such lien priorities shall inure solely to the benefit of the Senior Representatives, the Senior Secured Parties, the Second Priority Representatives and the Second Priority Debt Parties, and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and no other Person (including the Grantors, or any trustee, receiver, debtor-in-possession or bankruptcy estate in a bankruptcy or like proceeding) shall have or be entitled to assert such rights.

SECTION 8.19. Effectiveness. This Agreement shall become effective when executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

SECTION 8.20. Administrative Agent and Representative. It is understood and agreed that (a) the Administrative Agent is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Term Loan Agreement and the provisions of Article IX of the Term Loan Agreement applicable to the Administrative Agent (as defined therein) thereunder shall also apply to the Administrative Agent hereunder and (b) the Initial Second Priority Representative is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Second Lien Term Credit Agreement and the provisions of Article IX of such Second Lien Term Credit Agreement applicable to the Administrative Agent (as defined therein) thereunder shall also apply to the Initial Second Priority Representative hereunder.

SECTION 8.21. Relative Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary (except to the extent contemplated by Section 5.01(a), 5.01(d) or 5.03(b)), nothing in this Agreement is intended to or will (a) amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Term Loan Agreement, any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Documents, or permit the Borrower or any Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, to the extent such action or failure would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Documents, (b) change the relative priorities of the Senior Obligations or the Liens granted under the Senior Collateral Documents on the Shared Collateral (or any other assets) as among the Senior Secured Parties, (c) otherwise change the relative rights of the Senior Secured Parties in respect of the Shared Collateral as among such Senior Secured Parties or (d) obligate the Borrower or any Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, that would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Term Loan Agreement or any other Senior Debt Document or any Second Priority Debt Document.

SECTION 8.22. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

25


SECTION 8.23 ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Until such time as the Discharge of ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred with respect to the ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

 

26


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
By:    
         Name:
  Title:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Initial Second Priority Representative
By:    
         Name:
  Title:

 

27


JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

THE GRANTORS LISTED ON ANNEX I HERETO,

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

28


ANNEX I

Grantors

 

1.    joann.com, LLC
2.    JAS Fabrics and Crafts, LLC
3.    Jo-Ann Stores Support Center, Inc.
4.    JAS Aviation, LLC
5.    Creativebug, LLC


ANNEX II

SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [ ], to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of May 21, 2018 (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), Bank of America, N.A., as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. The Grantors have entered into the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Pursuant to the Term Loan Agreement, certain Additional Senior Debt Documents and certain Second Priority Debt Documents, certain newly acquired or organized Subsidiaries of the Borrower are required to enter into the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.07 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Subsidiaries may become party to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement by execution and delivery of an instrument in the form of this Supplement. The undersigned Subsidiary (the “New Grantor”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Term Loan Agreement, the Second Priority Debt Documents and Additional Senior Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Subsidiary Grantor agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.07 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Grantor by its signature below becomes a Grantor under the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor, and the New Grantor hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Grantor thereunder. Each reference to a “Grantor” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Grantor. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Grantor represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

SECTION 3. This Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of the New Grantor. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.


SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Grantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as specified in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Grantor, and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY GRANTOR],
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Acknowledged by:
[             ], as Designated Senior Representative,
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

[                     ], as Designated Second Priority Representative,

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

3


ANNEX III

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [         ], 20[ ] to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of May 21, 2018 (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), Bank of America, N.A., as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Second Priority Debt and to secure such Second Priority Class Debt with the Second Priority Lien and to have such Second Priority Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a subordinated basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Second Priority Collateral Documents, the Second Priority Class Representative in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Second Priority Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Second Priority Class Debt and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Second Priority Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Second Priority Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Second Priority Class Debt and Second Priority Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Second Priority Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Second Priority Representative and to the Second Priority Class Debt Parties that it represents as Second Priority Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Second Priority Representative” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Second Priority Debt Documents relating to such Second Priority Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Second Priority Class Debt Parties in respect of such Second Priority Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Second Priority Debt Parties.

SECTION 3. This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.


SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE],
as [                 ] for the holders of [                    ],
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

Address for notices:

 
 
         attention of:    
  Telecopy:    

 

[                    ],
as Designated Senior Representative,

By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

3


Acknowledged by:
JO-ANN STORES, LLC,
as Borrower
         By:        
    Name:  
    Title:  
NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,
as Holdings
  By:        
    Name:  
    Title:  

THE OTHER GRANTORS

LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,

  By:    
    Name:  
    Title:  

 

4


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors


ANNEX IV

[FORM OF] REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT NO. [ ] dated as of [ ], 20[ ] to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement dated as of May 21, 2018 (the “Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement”), among Jo-Ann Stores, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), Needle Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent under the Term Loan Agreement (as defined in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), Bank of America, N.A., as Initial Second Priority Representative, and the additional Representatives from time to time a party thereto.

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Senior Class Debt after the date of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and to secure such Senior Class Debt with the Senior Lien and to have such Senior Class Debt guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Senior Collateral Documents, the Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Senior Class Debt is required to become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Senior Class Debt Representative may become a Representative under, and such Senior Class Debt and such Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, pursuant to the execution and delivery by the Senior Class Debt Representative of an instrument in the form of this Representative Supplement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Senior Debt Documents and the Second Priority Debt Documents.

Accordingly, the Designated Senior Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 8.09 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes a Representative under, and the related Senior Class Debt and Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as a Representative, and the New Representative, on behalf of itself and such Senior Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as a Senior Representative and to the Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Senior Debt Parties. Each reference to a “Representative” or “Senior Representative” in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to the Designated Senior Representative and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Representative Supplement, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Representative Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with the terms of such Agreement and (iii) the Senior Debt Documents relating to such Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Agreement, the Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as Senior Secured Parties.

SECTION 3. This Representative Supplement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Representative Supplement shall become effective when the Designated Senior Representative shall have received a counterpart of this Representative Supplement that bears the signature of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Representative Supplement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Representative Supplement.


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS REPRESENTATIVE SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Representative Supplement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.11 of the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at the address set forth below its signature hereto.

SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Designated Senior Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Representative Supplement, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for the Designated Senior Representative, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Senior Debt Document.


