Release of Subsidiary Guarantors from Guarantee (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor may be released upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 11.02(b) and in this Section 14.04. Provided that no Default shall have occurred and shall be continuing under this Indenture, the Guarantee incurred by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to this Article XIV shall be unconditionally released and discharged (i) automatically upon (A) any sale, exchange or transfer, whether by way of merger or otherwise, to any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Partnership, of all of the Partnership’s direct or indirect limited partnership or other equity interests in such Subsidiary Guarantor (provided such sale, exchange or transfer is not prohibited by this Indenture) or (B) the merger of such Subsidiary Guarantor into either of the Issuers or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of such Subsidiary Guarantor (in each case to the extent not prohibited by this Indenture) or (ii) upon the Issuers’ delivery of a written notice to the Trustee of the release or discharge of all guarantees by such Subsidiary Guarantor of any Debt of the Issuers other than obligations arising under this Indenture and any Debt Securities issued hereunder, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such guarantees.
(b) The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing any release of a Subsidiary Guarantor from the Guarantee upon receipt of a written request of the Issuers accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Subsidiary Guarantor is entitled to such release in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Any Subsidiary Guarantor not so released shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee as provided in this Indenture, subject to the limitations of Section 14.03.
Release of Guarantors Notwithstanding anything in Section 9.02(b) to the contrary, any Subsidiary Guarantor shall automatically be released from its obligations hereunder (and its Loan Guaranty shall be automatically released) (a) upon the consummation of any permitted transaction or series of related transactions if as a result thereof such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary (or becomes an Excluded Subsidiary as a result of a single transaction or series of related transactions permitted hereunder; provided, that the release of any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Loan Guaranty if such Subsidiary Guarantor becomes an Excluded Subsidiary of the type described in clause (a) of the definition thereof shall only be permitted if at the time such Guarantor becomes an Excluded Subsidiary of such type (i) no Event of Default exists, (ii) after giving pro forma effect to such release and the consummation of the transaction that causes such Person to be an Excluded Subsidiary of such type, the Borrower is deemed to have made a new Investment in such Person for purposes of Section 6.06 (as if such Person were then newly acquired) in an amount equal to the portion of the fair market value of the net assets of such Person attributable to the Borrower’s equity interest therein as reasonably estimated by the Borrower and such Investment is permitted pursuant to Section 6.06 (other than Section 6.06(f)) at such time and (iii) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifies to the Administrative Agent compliance with preceding clauses (i) and (ii)) and/or (b) upon the occurrence of the Termination Date. In connection with any such release, the Administrative Agent shall promptly execute and deliver to the relevant Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence termination or release; provided, that upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying that the relevant transaction has been consummated in compliance with the terms of this Agreement. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to the preceding sentence of this Section 9.22 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent (other than as to the Administrative Agent’s authority to execute and deliver such documents).
Release of Subsidiary Guarantors Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Securities, each Subsidiary Guarantee will remain in effect with respect to the respective Subsidiary Guarantor until the entire principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities to which such Subsidiary Guarantee relates shall have been paid in full or otherwise satisfied and discharged in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture and all amounts owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid; provided, however, that if (i) such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture, (ii) either Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance occurs with respect to such Securities pursuant to Article Fifteen or (iii) all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor or all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor is sold (including by sale, merger, consolidation or otherwise) by the Company or any Subsidiary in a transaction complying with the requirements of this Indenture, then, in each case of (i), (ii) or (iii), upon delivery by the Company of an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee and this Article Thirteen have been complied with, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released and discharged of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee and under this Article Thirteen without any action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, and the Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably required in order to acknowledge the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee endorsed on the Securities of such series and under this Article Thirteen.
