Restrictions on Transfers (a) Except as provided in Section 4.7(c) below, but notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed), or (iv) cause the Partnership to be subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of (i) the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) the Partnership being subjected to the provisions of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided however, that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then traded must have, prior to such amendment being effected, Special LP Approval.
(c) Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed for trading.
(d) Each Certificate evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in substantially the following form or such other form as the General Partner shall determine in its sole discretion: THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, C) CAUSE STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED), OR (D) CAUSE STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. TO BE SUBJECTED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE U.S. INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, AS AMENDED. STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS GP INC., THE GENERAL PARTNER OF STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P., MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES OR CAUSING STEEL PARTNERS HOLDINGS L.P. TO BE SUBJECTED TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE U.S. INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, AS AMENDED. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS TRADED.
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.