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative and the Designated Senior Representative have duly executed this Representative Supplement to the Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE],

as [                 ] for the holders of [                    ],

By:    
  Name:
  Title:
Address for notices:
 

 

 

 

attention of:                                

Telecopy:                                     

[                    ], as Designated Senior Representative,
By:                   
  Name:
  Title:


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

Acknowledged by:

 

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,
as Borrower
         By:    
    Name:  
    Title:  

 

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,
as Holdings
         By:    
    Name:  
    Title:  

 

THE OTHER GRANTORS

LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,

         By:    
    Name:  
    Title:  


Schedule I to the

Representative Supplement to the

Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

Grantors


EXHIBIT H-2

[FORM OF]

SECOND LIEN PARI PASSU INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

Among

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

the other Grantors party hereto,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Second Lien Term Loan Agent for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Authorized Representative for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties,

[                                         ]

as the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent,

[                                         ]

as the Initial Additional Authorized Representative,

and

each additional Authorized Representative from time to time party hereto

dated as of [            ], 20[    ]


SECOND LIEN PARI PASSU INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of [            ], 20[    ] (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the other Grantors (as defined below) from time to time party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as collateral agent for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties (as defined herein) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Second Lien Term Loan Agent”), BANK OF AMERICA, as Authorized Representative for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties (as each such term is defined below), [                    ], as collateral agent for the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent”), [                    ], as Authorized Representative for the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Initial Additional Authorized Representative”), and each additional Authorized Representative from time to time party hereto for the other Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the Series (as defined below) with respect to which it is acting in such capacity.

In consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Collateral Agent, the Administrative Agent (for itself and on behalf of the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties), the Initial Additional Authorized Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) and each additional Authorized Representative (for itself and on behalf of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the applicable Series) agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Certain Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement or, if defined in the New York UCC, the meanings specified therein. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABL Intercreditor Agreement” means the Amended and Restated ABL Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2018, by and among Bank of America, as ABL Agent (as defined therein), Bank of America, as First Lien Term Agent (as defined therein), Bank of America, as Second Lien Term Agent (as defined therein) and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

2


Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means, with respect to the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any Series of Additional Senior Class Debt and any Refinancing of such debt, the notes, indentures, security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing such indebtedness and liens securing such indebtedness, including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents and the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents and each other agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any Series of Additional Senior Class Debt; provided that, in each case, the Indebtedness thereunder (other than the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations) has been designated as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 5.13 hereto.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means all amounts owing to any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) pursuant to the terms of any Pari Term Loan Debt Document (including the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents), including, without limitation, all amounts in respect of any principal, premium, interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the commencement of a Bankruptcy Case at the rate provided for in the respective Pari Term Loan Debt Document, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under any such proceeding or under applicable state, federal or foreign law), penalties, fees, expenses, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of the foregoing amounts.

Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party” means the holders of any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and any Authorized Representative with respect thereto, and shall include the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties.

Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents” means any collateral agreement, security agreement or any other document now existing or entered into after the date hereof that create Liens on any assets or properties of any Grantor to secure the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Additional Senior Class Debt” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Additional Senior Class Debt Parties” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Additional Senior Class Debt Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Second Lien Term Loan Agreement.”

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

 

3


Applicable Authorized Representative” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Administrative Agent and (ii) from and after the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative.

Applicable Collateral Agent” means (i) until the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent and (ii) from and after the earlier of (x) the Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt and (y) the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent.

Authorized Representative” means, at any time, (i) in the case of any Second Lien Term Loan Debt or the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties, the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, the Initial Additional Authorized Representative, and (iii) in the case of any Additional Senior Class Debt or Additional Senior Class Debt Parties that become subject to this Agreement after the date hereof, the Additional Senior Debt Class Representative named as the “New Representative” for such Series in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Bank of America” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Bankruptcy Case” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Collateral” means all assets and properties subject to any Lien created pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document to secure one or more Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Collateral Agent” means (i) in the case of any Second Lien Term Loan Debt, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent and (ii) in the case of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent.

Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, (i) at any time when the Second Lien Term Loan Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Second

 

4


Lien Term Loan Secured Parties and (ii) at any other time, the Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties whose Authorized Representative is the Applicable Authorized Representative for such Shared Collateral.

DIP Financing” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Financing Liens” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

DIP Lenders” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b).

Discharge” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral and any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the date on which such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations is no longer secured by such Shared Collateral. The term “Discharged” shall have a corresponding meaning.

Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Discharge of the Second Lien Term Loan Debt with respect to such Shared Collateral; provided that the Discharge of Second Lien Term Loan Debt shall not be deemed to have occurred in connection with a Refinancing of such Second Lien Term Loan Debt with additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations secured by such Shared Collateral under an Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document which has been designated in writing by the Administrative Agent (under the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement so Refinanced) to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and each other Authorized Representative as the “Second Lien Term Loan Agreement” for purposes of this Agreement.

Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” (or similarly defined term) as defined in any Secured Credit Document.

First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means that certain Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of May [    ], 2018, by and among Bank of America, as Senior Representative (as defined therein), Bank of America, as Initial Second Priority Representative (as defined therein) and the other parties thereto from time to time.

Grantors” means Borrower, Holdings, each of the Material Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries, as each term is defined in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement) and each other Subsidiary of Borrower that has granted a security interest pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document to secure any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations. The Grantors existing on the date hereof are set forth in Annex I hereto.

Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Impairment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 1.03.

 

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Initial Additional Authorized Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement” mean that certain [Indenture] [Other Agreement], dated as of [                    ], among Borrower, [the Guarantors identified therein] and [                    ], as [trustee], as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented, Refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement, the debt securities issued thereunder, the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement and any security documents and other operative agreements evidencing or governing the Indebtedness thereunder, and the Liens securing such Indebtedness, including any agreement entered into for the purpose of securing the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means the [“Obligations”] as such term is defined in the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties” means the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, the Initial Additional Authorized Representative and the holders of the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations issued pursuant to the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Agreement.

Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Security Agreement” means the [security agreement], dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

(1) any case commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

(2) any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency; or

(3) any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

 

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Intervening Creditor” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder to this Agreement in the form of Annex II hereto required to be delivered by an Authorized Representative to each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative pursuant to Section 5.13 hereof in order to establish an additional Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and add Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties hereunder.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge, trust (deemed or statutory) or security interest in, on or of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities; provided that in no event shall an operating lease be deemed to be a Lien.

Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Authorized Representative of the Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that constitutes the largest outstanding principal amount of any then outstanding Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations with respect to such Shared Collateral.

New York UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

Non-Controlling Authorized Representative” means, at any time with respect to any Shared Collateral, any Authorized Representative that is not the Applicable Authorized Representative at such time with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date” means, with respect to any Non-Controlling Authorized Representative, the date which is 90 days (throughout which 90-day period such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative was the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative) after the occurrence of both (i) an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document under which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative) and (ii) each Collateral Agent’s and each other Authorized Representative’s receipt of written notice from such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative certifying that (x) such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Major Non-Controlling Authorized Representative and that an Event of Default (under and as defined in the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document under which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative) has occurred and is continuing and (y) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Series with respect to which such Non-Controlling Authorized Representative is the Authorized Representative are currently due and payable in full (whether as a result of acceleration thereof or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of the applicable Additional Pari Term

 

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Loan Debt Document; provided that the Non-Controlling Authorized Representative Enforcement Date shall be stayed and shall not occur and shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to any Shared Collateral (1) at any time the Administrative Agent or the Second Lien Term Loan Agent has commenced and is diligently pursuing any enforcement action with respect to such Shared Collateral, (2) at any time the Grantor that has granted a security interest in such Shared Collateral is then a debtor under or with respect to (or otherwise subject to) any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or (3) at any time the Applicable Collateral Agent is stayed from pursuing enforcement actions pursuant to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

Non-Controlling Secured Parties” means, with respect to any Shared Collateral, the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties which are not Controlling Secured Parties with respect to such Shared Collateral.

Pari Term Loan Debt Documents” means, collectively, (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Documents and (ii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations” means, collectively, (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Debt and (ii) each Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties” means (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties and (ii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties with respect to each Series of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations.

Possessory Collateral” means any Shared Collateral in the possession of a Collateral Agent (or its agents or bailees), to the extent that possession thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction. Possessory Collateral includes, without limitation, any Certificated Securities, Promissory Notes, Instruments and Chattel Paper, in each case, delivered to or in the possession of the Collateral Agent under the terms of the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Post-Petition Interest” means any interest or entitlement to fees or expenses or other charges that accrue after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(a).

Refinance” means, in respect of any indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such indebtedness (in whole or in part), including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such indebtedness has been terminated and including, in each case, through any credit agreement, indenture or other agreement. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” have correlative meanings.

 

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Second Lien Term Loan Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Second Lien Term Loan Agreement” means that certain Second Lien Term Credit Agreement, dated as of May [    ], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time) among Borrower, Holdings, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, as administrative agent (in such capacity and together with its successors in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), and the other parties thereto.

Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Documents” means the Second Lien Term Loan Security Agreement, the other Collateral Documents (as defined in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement) and each other agreement entered into in favor of the Second Lien Term Loan Agent for the purpose of securing any Second Lien Term Loan Debt.

Second Lien Term Loan Debt” means all “Obligations” as defined in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement.

Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties” means the “Secured Parties” as defined in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement.

Second Lien Term Loan Security Agreement” that certain Second Lien Security Agreement, dated as of May [    ], 2018, among Borrower, Holdings, the other Grantors party thereto and the Second Lien Term Loan Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, renewed, replaced, refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Secured Credit Document” means (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and each Loan Document (as defined in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement), (ii) each Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document, and (iii) each Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document.

Series” means (a) with respect to the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, each of (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties (in their capacities as such), (ii) the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties (in their capacities as such), and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties that become subject to this Agreement after the date hereof that are represented by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties) and (b) with respect to any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, each of (i) the Second Lien Term Loan Debt, (ii) the Initial Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations incurred pursuant to any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Document, which pursuant to any Joinder Agreement are to be represented hereunder by a common Authorized Representative (in its capacity as such for such Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations).

 

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Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral in which the holders of two or more Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations hold a valid and perfected security interest at such time. If more than two Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations are outstanding at any time and the holders of less than all Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations hold a valid and perfected security interest in any Collateral at such time, then such Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral for those Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that hold a valid security interest in such Collateral at such time and shall not constitute Shared Collateral for any Series which does not have a valid and perfected security interest in such Collateral at such time.

SECTION 1.02 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections and Annexes of this Agreement, (v) unless otherwise expressly qualified herein, the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, and (vi) the term “or” is not exclusive.

SECTION 1.03 Impairments. It is the intention of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series that the holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series (and not the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of any other Series) bear the risk of (i) any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that (x) any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series are unenforceable under applicable law or are subordinated to any other obligations (other than another Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), (y) any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of such Series do not have an enforceable security interest in any of the Collateral securing any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and/or (z) any intervening security interest exists securing any other obligations (other than another Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations) on a basis ranking prior to the security interest of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations but junior to the security interest

 

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of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or (ii) the existence of any Collateral for any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations that is not Shared Collateral (any such condition referred to in the foregoing clause (i) or (ii) with respect to any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, an “Impairment” of such Series). In the event of any Impairment with respect to any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the results of such Impairment shall be borne solely by the holders of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, and the rights of the holders of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (including, without limitation, the right to receive distributions in respect of such Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 2.01) set forth herein shall be modified to the extent necessary so that the effects of such Impairment are borne solely by the holders of the Series of such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations subject to such Impairment. Additionally, in the event the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series are modified pursuant to applicable law (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code), any reference to such Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations governing such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall refer to such obligations or such documents as so modified.

ARTICLE II

Priorities and Agreements with Respect to Shared Collateral

SECTION 2.01 Priority of Claims.