Limitation on Issuances of Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries The Company will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to Guarantee any Indebtedness of the Company which is pari passu with or subordinate in right of payment to the Notes ("Guaranteed Indebtedness"), unless (i) such Restricted Subsidiary simultaneously executes and delivers a supplemental indenture to this Indenture providing for a Guarantee (a "Subsidiary Guarantee") of payment of the Notes by such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) 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 Subsidiary Guarantee; provided that this paragraph 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. If the Guaranteed Indebtedness is (A) pari passu with the Notes, then the Guarantee of such Guaranteed Indebtedness shall be pari passu with, or subordinated to, the Subsidiary Guarantee or (B) subordinated to the Notes, then the Guarantee of such Guaranteed Indebtedness shall be subordinated to the Subsidiary Guarantee at least to the extent that the Guaranteed Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Subsidiary Guarantee by a Restricted Subsidiary may provide by its terms that it shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon (i) any sale, exchange or transfer, to any Person not an Affiliate of the Company, of all of the Company's and each Restricted Subsidiary's Capital Stock in, or all or substantially all the assets of, such Restricted Subsidiary (which sale, exchange or transfer is not prohibited by this Indenture) or (ii) the release or discharge of the Guarantee which resulted in the creation of such Subsidiary Guarantee, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such Guarantee.
Release of Guarantor (a) In addition to the release provisions set forth in the Indenture, subject to Section 702(d), the Guarantor shall be released and relieved from all of its obligations under this Article Seven, and the Guarantee shall be terminated and be of no further force or effect, upon the request of the Company (without the consent of the Trustee) if, immediately after giving effect to such release and termination (and, if applicable, any transaction in connection therewith, including any other concurrent release, termination, repayment or discharge of any other guarantee or other Debt of the Guarantor), the Company would be in compliance with Section 504 hereof, including in the event of a sale or other disposition as a result of which the Guarantor would cease to be a Subsidiary.
(b) In order to effect the release and termination provided for in Section 702(a), the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that, immediately after giving effect to such release and termination (as well as any concurrent release, termination, repayment or discharge of any other guarantee or other Debt of the Guarantor), the Company will be in compliance with Section 504 hereof. In the event that the release and termination is in connection with a sale or other disposition as a result of which the Guarantor would cease to be a Subsidiary, pro forma effect shall be given to such disposition (including the application of any proceeds therefrom) in determining the Company’s compliance with Section 504 and, accordingly, the amount of Debt subject to the Guarantee and any other Debt of the Guarantor shall be excluded from any calculation thereunder. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture, no opinion, report or certificate, other than the Officers’ Certificate provided for in this Section 702(b), need be furnished to the Trustee for such release and termination. After its receipt of the aforementioned Officers’ Certificate, the Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by either the Company or the Guarantor in order to evidence the release of the Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee under this Article Seven.
(c) No supplemental indenture, amendment or waiver shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Note, release the Guarantor from any of its obligations under Section 701, other than in accordance with the provisions of this Section 702 or the other release provisions set forth in the Indenture, or amend or modify the release provisions of this Section 702.
(d) Notwithstanding the release provisions of Section 702(a), the Guarantor shall not be released from its obligations under this Article Seven and the Guarantee will not be terminated if, immediately after such release and termination (and, if applicable, after giving effect to any transaction to occur concurrently therewith), the Guarantor remains a co-obligor with or a guarantor for, as applicable, the obligations of the Company under any Existing Note. SECTION 703. AMALGAMATION, CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE.
(a) Unless the Guarantor has been released, or in connection with such transaction will be released, from its obligations under the Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of Section 702 hereof or any other release provision set forth in the Indenture, the Guarantor shall not amalgamate or consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person by liquidation, winding-up or otherwise (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) unless:
(i) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Debt which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor in connection with or as a result of such transaction as having been incurred at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(ii) either (x) the Guarantor shall be the continuing Person or (y) the Person (if other than the Guarantor) formed by such amalgamation or consolidation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety (the “Successor Guarantor”) shall, unless the Successor Guarantor is the Company, (A) be a corporation, company, partnership or trust organized and validly existing under the federal laws of Canada or any Province thereof or the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and (B) expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantee (provided, however, that the Successor Guarantor shall not be required to execute and deliver such a supplemental indenture in the event of an amalgamation of the Guarantor with one or more other Persons, in which the amalgamation is governed by the laws of Canada or any province thereof, the Successor Guarantor and the Guarantor are, immediately prior to such amalgamation, organized and existing under the laws of Canada or any province thereof and upon the effectiveness of such amalgamation, the Successor Guarantor shall have become or shall continue to be (as the case may be), by operation of law, liable for the observance of all obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantee); and
(iii) the Guarantor, the Company or the Successor Guarantor, as applicable, shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such amalgamation, consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction (or series of transactions), such supplemental indenture, comply with this Section 703(a) and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been satisfied.
