Prohibition on Dividends Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any order of any Regulatory Agency (other than orders applicable to bank or savings and loan holding companies and their subsidiaries generally), under any applicable law, or under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties, assets or operations to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
Limitation on Dividends The Borrower will not declare or pay any dividends (other than dividends payable solely in its Qualified Equity Interests) or return any capital to its stockholders (including any option holders) or make any other distribution, payment or delivery of property or cash to its stockholders as such, or redeem, retire, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, for consideration, any shares of any class of its Stock or Stock Equivalents or the Stock or Stock Equivalents of any direct or indirect parent now or hereafter outstanding, or set aside any funds for any of the foregoing purposes, or permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration (other than in connection with an Investment permitted by Section 10.5) any Stock or Stock Equivalents of the Borrower, now or hereafter outstanding (all of the foregoing, “dividends”):
(a) the Borrower may (or may pay dividends to permit any direct or indirect parent thereof to) redeem in whole or in part any of its Stock or Stock Equivalents for another class of its (or such parent’s) Stock or Stock Equivalents or with proceeds from substantially concurrent equity contributions or issuances of new Stock or Stock Equivalents, provided that such new Stock or Stock Equivalents contain terms and provisions at least as advantageous to the Lenders in all respects material to their interests as those contained in the Stock or Stock Equivalents redeemed thereby;
(b) the Borrower may (or may pay dividends to permit any direct or indirect parent thereof to) repurchase shares of its (or such parent’s) Stock or Stock Equivalents held by any present or former officer, director or employee (or their respective Affiliates, estates or immediate family members) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or any parent thereof, so long as such repurchase is pursuant to, and in accordance with the terms of, management and/or employee stock plans, stock subscription agreements or shareholder agreements or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement;
(c) provided that, so long as (other than with respect to clause (c)(z) below) no Default or Event of Default exists or would exist after giving effect thereto, the Borrower may pay dividends on its Stock or Stock Equivalents, provided that the amount of all such dividends paid from the Original Closing Date pursuant to this clause (c) (other than dividends paid pursuant to clause (c)(x) below prior to March 31, 2015), when aggregated with (i) all aggregate principal amounts paid pursuant to Section 10.7(a)(y)(i) from the 2014 July Repricing Effective Date and (ii) all loans and advances made to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.5(m) in lieu of dividends permitted by this clause (c) shall not exceed an amount equal to (x)(a) if, on a Pro Forma Basis, the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio is less than 7.0 to 1.0, $200,000,000 or (b) if, on a Pro Forma Basis, the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio is greater than 7.0 to 1.0, $0 plus (y) if, on a Pro Forma Basis, the Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA Ratio is less than 7.0 to 1.0, the Applicable Amount plus (z) the Applicable Equity Amount at such time; for the avoidance of doubt, amounts prepaid in reliance on and in compliance with Section 10.7(a)(y)(i) shall not retroactively cause any breach of this Section 10.6(c) in respect of dividends previously paid in compliance with this Section 10.6(c);
(d) the Borrower may pay dividends:
(i) the proceeds of which will be used to pay income tax liability attributable to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated tax returns filed by a direct or indirect parent of the Borrower in an amount not to exceed the income tax liability of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries were they to file as a stand-alone group, reduced by any such income taxes paid directly by the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(ii) the proceeds of which shall be used to allow any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to pay (A) its operating expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and other corporate overhead costs and expenses (including administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties), which are reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business and attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower, not to exceed $3,500,000 in any fiscal year plus (B) any reasonable and customary indemnification claims made by directors or officers of the Borrower (or any parent thereof) attributable to the ownership or operations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries or (C) fees and expenses otherwise due and payable by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and permitted to be paid by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary under this Agreement (including in respect of any initial public offering);
(iii) the proceeds of which shall be used to pay franchise and excise taxes and other fees, taxes and expenses required to maintain the corporate existence of any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower; and
(iv) to any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower to finance any Investment permitted to be made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 10.5; provided that (A) such dividend shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment, (B) such parent shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets, Stock or Stock Equivalents) to be contributed to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 10.5) of the Person formed or acquired into the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and (C) the Borrower shall comply with Sections 9.11 and 9.12 to the extent applicable;
