Limitation on Restricted Payments The U.S. Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly (x) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on account of the U.S. Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Equity Interests, including any dividend or distribution payable in connection with any merger, amalgamation or consolidation, other than (A) dividends or distributions by the U.S. Borrower payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the U.S. Borrower or (B) dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, in the case of any dividend or distribution payable on or in respect of any class or series of securities issued by a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary receives at least its pro rata share of such dividend or distribution in accordance with its Equity Interests in such class or series of securities, (y) purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower or any direct or indirect parent of the U.S. Borrower, including in connection with any merger or consolidation, or (z) make any principal payment on, or redeem, repurchase, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value in each case, prior to any scheduled repayment, sinking fund payment or maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness (other than the purchase, repurchase or other acquisition of Subordinated Indebtedness purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase or acquisition) (all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (x) through (z) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), other than:
(i) Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed the Applicable Amount; provided that at the time any such Restricted Payment is made and after giving pro forma effect to such Restricted Payment (x) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) the U.S. Borrower would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness pursuant to Section 6.01(a);
(ii) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Subordinated Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or a Subsidiary Guarantor made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Refinancing Indebtedness of such Person that is incurred in compliance with Section 6.01(b)(xv);
(iii) a Restricted Payment to pay for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests in any direct or indirect parent companies of the U.S. Borrower held by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or their respective estates, Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) of the U.S. Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its direct or indirect parent companies or any other entity in which the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary has an Investment and that is designated in good faith as an “affiliate by the Board of Directors of the U.S. Borrower (or the compensation committee thereof), in each case pursuant to any stockholders’ agreement, any management equity plan or stock incentive plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement; provided that the aggregate Restricted Payments made under this clause (iii) do not exceed $60.0 million in the first fiscal year following the Closing Date (with unused amounts in any fiscal year being carried over to succeeding fiscal years subject to a maximum (without giving effect to the following proviso) of $100.0 million in any fiscal year; provided, further, that such amount in any fiscal year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the (A) cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date, plus (B) the cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the U.S. Borrower and, to the extent contributed to the U.S. Borrower, Equity Interest of any of the U.S. Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies, in each case to members of management, directors, managers or consultants (or their respective estates, Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members), of the U.S. Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its direct or indirect parent companies that occurs after the Closing Date, to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Equity Interests have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments in reliance on clause (i) of this Section 6.04 or the making of Investments in reliance on clause (q) of the definition of Permitted Investments, less (C) the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made pursuant to clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iii); and provided, further, that cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from members of management, directors, managers or consultants (or their respective estates, Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members), of the U.S. Borrower, any of its direct or indirect parent companies or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of any of the U.S. Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies shall not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this Section 6.04 or any other provision of this Agreement;
(iv) Restricted Payments that are made with Excluded Contributions;
