Release of Note Guarantees (a) A Note Guarantee by a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and no further action by such Guarantor, the Company or the Trustee shall be required for the release of such Guarantor’s Note Guarantee, upon:
(A) a sale or disposition (including by way of consolidation, merger or amalgamation) of all or a portion of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor following which such Guarantor is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company;
(B) a sale or disposition (including by way of consolidation, merger or amalgamation) of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor to a Person that is not the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(C) the Company’s exercise of its Legal Defeasance option or Covenant Defeasance option in accordance with Article 8 or the discharge of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(D) the Designation of such Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(E) pursuant to the terms of the Deed of Guarantee, security or a guarantee of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture which is acceptable to the Security and Intercreditor Agent being provided in substitution for such Note Guarantee;
(F) the release or discharge of such other guarantee that resulted in the creation of such Note Guarantee, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such guarantee (it being understood that a release subject to a contingent reinstatement will constitute a release for the purposes of this provision, and if any such guarantee is so reinstated, such guarantee shall also be reinstated to the extent that such Guarantor would then be required to provide a Note Guarantee pursuant to Section 4.11); or
(G) the liquidation or dissolution of such Guarantor; provided that no Event of Default occurs as a result thereof or has occurred or is continuing; provided, that the transaction is carried out pursuant to, and in accordance with, all other applicable provisions of this Indenture; and
(2) such Guarantor delivering to the Trustee and the Security and Intercreditor Agent an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture and the Deed of Guarantee relating to such transaction have been complied with.
(b) At the written request of the Company and upon receipt of the items described in Section 10.06(a)(2) above, the Trustee and the Security and Intercreditor Agent shall execute and deliver any documents reasonably requested in order to evidence such release, discharge and termination in respect of the applicable Note Guarantee.
Note Guarantees (a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 10, each Guarantor hereby fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, on a joint and several basis, to each Holder of the Notes and the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest (including, in case of default, interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on overdue interest and including any additional interest required to be paid according to the terms of the Notes), if any, on the Notes, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Stated Maturity, upon redemption, upon acceleration, upon tender for repayment at the option of any Holder or otherwise, according to the terms thereof and of this Indenture and all other obligations of the Company with respect to the Notes to any Holder or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder. Each Guarantor agrees that the Guarantor Obligations will rank equally in right of payment with other Indebtedness of such Guarantor, except to the extent such other Indebtedness is subordinate to the Guarantor Obligations, in which case the obligations of the Guarantors under the Note Guarantees will rank senior in right of payment to such other Indebtedness, and except for claims of creditors that are mandatorily preferred by law, in which case the obligations of the Guarantors under the Note Guarantees will rank junior in right of payment to such claims.
(b) To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in this Section 10.01, each Guarantor hereby agrees that this Indenture (or a supplement thereto, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit F hereto) and, in the case of additional Guarantors added pursuant to Section 9.01(i) hereof, a supplement to the Note Guarantee, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit E hereto shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by an Officer of such Guarantor.
(c) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Note Guarantee set forth in this Section 10.01 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the absence of the endorsement of any notation of such Note Guarantee on the Notes.
(d) If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture (or a supplement thereto) or any notation of Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates a Note, the Note Guarantee of such Note shall be valid nevertheless.
(e) Each Guarantor further agrees (to the extent permitted by law) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound under this Section 10.01 notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.
(f) Each Guarantor waives presentation to, demand of payment from and protest to the Company of any of the Guarantor Obligations and also waives notice of protest for nonpayment. Each Guarantor waives notice of any default under the Notes or the Guarantor Obligations.
(g) Each Guarantor further agrees that its Note Guarantee herein constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (and not a guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder to any security held for payment of the Guarantor Obligations.
(h) Except as set forth in Section 10.04, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guarantor Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guarantor Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Guarantor Obligations of each Guarantor herein shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Company or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement; (d) the release of any security held by any Holder for the Guarantor Obligations; (e) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Guarantor; (f) any change in the ownership of the Company; (g) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guarantor Obligations or (h) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.
(i) Each Guarantor agrees that its Note Guarantee herein shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of all the Guarantor Obligations or such Guarantor is released from its Note Guarantee in compliance with Section 5.01 or Section 8.01 hereof. Each Guarantor further agrees that its Note Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Guarantor Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise.
(j) In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Company to pay any of the Guarantor Obligations when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Holders or the Trustee on behalf of the Holders an amount equal to the sum of (i) the unpaid amount of such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing and (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Company or any Guarantor whether or not a claim for postfiling or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding).
(k) Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in this Indenture for the purposes of its Note Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby and (y) in the event of any such declaration of acceleration of such Guarantor Obligations, such Guarantor Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by such Guarantor for the purposes of this Note Guarantee.
(l) Each Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all fees, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Section 10.01.