(e) [Reserved];
(f) the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries may (i) pay cash in lieu of fractional shares in connection with any dividend, split or combination thereof or any Permitted Acquisition and (ii) honor any conversion request by a holder of convertible Indebtedness and make cash payments in lieu of fractional shares in connection with any such conversion and may make payments on convertible Indebtedness in accordance with its terms;
(g) the Borrower may pay 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;
(h) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends on the Borrower’s common stock following the first public offering of the Borrower’s common stock or the common stock of any of its direct or indirect parents after the Original Closing Date, of up to 6% per annum of the net proceeds received by or contributed as common equity to the Borrower in or from any such public offering to the extent such net proceeds are not utilized in connection with other transactions permitted by Section 10.5, 10.6 or 10.7; and
(i) the Borrower may pay dividends in an amount equal to withholding or similar Taxes payable or expected to be payable by any present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or their respective Affiliates, estates or immediate family members) and any repurchases of Stock or Stock Equivalents in consideration of such payments including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options.
Restriction on Dividends and Repurchases (a) Prior to the earlier of (x) the third anniversary of the Closing Date and (y) the date on which all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares have been redeemed in whole or the Investor has transferred all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares to third parties which are not Affiliates of the Investor, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, without the consent of the Investor, declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (other than (i) regular quarterly cash dividends of not more than the amount of the last quarterly cash dividend per share declared or, if lower, announced to its holders of Common Stock an intention to declare, on the Common Stock prior to November 17, 2008, as adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar transaction, (ii) dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock, (iii) regular dividends on shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms thereof and which are permitted under the terms of the Preferred Shares and the Warrant Shares, (iv) dividends or distributions by any wholly-owned Company Subsidiary or (v) dividends or distributions by any Company Subsidiary required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to November 17, 2008).
(b) During the period beginning on the third anniversary of the Closing Date and ending on the earlier of (i) the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date and (ii) the date on which all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares have been redeemed in whole or the Investor has transferred all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares to third parties which are not Affiliates of the Investor, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, without the consent of the Investor, (A) pay any per share dividend or distribution on capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of the Company at a per annum rate that is in excess of 103% of the aggregate per share dividends and distributions for the immediately prior fiscal year (other than regular dividends on shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms thereof and which are permitted under the terms of the Preferred Shares and the Warrant Shares); provided that no increase in the aggregate amount of dividends or distributions on Common Stock shall be permitted as a result of any dividends or distributions paid in shares of Common Stock, any stock split or any similar transaction or (B) pay aggregate dividends or distributions on capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of any Company Subsidiary that is in excess of 103% of the aggregate dividends and distributions paid for the immediately prior fiscal year (other than in the case of this clause (B), (1) regular dividends on shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms thereof and which are permitted under the terms of the Preferred Shares and the Warrant Shares, (2) dividends or distributions by any wholly-owned Company Subsidiary, (3) dividends or distributions by any Company Subsidiary required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to November 17, 2008) or (4) dividends or distributions on newly issued shares of capital stock for cash or other property.
(c) Prior to the earlier of (x) the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date and (y) the date on which all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares have been redeemed in whole or the Investor has transferred all of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares to third parties which are not Affiliates of the Investor, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, without the consent of the Investor, redeem, purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock or other capital stock or other equity securities of any kind of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or any trust preferred securities issued by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, other than (i) redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions of the Preferred Shares and Warrant Shares,
Restriction on Redemption and Cash Dividends So long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company shall not, directly or indirectly, redeem, or declare or pay any cash dividend or distribution on, any securities of the Company without the prior express written consent of the Buyers.