(v) the declaration and payment of dividends by the U.S. Borrower to, or the making of loans to, its direct or indirect parent company in amounts required for the U.S. Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies to pay, in each case without duplication, (A) franchise taxes, and other fees and expenses, required to maintain their corporate existence, (B) for any period in which the U.S. Borrower is a member of a group filing consolidated, combined or unitary income tax returns for which a direct or indirect parent of the U.S. Borrower is the common parent (a “Tax Group”), to pay the foreign, federal, state and/or local income taxes (as applicable) of such Tax Group for such taxable period, to the extent such income taxes are attributable to the income of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and, to the extent of the amount actually received from its Unrestricted Subsidiaries for such purpose, income taxes to the extent attributable to the income of such Unrestricted Subsidiaries; provided that in each case the amount of such payments for any fiscal year does not exceed the amount that the U.S. Borrower, its Restricted Subsidiaries and its Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent described above) would be required to pay in respect of such foreign, federal, state and/or local income taxes (as applicable) for such fiscal year were the U.S. Borrower, its Restricted Subsidiaries and its Unrestricted Subsidiaries (to the extent described above) to pay such taxes as a stand-alone group, less any such taxes payable directly by the U.S. Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries; (C) customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of any direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, (D) general corporate overhead expenses of any direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower to the extent such expenses are attributable to the ownership or operation of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and (E) reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with any unsuccessful debt or equity offering by such direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower;
(vi) [Reserved];
(vii) distributions or payments of Receivables Fees;
(viii) the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of any Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower or any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower, in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower (other than any Disqualified Stock) or, to the extent the proceeds thereof have actually been contributed to the U.S. Borrower, Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower (“Refunding Capital Stock”);
(ix) the payment of any dividend or distribution within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if at the date of declaration such payment would have complied with the provisions of this Agreement;
(x) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants;
(xi) Restricted Payments made pursuant to agreements set forth on Schedule 6.04;
(xii) other Restricted Payments in an amount which, when taken together with all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (xii) and all Investments outstanding in reliance on clause (u) of the definition of “Permitted Investments,” does not exceed the greater of (x) $200.0 million and (y) 15% of EBITDA for the most recently ended Test Period as of the time any such Restricted Payment is made;
(xiii) the distribution, as a dividend or otherwise (and the declaration of such dividend), of shares of Equity Interest of, or Indebtedness issued to the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary by, any Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the primary assets of which are cash and/or Cash Equivalents);
(xiv) the declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary issued in accordance with Section 6.01 to the extent such dividends are included in the definition of “Interest Charges”;
(xv) the declaration and payment of dividends (A) to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) issued by the U.S. Borrower after the Closing Date, (B) to a direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of such parent company issued after the Closing Date, or (C) on Refunding Capital Stock that is Preferred Stock (provided that the amount of dividends paid pursuant to subclause (B) shall not exceed the aggregate amount of cash actually contributed to the U.S. Borrower from the sale of such Preferred Stock); provided that (x) all such dividends are included in “Interest Charges” and (y) in the case of each of (A), (B) and (C) of this clause (xv), that for the most recently ended Test Period, after giving effect to such issuance or declaration on a pro forma basis, the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would have had an Interest Coverage Ratio of at least 2.00 to 1.00;
(xvi) the declaration and payment of dividends on the U.S. Borrower’s common stock in an amount equal to 6% of the net proceeds received by or contributed to the U.S. Borrower in or from any public underwriting offering of any common stock of any direct or indirect parent company of the U.S. Borrower (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such offering consummated after January 26, 2007 and prior to the Closing Date), other than public offerings with respect to the U.S. Borrower’s common stock registered on Form S−4 or Form S−8 and other than any public sale constituting an Excluded Contribution;
(xvii) payments made or expected to be made by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any repurchases (including in respect of withholding or similar Taxes payable in connection therewith) of Equity Interests held by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or their respective estates, Controlled Investment Affiliates or Immediate Family Members) including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options;
(xviii) Restricted Payments consisting of a dividend or other distribution or exchange (and the declaration thereof) of Equity Interests of any entity or entities constituting the Designated Business; provided that (i) as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) prior to the date of such Restricted Payment, after giving pro forma effect to such Restricted Payment (including the application of the net proceeds therefrom), the Consolidated Secured Debt Ratio at such time does not exceed 4.90:1.00 and (ii) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and
(xix) repurchases, redemptions or repayments of any Subordinated Indebtedness from net cash proceeds of any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(b)(xxvi); provided, however, that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (i), (xii) and (xvi) of this Section 6.04, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.
