Limitation on Certain Restrictions on Subsidiaries Holdings will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any such Restricted Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its capital stock or any other interest or participation in its profits owned by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (b) make loans or advances to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (c) transfer any of its properties or assets to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) applicable law;
(ii) this Agreement and the other Credit Documents and the other definitive documentation entered into in connection with any of the foregoing;
(iii) any Refinancing Note Documents;
(iv) customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing any leasehold interest of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(v) customary provisions restricting assignment of any licensing agreement (in which Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is the licensee) or other contract entered into by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(vi) restrictions on the transfer of any asset pending the close of the sale of such asset;
(vii) any agreement or instrument governing Indebtedness assumed in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, to the extent the relevant encumbrance or restriction was not agreed to or adopted in connection with, or in anticipation of, the respective Permitted Acquisition and does not apply to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings, or the properties of any such Person, other than the Persons or the properties acquired in such Permitted Acquisition;
(viii) encumbrances or restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(ix) any agreement or instrument relating to Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Section 10.04 to the extent such encumbrance or restriction only applies to such Foreign Subsidiary;
(x) an agreement effecting a refinancing, replacement or substitution of Indebtedness issued, assumed or incurred pursuant to an agreement or instrument referred to in clause (vii) above; provided that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in any such refinancing, replacement or substitution agreement are no less favorable to Holdings or the Lenders in any material respect than the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in the agreements or instruments referred to in such clause (vii);
(xi) restrictions on the transfer of any asset subject to a Lien permitted by Section 10.01;
(xii) restrictions and conditions imposed by the terms of the documentation governing any Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, which Indebtedness is permitted by Section 10.04;
(xiii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 10.05 and applicable solely to such joint venture;
(xiv) on or after the execution and delivery thereof, (x) the Permitted Junior Debt Documents and (y) the Permitted Pari Passu Notes Documents;
(xv) negative pledges and restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness for borrowed money permitted under Section 10.04 but only if such negative pledge or restriction expressly permits Liens for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent and the Secured Creditors with respect to the credit facilities established hereunder and the Obligations under the Credit Documents on a senior basis and without a requirement that such holders of such Indebtedness be secured by such Liens securing the Obligations under the Credit Documents equally and ratably or on a junior basis; and
(xvi) restrictions and conditions under the terms of the documentation governing any Qualified Securitization Transaction or a Receivables Facility that, in each case, permitted by Section 10.04, are necessary or advisable, in the good faith determination of the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, to effect such Qualified Securitization Transaction or such Receivables Facility.
Restrictions on Investments The Company shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, make any Investments other than:
(a) ordinary course Investments made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time in cash and cash equivalents;
(b) subject to Sections 10.1(d), 10.3(d)(solely in respect of the proviso thereof) and 10.4.3, Investments in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(c) Investments consisting of guarantees by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 10.1; and
(d) other Investments so long as (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with each of the financial covenants set forth in Sections 10.13 and 10.14 hereof, determined on a pro forma basis (using Consolidated EBITDA of the Consolidated Group as of the last day of the applicable Pro Forma Reference Period (but including any addbacks to Consolidated EBITDA permitted pursuant to the Bank Credit Agreement during the period following the last day of the applicable Pro Forma Reference Period) and Consolidated Total Funded Debt as of the date of, and after giving effect to, such Investment (with such amounts adjusted as if such Investment occurred on the first day of the applicable Pro Forma Reference Period), (ii) at the time of such Investment, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, and (iii) to the extent such proposed Investment constitutes a transaction described in Section 10.4.1, the Company and its Subsidiaries comply with the additional requirements set forth in such Section 10.4.1; provided, that the aggregate amount of all Investments in non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of the Company shall not exceed 10% of consolidated total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as determined by reference to the most recent balance sheet delivered to the holders pursuant to Section 7.1 or, if earlier than the first delivery thereunder, as indicated on a combined basis terms in the Audited Financial Statements); provided, further, that the aggregate amount of all Investments of any type of business other than the businesses conducted by the Company or its Subsidiaries on the date of the Assumption Agreement and in related businesses shall not exceed $200,000,000 (or its equivalent in the relevant currency) at any time outstanding. Waste Connections, Inc. Note Purchase Agreement
Certain Restrictions on Subsidiaries The Borrower will not permit any of its Subsidiaries (other than Financing Subsidiaries) to enter into or suffer to exist any indenture, agreement, instrument or other arrangement (other than the Loan Documents) that prohibits or restrains, in each case in any material respect, or imposes materially adverse conditions upon, the incurrence or payment of Indebtedness, the declaration or payment of dividends, the making of loans, advances, guarantees or Investments or the sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of property to the Borrower by any Subsidiary; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to (i) indentures, agreements, instruments or other arrangements pertaining to other Indebtedness permitted hereby (provided that such restrictions would not adversely affect the exercise of rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder or under the Security Documents or restrict any Subsidiary in any manner from performing its obligations under the Loan Documents) and (ii) indentures, agreements, instruments or other arrangements pertaining to any lease, sale or other disposition of any asset permitted by this Agreement or any Lien permitted by this Agreement on such asset so long as the applicable restrictions only apply to the assets subject to such lease, sale, other disposition or Lien.
