LIMITATION ON ACTIVITIES Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Advisor shall not take any action that, in its sole judgment made in good faith, would (i) adversely affect the ability of the Company to qualify or continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code, (ii) subject the Company to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (iii) violate any law, rule, regulation or statement of policy of any governmental body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company, its Shares or its other securities, (iv) require the Advisor to register as a broker-dealer with the SEC or any state, or (v) violate the Charter or Bylaws. In the event an action that would violate (i) through (v) of the preceding sentence but such action has been ordered by the Board, the Advisor shall notify the Board of the Advisor’s judgment of the potential impact of such action and shall refrain from taking such action until it receives further clarification or instructions from the Board. In such event, the Advisor shall have no liability for acting in accordance with the specific instructions of the Board so given.
Limitation on Creation of Subsidiaries Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, establish, create or acquire after the Effective Date any Subsidiary, provided that Borrower and its Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries may (x) establish, create and, to the extent permitted by this Agreement, acquire Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries and (y) establish, create and acquire non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries to the extent permitted by the definition of Permitted Acquisition, in each case so long as (i) all of the capital stock and other equity interests of such new Subsidiary (except in the case of a Foreign Subsidiary, in which case, 65% of the capital stock and other equity interests) are (to the extent owned by a Credit Party) pledged to the Lender pursuant to, and to the extent required by, the Security Agreement, (ii) each such new Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary (and, to the extent required by Section 8.13, each new Wholly-Owned Foreign Subsidiary) executes and delivers to the Lender a counterpart of the Subsidiaries Guaranty and the Security Agreement, (iii) each such new Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary (and, to the extent required by Section 8.13, each new Wholly-Owned Foreign Subsidiary) enters into such mortgages and other Additional Security Documents as Lender may require pursuant to Section 8.12 and (iv) each such new Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary (and to the extent required by Section 8.13, each new Wholly-Owned Foreign Subsidiary) executes and delivers all other relevant documentation (including opinions of counsel, resolutions, officers’ certificates and UCC financing statements) of the type described in Section 5 as such new Subsidiary would have had to deliver if it were a Credit Party on the Effective Date.
Permitted Activities of Holdings Holdings shall not:
(a) incur any third party Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary, which Indebtedness or other obligations are otherwise permitted or not prohibited hereunder;
(b) create or suffer to exist any Lien on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it other than (i) the Liens created under the Collateral Documents and, subject to the Closing Date Intercreditor Agreement, the collateral documents relating to any Second Lien Term Loans, in each case, to which it is a party, (ii) any other Lien created in connection with the Transactions, (iii) Liens on the Collateral that are secured on a pari passu or junior basis with the Secured Obligations, so long as such Liens secure Guarantees permitted under clause (a)(ii) above and the underlying Indebtedness subject to such Guarantee is permitted to be secured on the same basis pursuant to Section 6.02 and (iv) Liens of the type permitted under Section 6.02 (other than in respect of debt for borrowed money); or
(c) consolidate or amalgamate with, or merge with or into, or convey, sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to, any Person; provided that, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists or would result therefrom and subject to Sections 6.11(a) and (b), (A) Holdings may consolidate or amalgamate with, or merge with or into, any other Person (other than the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries) so long as (i) Holdings is the continuing or surviving Person or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation, amalgamation or merger is not Holdings (w) the successor Person (such successor Person, “Successor Holdings”) expressly assumes all obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto and/or thereto in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (x) Successor Holdings shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (y) the Administrative Agent shall have a security interest in the Collateral for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Collateral Documents that is perfected to at least the same extent as in effect immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or amalgamation and all actions reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain such perfected status have been or will promptly be taken (subject to the terms of the applicable Loan Documents), and (z) the Borrower delivers a certificate of a Responsible Officer with respect to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clause (w) of this clause (A)(ii) and (B) Holdings may otherwise convey, sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to any other Person organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (other than the Borrower and any of its subsidiaries) so long as (x) no Change of Control results therefrom, (y) the Person acquiring such assets expressly assumes all of the obligations of Holdings under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Holdings is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto and/or thereto in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (z) the Borrower delivers a certificate of a Responsible Officer with respect to the satisfaction of the conditions under clause (y) set forth in this clause (B); provided, further, that (1) if the conditions set forth in the preceding proviso are satisfied, Successor Holdings will succeed to, and be substituted for, Holdings under this Agreement and (2) it is understood and agreed that Holdings may convert into another form of entity organized or existing under the laws of the US, any state thereof or the District of Columbia so long as such conversion does not adversely affect the value of the Guarantees under the Loan Guaranty or the Collateral.