Limitations on Restricted Payments (a) The Parent shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment unless:
(1) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the Parent could incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Ratio Exception; and
(3) the amount of such Restricted Payment, when added to the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made after November 8, 2012 (other than Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 4.04(b) (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), or (7)), does not exceed the sum (the “Restricted Payments Basket”) of (without duplication):
(A) 50% of Consolidated Net Income for the period (taken as one accounting period) from October 1, 2012 to and including the last day of the fiscal quarter ended immediately prior to the date of such calculation for which consolidated financial statements are available (or, if such Consolidated Net Income shall be a deficit, minus 100% of such aggregate deficit), plus
(B) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds or the Fair Market Value (as determined by the Board of Directors of Parent) of any assets to be used in a Permitted Business received by the Parent either (x) as contributions to the common equity of the Parent after November 8, 2012 or (y) from the issuance and sale of Qualified Equity Interests after November 8, 2012, plus
(C) the aggregate amount by which Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary is reduced on the Parent’s balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange (other than by a Subsidiary of the Parent) of Indebtedness issued subsequent to November 8, 2012 into Qualified Equity Interests (less the amount of any cash, or the fair value of assets, distributed by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary upon such conversion or exchange), plus
(D) in the case of the disposition or repayment of or return on any Investment that was treated as a Restricted Payment made after November 8, 2012, an amount (to the extent not included in the computation of Consolidated Net Income) equal to the lesser of (i) the return of capital with respect to such Investment and (ii) the amount of such Investment that was treated as a Restricted Payment, in either case, less the cost of the disposition of such Investment and net of taxes, plus
(E) upon a Redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the lesser of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Parent’s proportionate interest in such Subsidiary immediately following such Redesignation, and (ii) the aggregate amount of the Parent’s Investments in such Subsidiary to the extent such Investments reduced the amount available for subsequent Restricted Payments under this Section 4.04(a)(E) and were not previously repaid or otherwise reduced, plus
(F) 100% of the principal amount of, or, if issued at a discount, the accreted value of, any guarantee by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred after November 8, 2012 that is subsequently released (other than due to a payment on such guarantee), but only to the extent that such guarantee was treated as a Restricted Payment pursuant to this paragraph (a) when made.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.04(a) shall not prohibit:
(1) the payment by the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary of any dividend or similar distribution within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if on the date of declaration the payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(2) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent issuance and sale of, Qualified Equity Interests (other than to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries);
(3) the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Subordinated Indebtedness of the Parent or any Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent incurrence of, Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 4.03 and the other terms of this Indenture;
(4) the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of the Parent held by officers, directors or employees or former officers, directors or employees (or their transferees, estates or beneficiaries under their estates), upon their bankruptcy or petition for bankruptcy, death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment or service or any other repurchase event set forth in a written agreement between Parent and such individual evidencing such Equity Interest as of the Issue Date; provided that the aggregate cash consideration paid for all such redemptions shall not exceed $4,000,000 during any calendar year;
(5) repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options or stock appreciation rights if the Equity Interests represents a portion of the exercise price thereof;
(6) the repurchase of Equity Interests upon vesting of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance share units or similar equity incentives to satisfy tax withholding or similar tax obligations with respect thereto; or
(7) Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount, when taken together with all Restricted Payments made pursuant to this Section 4.04(b)(7) and then outstanding, does not exceed $20,000,000. provided that no issuance and sale of Qualified Equity Interests pursuant to Section 4.04(b)(2) or (3) shall increase the Restricted Payments Basket, except to the extent the proceeds thereof exceed the amounts used to effect the transactions described therein. The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Parent or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Parent, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment.
