Formation or Acquisition of Subsidiaries Notwithstanding and without limiting the negative covenants contained in Sections 7.3 and 7.7 hereof, at the time that Borrower or any Guarantor forms any direct or indirect Subsidiary or acquires any direct or indirect Subsidiary after the Effective Date, Borrower and such Guarantor shall (a) cause such new Subsidiary to provide to Bank a joinder to this Agreement to become a co-borrower hereunder or a Guaranty to become a Guarantor hereunder, together with such appropriate financing statements and/or Control Agreements, all in form and substance satisfactory to Bank (including being sufficient to grant Bank a first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) in and to the assets of such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary), (b) provide to Bank appropriate certificates and powers and financing statements, pledging all of the direct or beneficial ownership interest in such new Subsidiary, in form and substance satisfactory to Bank; and (c) provide to Bank all other documentation in form and substance satisfactory to Bank, including one or more opinions of counsel satisfactory to Bank, which in its opinion is appropriate with respect to the execution and delivery of the applicable documentation referred to above. Any document, agreement, or instrument executed or issued pursuant to this Section 6.13 shall be a Loan Document.
Formation of Subsidiaries Each Borrower will, at the time that any Loan Party forms any direct or indirect Subsidiary or acquires any direct or indirect Subsidiary after the Closing Date, within 10 days of such formation or acquisition (or such later date as permitted by Agent in its sole discretion) (a) cause such new Subsidiary to provide to Agent a joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, together with such other security agreements (including mortgages with respect to any Real Property owned in fee of such new Subsidiary with a fair market value greater than $1,000,000), as well as appropriate financing statements (and with respect to all property subject to a mortgage, fixture filings), all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent (including being sufficient to grant Agent a first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) in and to the assets of such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary); provided, that the joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, and such other security agreements shall not be required to be provided to Agent with respect to any Subsidiary of any Borrower that is a CFC if providing such agreements would result in adverse tax consequences or the costs to the Loan Parties of providing such guaranty or such security agreements are unreasonably excessive (as determined by Agent in consultation with Borrowers) in relation to the benefits to Agent and the Lenders of the security or guarantee afforded thereby, (b) provide, or cause the applicable Loan Party to provide, to Agent a pledge agreement (or an addendum to the Guaranty and Security Agreement) and appropriate certificates and powers or financing statements, pledging all of the direct or beneficial ownership interest in such new Subsidiary in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent; provided, that only 65% of the total outstanding voting Equity Interests of any first tier Subsidiary of a Borrower that is a CFC (and none of the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary of such CFC) shall be required to be pledged if pledging a greater amount would result in adverse tax consequences or the costs to the Loan Parties of providing such pledge are unreasonably excessive (as determined by Agent in consultation with Borrowers) in relation to the benefits to Agent and the Lenders of the security afforded thereby (which pledge, if reasonably requested by Agent, shall be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction of such Subsidiary), and (c) provide to Agent all other documentation, including one or more opinions of counsel reasonably satisfactory to Agent, which, in its opinion, is appropriate with respect to the execution and delivery of the applicable documentation referred to above (including policies of title insurance or other documentation with respect to all Real Property owned in fee and subject to a mortgage). Any document, agreement, or instrument executed or issued pursuant to this Section 5.11 shall constitute a Loan Document.
Creation/Acquisition of Subsidiaries In the event Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries creates or acquires any Subsidiary, Borrower shall provide prior written notice to Collateral Agent and each Lender of the creation or acquisition of such new Subsidiary and take all such action as may be reasonably required by Collateral Agent or any Lender to cause each such Subsidiary to become a co-Borrower hereunder or to guarantee the Obligations of Borrower under the Loan Documents and, in each case, grant a continuing pledge and security interest in and to the assets of such Subsidiary (substantially as described on Exhibit A hereto); and Borrower (or its Subsidiary, as applicable) shall grant and pledge to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, a perfected security interest in the Shares; provided, however, that solely in the circumstance in which Borrower or any Subsidiary creates or acquires a Foreign Subsidiary in an acquisition permitted by Section 7.7 hereof or otherwise approved by the Required Lenders, (i) such Foreign Subsidiary shall not be required to guarantee the Obligations of Borrower under the Loan Documents and grant a continuing pledge and security interest in and to the assets of such Foreign Subsidiary, and (ii) Borrower shall not be required to grant and pledge to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of Lenders, a perfected security interest in more than sixty-five percent (65%) of the Shares of such Foreign Subsidiary, if Borrower demonstrates to the reasonable satisfaction of Collateral Agent that such Foreign Subsidiary providing such guarantee or pledge and security interest or Borrower providing a perfected security interest in more than sixty-five percent (65%) of the Shares would create a present and existing adverse tax consequence to Borrower under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
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.