Restrictions on Certain Actions During the earlier of (a) five years from the date of this Agreement or (b) two years after the termination of the Venture Agreement, except as permitted pursuant to Section 5 hereof, Buyer, without the prior consent of the Company's Board of Directors will not, nor will it permit any affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 of Regulation 12B under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) of Buyer to:
(a) acquire (other than through stock splits or stock dividends), directly or indirectly or in conjunction with or through any other person, by purchase or otherwise, beneficial ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company entitled to vote generally for the election of directors ("Voting Securities");
(b) directly or indirectly or through any other person, solicit proxies with respect to Voting Securities under any circumstance; or become a "participant" in any "election contest" relating to the election of directors of the Company (as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit Buyer from soliciting proxies for the purpose of opposing any increase in the ownership limitation currently contained in the Company's Articles of Incorporation.
(c) deposit any Voting Securities in a voting trust, or subject any Voting Securities to a voting or similar agreement;
(d) directly or indirectly or through or in conjunction with any other person, engage in a tender or exchange offer for the Company's Voting Securities made by any other person or entity without the prior written approval of the Company, or engage in any proxy solicitation with any person or entity relating to the Company;
(e) take any action alone or in concert with any other person to acquire or change the control of the Company or, directly or indirectly, participate in any group seeking to obtain or take control of the Company; or
(f) sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of or encumber any Voting Securities except (i) as set forth in Section 7 hereof, (ii) to an affiliate of the Buyer, provided that the transferee agrees to be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement, or (iii) pursuant to a public offering of the Shares registered under the Securities Act.
Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company, (b) make any loans or advances to the Company or (c) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company, except:
(1) with respect to clauses (a), (b) and (c),
(A) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock and other agreements or instruments in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date;
(B) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement relating to any Indebtedness Incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary or Capital Stock or other agreement or instrument of such Restricted Subsidiary in existence on or prior to the date on which such Restricted Subsidiary was acquired by the Company or otherwise became a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred, Capital Stock issued or agreements or instruments entered into as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by the Company) and outstanding on such date;
(C) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement effecting a Refinancing in whole or in part of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in subclause (A) or (B) of clause (1) of this Section 4.10 or this subclause (C) or subclause (B) of clause (2) of this Section 4.10 or contained in any amendment to, or modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, replacement or extension of, an agreement referred to in subclause (A) or (B) of clause (1) of this Section 4.10 or this clause (C) or subclause (B) of clause (2) of this Section 4.10; provided, however, that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such refinancing agreement or amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, replacement or extension agreement are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in such predecessor agreements;
(D) any customary encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary imposed pursuant to a merger agreement or an agreement entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary pending the closing of such sale or disposition;
(E) customary encumbrances and restrictions contained in agreements of the types described in the definition of the term “Permitted Business Investments;” and
(F) customary supermajority voting provisions and other customary provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets, each contained in corporate charters, bylaws, stockholders’ agreements, limited liability company agreements, partnership agreements, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; and
(2) with respect to clause (c) only,
(A) any such encumbrance or restriction consisting of customary nonassignment provisions (including provisions forbidding subletting or sublicensing) in leases governing leasehold interests and licenses to the extent such provisions restrict the transfer of the lease or license or the property leased, or licensed thereunder;
(B) any encumbrance or restriction contained in credit agreements, security agreements or mortgages securing Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in Production Payments and Reserve Sales, to the extent such encumbrance or restriction restricts the transfer of the property subject to such credit agreements, security agreements or mortgages or Production Payments and Reserve Sales;
(C) encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement, instrument or Capital Stock assumed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or for which any of them becomes liable as in effect at the time of such transaction (except to the extent such agreement, instrument or Capital Stock was entered into in connection with or in contemplation of such transaction), which encumbrances and restrictions are not applicable to any assets other than assets acquired in connection with such transaction and all improvements, additions and accessions thereto and products and proceeds thereof;
(D) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(E) encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(F) restrictions on the transfer of property or assets required by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary; and
(G) customary restrictions contained in asset sale agreements limiting the transfer of such assets pending the closing of such sale.
