Dividends and Certain Other Restricted Payments No Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends on or make any other distributions in respect of any class or series of its Equity Interests (other than dividends or distributions payable solely in its Qualified Equity Interests), (b) directly or indirectly purchase, redeem, or otherwise acquire or retire for value any of its Equity Interests, (c) make any payment of Contingent Acquisition Consideration or (d) make any voluntary prepayment on account of any Subordinated Debt or effect any voluntary redemption thereof with cash on hand and/or the proceeds of a Loan hereunder (collectively referred to herein as “Restricted Payments”); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not operate to prevent:
(i) the making of dividends or distributions by any Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof to Borrower or to any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Borrower (or, in the case of non-Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, to Borrower or any subsidiary that is a direct or indirect parent of such subsidiary and to each other owner of equity interests of such subsidiary on a pro rata basis (or more favorable basis from the perspective of Borrower or such subsidiary) based on their relative ownership interests);
(ii) so long as Borrower remains a pass through entity for United States federal and state income tax purposes, Borrower may pay dividends or make distributions to ATC through ATL (no more frequently than quarterly or as required by law to allow for the payment of estimated Taxes), and so long as ATC remains a pass through entity for United States federal and state income tax purposes, ATC may pay dividends or make distributions to its members, including Ultimate Parent, ATH and holders of Class B Units in ATC, in an aggregate amount for all such dividends and distributions under this clause (ii) not to exceed the product of (a) the taxable income of ATC and its Subsidiaries with respect to the applicable tax period (calculated net of any taxable losses of ATC and its Subsidiaries from the current and any prior taxable periods ending after the Closing Date to the extent available to be carried forward to offset such taxable income and not previously taken into account (assuming the direct or indirect members have no income other than through ATC and its Subsidiaries) and taking into account all available deductions or credits of ATC and its Subsidiaries) and (b) the highest maximum marginal federal, state and local income tax rates applicable to a direct or indirect member of ATC;
(iii) Restricted Payments made on or prior to December 31, 2023 to the members of ATC with respect to distributions of management fees and incentive or performance fees or allocations earned in and for calendar year 2022 to the extent required to be paid pursuant to the terms of the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of ATC;
(iv) beginning after the Amendment Period End Date, the making of Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed in any fiscal year the greater of (x) $12,000,000 and (y) 17.5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period, provided that (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom and (B) Ultimate Parent shall be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.13 on a pro forma basis (as of the fiscal quarter then last ended for which financial statements have been delivered to Administrative Agent) after giving effect to such Restricted Payment;
(i) ATC may redeem in whole or in part any of its capital stock with proceeds received by ATC from substantially concurrent equity contributions or issuances of new shares of its capital stock; provided that any terms and provisions material to the interests of the Lenders, when taken as a whole, contained in such other class of capital stock are at least as advantageous to the Lenders as those contained in the capital stock redeemed thereby and (ii) ATC and any Subsidiary may pay dividends payable solely in the capital stock of such Person;
(vi) the making of dividends by Borrower or a Holding Company to a Holding Company or Ultimate Parent, as applicable, (a) to pay operating expenses and other corporate overhead costs and expenses of any such Holding Company or Ultimate Parent, in each case, which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount not to exceed $3,000,000 in any fiscal year, (b) to reimburse any costs and expenses paid in cash related to administering and maintaining the provisions of the Tax Receivables Agreement (other than the payment of any tax payments thereunder or related thereto) or (c) for payments made by Ultimate Parent to the Sellers (under and as defined in the Tax Receivables Agreement);
(vii) the making of dividends by Borrower or any Holding Company to a Holding Company or Ultimate Parent, as applicable, to pay franchise taxes and other taxes and fees required to maintain such Person’s corporate existence;
(viii) the making of dividends by Borrower or any Holding Company to Ultimate Parent to pay fees and expenses (other than to any one or more Affiliates) related to an equity or debt offering of Ultimate Parent that was not consummated in an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,000,000 in any fiscal year;
(ix) the making of dividends by Borrower or any Holding Company to a Holding Company or Ultimate Parent, as applicable, in an aggregate amount to pay customary salary, bonus and other benefits to officers, employees and consultants of any such Holding Company or Ultimate Parent so long as the payment of such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable solely to work performed in connection with the operation of Borrower and its Subsidiaries;
(x) payment of Contingent Acquisition Consideration (A) in shares or (B) in cash, so long as in the case of sub-clause (B), no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under Section 8.1(a) or would occur as a result of such payment; and
(xi) the redemption of Equity Interests held by the Equity Investors by Ultimate Parent in accordance with the Equity Purchase Documents; provided that each such redemption is paid solely in Qualified Equity Interests of Ultimate Parent.