Limitation on Investments The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to make any Investment except:
(a) extensions of trade credit and asset purchases in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Investments that were Permitted Investments when such Investments were made;
(c) loans and advances to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes (including employee payroll advances), (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Stock or Stock Equivalents of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof); provided that, to the extent such loans and advances are made in cash, the amount of such loans and advances used to acquire such Stock or Stock Equivalents shall be contributed to the Borrower in cash and (iii) for purposes not described in the foregoing subclauses (i) and (ii); provided that the aggregate principal amount outstanding pursuant to this subclause (iii) shall not exceed $10,000,000;
(d) Investments existing on, or made pursuant to legally binding written commitments in existence on, the 2014 July Repricing Effective Date and any extensions, renewals or reinvestments thereof, so long as the amount of any Investment made pursuant to this clause (d) is not increased at any time above the amount of such Investment existing on, or made pursuant to legally binding written commitments in existence on, the 2014 July Repricing Effective Date;
(e) Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers or customers and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers arising in the ordinary course of business or upon foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment;
(f) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made with Stock or Stock Equivalents of Holdings;
(g) Investments (i) (a) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any Credit Party, (b) between or among Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties, and (c) consisting of intercompany Investments incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the cash management operations (including with respect to intercompany self-insurance arrangements) among the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (provided that any such intercompany Investment in connection with cash management arrangements by a Credit Party in a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party is in the form of an intercompany loan or advance and the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary complies with Section 9.12 to the extent applicable), (ii) by Credit Parties in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party, to the extent that the aggregate amount of all Investments made on or after the 2014 July Repricing Effective Date pursuant to this subclause (ii), when valued at the fair market value (determined by the Borrower acting in good faith) of each such Investment at the time each such Investment was made, would not exceed the sum of (x) $1,000,000,000, when taken together with Investments outstanding at such time in reliance on Section 10.5(i)(x) plus (y) if the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Senior Secured Leverage Test, both before and after giving effect, on a Pro Forma Basis to the making of such Investment, the Applicable Amount at such time plus (z) the Applicable Equity Amount at such time and (iii) by Credit Parties in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party so long as such Investment is part of a series of simultaneous Investments by Restricted Subsidiaries in other Restricted Subsidiaries that result in the proceeds of the initial Investment being invested in one or more Credit Parties;
(h) Investments constituting Permitted Acquisitions;
(i) Investments (including but not limited to (i) minority Investments and Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries, (ii) Investments in joint ventures (regardless of the form of legal entity) or similar Persons that do not constitute Restricted Subsidiaries, (iii) Investments in Merchant Acquisition and Processing Alliances (regardless of the form of legal entity) and (iv) Investments in Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties), in each case valued at the fair market value (determined by the Borrower acting in good faith) of such Investment at the time each such Investment is made, in an aggregate amount pursuant to this clause (i) that, at the time each such Investment is made, would not exceed the sum of (x) $1,000,000,000 when taken together with Investments outstanding at such time in reliance on Section 10.5(g)(ii)(x) plus (y) if the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Senior Secured Leverage Test, both before and after giving effect, on a Pro Forma Basis to the making of such Investment, the Applicable Amount at such time plus (z) without duplication of any amount that increased the JV Distribution Amount, an amount equal to any repayments, interest, returns, profits, distributions, income and similar amounts actually received in cash in respect of any such Investment (which amount referred to in this subclause (z) shall not exceed the amount of such Investment valued at the fair market value of such Investment at the time such Investment was made) plus (aa) the Applicable Equity Amount at such time;
(j) Investments constituting non-cash proceeds of Dispositions of assets to the extent permitted by Section 10.4;