Restrictions on Nature of Business The Borrower will not engage in any line of business materially different from that presently engaged in by the Borrower and will not purchase, lease or otherwise acquire assets not related to its business.
Limitations on Investments The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Investment other than (i) a Permitted Investment or (ii) an Investment that is made as a Restricted Payment in compliance with Section 4.7 hereof.
Limitations on Restricted Payments (a) The Issuer shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment if at the time of such Restricted Payment:
(1) a Default shall have occurred and be continuing or shall occur as a consequence thereof;
(2) after giving pro forma effect to such Restricted Payment as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable Four-Quarter Period, the Issuer is not able to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) pursuant to the Coverage Ratio Exception; or
(3) the amount of such Restricted Payment, when added to the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made after April 3, 2012 (other than Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (2) through (10) of clause (b) of this Section 4.11), exceeds the sum (the “Restricted Payments Basket”) of (without duplication):
(A) 50% of Consolidated Net Income for the period (taken as one accounting period) commencing on April 1, 2012 to and including the last day of the fiscal quarter ended immediately prior to the date of such calculation for which consolidated financial statements are available (or, if such Consolidated Net Income shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such deficit), plus
(B) 100% of (A) (i) the aggregate net cash proceeds and (ii) the Fair Market Value of (x) marketable securities (other than marketable securities of the Issuer), (y) Equity Interests of a Person (other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary of the Issuer) engaged in a Permitted Business and (z) other assets used in any Permitted Business, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), received by the Issuer or its Restricted Subsidiaries since April 3, 2012 as a contribution to its common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Qualified Equity Interests of the Issuer or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Equity Interests or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Issuer that have been converted into or exchanged for such Qualified Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests or debt securities sold to a Subsidiary of the Issuer and Excluded Contributions) and (B) the aggregate net cash proceeds, if any, received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon any conversion or exchange described in clause (A) above, plus
(C) 100% of (A) the aggregate amount by which Indebtedness (other than any Subordinated Indebtedness) of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary is reduced on the Issuer’s consolidated balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange after April 3, 2012 of any such Indebtedness into or for Qualified Equity Interests of the Issuer and (B) the aggregate net cash proceeds, if any, received by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon any conversion or exchange described in clause (A) above, plus
(D) with respect to Restricted Investments made by the Issuer and its Restricted Subsidiaries after April 3, 2012, an amount equal to the sum, without duplication, of (A) the net reduction in such Restricted Investments in any Person resulting from (i) repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of assets, in each case to the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) other repurchases, repayments or redemptions of such Restricted Investments, (iii) the sale of any such Restricted Investment to a purchaser other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary or (iv) the release of any guarantee (except to the extent any amounts are paid under such guarantee) that constituted a Restricted Investment plus (B) with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary designated as such after April 3, 2012 and redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary after April 3, 2012, the Fair Market Value of the Issuer’s Investment in such Subsidiary held by the Issuer or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries at the time of such redesignation.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions set forth in clause (a) of this Section 4.11 will not prohibit:
(1) the payment of (a) any dividend or redemption payment or the making of any distribution within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof if, on the date of declaration, the dividend, redemption or distribution payment, as the case may be, would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture or (b) any dividend or similar distribution by a Restricted Subsidiary to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis or on a basis more favorable to the Issuer;
(2) the redemption or acquisition of any Equity Interests of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent issuance and sale of, Qualified Equity Interests;
(3) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary (including the payment of any required premium and any fees and expenses incurred in connection with such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, other acquisition or retirement for value) (a) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent issuance and sale of, Qualified Equity Interests, (b) in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent incurrence of, Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 4.10 and the other terms of this Indenture or (c) upon a Change of Control or in connection with an Asset Sale to the extent required by the agreement governing such Subordinated Indebtedness but only if the Issuer shall have complied with Section 4.12 and Section 4.15 and purchased all Notes validly tendered pursuant to the relevant offer prior to purchasing, repurchasing, redeeming, defeasing or acquiring or retiring for value such Subordinated Indebtedness;