Dividends and Other Restricted Payments The Parent shall not, and shall not permit the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries to, declare or make any Restricted Payment; provided, however, that the Parent, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries may declare and make the following Restricted Payments so long as no Default or Event of Default would result therefrom:
(i) the Borrower may pay cash distributions to the Parent and other holders of partnership interests in the Borrower with respect to any fiscal year ending during the term of this Agreement to the extent necessary for the Parent to distribute, and the Parent may so distribute, cash distributions to its shareholders in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (i) the amount required to be distributed for the Parent to remain in compliance with Section 7.12. or (ii) 90% of Funds From Operations;
(ii) the Borrower may pay cash distributions to the Parent and other holders of partnership interests in the Borrower with respect to any fiscal year ending during the term of this Agreement to the extent necessary for the Parent to distribute, and the Parent may so distribute cash distributions (including, without limitation, distributions constituting “capital gains dividends”) to its shareholders to the extent necessary to avoid payment of taxes under Section 857 (including, without limitation, Section 857(b)(3)) and Section 4981 of the Internal Revenue Code;
(iii) a Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary may make cash distributions to holders of Equity Interests issued by such Subsidiary;
(iv) Subsidiaries may pay Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(v) the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Parent may make purchases of Equity Interests in any Subsidiary or Unconsolidated Affiliate of the Parent or of any of its Subsidiaries that are held by any other Person;
(vi) the Borrower may redeem for cash limited partnership interests in the Borrower; and
(vii) the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary may redeem or repurchase its Preferred Stock, at par or at a discount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to the following sentence, if a Default or Event of Default exists, the Borrower may only declare and make cash distributions to the Parent and other holders of partnership interests in the Borrower with respect to any fiscal year to the extent necessary for the Parent to distribute, and the Parent may so distribute, an aggregate amount not to exceed the minimum amount necessary for the Parent to remain in compliance with Section 7.12. If a Default or Event of Default specified in Section 10.1.(a), Section 10.1.(e) or Section 10.1.(f) shall exist, or if as a result of the occurrence of any other Event of Default any of the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 10.2.(a), the Parent shall not, and shall not permit the Borrower or any Subsidiary to, make any Restricted Payments to any Person other than to the Parent, the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
(m) The Credit Agreement is hereby further amended by restating Section 9.1.(h)(ii) in its entirety to read as follows:
Limitation on Dividends and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries (a) Except as provided in clause (b) below, the Issuer shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(i) pay dividends or make any other distributions on or in respect of its Capital Stock to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
(ii) make loans or advances to, or make any Investment in, the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary; or
(iii) transfer any of its property or assets to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary.
(b) Section 3.15(a) shall not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) applicable law, rule, regulation or order;
(ii) this Indenture;
(iii) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date, and any amendments, restatements, renewals, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided, that any amendment, restatement, renewal, replacement or refinancing is not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances or restrictions than those in existence on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(iv) customary non-assignment provisions of any contract and customary provisions restricting assignment or subletting in any lease governing a leasehold interest of any Restricted Subsidiary, or any customary restriction on the ability of a Restricted Subsidiary to dividend, distribute or otherwise transfer any asset which secures Indebtedness secured by a Lien, in each case permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture;
(v) any instrument governing Acquired Indebtedness not Incurred in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, the relevant acquisition, merger or consolidation, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person so acquired;
(vi) restrictions with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer imposed pursuant to a binding agreement which has been entered into for the sale or disposition of Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that such restrictions apply solely to the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary being sold (and in the case of Capital Stock, its Subsidiaries);
(vii) customary restrictions imposed on the transfer of copyrighted or patented materials;
(viii) an agreement governing Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance the Indebtedness issued, assumed or Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clause (iii) or (v) of this Section 3.15(b); provided, that such Refinancing agreement is not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances or restrictions than those contained in the agreement referred to in such clause (iii) or (v) as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(ix) Liens permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the provisions of the covenant described under Section 3.17 that limit the right of any person to transfer the assets subject to such Liens;
(x) Purchase Money Indebtedness for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capitalized Lease Obligations that impose restrictions of the nature discussed in clause (iii) of Section 3.15(a) above on the property so acquired;
(xi) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts or other arrangements entered into or agreed to in the ordinary course of business not materially more restrictive than those existing on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(xii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements relating to dividends or other distributions in respect of such joint venture or the securities, assets or revenues of such joint venture;
(xiii) restrictions in Indebtedness Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary in compliance with the covenant described under Section 3.9; provided, that (A) such restrictions are not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those such Restricted Subsidiary was subject to in agreements related to obligations referenced in clause (iii) above as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management or (B) such Incurrence will not materially impair the Issuer’s ability to make payments under the Notes when due as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management; and
(xiv) net worth provisions in leases entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business not materially more restrictive than those existing on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management.