Additional Note Guarantees of the Base Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety as follows: “Prior to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election with respect to each series of Notes, if (a) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Excluded Subsidiary becomes an obligor with respect to any Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement, (b) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Excluded Subsidiary and that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes an obligor with respect to any capital markets debt securities in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $500.0 million or (c) Parent or any Subsidiary of Parent acquires or creates a Subsidiary that directly or indirectly owns Capital Stock of the Company, then the Company or Parent, as applicable, will, within 20 Business Days after the date on which it becomes an obligor with respect to any of the foregoing, or reasonably promptly thereafter, (i) cause that newly acquired or created Subsidiary to become a Guarantor of the Notes of this Series and execute a supplemental indenture and (ii), if requested by the Trustee, deliver an Opinion of Counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Following the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election, with respect to each series of Notes, if the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries (excluding any Specified Indebtedness under any Permitted Receivables Financing and any Specified Indebtedness of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” (or the equivalent thereof) under the Credit Agreement or Permitted Receivables Financing Subsidiary) that is incurred or issued and outstanding exceeds $2,000.0 million (the “Guarantee Threshold”), then Parent shall cause such of its non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries to, within 60 days, execute and deliver a supplemental indenture providing for a Note Guarantee by such non-guarantor Subsidiaries (each such Note Guarantee, a “Post-Release Event Note Guarantee”) such that the aggregate principal amount of Specified Indebtedness of all other non-guarantor Subsidiaries that are not Excluded Subsidiaries (excluding any Specified Indebtedness under any Permitted Receivables Financing and any Specified Indebtedness of an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” (or the equivalent thereof) under the Credit Agreement or Permitted Receivables Financing Subsidiary) that is incurred or issued and outstanding does not exceed the Guarantee Threshold (after giving effect to the provision of Post-Release Event Note Guarantees pursuant to this Section 4.17); provided that (i) this Section 4.17 shall not be applicable to any Specified Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that existed at the time such Person became a Subsidiary of Parent (including any Specified Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary, so long as Parent and its Subsidiaries (other than such Person and its Subsidiaries) are not obligors under such Specified Indebtedness), (ii) if the Guarantee Threshold would be exceeded immediately after giving effect to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event Election, then such Investment Grade Event Election shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to the release of such Note Guarantees as the Company may designate such that the Guarantee Threshold would not be then exceeded and (iii) a Post-Release Event Note Guarantee shall be released to the extent the Guarantee Threshold would not be exceeded after giving effect to such release.”
Limitation on Guarantees (a) In addition to the restrictions set forth in Section 3.2(b), the Company shall not permit any of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries, other than a Guarantor, a Foreign Subsidiary, a Captive Insurance Subsidiary or a Securitization Subsidiary, to Guarantee the payment of (i) any syndicated Credit Facility permitted under Section 3.2(b)(1) or (ii) capital markets debt securities of the Company or any other Guarantor unless:
(1) such Restricted Subsidiary within 60 days executes and delivers a supplemental indenture to this Indenture providing for a Guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary, except that with respect to a guarantee of Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor, if such Indebtedness is by its express terms subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or such Guarantor’s Guarantee, any such guarantee by such Restricted Subsidiary with respect to such Indebtedness shall be subordinated in right of payment to such Guarantee substantially to the same extent as such Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes or such Guarantor’s Guarantee of the Notes; and
(2) such Restricted Subsidiary waives and will not in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any rights of reimbursement, indemnity or subrogation or any other rights against the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary as a result of any payment by such Restricted Subsidiary under its Guarantee until payment in full of Obligations under this Indenture. provided that this Section 3.7 shall not be applicable to any guarantee of any Restricted Subsidiary that existed at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary and was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary.
(b) The Company may elect, in its sole discretion, to cause or allow, as the case may be, any Subsidiary that is not otherwise required to be a Guarantor to become a Guarantor, in which case, such Subsidiary shall not be required to comply with the 60-day period described in Section 3.7(a) and such Guarantee may be released at any time in the Company’s sole discretion so long as any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary then outstanding could have been incurred by such Subsidiary (either (x) when so incurred or (y) at the time of the release of such Guarantee) assuming such Subsidiary were not a Guarantor at such time.
(c) If any Guarantor becomes an Immaterial Subsidiary, the Company shall have the right, by execution and delivery of a supplemental indenture to the Trustee, to cause such Immaterial Subsidiary to cease to be a Guarantor, subject to the requirement described in Section 3.7(a) above that such Subsidiary shall be required to become a Guarantor if it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary (except that if such Subsidiary has been properly designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary it shall not be so required to become a Guarantor or execute a supplemental indenture); provided, further, that such Immaterial Subsidiary shall not be permitted to Guarantee other Indebtedness of the Issuer or the other Guarantors, unless it again becomes a Guarantor.