(a) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, anything contained herein or in any of the Secured Credit Documents to the contrary notwithstanding (but subject to Section 1.03, the following sentence and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party is taking action to enforce rights in respect of any Shared Collateral, or any distribution is made in respect of any Shared Collateral in any Bankruptcy Case (including any adequate protection payments) of the Borrower or any other Grantor or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party receives any payment pursuant to any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement) with respect to any Shared Collateral, the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any such Collateral by any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party or received by the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party pursuant to any such intercreditor agreement with respect to such Shared Collateral and proceeds of any such distribution (subject, in the case of any such distribution, to the sentence immediately following) to which the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations are entitled under any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement) (all proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any Collateral and all proceeds of any such distribution being collectively referred to as “Proceeds”) shall be applied (i) FIRST, to the payment of all amounts owing to each Collateral Agent (in its capacity as such) pursuant to the terms of any Secured Credit Document, (ii) SECOND, subject to Section 1.03, to the payment in full of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of each Series with a valid and perfected Lien on such Shared Collateral on a ratable basis, with such Proceeds to be applied to

 

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the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of a given Series in accordance with the terms of the applicable Secured Credit Documents, provided that following the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding with respect to any Grantor, solely as among Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and solely for purposes of this clause SECOND and not any other documents governing Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, in the event the value of the Shared Collateral is not sufficient for the entire amount of Post-Petition Interest on the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations to be allowed under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, the amount of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall include only the maximum amount of Post-Petition Interest on the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations allowable under Section 506(a) and (b) of the Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code or other Bankruptcy Law in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding; and (iii) THIRD, after payment of all Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, to the Borrower and the other Grantors or their successors or assigns, as their interests may appear, or to whosoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct. If, despite the provisions of this Section 2.01(a), any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall receive any payment or other recovery in excess of its portion of payments on account of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations to which it is then entitled in accordance with this Section 2.01(a), such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall hold such payment or recovery in trust for the benefit of all Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties for distribution in accordance with this Section 2.01(a). Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Shared Collateral upon which a third party (other than a Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) has a lien or security interest that is junior in priority to the security interest of any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations but senior (as determined by appropriate legal proceedings in the case of any dispute) to the security interest of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (such third party, an “Intervening Creditor”), the value of any Shared Collateral or Proceeds which are allocated to such Intervening Creditor shall be deducted on a ratable basis solely from the Shared Collateral or Proceeds to be distributed in respect of the Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations with respect to which such Impairment exists.

(b) It is acknowledged that the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series may, subject to the limitations set forth in the then extant Secured Credit Documents, be increased, extended, renewed, replaced, restated, supplemented, restructured, repaid, refunded, Refinanced or otherwise amended or modified from time to time, all without affecting the priorities set forth in Section 2.01(a) or the provisions of this Agreement defining the relative rights of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of any Series.

(c) Notwithstanding the date, time, method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any Liens securing any Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations granted on the Shared Collateral and notwithstanding any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, any applicable real estate laws, or any other applicable law or the Secured Credit Documents or any defect or deficiencies in the Liens securing the Pari Term Loan Debt

 

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Obligations of any Series or any other circumstance whatsoever (but, in each case, subject to Section 1.03), each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party hereby agrees that the Liens securing each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations on any Shared Collateral shall be of equal priority.

(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Documents to the contrary, Collateral consisting of cash and cash equivalents pledged to secure Second Lien Term Loan Debt held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent pursuant to Section 2.16 of the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement (or any equivalent successor provision) shall be applied as specified in the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and will not constitute Shared Collateral.

SECTION 2.02 Actions with Respect to Shared Collateral; Prohibition on Contesting Liens.

(a) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, only the Applicable Collateral Agent shall act or refrain from acting with respect to any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral). At any time when the Second Lien Term Loan Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, no Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall, or shall instruct any Collateral Agent to, commence any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral), whether under any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that only the Second Lien Term Loan Agent, acting in accordance with the Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Documents, shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral at such time.

(b) With respect to any Shared Collateral at any time when the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent is the Applicable Collateral Agent, (i) the Applicable Collateral Agent shall act only on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative, (ii) the Applicable Collateral Agent shall not follow any instructions with respect to such Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral other than the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement) from any Non-Controlling Authorized Representative (or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party other than the Applicable Authorized Representative) and (iii) no Non-Controlling Authorized Representative or other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (other than the Applicable Authorized Representative) shall, or shall instruct the Applicable Collateral Agent to, commence any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure proceedings with respect to, seek to have a trustee, receiver, liquidator or similar official appointed for or over, attempt any action to take possession of, exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to, or otherwise take any action to enforce its

 

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security interest in or realize upon, or take any other action available to it in respect of, any Shared Collateral (including with respect to any intercreditor agreement with respect to any Shared Collateral), whether under any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, applicable law or otherwise, it being agreed that only the Applicable Collateral Agent, acting on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative and in accordance with the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, shall be entitled to take any such actions or exercise any such remedies with respect to Shared Collateral.

(c) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, notwithstanding the equal priority of the Liens securing each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, the Applicable Collateral Agent (acting on the instructions of the Applicable Authorized Representative) may deal with the Shared Collateral as if such Applicable Collateral Agent had a senior Lien on such Collateral. No Non-Controlling Authorized Representative or Non-Controlling Secured Party will contest, protest or object to any foreclosure proceeding or action brought by the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or the Controlling Secured Party or any other exercise by the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or the Controlling Secured Party of any rights and remedies relating to the Shared Collateral, or to cause the Applicable Collateral Agent to do so. The foregoing shall not be construed to limit the rights and priorities of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, the Applicable Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative with respect to any Collateral not constituting Shared Collateral.

(d) Each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties agrees that it will not (and hereby waives any right to) question or contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the perfection, priority, validity, attachment or enforceability of a Lien held by or on behalf of any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties on all or any part of the Collateral, or the provisions of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative to enforce this Agreement.

SECTION 2.03 No Interference; Payment Over.