(k) Investments made to repurchase or retire Stock or Stock Equivalents of the Borrower or any direct or indirect parent thereof owned by any employee or any stock ownership plan or key employee stock ownership plan of the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof);
(l) Investments consisting of dividends permitted under Section 10.6;
(m) loans and advances to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of, dividends to the extent permitted to be made to such parent in accordance with Section 10.6;
(n) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;
(o) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of endorsements for collection or deposit and customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;
(p) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;
(q) Guarantee Obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of leases (other than Capital Leases) or of other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(r) Investments held by a Person acquired (including by way of merger or consolidation) after the Original Closing Date otherwise in accordance with this Section 10.5 to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;
(s) Investments in Hedge Agreements permitted by Section 10.1;
(t) Investments arising out of or in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing;
(u) Investments in the ordinary course of business in connection with Settlements;
(v) other Investments, that, at the time each such Investment is made, would not exceed the sum of (x) $750,000,000 plus (y) if the Borrower shall be in compliance with the Senior Secured Leverage Test, both before and after giving effect, on a Pro Forma Basis, to the making of such Investment, the Applicable Amount plus (z) the Applicable Equity Amount at such time;
(w) Investments in connection with any transaction permitted by Section 10.3; and
(x) Investments consisting of licensing of intellectual property with other Persons in the ordinary course of business;
(y) Investments constituting contributions or other dispositions of any Foreign Subsidiary to another Foreign Subsidiary; and
(z) Investments by any Credit Party in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party in an aggregate amount not to exceed the fair market value of all dividends and other distributions received by Credit Parties from Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Credit Parties since the Initial Effectiveness Date.
Limitation on Actions 28.1 Except with respect to any indemnification obligations in Article 12, above, or as are otherwise set forth in the Contract, any arbitral proceedings in accordance with Article 23.2, above, arising out of the Contract must be commenced within three years after the cause of action has accrued.
28.2 The Parties further acknowledge and agree that, for these purposes, a cause of action shall accrue when the breach actually occurs, or, in the case of latent defects, when the injured Party knew or should have known all of the essential elements of the cause of action, or in the case of a breach of warranty, when tender of delivery is made, except that, if a warranty extends to future performance of the goods or any process or system and the discovery of the breach consequently must await the time when such goods or other process or system is ready to perform in accordance with the requirements of the Contract, the cause of action accrues when such time of future performance actually begins.
Limitation on Asset Sales The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the assets that are sold or otherwise disposed of, as reasonably determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors or a senior officer of the Company; and
(2) at least 75% of the consideration received by the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary from the Asset Sale is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided that in the case of the sale of all of the IMC Salt Business Unit and Xxxxx, in the alternative, up to 35% of the consideration received by the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary in the sale may be in the form of Capital Stock of the Person that will hold the IMC Salt Business Unit and Xxxxx following the Asset Sale if the remainder is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided, further, that the requirement in this clause (2) shall not apply in the case of the sale of all or any part of the IMC Chemicals Business Unit. For the purposes of clause (2) above, the amount of any Indebtedness shown on the most recent applicable balance sheet of the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, other than Indebtedness that is by its terms subordinated to the Notes or any Note Guarantee, that is assumed by the transferee of any such assets will be deemed to be cash. Additionally, the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, must apply the Net Cash Proceeds from each Asset Sale to:
(1) repay Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement;
(2) repay (including by purchase) secured obligations;
(3) repay (including by purchase) any Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor; and/or