(4) the redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Issuer held by officers, directors or employees or former officers, directors or employees (or their transferees, estates or beneficiaries under their estates), either (x) upon any such individual’s death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment or service or (y) pursuant to any equity subscription agreement, stock option agreement, stockholders’ agreement or similar agreement; provided, in any case, that the aggregate cash consideration paid for all such redemptions, repurchases or other acquisitions or retirements shall not exceed (A) $10.0 million during any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried forward to the next succeeding calendar year but not any subsequent years) plus (B) the amount of any net cash proceeds received by or contributed to the Issuer from the issuance and sale after the Issue Date of Qualified Equity Interests of the Issuer to its officers, directors or employees that have not been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (4), plus (C) the net cash proceeds of any “key-man” life insurance policies that have not been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (4);
(a) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, rights to acquire Equity Interests or other convertible securities to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise or exchange price thereof and (b) any repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Equity Interests made in lieu of withholding taxes in connection with any exercise or exchange of stock options, warrants or other similar rights;
(6) dividends on Preferred Stock or Disqualified Equity Interests issued in compliance with Section 4.10 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of Consolidated Interest Expense;
(7) the payment of cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests;
(8) payments or distributions to dissenting stockholders pursuant to applicable law in connection with a merger, consolidation or transfer of assets that complies with the provisions of Article 5;
(9) Restricted Payments with Excluded Contributions; or
(10) payment of other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount since April 3, 2012 not to exceed $25.0 million; provided that (a) in the case of any Restricted Payment pursuant to clauses (3), (4), (9) or (10) above, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or occur as a consequence thereof and (b) no issuance and sale of Qualified Equity Interests used to make a payment pursuant to clauses (2), (3) or (4)(B) above shall increase the Restricted Payments Basket. For the purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on Restricted Payments denominated in a foreign currency, the U.S. dollar-equivalent amount of such Restricted Payment shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date that such Restricted Payment was made.
Limitation on Restrictions on Subsidiary Distributions Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (a) make Restricted Payments in respect of any Capital Stock of such Subsidiary held by, or pay or subordinate any Indebtedness owed to, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (b) make Investments in the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or (c) transfer any of its assets to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under the Loan Documents, (ii) any restrictions existing under the New Senior Note Indenture, the New Senior Note Indenture and any agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.2(f), to the extent such restrictions are no more restrictive than those in the Senior Note Indenture or the New Senior Note Indenture, (iii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with the Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary, (iv) customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases entered into in by any Loan Party so long as such net worth provisions would not reasonably be expected to impair materially the ability of the Loan Parties to meet their ongoing obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and (v) with respect to clause (c) only, (i) customary non-assignment provisions in licenses or sublicenses by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business (in which case such prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the Intellectual Property subject thereto), (ii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and similar agreements that restrict transfers of assets of, or equity interests in, such joint venture, (iii) agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.2(g), (h) and (m) (provided that, in the case of such agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.2(h), such prohibition or limitation shall be effective only against the property acquired thereby), (iv) agreements entered into by a Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor governing Liens permitted by Section 6.3(m) or the Indebtedness secured thereby (in which case such prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets of such Subsidiary subject to such Lien) and (v) any agreements governing any purchase money Liens or Capital Lease Obligations otherwise permitted hereby (in which case, any prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets financed thereby).
No Restrictions on Subsidiaries No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