(a) Each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party agrees that (i) it will not (and shall be deemed to have waived any right to) challenge, contest, or question, or support any other Person in challenging, contesting, or questioning, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) the validity or enforceability of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series or any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or the validity, attachment, perfection or priority of any Lien under any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or the validity or enforceability of the priorities, rights or duties established by or other provisions of this Agreement, (ii) it will not take or cause to be taken any action the purpose or intent of which is, or could be, to interfere, hinder or delay, in any manner, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, any sale, transfer or other disposition of the Shared Collateral by the Applicable Collateral Agent, (iii) except as provided in Section 2.02, it shall have no right

 

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to (A) direct the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party to exercise any right, remedy or power with respect to any Shared Collateral (including pursuant to any intercreditor agreement) or (B) consent to the exercise by the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any right, remedy or power with respect to any Shared Collateral, (iv) it will not institute any suit or assert in any suit, bankruptcy, insolvency or other proceeding any claim against the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party seeking damages from or other relief by way of specific performance, instructions or otherwise with respect to any Shared Collateral, and none of the Applicable Collateral Agent, any Applicable Authorized Representative or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Applicable Collateral Agent, such Applicable Authorized Representative or other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party with respect to any Shared Collateral in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (v) it will not seek, and hereby waives any right, to have any Shared Collateral or any part thereof marshalled upon any foreclosure or other disposition of such Collateral and (vi) it will not attempt, directly or indirectly, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to challenge the enforceability of any provision of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of the Applicable Collateral Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party to enforce this Agreement.

(b) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party hereby agrees that if it shall obtain possession of any Shared Collateral or shall realize any proceeds or payment in respect of any such Shared Collateral, pursuant to any Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document or by the exercise of any rights available to it under applicable law or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or through any other exercise of remedies (including pursuant to any intercreditor agreement, other than this Agreement), at any time prior to the Discharge of each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, then it shall hold such Shared Collateral, proceeds or payment in trust for the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and promptly transfer such Shared Collateral, proceeds or payment, as the case may be, to the Applicable Collateral Agent, to be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01.

SECTION 2.04 Automatic Release of Liens.

(a) If at any time the Applicable Collateral Agent forecloses upon or otherwise exercises remedies against any Shared Collateral resulting in a sale or disposition thereof, then (whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding is pending at the time) the Liens in favor of the other Collateral Agent for the benefit of each Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties upon such Shared Collateral will automatically be released and discharged as and when, but only to the extent, such Liens of the Applicable Collateral Agent on such Shared Collateral are released and discharged; provided that any proceeds of any Shared Collateral realized therefrom shall be applied pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

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(b) Each Collateral Agent and Authorized Representative agrees to execute and deliver (at the sole cost and expense of the Grantors) all such authorizations and other instruments as shall reasonably be requested by the Applicable Collateral Agent to evidence and confirm any release of Shared Collateral provided for in this Section.

SECTION 2.05 Certain Agreements with Respect to Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings.

(a) This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, including any proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code, any other Bankruptcy Law, or any other federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is acknowledged and agreed that this Agreement constitutes an agreement within the scope of Section 510(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, including with respect to the provisions of this Article II, and all references to “Grantor” shall include any Grantor as debtor and debtor in possession (and any receiver, trustee, or other estate representative for such Grantor, as the case may be) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

(b) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement (including Section 6.01 thereof), if the Borrower and/or any other Grantor shall become subject to a case under the Bankruptcy Code or other applicable Bankruptcy Law (a “Bankruptcy Case”) and shall, as debtor(s)-in-possession, move for approval of financing (“DIP Financing”) to be provided by one or more lenders (the “DIP Lenders”) under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law or the use of cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, each Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party (other than any Controlling Secured Party or Authorized Representative of any Controlling Secured Party) agrees that it will raise no objection to any such financing or to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the same (“DIP Financing Liens”) or to any use of cash collateral that constitutes Shared Collateral, unless any Controlling Secured Party, or an Authorized Representative of any Controlling Secured Party, shall then oppose or object to such DIP Financing or such DIP Financing Liens or use of cash collateral (and (i) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens are senior to the Liens on any such Shared Collateral for the benefit of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will subordinate its Liens with respect to such Shared Collateral on the same terms as the Liens of the Controlling Secured Parties (other than any Liens of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) are subordinated thereto, and (ii) to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens rank pari passu with the Liens on any such Shared Collateral granted to secure the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Controlling Secured Parties, each Non-Controlling Secured Party will confirm the priorities with respect to such Shared Collateral as set forth herein), in each case so long as (A) the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series retain the benefit of their Liens on all such Shared Collateral pledged to the DIP Lenders, including proceeds thereof arising after the commencement of such proceeding, with the same priority vis-à-vis all the other Pari Term

 

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Loan Debt Secured Parties (other than any Liens of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens) as existed prior to the commencement of the Bankruptcy Case, (B) the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series are granted Liens on any additional collateral pledged to any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties as adequate protection or otherwise in connection with such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral, with the same priority vis-à-vis the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties as set forth in this Agreement (other than any Liens of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties constituting DIP Financing Liens), (C) if any amount of such DIP Financing or cash collateral is applied to repay any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, such amount is applied pursuant to Section 2.01, and (D) if any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties are granted adequate protection, including in the form of periodic payments, in connection with such DIP Financing or use of cash collateral, the proceeds of such adequate protection are applied pursuant to Section 2.01; provided that the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of each Series shall have a right to object to the grant of a Lien to secure the DIP Financing over any Collateral subject to Liens in favor of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of such Series or their Authorized Representative that shall not constitute Shared Collateral; and provided, further, that the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties receiving adequate protection shall not object to any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party receiving adequate protection comparable to any adequate protection granted to such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties in connection with a DIP Financing or use of cash collateral.

SECTION 2.06 Reinstatement. In the event that any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall be paid in full and such payment or any part thereof shall subsequently, for whatever reason (including an order or judgment for avoidance or disgorgement of a preference under the Bankruptcy Code, any other Bankruptcy Law, or any similar law, or the settlement of any claim in respect thereof), be required to be returned or repaid, the terms and conditions of this Article II shall be fully applicable thereto until all such Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations shall again have been paid in full in cash.

SECTION 2.07 Insurance. Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, as between the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, the Applicable Collateral Agent (acting at the direction of the Applicable Authorized Representative) shall have the right to adjust or settle any insurance policy or claim covering or constituting Shared Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Shared Collateral.