Subsidiary Guarantees Subject to Section 1301, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Security when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity, by acceleration, call for redemption, offer to purchase or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Security and of this Indenture, and each Subsidiary Guarantor similarly guarantees to the Trustee the payment of all amounts owing to the Trustee in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. In case of the failure of the Company punctually to make any such payment, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, agrees to cause such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by acceleration, call for redemption, offer to purchase or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by the Company. Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be absolute, unconditional, irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, the validity, regularity or enforceability of such Security or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same or any release, amendment, waiver or indulgence granted to the Company or any other guarantor or any consent to departure from any requirement of any other guarantee of all or any of the Securities of such series or any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no such release, amendment, waiver or indulgence shall, without the consent of such Subsidiary Guarantor, increase the principal amount of such Security, or increase the interest rate thereon, or alter the Stated Maturity thereof. Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby waives the benefits of diligence, presentment, demand for payment, any requirement that the Trustee or any of the Holders protect, secure, perfect or insure any security interest in or other lien on any property subject thereto or exhaust any right or take any action against the Company or any other Person or any collateral, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest or notice with respect to such Security or the indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and covenants that this Subsidiary Guarantee will not be discharged in respect of such Security except by complete performance of the obligations contained in such Security and in such Subsidiary Guarantee. Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that if, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee or any of the Holders are prevented by applicable law from exercising their respective rights to accelerate the maturity of the Securities of a series, to collect interest on the Securities of a series, or to enforce or exercise any other right or remedy with respect to the Securities of a series, such Subsidiary Guarantor agrees to pay to the Trustee for the account of the Holders, upon demand therefor, the amount that would otherwise have been due and payable had such rights and remedies been permitted to be exercised by the Trustee or any of the Holders. Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders of the Securities upon which its Subsidiary Guarantee is endorsed against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such Security pursuant to the provisions of its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture; provided, however, that no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Securities of the relevant series issued hereunder shall have been paid in full. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes or is required to make any payment in respect of its Subsidiary Guarantee shall be entitled to seek contribution from the other Subsidiary Guarantors to the extent permitted by applicable law; provided, however, that no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of contribution until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Securities of the relevant series issued hereunder shall have been paid in full. Each Subsidiary Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Company for liquidation or reorganization, should the Company become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of the Securities of a series, is, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any Holder of the Securities, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer,” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, the Securities shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.
Limitations on Guarantees The obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee are limited to the maximum amount which, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, will result in the obligations of such Guarantor under the Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law.
Limitation on Subsidiary Guarantor Liability Each Subsidiary Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Subsidiary Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under this Article Ten, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment for distribution under its Subsidiary Guarantee is entitled to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in a pro rata amount based on the adjusted net assets of each Subsidiary Guarantor.
The Guarantees Each (a) Guarantor, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, hereby guarantees as primary obligor and not as surety to each Secured Party and its successors and assigns the prompt payment and performance in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, demand or otherwise) of the principal of and interest (including any interest, fees, costs or charges that would accrue but for the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code after any bankruptcy or insolvency petition under the Bankruptcy Code) on the Loans made by the Lenders to, and the Notes held by each Lender of, Borrower, and (b) Credit Party, jointly and severally with each other Credit Party, hereby guarantees as primary obligor and not as surety to each Secured Party and its successors and assigns the prompt payment and performance in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the principal of and interest (including any interest, fees, costs or charges that would accrue but for the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code after any bankruptcy or insolvency petition under the Bankruptcy Code) of all other Obligations from time to time owing to the Secured Parties by any other Credit Party under any Credit Document, any Swap Contract entered into with a Swap Provider or any Cash Management Agreement entered into with a Cash Management Bank, in each case now or hereinafter created, incurred or made, whether absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated and strictly in accordance with the terms thereof; provided, that (i) the obligations guaranteed shall exclude obligations under any Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreements with respect to which the applicable Swap Provider or Cash Management Bank, as applicable, provides notice to Borrower that it does not want such Swap Contract or Cash Management Agreement, as applicable, to be secured, and (ii) as to each Guarantor the obligations guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations in respect of such Guarantor (such obligations being guaranteed pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) above being herein collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations” (it being understood that the Guaranteed Obligations of Borrower shall be limited to those referred to in clause (b) above)). Each Credit Party, jointly and severally with each other Credit Party, hereby agrees that if any other Credit Party shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of the Guaranteed Obligations, such Credit Party will promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.
RATIFICATION OF INDENTURE; SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE FOR ADDITIONAL GUARANTEES PART OF INDENTURE Except as expressly amended hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Supplemental Indenture for Additional Guarantees shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder of Notes heretofore or hereafter authenticated and delivered shall by bound hereby.
Additional Guarantees If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries organize, acquire or otherwise create or invest in another Person that is or becomes a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, then the Company shall cause such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to:
(1) execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee pursuant to which such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee on a senior secured basis all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture on the terms set forth in this Indenture;
(2) execute and deliver to the Collateral Agent, amendments to the Collateral Agreements and take such other actions as the Collateral Agent deems reasonably necessary in order to grant to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Holders, a perfected Lien in the assets, including the filing of UCC financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Collateral Agreements, by law or as may be reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent;
(3) take such further action and execute and deliver such other documents specified in this Indenture or otherwise reasonably requested by the Trustee to effectuate the foregoing; and
(4) deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel that such supplemental indenture and Note Guarantee, and amendments to the Collateral Agreements and any other documents required to be delivered have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary and constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary and such other opinions regarding the perfection of such Liens in the assets of such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary. Thereafter, such Domestic Restricted Subsidiary shall be a Guarantor for all purposes of this Indenture.