(b) Upon any amalgamation, consolidation or merger, or any conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 703(a), the Successor Guarantor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Supplemental Indenture and the Indenture with the same effect as if such Successor Guarantor had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the Guarantor shall be released and relieved from all of its obligations under this Article Seven, and the Guarantee shall be terminated and be of no further force or effect.
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.
Release of Subsidiary Guarantor (a) The Subsidiary Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically released without any action required by the Trustee or Holders:
(i) in the event the Capital Stock of a Subsidiary Guarantor is sold or all of the assets of a Subsidiary Guarantor are sold (including by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise) by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and the sale complies with the provisions set forth in Section 4.10 and if as a result of such sale, such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
(ii) upon the designation of any Subsidiary Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in compliance with the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary”;
(iii) upon legal defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the Notes in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture described under Article Eight and Article Eleven, respectively;
(iv) if such Subsidiary Guarantor shall have been released from its guarantee of Indebtedness under all Material Credit Facilities; or
(v) if such Subsidiary Guarantee shall have been released pursuant to Section 9.02.
(b) At the request of the Company, and upon delivery to the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that a release complies with this Indenture, the Trustee shall execute and deliver such instruments reasonably requested by the Company evidencing the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee (it being understood that the failure to obtain any such instrument shall not impair any automatic release pursuant to Section 10.05(a)). Any Subsidiary Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee as provided in Section 10.05(a) shall remain liable for the full amount of principal and interest, if any, on the Notes and for the other obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article Ten.
Release of Guarantee This Guarantee shall be released in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Indenture.
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.
Release of a Guarantor (a) Upon (i) the sale or disposition of the Capital Stock of a Guarantor (other than the Company) by the Company in compliance with Section 4.16 or the consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into any Person in compliance with Article 5, in each case, (A) other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (B) in a transaction following which the applicable Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) the liquidation or dissolution of any Guarantor (other than the Company) in accordance with this Indenture, such Guarantor’s Guarantee pursuant to this Article 10 shall be released, and such Guarantor shall be deemed released from all Obligations under this Indenture and the Securities without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. Any Guarantor not so released or the entity surviving such Guarantor, as applicable, shall remain or be liable under its Guarantee as provided in this Article 10. Concurrently with the defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the Securities under Article 8 hereof, the Guarantors shall be released from all of their obligations under this Indenture and the Securities. In addition, a Guarantor’s Guarantee will also be released and such Guarantor will also be released from all Obligations under this Indenture and the Securities (x)
(1) if such Guarantor is released from any and all guarantees of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Company and (2) if such Guarantor will remain a Subsidiary of the Company, it has no other outstanding Indebtedness other than Indebtedness which could be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor of the Securities on the date of the proposed release of such Guarantor’s Guarantee, (y) if the Company designates such Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 4.03 and the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” or (z) the Issuer exercises its Legal Defeasance option or Covenant Defeasance option as described in Section 8.02 or if the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms hereof.
(b) The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing the release of a Guarantor upon receipt of a request by the Issuer or such Guarantor accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate of the Issuer and, upon written request, an Opinion of Counsel certifying as to the compliance with this Section 10.04; provided the legal counsel delivering such Opinion of Counsel may rely as to matters of fact on one or more Officer’s Certificates of the Issuer. The Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Issuer or a Guarantor in order to evidence the release of such Guarantor from its Obligations under its Guarantee pursuant to this Article 10. Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 and this Section 10.04, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the Issuer or another Guarantor or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Issuer or another Guarantor.