SECTION 2.08 Refinancings. The Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series may be Refinanced, in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent (except to the extent a consent is otherwise required to permit the Refinancing transaction under any Secured Credit Document of such debt being Refinanced) of, any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any other Series, all without affecting the priorities provided for herein or the other provisions hereof; provided that the Authorized Representative of the holders of any such Refinancing indebtedness shall have executed a Joinder Agreement on behalf of the holders of such Refinancing indebtedness.

 

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SECTION 2.09 Possessory Collateral Agent as Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

(a) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, to the extent not required to be delivered to the Designated Senior Representative (as defined in the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), the Possessory Collateral shall be delivered to the Second Lien Term Loan Agent and the Second Lien Term Loan Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral that is part of the Collateral in its possession or control (or in the possession or control of its agents or bailees) as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party and any assignee solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09; provided that at any time the Second Lien Term Loan Agent is not the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent shall (subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement), at the request of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, (if not required to be delivered to the Designated Senior Representative (as defined in the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement)) promptly deliver all Possessory Collateral to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent together with any necessary endorsements (or otherwise allow the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent to obtain control of such Possessory Collateral). The Borrower shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each Collateral Agent for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of such transfer except for loss or damage suffered by such Collateral Agent as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith.

(b) The Applicable Collateral Agent agrees to hold any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral, from time to time in its possession, as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party and any assignee, solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Possessory Collateral, if any, pursuant to the applicable Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 2.09. In the event that any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party other than the Applicable Collateral Agent recieves any Possessory Collateral, then such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall promptly deliver such Possessory Collateral (including any Proceeds therefrom), together with any necessary endorsements and notices to depositary banks, securities intermediaries and commodities intermediaries, to the Applicable Collateral Agent.

(c) The duties or responsibilities of each Collateral Agent under this Section 2.09 shall be limited solely to holding any Shared Collateral constituting Possessory Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the benefit of each other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Lien held by such Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties thereon.

(d) In furtherance of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby grants a security interest in the Shared Collateral to each Collateral Agent that controls Shared Collateral for the benefit of all Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties which have been granted a Lien on the Shared Collateral controlled by such Collateral Agent.

 

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SECTION 2.10 Amendments to Security Documents.

(a) Without the prior written consent of the Second Lien Term Loan Agent, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent on behalf of itself and each other Additional Pari Term Loan Secured Party agrees that no Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Security Document, would be prohibited by, or would require any Grantor to act or refrain from acting in a manner that would violate, any of the terms of this Agreement.

(b) Without the prior written consent of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent in its capacity as Collateral Agent, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent agrees that no Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Document, would be prohibited by, or would require any Grantor to act or refrain from acting in a manner that would violate, any of the terms of this Agreement.

(c) In making determinations required by this Section 2.10, each Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on an officer’s certificate of the Borrower.

ARTICLE III

Existence and Amounts of Liens and Obligations

SECTION 3.01 Determinations with Respect to Amounts of Liens and Obligations. Whenever a Collateral Agent or any Authorized Representative shall be required, in connection with the exercise of its rights or the performance of its obligations hereunder, to determine the existence or amount of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series, or the Shared Collateral subject to any Lien securing the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of any Series, it may request that such information be furnished to it in writing by each other Authorized Representative or Collateral Agent and shall be entitled to make such determination or not make any determination on the basis of the information so furnished; provided, however, that if an Authorized Representative or a Collateral Agent shall fail or refuse reasonably promptly to provide the requested information, the requesting Collateral Agent or Authorized Representative shall be entitled to make any such determination by such method as it may, in the exercise of its good faith judgment, determine, including by reliance upon a certificate of the Borrower. Each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative may rely conclusively, and shall be fully protected in so relying, on any determination made by it in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence (or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction) and shall have no liability to any Grantor, any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party or any other Person as a result of such determination.

 

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ARTICLE IV

The Applicable Collateral Agent

ARTICLE 4.01 Authority.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, nothing herein shall be construed to impose any fiduciary or other duty on any Applicable Collateral Agent to any Non-Controlling Secured Party or give any Non-Controlling Secured Party the right to direct any Applicable Collateral Agent, except that each Applicable Collateral Agent shall be obligated to distribute proceeds of any Shared Collateral in accordance with Section 2.01.

(b) Subject to the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, in furtherance of the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party acknowledges and agrees that the Applicable Collateral Agent shall be entitled, for the benefit of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or deal with any Shared Collateral as provided herein and in the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, as applicable, pursuant to which the Applicable Collateral Agent is the collateral agent for such Shared Collateral, without regard to any rights to which the Non-Controlling Secured Parties would otherwise be entitled as a result of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations held by such Non-Controlling Secured Parties. Without limiting the foregoing, each Non-Controlling Secured Party agrees that none of the Applicable Collateral Agent, the Applicable Authorized Representative or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party shall have any duty or obligation first to marshal or realize upon any type of Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), or to sell, dispose of or otherwise liquidate all or any portion of such Shared Collateral (or any other Collateral securing any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations), in any manner that would maximize the return to the Non-Controlling Secured Parties, notwithstanding that the order and timing of any such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation may affect the amount of proceeds actually received by the Non-Controlling Secured Parties from such realization, sale, disposition or liquidation. Each of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties waives any claim it may now or hereafter have against any Collateral Agent or the Authorized Representative of any other Series of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party of any other Series arising out of (i) any actions which any Collateral Agent, Authorized Representative or the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties take or omit to take (including actions with respect to the creation, perfection or continuation of Liens on any Collateral, actions with respect to the foreclosure upon, sale, release or depreciation of, or failure to realize upon, any of the Collateral and actions with respect to the collection of any claim for all or any part of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations from any account debtor, guarantor or any other party) in accordance with the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or any other agreement related thereto or to the collection of the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations or the valuation, use, protection or release of any security for the Pari Term Loan

 

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Debt Obligations, (ii) any election by any Applicable Authorized Representative or any holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations, in any proceeding instituted under the Bankruptcy Code, of the application of Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or (iii) subject to Section 2.05, any borrowing by, or grant of a security interest or administrative expense priority under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any equivalent provision of any other Bankruptcy Law, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as debtor-in-possession. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Applicable Collateral Agent shall not accept any Shared Collateral in full or partial satisfaction of any Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations pursuant to Section 9-620 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, without the consent of each Authorized Representative representing holders of Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations for which such Collateral constitutes Shared Collateral.

