Operating Partnership Operating Partnership shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.
Covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, covenant with each Underwriter as follows:
BUSINESS OF THE PARTNERSHIP The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership is (i) to conduct any business that may be lawfully conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Act, provided, however, that such business shall be limited to and conducted in such a manner as to permit the General Partner at all times to qualify as a REIT, unless the General Partner otherwise ceases to qualify as a REIT, and in a manner such that the General Partner will not be subject to any taxes under Section 857 or 4981 of the Code, (ii) to enter into any partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other similar arrangement to engage in any of the foregoing or the ownership of interests in any entity engaged in any of the foregoing and (iii) to do anything necessary or incidental to the foregoing. In connection with the foregoing, and without limiting the General Partner’s right in its sole and absolute discretion to qualify or cease qualifying as a REIT, the Partners acknowledge that the General Partner intends to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and upon such qualification the avoidance of income and excise taxes on the General Partner inures to the benefit of all the Partners and not solely to the General Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Limited Partners agree that the General Partner may terminate its status as a REIT under the Code at any time to the full extent permitted under the Charter. The General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall also be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary or prudent to ensure that the Partnership will not be classified as a “publicly traded partnership” for purposes of Section 7704 of the Code.
Operating Partnership Agreement The Operating Partnership Agreement, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, shall have been executed and delivered by the partners of the Operating Partnership and shall be in full force and effect and, except as contemplated by Section 2.03 or the other Formation Transaction Documents, shall not have been amended or modified.
INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY AND THE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP (a) The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Advisor and its Affiliates, as well as their respective officers, directors, equity holders, members, partners, stockholders, other equity holders and employees (collectively, the “Indemnitees,” and each, an “Indemnitee”), from and against all losses, claims, damages, losses, joint or several, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and other legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts (collectively, “Losses,” and each, a “Loss”) arising in the performance of their duties hereunder, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, to the extent such Losses are not fully reimbursed by insurance, and to the extent that such indemnification would not be inconsistent with the laws of the State of New York, the Articles of Incorporation or the provisions of Section II.G of the NASAA REIT Guidelines. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and the Operating Partnership shall not provide for indemnification of an Indemnitee for any Loss suffered by such Indemnitee, nor shall they provide that an Indemnitee be held harmless for any Loss suffered by the Company and the Operating Partnership, unless all the following conditions are met:
(i) the Indemnitee has determined, in good faith, that the course of conduct that caused the loss or liability was in the best interest of the Company and the Operating Partnership;
(ii) the Indemnitee was acting on behalf of, or performing services for, the Company or the Operating Partnership;
(iii) such Loss was not the result of negligence or willful misconduct by the Indemnitee; and
(iv) such indemnification or agreement to hold harmless is recoverable only out of the Company’s net assets and not from the Stockholders.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Indemnitee shall not be indemnified by the Company and the Operating Partnership for any Losses arising from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws by such Indemnitee unless one or more of the following conditions are met:
(i) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the Indemnitee;
(ii) such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the Indemnitee; or
(iii) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against the Indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the settlement and the related costs should be made, and the court considering the request for indemnification has been advised of the position of the Securities and Exchange Commission and of the published position of any state securities regulatory authority in which securities of the Company or the Operating Partnership were offered or sold as to indemnification for violation of securities laws.
(c) In addition, the advancement of the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s funds to an Indemnitee for legal expenses and other costs incurred as a result of any legal action for which indemnification is being sought is permissible only if all the following conditions are satisfied:
(i) the legal action relates to acts or omissions with respect to the performance of duties or services on behalf of the Company or the Operating Partnership;
(ii) the legal action is initiated by a third party who is not a Stockholder or the legal action is initiated by a Stockholder acting in such Stockholder’s capacity as such and a court of competent jurisdiction specifically approves such advancement; and
(iii) the Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advanced funds to the Company or the Operating Partnership, together with the applicable legal rate of interest thereon, in cases in which such Indemnitee is found not to be entitled to indemnification.
Subsidiaries, Partnerships and Joint Ventures Each of the Loan Parties shall not, and shall not permit any of its Unregulated Subsidiaries to, own or create directly or indirectly any Subsidiaries other than (i) any Subsidiary which is a Regulated Entity, (ii) any Subsidiary which is an Inactive Subsidiary of the Borrower, (iii) Conserve to Preserve Foundation, a non-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey, (iv) any Subsidiary which has joined this Agreement as Guarantor on the Closing Date, (v) any Project Subsidiary, and (vi) any Subsidiary formed after the Closing Date which joins this Agreement as a Guarantor pursuant to Section 11.19 [Joinder of Guarantors]. Each of the Loan Parties shall not become or agree to (1) become a general or limited partner in any general or limited partnership, except that the Loan Parties may be general or limited partners in other Loan Parties, (2) become a member or manager of, or hold a limited liability company interest in, a limited liability company, except that the Loan Parties may be members or managers of, or hold limited liability company interests in, other Loan Parties, or (3) become a joint venturer or hold a joint venture interest in any joint venture, except in each case in respect of a Permitted Related Business Opportunity.