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.
Designation of Subsidiaries The board of directors of the Borrower may, at any time from and after the Closing Date, designate any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Borrower shall be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 8.1 on a pro forma basis, (iii) no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it was previously designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, (iv) if a Restricted Subsidiary is being designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary hereunder, such Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries as of such date of designation, must not have contributed greater than the greater of (A) $50,000,000 and (B) 1.0% of Consolidated Total Tangible Assets (but, notwithstanding the definition of Consolidated Total Tangible Assets, calculated inclusive of all Unrestricted Subsidiaries), as of the last day of the Reference Period then most recently ended and (v) no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, upon the effectiveness of such designation, such Subsidiary is and would continue to be a restricted subsidiary under the terms of any Material Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. The designation of any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date shall constitute an Investment by the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Borrower’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s investment therein. None of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall at any time be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness that provides the holder thereof may (with the passage of time or notice or both) declare a default thereon or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated upon the occurrence of a default with respect to any Indebtedness, Lien or other obligation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any right to take enforcement action against such Unrestricted Subsidiary). The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute (i) the incurrence at the time of designation of any Investment, Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and (ii) a return on any Investment by the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary in Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the preceding sentence in an amount equal to the fair market value at the date of such designation of the Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s Investment in such Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Borrower nor any Designated IP Subsidiary shall be permitted to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Capitalization of Subsidiaries All the outstanding shares of capital stock (if any) of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, except to the extent set forth in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are owned by the Company directly or indirectly through one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries, free and clear of any claim, lien, encumbrance, security interest, restriction upon voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
Investments and Acquisitions Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have outstanding, acquire, commit itself to acquire or hold any Investment (including any Investment consisting of the acquisition of any business) (or become contractually committed to do so) except for the following:
(a) Investments of the Company and its Subsidiaries in Wholly Owned Subsidiaries (a) which are domestic Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement or (b) which become domestic Wholly Owned Subsidiaries after the Closing Date and become Guarantors to the extent required by Section 10.09; provided, however, that the aggregate book value of all assets (other than intercompany obligations) owned by Immaterial Subsidiaries shall not exceed $10,000,000.
(b) Intercompany loans and advances from any Subsidiary to the Company or any Guarantor that, in the case of loans or advances from Foreign Subsidiaries, are subordinated to the Obligations in accordance with the Foreign Subsidiary Subordination Agreement.
(c) Investments in Cash Equivalents.
(d) Guarantees permitted by Section 6.06.
(e) So long as immediately before and after giving effect thereto no Default exists, and so long as the Company (if the Company is party thereto) or a Guarantor (if the Company is not party thereto) is the surviving entity, the Company and its Subsidiaries may acquire another entity in the same line of business as the Company as described in Section 6.02(a) if:
(i) at all times when the Consolidated Leverage Ratio is greater than 2.50 for the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (calculated on a pro forma basis giving effect to the proposed acquisition as if such acquisition had been consummated at the beginning of such period) for which financial reports have been (or are required to have been) furnished to the Lenders in accordance with Sections 6.04(a) or 6.04(b), the purchase price for all such acquisitions permitted pursuant to this clause (e)(i) does not exceed, except with the consent of the Required Lenders, $100,000,000 in cash (excluding consideration consisting of Capital Stock, the proceeds of the issuance of Capital Stock or Subordinated Indebtedness) in the aggregate over the term of the Agreement;
(ii) at all times when the Consolidated Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.50 for the most recent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (calculated on a pro forma basis giving effect to the proposed acquisition as if such acquisition had been consummated at the beginning of such period) for which financial reports have been (or are required to have been) furnished to the Lenders in accordance with Sections 6.04(a) or 6.04(b), the Company and its Subsidiaries may make unlimited acquisitions; provided, however that in the event a transaction permitted pursuant to this clause (e)(ii) would, on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto, cause the Consolidated Leverage Ratio to exceed 2.50, the portion of the cash purchase price with respect to such transaction attributed to causing the Consolidated Leverage Ratio to be greater than 2.50 shall only be permitted to be paid to the extent the Company has sufficient availability in the $100,000,000 basket set forth in clause (e)(i) to take into account such excess amount; provided, further, that with respect to any acquisition permitted pursuant to this Section 6.08(e)(ii), (i) the acquisition must be approved by the target entity’s board of directors, (ii) the Company must be in compliance with the Computation Covenants immediately after giving effect to such acquisition, (iii) the acquired entity must not have any environmental liabilities which, after giving effect to such acquisition, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (iv) any Subsidiary acquired under this Section 6.08(e) (other than (a) a Foreign Subsidiary or (b) any Immaterial Subsidiary if the aggregate book value of the assets (other than intercompany obligations) of all Immaterial Subsidiaries acquired under this Section 6.08(e) since the Closing Date does not exceed $10,000,000) shall guarantee the Obligations, as contemplated by Section 10.09.