ARTICLE V

Miscellaneous

SECTION 5.01 Notices. All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

(a) if to the Second Lien Term Loan Agent or the Administrative Agent, as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement;

(b) if to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent or the Initial Additional Authorized Representative, to it at [●];

(c) if to any Grantor, as set forth in Section 10.02 of the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement; and

(d) if to any other Additional Authorized Representative, to it at the address set forth in the applicable Joinder Agreement.

Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt (if a Business Day) and on the next Business Day thereafter (in all other cases) if delivered by hand or overnight courier service or sent by telecopy or on the date three Business Days after dispatch by certified or registered mail if mailed, in each case delivered, sent or mailed (properly addressed) to such party as provided in this Section 5.01 or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section 5.01. As agreed to in writing among each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative from time to time, notices and other communications may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of the applicable Person provided from time to time by such Person.

 

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SECTION 5.02 Waivers; Amendment; Joinder Agreements.

(a) No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by Section 5.02(b), and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be terminated, waived, amended or modified (other than pursuant to any Joinder Agreement) except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by each Authorized Representative and each Collateral Agent (and with respect to any such termination, waiver, amendment or modification which by the terms of this Agreement requires the Borrower’s consent or which increases the obligations or reduces the rights of the Borrower or any other Grantor, with the consent of the Borrower).

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, any Authorized Representative may become a party hereto by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement in accordance with Section 5.13 and upon such execution and delivery, such Authorized Representative and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties and Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations of the Series for which such Authorized Representative is acting shall be subject to the terms hereof and the terms of the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents applicable thereto.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any other Authorized Representative or Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party, the Collateral Agents may effect amendments and modifications to this Agreement to the extent necessary to reflect any incurrence of any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations in compliance with the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and the other Secured Credit Documents.

SECTION 5.03 Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, as well as the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, all of which are intended to be bound by, and to be third party beneficiaries of, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.04 Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5.05 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in e or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

SECTION 5.06 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 5.07 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 5.08 Submission to Jurisdiction Waivers; Consent to Service of Process. Each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative, on behalf of itself and the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties of the Series for which it is acting, irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the Borough of Manhattan, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient forum and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Person (or its Authorized Representative) at the address set forth in Section 5.01;

 

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(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right of any other party hereto (or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of any party hereto (or any Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party) to sue in any other jurisdiction; and

(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section 5.08 any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

SECTION 5.09 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF, ANY PERSON CLAIMING BY, ON BEHALF, OR THROUGH SUCH PARTY, OR ANY PERSON ON WHOSE BEHALF SUCH PARTY IS ACTING) HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

SECTION 5.10 Headings. Article, Section and Annex headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 5.11 Conflicts. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any of the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents or any of the other Secured Credit Documents, the provisions of this Agreement shall control. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the provisions of the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall control.

SECTION 5.12 Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights. The provisions of this Agreement are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties in relation to one another. None of the Borrower, any other Grantor or any creditor thereof shall have any rights or obligations hereunder, except as expressly provided in this Agreement (provided that nothing in this Agreement (other than Section 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 2.09 or Article V) is intended to or will amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement or any Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents), and none of the Borrower or any other Grantor may rely on the terms hereof (other than Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 2.09, 2.10 and Article V). Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall impair the obligations of any Grantor, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms.

SECTION 5.13 Additional Senior Debt. To the extent, but only to the extent, permitted by the provisions of the then extant Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, the Borrower may incur additional indebtedness after the date hereof that is permitted by the then extant Second Lien Term Loan Agreement

 

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and the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents to be incurred and secured on an equal and ratable basis by the Liens securing the Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations (such indebtedness referred to as “Additional Senior Class Debt”). Any such Additional Senior Class Debt may be secured by a Lien and may be Guaranteed by the Grantors on a senior basis, in each case under and pursuant to the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, if and subject to the condition that the Authorized Representative of any such Additional Senior Class Debt (each “an “Additional Senior Class Debt Representative”), acting on behalf of the holders of such Additional Senior Class Debt (such Authorized Representative and holders in respect of any Additional Senior Class Debt being referred to as the “Additional Senior Class Debt Parties”), becomes a party to this Agreement by satisfying the conditions set forth in clauses (i) through (iv) of the immediately succeeding paragraph and becomes a party to the ABL Intercreditor Agreement and the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement in accordance with the terms thereunder respectively.

In order for an Additional Senior Class Debt Representative to become a party to this Agreement,

(i) such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative, each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and each Grantor shall have executed and delivered an instrument substantially in the form of Annex II (with such changes as may be reasonably approved by such Collateral Agent and Additional Senior Class Debt Representative, and, to the extent such changes increase the obligations or reduce the rights of a Grantor, by such Grantor) pursuant to which such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative becomes an Authorized Representative hereunder, and the Additional Senior Class Debt in respect of which such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative is the Authorized Representative and the related Additional Senior Class Debt Parties become subject hereto and bound hereby;

(ii) the Borrower shall have (x) delivered to each Collateral Agent true and complete copies of each of the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt, certified as being true and correct by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, and (y) identified in a certificate of an authorized officer the obligations to be designated as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and the initial aggregate principal amount or face amount thereof;

(iii) all filings, recordations and/or amendments or supplements to the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents necessary or desirable in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent to confirm and perfect the Liens securing the relevant obligations relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt shall have been made, executed and/or delivered (or, with respect to any such filings or recordations, acceptable provisions to perform such filings or recordations shall have been taken in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent), and all fees and taxes in connection therewith shall have been paid (or acceptable provisions to make such payments shall have been taken in the reasonable judgment of the Additional First Lien Collateral Agent); and

(iv) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents, as applicable, relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt shall provide, in a manner reasonably satisfactory to each Collateral Agent, that each Additional Senior Class Debt Party with respect to such Additional Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement in its capacity as a holder of such Additional Senior Class Debt.