Partnership Property All property, real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, acquired by or contributed to the Partnership shall be owned by the Partnership and titled in its name and such property shall not be owned individually by any Partner. Each Partner acknowledges and agrees that the System and all elements thereof, are the exclusive property of the Company and are not Partnership property. Each Partner acknowledges and agrees that the Proprietary Marks are the exclusive property of the Company and are not Partnership property. Each Partner acknowledges and agrees that the Partnership shall not acquire or own any land or buildings. Any land or buildings used in the Partnership business shall be acquired and owned by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company and leased to the Partnership at reasonable rates and terms, and such land and buildings shall not be Partnership property.
Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership The Company and the Operating Partnership hereby jointly and severally represent, warrant and covenant to each Underwriter, as of the date of this Agreement, as of the First Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and as of each Option Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:
Capitalization; Subsidiaries (a) As of the close of business on March 10, 2023 (the “Capitalization Date”), the authorized capital stock of the Company consisted of (i) 250,000,000 Common Shares, 187,113,577 of which were issued and outstanding and none of which were held by the Company as treasury shares, and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Company Preferred Shares”), no shares of which were issued and outstanding. There are no other classes of capital stock of the Company and no bonds, debentures, notes or other Indebtedness or securities of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into or exercisable for securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which holders of capital stock of the Company may vote authorized, issued or outstanding. As of the close of business on the Capitalization Date, there were (A) outstanding Company Options to purchase 5,682,590 Common Shares, (B) 3,025,659 outstanding Company RSUs, (C) 1,019,201 outstanding Company PSUs (assuming maximum performance), (D) rights to purchase a maximum of 543,628 Common Shares pursuant to the Company ESPP (determined based on the fair market value of a Common Share on the first day of the current offering period) and (E) 4,349,617 Common Shares reserved for future issuance under the Company Stock Plans. Since the close of business on the Capitalization Date, there has been no issuance or grant of any Common Shares, Company Preferred Shares or any other securities of the Company, other than any issuances of Common Shares or other securities in accordance with the exercise, vesting or settlement, as applicable, of any Company Stock Plan Awards outstanding as of the close of business on the Capitalization Date in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plan Awards.
(b) Section 3.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth, as of the close of business on the Capitalization Date, each outstanding Company Stock Plan Award and, to the extent applicable, (i) the name (or employee identification number) and country of residence (if outside the U.S.) of the holder thereof, (ii) the number of Common Shares issuable thereunder, (iii) the exercise price or strike price (if any) relating thereto, (iv) the grant date, (v) the amount vested (or exercisable) and outstanding and the amount unvested (or not exercisable) and outstanding and (vi) the Company Stock Plan in accordance with which the award was made. Each grant of a Company Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Company Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Company Option Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action. No Company Option has been granted with a per share exercise price less than the fair market value of a Common Share on the applicable Company Option Grant Date, and the Company has not granted any Company Options that are subject to Section 409A of the Code. Each grant of a Company Stock Plan Award or right to purchase Common Shares under the Company ESPP was made in accordance with, to the extent applicable, (A) the applicable Company Stock Plan, (B) all applicable securities Laws and any applicable listing and governance rules and regulations of Nasdaq, (C) the Code and (D) all other applicable Laws. The Company has the requisite power and authority, in accordance with the applicable Company Stock Plan, the applicable award agreements and any other applicable contract, to take the actions contemplated by Section 2.4, and the treatment of Company Stock Plan Awards as described in Section 2.4 as of the Effective Time will be binding on the holders of Company Stock Plan Awards. All of the outstanding Shares have been issued pursuant to an effective registration statement filed in accordance with the federal securities Laws or an appropriate exemption therefrom.
(c) All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been, and all of the Common Shares that may be issued in accordance with any of the Company Stock Plan Awards will be, when issued in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued and are, or will be when issued, fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive rights.