(f) So long as immediately before and after giving effect thereto no Default exists, the Company and its Subsidiaries may make (i) Investments in Unrestricted Affiliates engaged in businesses contemplated by Section 6.02(a) and (ii) Investments consisting of contributions of Property to Unrestricted Affiliates, in an aggregate amount for all such Investments permitted pursuant to this clause (f) (calculated at net book value at the time of such Investment), when taken together with the aggregate amount of all Dispositions permitted pursuant to Section 6.10(e), not to exceed $100,000,000.
(g) Loans or advances to employees of the Company in an amount not to exceed (i) $1,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time for the purchase of capital stock of the Company and (ii) $5,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time for all other purposes.
(h) So long as immediately before and after giving effect thereto no Default exists, Investments of the Company and its Subsidiaries in foreign Wholly Owned Subsidiaries; provided, however, that other than with respect to Investments outstanding as of the Closing Date as described on Schedule 6.08(h), (i) such Investments shall not involve the transfer of substantial noncash assets from the Company and its domestic Subsidiaries to its Foreign Subsidiaries other than up to $35,000,000 in book value of foreign patents and foreign trademarks; and (ii) net cash Investments of the Company and its domestic Subsidiaries in Foreign Subsidiaries made pursuant to this Section 6.08(h) at any one time outstanding shall not exceed $125,000,000 in the aggregate.
(i) So long as immediately before and after giving effect thereto no Default exists, and provided that the Company complies with Section 10.09, the Company may create a Wholly Owned Subsidiary that constitutes a holding company for the Company’s European Subsidiaries.
Creation of Subsidiaries Subject to the provisions of Section 7.12, the Borrower may from time to time create new Wholly Owned Subsidiaries and the Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower may create new Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, provided that concurrently with (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after) the creation thereof:
(a) Each such new Subsidiary will execute and deliver to the Bank (i) a joinder to the Guaranty, pursuant to which such new Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor thereunder and shall guarantee the payment in full of the Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, and (ii) a joinder to the Security Agreement, pursuant to which such new Subsidiary shall become a party thereto and shall grant to the Bank a first priority Lien upon and security interest in its accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, general intangibles and other personal property as collateral for its obligations under the Guaranty, subject only to Permitted Liens; and
(b) The Borrower will deliver to the Bank a certificate of the secretary or an assistant secretary of such Subsidiary, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Bank, certifying (i) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the articles or certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation or other organizational document and all amendments thereto of such Subsidiary, certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or comparable Governmental Authority) of its jurisdiction of organization, and that the same has not been amended since the date of such certification, (ii) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the bylaws, operating agreement or similar governing document of such Subsidiary, as then in effect and as in effect at all times from the date on which the resolutions referred to in clause (iii) below were adopted to and including the date of such certificate, (iii) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions adopted by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of such Subsidiary, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which it is a party, and (iv) as to the incumbency and genuineness of the signature of each officer of such Subsidiary executing such Credit Documents, and attaching all such copies of the documents described above; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 5.10 shall not be required with respect to foreign Subsidiaries.
Consolidation and Merger; Asset Acquisitions The Borrower will not consolidate with or merge into any Person, or permit any other Person to merge into it, or acquire (in a transaction analogous in purpose or effect to a consolidation or merger) all or substantially all the assets of any other Person.