(4) make an investment in or expenditures for assets (including Capital Stock of any entity) (a) that replace the assets that were the subject of the Asset Sale or (b) that will be used in the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as existing on the Issue Date or in businesses reasonably related thereto (“Replacement Assets”). Any Net Cash Proceeds that the Company does not apply, or decides not to apply, in accordance with the preceding paragraph will constitute a “Net Proceeds Offer Amount.” The 366th day after an Asset Sale or any earlier date on which the Board of Directors of the Company determines not to apply the Net Cash Proceeds in accordance with the preceding paragraph is a “Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date.” When the aggregate Net Proceeds Offer Amount is equal to or exceeds $25.0 million, the Company must make an offer to purchase (the “Net Proceeds Offer”) on a date that is not less than 30 days nor more than 45 days following the applicable Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date, from
(a) all Holders of Notes and
(b) all holders of other Indebtedness (“Other Indebtedness”) that (x) is not, by its terms, expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and (y) contains provisions requiring that an offer to purchase such Other Indebtedness be made with the proceeds from the Asset Sale, on a pro rata basis, the maximum principal amount of Notes and Other Indebtedness that may be purchased with the Net Proceeds Offer Amount. The offer price for Notes in any Net Proceeds Offer will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be purchased, plus any accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes, if any, to the date of purchase. The following events will be deemed to constitute an Asset Sale and the Net Cash Proceeds from such Asset Sale must be applied in accordance with this Section 4.10:
(1) in the event any non-cash consideration received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in connection with any Asset Sale is converted into or sold or otherwise disposed of for cash (other than interest received with respect to any such non-cash consideration), or
(2) in the event of the transfer of substantially all, but not all, of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as an entirety to a Person in a transaction permitted under Section 5.01, and as a result thereof the Company is no longer an obligor on the Notes, the successor corporation shall be deemed to have sold the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries not so transferred for purposes of this Section 4.10, and shall comply with the provisions of this Section 4.10 with respect to such deemed sale as if it were an Asset Sale. In addition, the fair market value of such assets of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries deemed to be sold shall be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds for purposes of this Section 4.10. Notwithstanding the provisions described in the immediately preceding paragraphs, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may consummate an Asset Sale without complying with such provisions to the extent that (a) at least 75% of the consideration for such Asset Sale constitutes Replacement Assets and (b) such Asset Sale is for fair market value. Any cash consideration that does not constitute Replacement Assets that is received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any Asset Sale permitted under this paragraph will constitute Net Cash Proceeds and will be subject to the provisions described in the preceding paragraphs. The Company shall mail a notice of a Net Proceeds Offer by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the record Holders as shown on the register of Holders within 30 days following the Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date, with a copy to the Trustee, containing all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer and shall state the following terms:
(1) that the Net Proceeds Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.10, that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment; provided, however, that if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and Other Indebtedness tendered in a Net Proceeds Offer plus accrued interest at the expiration of such offer exceeds the aggregate amount of the Net Proceeds Offer, the Company shall select on a pro rata basis, the Notes and Other Indebtedness to be purchased (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Company so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, as applicable, or multiples thereof shall be purchased) and that the Net Proceeds Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 business days or such longer periods as may be required by law;
(2) the offer price (including the amount of accrued interest) and the Net Proceeds Offer date of payment (“Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date”) (which shall be not less than 30 nor more than 45 days following the applicable Net Proceeds Offer Trigger Date and which shall be at least five business days after the Trustee receives notice thereof from the Company);
(3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Company defaults in making payment therefor, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to a Net Proceeds Offer will be required to surrender such Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date;
(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the second business day prior to the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of the Notes such Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased; and