Dividends, Etc The Company shall not declare or pay any dividend of any kind, in cash or in property, on any class of its capital stock, nor purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any shares of such stock, nor make any distribution of any kind in respect thereof, nor make any return of capital to shareholders, nor make any payments in respect of any pension, profit sharing, retirement, stock option, stock bonus, incentive compensation or similar plan (except as required or permitted hereunder), without the prior written consent of the Secured Party.
Adjustments for Other Dividends and Distributions In the event the Company at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in securities of the Company (other than shares of Common Stock) or in cash or other property (other than regular cash dividends paid out of earnings or earned surplus, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), then and in each such event provision shall be made so that the Registered Holder shall receive upon exercise hereof, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable hereunder, the kind and amount of securities of the Company, cash or other property which the Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive had this Warrant been exercised on the date of such event and had the Registered Holder thereafter, during the period from the date of such event to and including the Exercise Date, retained any such securities receivable during such period, giving application to all adjustments called for during such period under this Section 2 with respect to the rights of the Registered Holder.
Adjustment for Other Dividends and Distributions If the Maker shall at any time or from time to time after the Closing Date (but whether before or after the Issuance Date) make or issue or set a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive a dividend or other distribution payable in other than shares of Common Stock, then, and in each event, an appropriate revision to the applicable Conversion Price shall be made and provision shall be made (by adjustments of the Conversion Price or otherwise) so that the Holder of this Note shall receive upon conversions thereof, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock receivable thereon, the number of securities of the Maker or other issuer (as applicable) or other property that it would have received had this Note been converted into Common Stock in full (without regard to any conversion limitations herein) on the date of such event and had thereafter, during the period from the date of such event to and including the Conversion Date, retained such securities (together with any distributions payable thereon during such period) or assets, giving application to all adjustments called for during such period under this Section 3.4(a)(iii) with respect to the rights of the holders of this Note; provided, however, that if such record date shall have been fixed and such dividend is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed therefor, the Conversion Price shall be adjusted pursuant to this paragraph as of the time of actual payment of such dividends or distributions.
Restricted Payments The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except as long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (a) WPZ may make Restricted Payments of Available Cash (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) with respect to any Quarter (as defined in the Partnership Agreement), (b) each of NWP and TGPL and their respective Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments to WPZ and its Subsidiaries, (c) WPZ and its Subsidiaries may make payments or other distributions to officers, directors or employees with respect to the exercise by any such Persons of options, warrants or other rights to acquire Equity Interests in WPZ or such Subsidiary issued pursuant to an employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreement or plans entered into by WPZ or such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, (d) WPZ may reimburse the General Partner for expenses pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, (e) TGPL and NWP and their Subsidiaries may distribute cash to WPZ in connection with their participation in WPZ’s cash management program and (f) any Person may be permitted to make any Restricted Payment required to effectuate a MLP Combination; provided, that even if an Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing, no Subsidiary of the Borrower shall be prohibited from upstreaming dividends or other payments to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or making, in the case of any Subsidiary that is not wholly-owned (directly or indirectly) by the Borrower, dividends or payments, as the case may be, to the other owners of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary; and provided, further, that, any dividends or payments by any such Subsidiary that is not wholly-owned (directly or indirectly) by the Borrower to the Borrower shall be not less than an amount equal to (x) WPZ’s direct or indirect percentage ownership of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary times (y) the amount of all such dividends and payments made to all owners of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary.