Restrictions on Dividends So long as any shares of the Series C Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Board of Directors shall not declare, and the Corporation shall not pay or set apart for payment any dividend on any Junior Securities or make any payment on account of, or set apart for payment money for a sinking or other similar fund for, the repurchase, redemption or other retirement of, any Junior Securities or Parity Securities or any warrants, rights or options exercisable for or convertible into any Junior Securities or Parity Securities (other than the repurchase, redemption or other retirement of debentures or other debt securities that are convertible or exchangeable into any Junior Securities or Parity Securities), or make any distribution in respect of the Junior Securities, either directly or indirectly, and whether in cash, obligations or shares of the Corporation or other property (other than distributions or dividends in Junior Securities to the holders of Junior Securities), and shall not permit any corporation or other entity directly or indirectly controlled by the Corporation to purchase or redeem any Junior Securities or Parity Securities or any warrants, rights, calls or options exercisable for or convertible into any Junior Securities or Parity Securities (other than the repurchase, redemption or other retirement of debentures or other debt securities that are convertible or exchangeable into any Junior Securities or Parity Securities or the repurchase, redemption or other retirement of Junior Securities or Parity Securities in exchange for Junior Securities or Parity Securities) unless prior to or concurrently with such declaration, payment, setting apart for payment, repurchase, redemption or other retirement or distribution, as the case may be, all accumulated and unpaid dividends on shares of the Series C Preferred Stock not paid on the dates provided for in paragraph A of Article III hereof (including Arrearages and accumulated dividends thereon) shall have been paid, except that when dividends are not paid in full as aforesaid upon the shares of Series C Preferred Stock, all dividends declared on the Series C Preferred Stock and any series of Parity Dividend Securities shall be declared and paid pro rata so that the amount of dividends so declared and paid on Series C Preferred Stock and such series of Parity Dividend Securities shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accumulated dividends (including interest accrued on or additional dividends accumulated in respect of such accumulated dividends) on the shares of Series C Preferred Stock and such Parity Dividend Securities bear to each other.
Limitations on Dividends and Distributions Declare or pay any dividends upon any of its Capital Stock; purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any shares of its Capital Stock, or make any distribution of cash, property or assets among the holders of shares of its Capital Stock, or make any change in its capital structure; provided that:
(a) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may pay dividends in shares of its own Capital Stock; and
(b) any Subsidiary may pay cash dividends to the Borrower.
Limitation on Dividends and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to (i) pay dividends or make any other distribution on its Equity Interests, (ii) pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) make any Investment in the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or (iv) transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, except (a) any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect on the Issue Date or contained in any other indenture or instrument governing debt or preferred securities that are no more restrictive than those contained in this Indenture; (b) any encumbrance or restriction, with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary of the Company on the Issue Date, in existence at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, provided, that such encumbrances and restrictions are not applicable to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or the properties or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such Subsidiary which is becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; (c) any encumbrance or restriction existing under, by reason of or with respect to any agreement of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (1) such encumbrances or restrictions are ordinary and customary in light of the type of agreement involved and (2) such encumbrances shall not affect in any material respect the Company’s or any Guarantor’s ability to make principal and interest payments on the Securities, as determined in good faith by the Company; (d) any encumbrance or restriction existing under any agreement that extends, renews, refinances or replaces the agreements containing the encumbrances or restrictions in the foregoing clauses (a), (b) and (c), or in this clause (d), provided that the terms and conditions of any such encumbrances or 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 or are not more restrictive than those set forth in this Indenture; and (e) any encumbrance or restriction created pursuant to an asset sale agreement, stock sale agreement or similar instrument pursuant to which an Asset Sale permitted under Section 1012 is to be consummated, so long as such restriction or encumbrance shall be effective only for a period from the execution and delivery of such agreement or instrument through a termination date not later than 270 days after such execution and delivery.
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.