(7) that Holders whose Notes are purchased only in part will be issued new Notes in a principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered; provided, however, that each Note purchased and each new Note issued shall be in an original principal amount of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. On or before the Net Proceeds Offer Payment Date, the Company shall (a) accept for payment Notes or portions thereof (in integral multiples of $1,000) validly tendered pursuant to the Net Proceeds Offer, (b) deposit with the Paying Agent in accordance with Section 2.15 U.S. Dollars sufficient to pay the purchase price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, of all Notes to be purchased and (c) deliver to the Trustee Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company. Upon receipt by the Paying Agent of the monies specified in clause (b) above and a copy of the Officers’ Certificate specified in clause (c) above, the Paying Agent shall promptly mail to the Holders of Notes so accepted payment in an amount equal to the purchase price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, out of the funds deposited with the Paying Agent in accordance with the preceding sentence. The Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail to such Holders new Notes equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered. Upon the payment of the purchase price for the Notes accepted for purchase, the Trustee shall return the Notes purchased to the Company for cancellation. Any monies remaining after the purchase of Notes pursuant to a Net Proceeds Offer shall be returned within three business days by the Trustee to the Company except with respect to monies owed as obligations to the Trustee pursuant to Article Seven. For purposes of this Section 4.10, the Trustee shall act as the Paying Agent. To the extent the amount of Notes tendered pursuant to any Net Proceeds Offer is less than the amount of Net Cash Proceeds subject to such Net Proceeds Offer, the Company may use any remaining portion of such Net Cash Proceeds not required to fund the repurchase of tendered Notes for general corporate purposes and such Net Proceeds Offer Amount shall be reset to zero. The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to a Net Proceeds Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the provisions of this Section 4.10 by virtue thereof.
Limitation on Rights of Holders (a) The death or incapacity of any Certificateholder shall not operate to terminate this Agreement or this Trust Fund, nor entitle such Certificateholder’s legal representatives or heirs to claim an accounting or take any action or proceeding in any court for a partition or winding up of this Trust Fund, nor otherwise affect the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties hereto or any of them. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no Certificateholder, solely by virtue of its status as a Certificateholder, shall have any right to vote or in any manner otherwise control the Master Servicer or the operation and management of the Trust Fund, or the obligations of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein set forth, or contained in the terms of the Certificates, be construed so as to constitute the Certificateholders from time to time as partners or members of an association, nor shall any Certificateholder be under any liability to any third person by reason of any action taken by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to any provision hereof.
(b) No Certificateholder, solely by virtue of its status as Certificateholder, shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Agreement to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Agreement, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee a written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, and unless also the Holders of Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the Class Principal Amount (or Class Notional Amount) of Certificates of each Class shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the cost, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee, for sixty days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given such Trustee during such sixty-day period by such Certificateholders; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by each Certificateholder with every other Certificateholder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Certificates shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Agreement to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of the Holders of any other of such Certificates, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder, or to enforce any right under this Agreement, except in the manner herein provided and for the benefit of all Certificateholders. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section, each and every Certificateholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.
Limitation on Indebtedness (a) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness); provided, however, that the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may Incur Non-Funding Indebtedness, if on the date of such Incurrence and after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma application of the proceeds thereof), (i) the Consolidated Non-Funding Debt to Equity Ratio of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not greater than 1.75 to 1.00 and (ii) the Company would have been in compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 3.3 as of the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements of the Company are available.