Restricted Payments, etc No Credit Agreement Party will, nor will permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or pay any dividends (other than dividends payable solely in non-redeemable common stock or comparable common equity interests of the U.S. Borrower or any such Subsidiary, as the case may be) or return any equity capital to, its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders or authorize or make any other distribution, payment or delivery of property or cash to its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders as such, or redeem, retire, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, for a consideration, any shares of any class of its capital stock or other Equity Interests, now or hereafter outstanding (or any warrants for or options or stock appreciation rights in respect of any of such shares or other Equity Interests), or set aside any funds for any of the foregoing purposes, and no Credit Agreement Party will permit any of its Subsidiaries to purchase or otherwise acquire for a consideration any shares of any class of the capital stock or other Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent of such Subsidiary now or hereafter outstanding (or any options or warrants or stock appreciation rights issued by such Person with respect to its capital stock or other Equity Interests) (all of the foregoing “Dividends”) or make any payments in respect of any outstanding Intercompany Debt, except that:
(i) (x) any Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower may pay Dividends to the U.S. Borrower or any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower and (y) any non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower may pay cash Dividends to its shareholders generally so long as the U.S. Borrower or its respective Subsidiary which owns the Equity Interest in the Subsidiary paying such Dividends receives at least its proportionate share thereof (based upon its relative holding of the Equity Interests in the Subsidiary paying such Dividends and taking into account the relative preferences, if any, of the various classes of Equity Interests of such Subsidiary); provided that any Dividend made pursuant to preceding clause (x) to any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party may only be made if (A) (I) no Specified Default and no Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom and (II) such Wholly-Owned Subsidiary promptly distributes and/or transfer any Property received pursuant to such Dividend (directly or indirectly through other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries) to a Credit Party or (B) the Subsidiary making such Dividend is not a Credit Party; provided, however, that, subject to Section 9.01(c)(v), any such Dividend may be made to the Bermuda Partnership notwithstanding the existence of an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default under Section 10.01 or 10.05) so long as (a) the Bermuda Partnership complies with clause (II) of the preceding proviso and (b) the Bermuda Partnership Partners are (after giving effect to the receipt of any Dividend from Bermuda Partnership) in compliance with the requirements of Section 9.01(c);
(ii) the U.S. Borrower may redeem or purchase shares of, or options to purchase, U.S. Borrower Common Stock held by former officers or employees of the U.S. Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries following the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of such officers or employees, provided that (x) the only consideration paid by the U.S. Borrower in respect of such redemptions and/or purchases shall be cash, (y) the aggregate amount paid by the U.S. Borrower in cash in respect of all such redemptions and/or purchases shall not exceed $2,000,000 in any Fiscal Year of Holdings, and (z) at the time of any redemption or purchase pursuant to this Section 9.06(ii), no Specified Default or Event of Default shall then exist or result therefrom;
(iii) [Reserved];
(iv) [Reserved];
(v) [Reserved];
(vi) the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make payments with respect to Intercompany Debt, so long as the respective payment is permitted to be made in accordance with the terms of the Intercompany Subordination Agreement;
(vii) [Reserved];
(viii) the U.S. Borrower may pay regularly scheduled Dividends on Qualified Preferred Stock issued by it pursuant to the terms thereof solely through the issuance of additional shares of such Qualified Preferred Stock rather than in cash;
(ix) [Reserved];
(x) [Reserved];
(xi) so long as no Default and no Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, any Existing Senior Notes, any Permitted Senior Notes and any Permitted Refinancing Senior Notes may be refinanced with any Permitted Refinancing Senior Notes in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement;
(xii) so long as no Specified Default and no Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, any Scheduled Existing Indebtedness, any Permitted Acquired Debt and any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to refinance same may be refinanced with Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the Existing Senior Notes and any Permitted Refinancing Senior Notes may be exchanged for Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower permitted by Section 9.09(a);
(xiii) in addition to the actions permitted above, the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make Investments (and, without duplication, may repurchase or redeem (so long as any repurchased Indebtedness is promptly cancelled) any Indebtedness otherwise described in Section 9.08(a)(i)) so long as (I) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, (II) the aggregate amount of cash expended pursuant to this Section 9.06(xiii) to effect such Investments after the Restatement Effective Date does not exceed the sum of (x) $50,000,000 and (y) the aggregate amount of Retained Excess Cash Flow Amount at the time such Investment is made and (III) to the extent any such Investment (or any part thereof) is made in reliance on preceding clause (II)(y), calculations are made by the U.S. Borrower of compliance with Section 9.04(a) (regardless of whether any Indebtedness is then being incurred pursuant to said Section 9.04(a)) for the Calculation Period most recently ended prior to the date of the respective repurchase or redemption (determined on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to such Investment and the incurrence of any Indebtedness to finance same), as set forth in a certificate by an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower furnished to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Investment, and such calculations shall show that, after giving effect to the respective Investment (and any other contemporaneous Investments) and any Indebtedness being incurred in connection therewith, the U.S. Borrower would be permitted to incur at least $1 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 9.04(a) at such time; provided that, to the extent that such Investments constitute redemptions and/or repurchases of Existing Senior Notes, Permitted Senior Notes and/or Permitted Refinancing Senior Notes from time to time (whether redeemed in accordance with the terms of the indenture therefor and/or repurchased on the open market), all such Existing Senior Notes, Permitted Senior Notes or Permitted Refinancing Senior Notes, as the case may be, so repurchased or redeemed are promptly cancelled by the U.S. Borrower; and