(d) As of the date of this Agreement, other than the Company Stock Plan Awards and rights to purchase Common Shares under the Company ESPP, there are no (i) existing options, warrants, calls, preemptive rights, subscriptions or other securities or rights, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, convertible securities, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind obligating the Company or any Company Subsidiary to issue, transfer, register or sell, or cause to be issued, transferred, registered or sold, any shares of capital stock of, or other securities of, the Company or any Company Subsidiary or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or other securities, or obligating the Company or any Company Subsidiary to grant, extend or enter into such options, warrants, calls, preemptive rights, subscriptions or other securities or rights, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock unit awards, convertible securities, agreements, arrangements or commitments, (ii) outstanding obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or any securities representing the right to purchase or otherwise receive any other securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, (iii) agreements with any Person to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is bound by anything (A) restricting the transfer of the securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or (B) affecting the voting rights of securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (including shareholder agreements, voting trusts or similar agreements) or (iv) outstanding or authorized equity or equity-based compensation awards, including any equity appreciation rights, security-based performance units, “phantom” stock, profit-participation or other security rights issued by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or other agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character (contingent or otherwise) to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is bound, in each case, in accordance with which any Person is entitled to receive any payment from the Company or any Company Subsidiary based in whole or in part on the value of any securities of the Company or any Company Subsidiary. The Company has no “rights plan,” “rights agreement” or “poison pill” in effect.
(e) Each Company Subsidiary existing on the date of this Agreement is listed on Section 3.2(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter. The Company owns, beneficially and of record, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding company, partnership, corporate or similar (as applicable) ownership, voting or similar securities or interests in each such Subsidiary, free and clear of all Liens (other than any transfer restrictions imposed by applicable securities Laws), and all company, partnership, corporate or similar (as applicable) ownership, voting or similar securities or interests of each of the Company Subsidiaries are duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive rights. The Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of the currently effective corporate or other organizational documents for each Company Subsidiary, and such organizational or governing documents of each of the Company Subsidiaries are in full force and effect. Other than investments in cash equivalents (and ownership by the Company or any Company Subsidiary of securities of any other Company Subsidiary), neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary (i) owns directly or indirectly any securities of any Person other than a Company Subsidiary or (ii) has any obligation or has made any commitment to acquire any securities of any Person or to provide funds to or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in any Person. No Company Subsidiary owns any Common Shares.
(f) All dividends or distributions on any securities of the Company that have been declared or authorized have been paid in full. All dividends or distributions on any securities of any Company Subsidiary that have been declared or authorized have been paid in full.
Indebtedness of Subsidiaries The Company will not at any time permit any Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to create, incur, assume, guarantee, have outstanding, or otherwise become or remain directly or indirectly liable for, any Indebtedness other than:
(a) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary outstanding on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 5.15 and any extension, renewal or refunding thereof, provided that the principal amount outstanding at the time of such extension, renewal or refunding is not increased;
(b) Indebtedness of (a) any Subsidiary to any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, (b) the Company or any Co-Obligor to any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, (c) Lxxxxxx Finance Company B.V. to any Subsidiary (other than any Subsidiary Guarantor) in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000 at any time and (d) any one or more Co-Obligors to Hxxxxx CBI, Limited in the aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $100,000,000; provided, that if either the Company or any Co-Obligor is the obligor on such Indebtedness, such Indebtedness may only be due either the Company or a Co-Obligor and shall be expressly subordinate to the payment in full in cash of the Credit Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(c) guaranties by a Subsidiary Guarantor of Indebtedness of the Company;
(d) Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement outstanding from time to time;
(e) Indebtedness under the Existing Note Purchase Agreement outstanding from time to time;
(f) Indebtedness with respect to the Hedging Arrangements pursuant to which the Company or any Subsidiary has hedged its reasonably estimated interest rate, foreign currency or commodity exposure, and which are non-speculative in nature;
(g) Indebtedness under the LOC Agreements and guaranties thereof by the Subsidiary Guarantors;
(i) recourse obligations resulting from endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business; (ii) Contingent Obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries identified as such on Schedule 7.11(h) to this Agreement; (iii) Contingent Obligations (x) incurred by any Subsidiary of the Company to support the performance of bids, tenders, sales, contracts (other than for the repayment of borrowed money) of any other Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business, (y) incurred by any Subsidiary of the Company under the Credit Agreement, or (z) with respect to surety, appeal and performance bonds and Performance Letters of Credit obtained by the Company or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business; and (iv) Contingent Obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Subsidiary Guaranty; and
(i) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary not otherwise permitted by the preceding clauses (a) through (g), provided that immediately before and after giving effect to the incurrence thereof and to the application of the proceeds thereof,
(i) no Default or Event of Default exists, and
(ii) the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this Section 7.11(h) does not exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Worth.