Limitation on Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary (i) to pay dividends (in cash or otherwise) or make any other distributions in respect of its Capital Stock owned by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary or pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary; (ii) to make loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary; or (iii) to transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may, and may permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or suffer to become effective any such encumbrance or restriction (A) pursuant to any agreement in effect on the Issuance Date of the Series A1 Redeemable Preferred Stock, the Series B1 Redeemable Preferred Stock and the Series C1 Redeemable Preferred Stock; (B) pursuant to the terms of any Credit Facility, Currency Agreement, Interest Rate Agreement, Commodity Agreement, Receivables Facility or Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to clause (iii) or (iv) of the definition of "Permitted Indebtedness"; provided that the Company determines in good faith that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction at the time any such agreement is entered into (i) are customary in similar agreements entered into by Persons of a comparable size and credit worthiness to the Company and (ii) could not reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the Company's ability to make required cash dividend payments with respect to the Redeemable Preferred Stock or to redeem the Redeemable Preferred Stock on the Maturity Redemption Date; (C) pursuant to an agreement existing prior to the date on which such Person became a Subsidiary of the Company and outstanding on such date and not created in anticipation of becoming a Subsidiary, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any other Person or the properties or assets of any other Person; (D) pursuant to an agreement effecting a renewal, refunding or extension of Indebtedness Incurred or Preferred Stock issued pursuant to an agreement referred to in clause (A), (B) or (C) above or this clause (D), provided that the provisions contained in such renewal, refunding or extension agreement relating to such encumbrance or restriction are not, in the aggregate, more restrictive in any material respect than the provisions contained in the agreement the subject thereof, as determined in good faith by the Company; (E) in the case of clause (iii) above, restrictions contained in any mortgage, security or lease agreement (including a capital or operating lease) securing Indebtedness of a Subsidiary or relating to property or assets of a Subsidiary otherwise permitted hereunder, but only to the extent such restrictions restrict the transfer of the property or asset subject to such mortgage, security or lease agreement; (F) in the case of clause (iii) above, customary nonassignment provisions entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in leases and other contracts to the extent such provisions restrict the transfer or subletting of any such lease or the assignment of rights under such contract; (G) any restriction with respect to a Subsidiary of the Company imposed pursuant to an agreement which has been entered into for the sale or disposition of Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary; (H) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Foreign Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement relating to Indebtedness or Liens Incurred by such Foreign Subsidiary which is permitted hereunder; provided, that the Company determines in good faith that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction at the time any such agreement is entered into (i) are customary in similar agreement entered into by persons of a comparable size and credit worthiness to the Company and (ii) could not reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the Company's ability to make required cash dividend payments with respect to the Redeemable Preferred Stock or to redeem the Redeemable Preferred Stock on the Maturity Redemption Date; or (I) any encumbrance or restriction which by its terms permits payments to the Company to the extent needed to pay dividends on any Dividend Payment Date or as otherwise required hereunder.
Restriction on Distributions (a) No distribution shall be made if, after giving effect to the distribution:
(i) The Company would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of business; or
(ii) The Company’s total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus, unless this Agreement provides otherwise, the amount that would be needed, if the Company were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights of other Member(s), if any, upon dissolution that are superior to the rights of the Member receiving the distribution.
(b) The Member(s) may base a determination that a distribution is not prohibited on any of the following:
(i) Financial statements prepared on the basis of accounting practices and principles that are reasonable in the circumstances;
(ii) A fair valuation; or
(iii) Any other method that is reasonable in the circumstances. The effect of a distribution is to be measured as of the date the distribution is authorized if the payment is to occur within 30 days after the date of authorization, or the date payment is made if it is to occur more than 30 days after the date of authorization.
(c) A Member who votes for a distribution in violation of this Agreement or the Act shall be personally liable to the Company for the amount of the distribution that exceeds what could have been distributed without violating this Agreement or the Act if it is established that the Member did not act in compliance with this Section 6.3. Any Member who is so liable shall be entitled to compel contribution from (i) each other Member who also is so liable, and (ii) each Member for the amount such Member received with knowledge of facts indicating that the distribution was made in violation of this Agreement or the Act.