(xiv) in addition to the actions permitted above, the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make Investments in (and, without duplication, may repurchase or redeem) any Existing 2009 Senior Notes or Existing 2010 Senior Notes so long as (I) no Default or Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom, (II) the aggregate amount of cash expended pursuant to this Section 9.06(xiv) to effect such Investments after the Restatement Effective Date does not exceed $50,000,000, (III) after giving effect to such Investments, redemptions and repurchases, the U.S. Borrower (A) would be in compliance on a pro forma basis with Section 9.13 as of the last day of the most recently completed Test Period for which financial statements are available and (B) has not less than $70,000,000 of unutilized ABL Commitments and (IV) all such Existing 2009 Senior Notes or Existing 2010 Senior Notes so repurchased or redeemed are promptly cancelled by the U.S. Borrower.
Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness (i) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that (A) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower, (B) any Restricted Subsidiary may declare and pay dividends or make other distributions with respect to its Equity Interest, or make other Restricted Payments in respect of its Equity Interests, in each case ratably to the holders of such Equity Interests (or, if not ratably, on a basis more favorable to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries), (C) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $5,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrower, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (with any unused amount available in the following fiscal year only), (D) the Borrower may repurchase Equity Interests (i) upon the exercise of stock options, deferred stock units and restricted shares to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such stock options, deferred stock units or restricted shares and (ii) in connection with the withholding of a portion of the Equity Interests granted or awarded to a director or an employee to pay for the taxes payable by such director or employee upon such grant or award, (E) the Borrower may make cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares representing insignificant interests in the Borrower in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock in the Borrower, (F) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may declare and make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $80,000,000 in any fiscal year in respect of dividends on the Borrower’s common stock, (G) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing as of the date such dividend is declared (or, in the case of a Restricted Payment that is necessary or advisable (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) for the consummation of a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Default exists as of the date the definitive acquisition agreements for such Limited Condition Acquisition are entered into), the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed the Available Amount and (H) the Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments; provided that at the time of and immediately after giving effect to any such Restricted Payment referred to in this clause (H), (1) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom (or, in the case of a Restricted Payment that is necessary or advisable (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) for the consummation of a Limited Condition Acquisition, no Default exists as of the date the definitive acquisition agreements for such Limited Condition Acquisition are entered into) and (2) after giving effect to such Restricted Payment and any related transaction on a pro forma basis the Senior Secured Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 2.75 to 1.00 (calculated as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower then most recently ended for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a).
(ii) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(a)(xii), or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any other Specified Indebtedness, except:
(A) payments of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Specified Indebtedness, other than payments in respect of any Subordinated Indebtedness prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof; (B) refinancings of Specified Indebtedness with the proceeds of other Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(a);
Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary (except a Foreign Subsidiary) to (a) pay dividends, in cash or otherwise, or make any other distributions on or in respect of its Capital Stock to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, (b) pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, (c) make an Investment in the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary or (d) transfer any of its Properties or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions (i) pursuant to this Indenture, the Existing Indentures, the Credit Agreement or any agreement in effect or entered into on the Issue Date, (ii) any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in existence at the time of such acquisition (but not created in contemplation thereof), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any other Person, or the Properties or assets of any other Person, other than the Person, or the Property or assets of the Person, so acquired, (iii) that constitute customary restrictions in leases and licenses relating to the Property covered thereby and entered into in the ordinary course of business, (iv) contained in agreements governing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred in accordance with this Indenture provided that the restrictions are not materially more restrictive in the aggregate than the restrictions contained in this Indenture, or (v) existing under any agreement that extends, renews, refinances or replaces (in whole or in part, and whether or not such prior agreements remain outstanding) the agreements containing the restrictions in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) provided that the terms and conditions of any such restrictions are not materially less favorable to the Holders of the Securities than those under or pursuant to the agreement evidencing the Indebtedness so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced.