(b) Section 3.2(a) will not prohibit the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(i) Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to any Credit Facility (including letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances issued or created under any Credit Facility), and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof and Guarantees in respect of such Indebtedness in a maximum aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not exceeding (i) the greater of $225.0 million or 4.0% of Total Assets, plus (ii) in the case of any refinancing of any Indebtedness permitted under this clause or any portion thereof, the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses Incurred in connection with such refinancing;
(ii) Guarantees by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as the Incurrence of such Indebtedness is not prohibited by the terms of this Indenture;
(iii) Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that:
(1) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event which results in any such Indebtedness being beneficially held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; and
(2) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be;
(iv) Indebtedness represented by (i) the Notes (other than any Additional Notes), including any Guarantee thereof, (ii) any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(i) and (iii)) outstanding on the Issue Date, (iii) Refinancing Indebtedness (including, in the case of the Notes (other than any Additional Notes)) and any Guarantee thereof Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in this clause or clauses (v), (vi), (vii), (ix) or (xiv) of this Section 3.2(b) or Incurred pursuant to Section 3.2(a), and (iv) Management Advances;
(v) Indebtedness of (x) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred or issued to finance an acquisition or (y) Persons that are acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or merged into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; provided that after giving effect to such acquisition, merger or consolidation, either
(1) the Company would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Non-Funding Debt to Equity Ratio test set forth in Section 3.2(a);
(2) the Consolidated Non-Funding Debt to Equity Ratio of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would not be greater than immediately prior to such acquisition, merger or consolidation; or
(3) such Indebtedness constitutes Acquired Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness Incurred in contemplation of the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary); provided that the only obligors with respect to such Indebtedness shall be those Persons who were obligors of such Indebtedness prior to such acquisition, merger or consolidation;
(vi) Hedging Obligations (excluding Hedging Obligations entered into for speculative purposes);
(vii) Indebtedness represented by Capitalized Lease Obligations or Purchase Money Obligations in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause and then outstanding and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof, does not exceed the greater of (i) $55.0 million and (ii) 1.0% of Total Assets at the time of Incurrence;
(viii) Indebtedness in respect of (i) workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, performance, indemnity, surety, judgment, appeal, advance payment, customs, value added or other tax or other guarantees or other similar bonds, instruments or obligations and completion guarantees and warranties provided by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or relating to liabilities, obligations or guarantees Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, (ii) the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of Incurrence; (iii) customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice from customers for goods or services purchased in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; (iv) letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, guarantees or other similar instruments or obligations issued or relating to liabilities or obligations Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, and (v) any customary treasury, depositary, cash management, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections, cash pooling or netting or setting off arrangements in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(ix) Indebtedness arising from agreements providing for guarantees, indemnification, obligations in respect of earn-outs or other adjustments of purchase price, in each case, or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets or Person or any Capital Stock of a Subsidiary;
(x) Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any current or former employee, director or consultant of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its Parents (or permitted transferees, assigns, estates, or heirs of such employee, director or consultant), to finance the purchase or redemption of Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Parents;
(xi) Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply arrangements, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(xii) Permitted Funding Indebtedness;
(xiii) Permitted Securitization Indebtedness and Indebtedness under Credit Enhancement Agreements or arising out of or to fund purchases of all remaining outstanding asset-backed securities of any Securitization Entity for the purpose of relieving the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company of the administrative expense of servicing such Securitization Entity; and
(xiv) Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof and the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause and then outstanding, will not exceed the greater of (a) $165.0 million and (b) 3.0% of Total Assets.
(c) For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this Section 3.2:
(i) in the event that all or any portion of any item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in Section 3.2(a) and (b), the Company, in its sole discretion, will classify, and may from time to time reclassify, such Indebtedness and only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness in one of the clauses of Section 3.2(a) or (b);
(ii) additionally, all or any portion of any item of Indebtedness may later be reclassified as having been Incurred pursuant to any type of Indebtedness described in Section 3.2(a) and (b) so long as such Indebtedness is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to such provision;
(iii) Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relating to, or Liens securing, Indebtedness that is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;
(iv) if obligations in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments are Incurred pursuant to any Credit Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to clauses (i) or (vii) of Section 3.2(b) or Section 3.2(a) and the letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;
(v) the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, will be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;
(vi) Indebtedness permitted by this Section 3.2 need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this Section 3.2 permitting such Indebtedness; and
(vii) the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof will be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined on the basis of GAAP.
(d) Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the accretion of accreted value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness, the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock or the reclassification of commitments or obligations not treated as Indebtedness due to a change in GAAP, will not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 3.2. The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (a) the accreted value thereof in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount and (b) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, or liquidation preference thereof, in the case of any other Indebtedness.
(e) If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this Section 3.2, the Company shall be in default of this Section 3.2).
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.2, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may Incur pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.
(g) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) that is subordinated or junior in right of payment to any Indebtedness of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, unless such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or such Guarantor’s Guarantee to the extent and in the same manner as such Indebtedness is subordinated to other Indebtedness of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be.