 

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Each Authorized Representative acknowledges and agrees that upon execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Annex II by an Additional Senior Class Debt Representative and each Grantor in accordance with this Section 5.13, the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent will continue to act in its capacity as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent in respect of the then existing Authorized Representatives (other than the Administrative Agent) and such additional Authorized Representative.

SECTION 5.14 Agent Capacities. Except as expressly provided herein or in the Second Lien Term Loan Collateral Documents, Bank of America is acting in the capacities of Administrative Agent and Second Lien Term Loan Agent solely for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties. Except as expressly provided herein or in the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, [                    ] is acting in the capacity of Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent solely for the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties. Except as expressly set forth herein, none of the Administrative Agent, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent or the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent shall have any duties or obligations in respect of any of the Collateral, all of such duties and obligations, if any, being subject to and governed by the applicable Secured Credit Documents.

SECTION 5.15 Integration. This Agreement together with the other Secured Credit Documents and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents represents the agreement of each of the Grantors and the Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any Grantor, the Second Lien Term Loan Agent or any other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Secured Credit Documents or the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

SECTION 5.16 ABL Intercreditor Agreement. Until such time as the Discharge of ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement) has occurred with respect to the ABL Obligations (as defined in the ABL Intercreditor Agreement), the provisions of this Agreement shall be subject to the terms of the ABL Intercreditor Agreement.

SECTION 5.17 First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE DISCHARGE OF SENIOR OBLIGATIONS (AS DEFINED IN THE FIRST LIEN/SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT) HAS OCCURRED, THE OBLIGATIONS,

 

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RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER ARE SUBJECT TO THE LIMITATIONS AND PROVISIONS OF THE FIRST LIEN/SECOND LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT IN ALL RESPECTS.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Collateral Agent
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Authorized Representative for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[                                         ],

as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

[                                         ],

as Initial Additional Authorized Representative

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

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JO-ANN STORES, LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
NEEDLING HOLDINGS LLC
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
[GRANTORS]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

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ANNEX I

Grantors

 

ANNEX I-1


ANNEX II

[FORM OF] JOINDER NO. [        ] dated as of [            ], 20[    ] to SECOND LIEN PARI PASSU INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of [            ], 20[    ] (the “Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement”), among JO-ANN STORES, LLC an Ohio limited liability company (the “Borrower”)), NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), certain subsidiaries and affiliates of the Borrower (each a “Grantor”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Second Lien Term Loan Agent for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties under the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents (in such capacity, the “Term Loan Agent”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Authorized Representative for the Second Lien Term Loan Secured Parties, [                    ], as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent, [                    ], as Initial Additional Authorized Representative, and the additional Authorized Representatives from time to time a party thereto.1

A. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement.

B. As a condition to the ability of the Borrower to incur Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Obligations and to secure such Additional Senior Class Debt with the liens and security interests created by the Additional Pari Term Loan Security Documents, the Additional Senior Class Debt Representative in respect of such Additional Senior Class Debt is required to become an Authorized Representative, and such Additional Senior Class Debt and the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties in respect thereof are required to become subject to and bound by the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement. Section 5.13 of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement provides that such Additional Senior Class Debt Representative may become an Authorized Representative, and such Additional Senior Class Debt and such Additional Senior Class Debt Parties may become subject to and bound by the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, upon the execution and delivery by the Senior Debt Class Representative of an instrument in the form of this Joinder Agreement and the satisfaction of the other conditions set forth in Section 5.13 of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement. The undersigned Additional Senior Class Debt Representative (the “New Representative”) is executing this Joinder Agreement in accordance with the requirements of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement and the Pari Term Loan Debt Documents.

Accordingly, each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and the New Representative agree as follows:

SECTION 1. In accordance with Section 5.13 of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement, the New Representative by its signature below becomes an Authorized Representative under, and the related Additional Senior Class Debt and Additional Senior Class Debt Parties become subject to and bound by, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement with the same force and effect as if the New Representative had originally been named therein as an Authorized Representative and

 

1 

In the event of the Refinancing of the Credit Agreement Obligations, revise to reflect joinder by a new Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

 

Annex II


the New Representative, on its behalf and on behalf of such Additional Senior Class Debt Parties, hereby agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement applicable to it as Authorized Representative and to the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties that it represents as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties. Each reference to an “Authorized Representative” in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement shall be deemed to include the New Representative. The Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 2. The New Representative represents and warrants to each Collateral Agent, each Authorized Representative and the other Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties, individually, that (i) it has full power and authority to enter into this Joinder, in its capacity as [agent] [trustee], (ii) this Joinder has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, and (iii) the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Documents relating to such Additional Senior Class Debt provide that, upon the New Representative’s entry into this Joinder Agreement, the Additional Senior Class Debt Parties in respect of such Additional Senior Class Debt will be subject to and bound by the provisions of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement as Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Secured Parties.

SECTION 3. This Joinder may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Joinder shall become effective when each Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Joinder that bears the signatures of the New Representative. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Joinder by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Joinder.

SECTION 4. Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. THIS JOINDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 6. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Joinder should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, no party hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 7. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 5.01 of the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to the New Representative shall be given to it at its address set forth below its signature hereto.


SECTION 8. The Borrower agrees to reimburse each Collateral Agent and each Authorized Representative for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Joinder, including the reasonable and documented fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel, in each case as and to the extent provided in each applicable Secured Credit Document.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Representative has duly executed this Joinder to the Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW REPRESENTATIVE], as [                    ] for the holders of [                    ],

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Address for notices:

 

 

attention of:  

 

Telecopy:  

 


Acknowledged by:
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as the Term Loan Agent and Authorized Representative,
  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:
  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:
[                                         ],
as the Additional Pari Term Loan Debt Agent and Initial Additional Authorized Representative,
  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:
[OTHER AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES]

JO-ANN STORES, LLC,

as Borrower

  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:

NEEDLE HOLDINGS LLC,

as Holdings

  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:

THE OTHER GRANTORS

LISTED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO,

  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:


Schedule I to the

Supplement to the

Second Lien Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement

Grantors