Limitation on Dividends and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries (a) Except as provided in clause (b) below, the Issuer shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(i) pay dividends or make any other distributions on or in respect of its Capital Stock to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
(ii) make loans or advances to, or make any Investment in, the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary; or
(iii) transfer any of its property or assets to the Issuer or any other Restricted Subsidiary.
(b) Section 3.15(a) shall not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) applicable law, rule, regulation or order;
(ii) this Indenture;
(iii) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date, and any amendments, restatements, renewals, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided, that any amendment, restatement, renewal, replacement or refinancing is not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances or restrictions than those in existence on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(iv) customary non-assignment provisions of any contract and customary provisions restricting assignment or subletting in any lease governing a leasehold interest of any Restricted Subsidiary, or any customary restriction on the ability of a Restricted Subsidiary to dividend, distribute or otherwise transfer any asset which secures Indebtedness secured by a Lien, in each case permitted to be Incurred under this Indenture;
(v) any instrument governing Acquired Indebtedness not Incurred in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, the relevant acquisition, merger or consolidation, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person so acquired;
(vi) restrictions with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Issuer imposed pursuant to a binding agreement which has been entered into for the sale or disposition of Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that such restrictions apply solely to the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary being sold (and in the case of Capital Stock, its Subsidiaries);
(vii) customary restrictions imposed on the transfer of copyrighted or patented materials;
(viii) an agreement governing Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance the Indebtedness issued, assumed or Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clause (iii) or (v) of this Section 3.15(b); provided, that such Refinancing agreement is not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances or restrictions than those contained in the agreement referred to in such clause (iii) or (v) as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(ix) Liens permitted to be Incurred pursuant to the provisions of the covenant described under Section 3.17 that limit the right of any person to transfer the assets subject to such Liens;
(x) Purchase Money Indebtedness for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capitalized Lease Obligations that impose restrictions of the nature discussed in clause (iii) of Section 3.15(a) above on the property so acquired;
(xi) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts or other arrangements entered into or agreed to in the ordinary course of business not materially more restrictive than those existing on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management;
(xii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements relating to dividends or other distributions in respect of such joint venture or the securities, assets or revenues of such joint venture;
(xiii) restrictions in Indebtedness Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary in compliance with the covenant described under Section 3.9; provided, that (A) such restrictions are not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those such Restricted Subsidiary was subject to in agreements related to obligations referenced in clause (iii) above as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management or (B) such Incurrence will not materially impair the Issuer’s ability to make payments under the Notes when due as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management; and
(xiv) net worth provisions in leases entered into by the Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business not materially more restrictive than those existing on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Issuer’s senior management.
Restricted Payments The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except as long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, (a) WPZ may make Restricted Payments of Available Cash (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) with respect to any Quarter (as defined in the Partnership Agreement), (b) each of NWP and TGPL and their respective Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments to WPZ and its Subsidiaries, (c) WPZ and its Subsidiaries may make payments or other distributions to officers, directors or employees with respect to the exercise by any such Persons of options, warrants or other rights to acquire Equity Interests in WPZ or such Subsidiary issued pursuant to an employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreement or plans entered into by WPZ or such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, (d) WPZ may reimburse the General Partner for expenses pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, (e) TGPL and NWP and their Subsidiaries may distribute cash to WPZ in connection with their participation in WPZ’s cash management program and (f) any Person may be permitted to make any Restricted Payment required to effectuate a MLP Combination; provided, that even if an Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing, no Subsidiary of the Borrower shall be prohibited from upstreaming dividends or other payments to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or making, in the case of any Subsidiary that is not wholly-owned (directly or indirectly) by the Borrower, dividends or payments, as the case may be, to the other owners of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary; and provided, further, that, any dividends or payments by any such Subsidiary that is not wholly-owned (directly or indirectly) by the Borrower to the Borrower shall be not less than an amount equal to (x) WPZ’s direct or indirect percentage ownership of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary times (y) the amount of all such dividends and payments made to all owners of Equity Interests in such Subsidiary.