Limitations on Dividends and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries Create or otherwise cause, incur, assume, suffer or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability of any Subsidiary of any Loan Party (i) to pay dividends or to make any other distribution on any shares of Equity Interests of such Subsidiary owned by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) to pay or prepay or to subordinate any Indebtedness owed to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) to make loans or advances to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) to transfer any of its property or assets to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that nothing in any of clauses (i) through (iv) of this Section 7.02(k) shall prohibit or restrict compliance with:
(A) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(B) any agreement in effect on the date of this Agreement and described on Schedule 7.02(k), or any extension, replacement or continuation of any such agreement; provided, that, any such encumbrance or restriction contained in such extended, replaced or continued agreement is no less favorable to the Agents and the Lenders than the encumbrance or restriction under or pursuant to the agreement so extended, replaced or continued;
(C) any applicable law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, applicable currency control laws and applicable state corporate statutes restricting the payment of dividends in certain circumstances);
(D) in the case of clause (iv), (1) customary restrictions on the subletting, assignment or transfer of any specified property or asset set forth in a lease, license, asset sale agreement or similar contract for the conveyance of such property or asset and (2) instrument or other document evidencing a Permitted Lien (or the Indebtedness secured thereby) from restricting on customary terms the transfer of any property or assets subject thereto;
(E) customary restrictions on dispositions of real property interests in reciprocal easement agreements;
(F) customary restrictions in agreements for the sale of assets on the transfer or encumbrance of such assets during an interim period prior to the closing of the sale of such assets; or
(G) customary restrictions in contracts that prohibit the assignment of such contract.
Dividends and Redemptions 70 8.12 Transactions with Affiliates ......................................................... 70 8.13
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the priority that any series of Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary has in receiving dividends, distributions or liquidating distributions before dividends, distributions or liquidating distributions are paid in respect of common stock of such Restricted Subsidiary shall not constitute a restriction on the ability to make dividends or distributions on Capital Stock for purposes of this Section 4.08;
(2) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to other Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or
(3) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
(b) The restrictions in Section 4.08(a) hereof will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) agreements governing Existing Indebtedness and the Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Indenture and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements; provided that the encumbrances or restrictions contained in the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not in the good faith judgment of an Officer of the Company materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the date of this Indenture;
(2) this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees;
(3) agreements governing other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.09 hereof and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements; provided that the encumbrances or restrictions contained therein are in the reasonable good faith judgment of an Officer of the Company, either (a) not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees or the Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Indenture or (b) not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to make required payments on the Notes;
(4) applicable law, rule, regulation or order;
(5) any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital Stock was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired, and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, extensions, supplements, increases, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided, that the encumbrances and restrictions in any such amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, extensions, supplements, increases, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the reasonable good faith judgment of an Officer of the Company, no more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those in effect on the date of the acquisition; provided further, that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred;
(6) customary non-assignment provisions in Hydrocarbon purchase and sale or exchange agreements or similar operational agreements or in licenses, easements or leases, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(7) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations that impose restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature described in clause (3) of Section 4.08(a);
(8) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition;
(9) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are, in the reasonable good faith judgment of an Officer of the Company, not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(10) Liens permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.12 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;
(11) provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements (including agreements entered into in connection with a Restricted Investment) entered into with the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements;
(12) encumbrances or restrictions applicable only to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary;
(13) encumbrances or restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or lessors under contracts or leases entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(14) customary encumbrances and restrictions contained in agreements of the types described in the definition of Permitted Business Investments;
(15) agreements governing Hedging Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; and
(16) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to or by reason of an agreement that the Unrestricted Subsidiary is a party to or entered into before the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such agreement was not entered into in anticipation of the Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and any such encumbrance or restriction does not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property of such Unrestricted Subsidiary. In each case set forth above, notwithstanding any stated limitation on the assets or property that may be subject to such encumbrance or restriction, an encumbrance or restriction on a specified asset or property or group or type of assets or property may also apply to all improvements, additions, repairs, attachments or accessions thereto, assets and property affixed or appurtenant thereto, parts, replacements and substitutions therefor, and all products and proceeds thereof, including dividends, distributions, interest and increases in respect thereof.