(h) Unsecured Indebtedness shall not be treated as subordinated or junior to secured Indebtedness merely because such Indebtedness is unsecured. Senior Indebtedness shall not be treated as subordinated or junior to any other senior Indebtedness merely because it has a junior priority with respect to the same collateral or is secured by different collateral.
Limitation on Out of-State Litigation - Texas Business and Commerce Code § 272 This is a requirement of the TIPS Contract and is non-negotiable. Texas Business and Commerce Code § 272 prohibits a construction contract, or an agreement collateral to or affecting the construction contract, from containing a provision making the contract or agreement, or any conflict arising under the contract or agreement, subject to another state’s law, litigation in the courts of another state, or arbitration in another state. If included in Texas construction contracts, such provisions are voidable by a party obligated by the contract or agreement to perform the work. By submission of this proposal, Vendor acknowledges this law and if Vendor enters into a construction contract with a Texas TIPS Member under this procurement, Vendor certifies compliance.
Limitation on Designations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries Level 3 shall not designate (1) the Borrower or Level 3 LLC as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or (2) any other Subsidiary (other than a newly created Subsidiary in which no Investment has previously been made) as an “Unrestricted Subsidiary” under this Agreement (a “Designation”) unless in the case of this clause (2):
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving effect to such Designation;
(b) immediately after giving effect to such Designation, Level 3 would be able to Incur $1.00 of Indebtedness under paragraph (a) of Section 6.01; and
(c) Level 3 would not be prohibited under any provision of this Agreement from making an Investment at the time of Designation (assuming the effectiveness of such Designation) in an amount (the “Designation Amount”) equal to the portion (proportionate to Level 3’s equity interest in such Restricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary on such date. In the event of any such Designation, Level 3 shall be deemed to have made an Investment constituting a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.03 for all purposes of this Agreement in the Designation Amount; provided, however, that, upon a Revocation of any such Designation of a Subsidiary, Level 3 shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary of an amount (if positive) equal to (i) Level 3’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such Revocation less (ii) the portion (proportionate to Level 3’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such Revocation. At the time of any Designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary shall not own any Capital Stock of Level 3 or any Restricted Subsidiary. In addition, neither Level 3 nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall at any time (x) provide credit support for, or a Guarantee of, any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness); provided, however, that Level 3 or a Restricted Subsidiary may pledge Capital Stock or Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary on a nonrecourse basis such that the pledgee has no claim whatsoever against Level 3 other than to obtain such pledged Capital Stock or Indebtedness, (y) be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or (z) be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness which provides that the holder thereof may (upon notice, lapse of time or both) declare a default thereon or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its final scheduled maturity upon the occurrence of a default with respect to any Indebtedness, Lien or other obligation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any right to take enforcement action against such Unrestricted Subsidiary), except in the case of clause (x) or (y) to the extent permitted under Sections 6.03 and 6.09. Unless Designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of Level 3 will be classified as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Subsidiary shall not be designated as a Restricted Subsidiary and shall be automatically classified as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if either of the requirements set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of the immediately following paragraph will not be satisfied immediately following such classification. Except as provided in the first sentence of this Section 6.10, no Restricted Subsidiary may be redesignated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary. A Designation may be revoked (a “Revocation”) by a Board Resolution of Level 3 delivered to the Administrative Agent, provided that Level 3 will not make any Revocation unless:
(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of and after giving effect to such Revocation; and
(b) all Liens and Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such Revocation would, if Incurred at such time, have been permitted to be Incurred at such time for all purposes of this Agreement. All Designations and Revocations must be evidenced by Board Resolutions of Level 3 delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) certifying compliance with the foregoing provisions and (ii) giving the effective date of such Designation or Revocation. Upon Designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with this Section 6.10, such Restricted Subsidiary shall, by delivery of documentation providing for such release in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, be released from any Guarantee (in the case of a Guarantor) and its obligations under the Collateral Agreement (in the case of a Grantor) previously made by such Subsidiary.