Limitation on Restrictions on Subsidiary Distributions Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (a) make Restricted Payments in respect of any Capital Stock of such Subsidiary held by, or pay or subordinate any Indebtedness owed to, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (b) make Investments in the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or (c) transfer any of its assets to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under the Loan Documents, (ii) any restrictions existing under the New Senior Note Indenture, the New Senior Note Indenture and any agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.2(f), to the extent such restrictions are no more restrictive than those in the Senior Note Indenture or the New Senior Note Indenture, (iii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with the Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary, (iv) customary net worth provisions contained in real property leases entered into in by any Loan Party so long as such net worth provisions would not reasonably be expected to impair materially the ability of the Loan Parties to meet their ongoing obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and (v) with respect to clause (c) only, (i) customary non-assignment provisions in licenses or sublicenses by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business (in which case such prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the Intellectual Property subject thereto), (ii) customary provisions in joint venture agreements and similar agreements that restrict transfers of assets of, or equity interests in, such joint venture, (iii) agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.2(g), (h) and (m) (provided that, in the case of such agreements governing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.2(h), such prohibition or limitation shall be effective only against the property acquired thereby), (iv) agreements entered into by a Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor governing Liens permitted by Section 6.3(m) or the Indebtedness secured thereby (in which case such prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets of such Subsidiary subject to such Lien) and (v) any agreements governing any purchase money Liens or Capital Lease Obligations otherwise permitted hereby (in which case, any prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets financed thereby).
Limitations on Debt Payments and Amendments (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, prepay, repurchase or redeem or otherwise defease any Restricted Indebtedness; provided, however, that (x) the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary may prepay, repurchase or redeem or otherwise defease Restricted Indebtedness with the Net Cash Proceeds of Permitted Other Indebtedness that is unsecured or secured by a Lien ranking junior to the Lien securing the Obligations incurred in accordance with Section 10.1(bb)(i)(b) and (y) the Borrower or Restricted Subsidiary may prepay, repurchase or redeem Restricted Indebtedness (i) in an aggregate amount from the 2014 July Repricing Effective Date, when aggregated with (A) the aggregate amount of dividends paid pursuant to Section 10.6(c) from the Original Closing Date (other than dividends paid pursuant to Section 10.6(c)(x) prior to March 31, 2015) and (B) all loans and advances to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower made pursuant to Section 10.5(m) (in lieu of dividends permitted by Section 10.6(c)), not in excess of the sum of (1) $400,000,000 plus (2) 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 prepayment, repurchase or redemption, the Applicable Amount at the time of such prepayment, repurchase or redemption; provided the use of such amounts in clauses (1) and (2) shall be subject to no Default or Event of Default having occurred and continuing at the date of such prepayment, repurchase, redemption or other defeasance or resulting therefrom, plus (3) the Applicable Equity Amount at the time of such prepayment, repurchase or redemption; for the avoidance of doubt, dividends paid in reliance on and in compliance with Section 10.6(c) shall not retroactively cause any breach of this Section 10.7(a)(y)(i) in respect of amounts previously prepaid in compliance with this Section 10.7(a)(y)(i); and (ii) with the proceeds of Permitted Additional Debt. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 10.7 shall restrict (i) any prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance made after the Original Closing Date in connection with the Debt Repayment, (ii) the making of any prepayment of accrued but unpaid interest and/or original issue discount in respect of the Senior Interim PIK Loans and/or the PIK Notes in accordance with the “Optional Interest Repayment” provisions thereof as of the end of any accrual period ending after the fifth anniversary of the Original Closing Date or (iii) the prepayment, repurchase or redemption of the PIK Notes with the net proceeds of Additional 2018 New Dollar Term Loans.
(b) The Borrower will not waive, amend, modify, terminate or release any Restricted Indebtedness to the extent that any such waiver, amendment, modification, termination or release would be adverse to the Lenders in any material respect.
(c) Prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, to the extent any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes are issued pursuant to Section 10.1(cc) for the purpose of consummating a Permitted Debt Exchange, (i) the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, prepay, repurchase, redeem or otherwise defease or acquire any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes unless the Borrower shall concurrently voluntarily prepay Term Loans pursuant to Section 5.1(a) on a pro rata basis among the Class or Classes of Term Loans from which such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes were exchanged, in an amount not less than the product of (a) a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes that are proposed to be prepaid, repurchased, redeemed, defeased or acquired and the denominator of which is the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of all Permitted Debt Exchange Notes in respect of the relevant Permitted Debt Exchange then outstanding (prior to giving effect to such proposed prepayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or acquisition) and (b) the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of Term Loans of the Class or Classes from which such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes were exchanged then outstanding and (ii) the Borrower will not waive, amend or modify the terms of any Permitted Debt Exchange Notes or any indenture pursuant to which such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes have been issued in any manner inconsistent with the terms of Section 2.15(a), 10.1(cc) or the definition of “Permitted Other Indebtedness” or that would result in a Default hereunder if such Permitted Debt Exchange Notes (as so amended or modified) were then being issued or incurred.
Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company, (b) make any loans or advances to the Company or (c) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company, except:
(1) with respect to clauses (a), (b) and (c),
(A) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock and other agreements or instruments in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date;
(B) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement relating to any Indebtedness Incurred by such Restricted Subsidiary or Capital Stock or other agreement or instrument of such Restricted Subsidiary in existence on or prior to the date on which such Restricted Subsidiary was acquired by the Company or otherwise became a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred, Capital Stock issued or agreements or instruments entered into as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by the Company) and outstanding on such date;
(C) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement effecting a Refinancing in whole or in part of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in subclause (A) or (B) of clause (1) of this Section 4.10 or this subclause (C) or subclause (B) of clause (2) of this Section 4.10 or contained in any amendment to, or modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, replacement or extension of, an agreement referred to in subclause (A) or (B) of clause (1) of this Section 4.10 or this clause (C) or subclause (B) of clause (2) of this Section 4.10; provided, however, that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such refinancing agreement or amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, replacement or extension agreement are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in such predecessor agreements;
(D) any customary encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary imposed pursuant to a merger agreement or an agreement entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary pending the closing of such sale or disposition;
(E) customary encumbrances and restrictions contained in agreements of the types described in the definition of the term “Permitted Business Investments;” and
(F) customary supermajority voting provisions and other customary provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets, each contained in corporate charters, bylaws, stockholders’ agreements, limited liability company agreements, partnership agreements, joint venture agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; and
(2) with respect to clause (c) only,
(A) any such encumbrance or restriction consisting of customary nonassignment provisions (including provisions forbidding subletting or sublicensing) in leases governing leasehold interests and licenses to the extent such provisions restrict the transfer of the lease or license or the property leased, or licensed thereunder;
(B) any encumbrance or restriction contained in credit agreements, security agreements or mortgages securing Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in Production Payments and Reserve Sales, to the extent such encumbrance or restriction restricts the transfer of the property subject to such credit agreements, security agreements or mortgages or Production Payments and Reserve Sales;
(C) encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement, instrument or Capital Stock assumed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or for which any of them becomes liable as in effect at the time of such transaction (except to the extent such agreement, instrument or Capital Stock was entered into in connection with or in contemplation of such transaction), which encumbrances and restrictions are not applicable to any assets other than assets acquired in connection with such transaction and all improvements, additions and accessions thereto and products and proceeds thereof;
(D) restrictions on cash or other deposits imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(E) encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(F) restrictions on the transfer of property or assets required by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary; and
(G) customary restrictions contained in asset sale agreements limiting the transfer of such assets pending the closing of such sale.
