ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC. as Issuer the Guarantors party hereto and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. as Trustee Indenture Dated as of August 12, 2024 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029
Exhibit 4.1
as Issuer
the Guarantors party hereto
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
as Trustee
Dated as of August 12, 2024
9.125% Senior Notes due 2029
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE | ||||||
ARTICLE 1 | ||||||
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE | ||||||
Section 1.01. |
Definitions | 1 | ||||
Section 1.02. |
Rules of Construction | 30 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 | ||||||
THE NOTES | ||||||
Section 2.01. |
Form, Dating and Denominations 144A, Reg S; Legends | 31 | ||||
Section 2.02. |
Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes | 32 | ||||
Section 2.03. |
Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | 33 | ||||
Section 2.04. |
Replacement Notes | 33 | ||||
Section 2.05. |
Outstanding Notes | 34 | ||||
Section 2.06. |
Temporary Notes | 34 | ||||
Section 2.07. |
Cancellation | 35 | ||||
Section 2.08. |
CUSIP and CINS Numbers | 35 | ||||
Section 2.09. |
Registration, Transfer and Exchange | 35 | ||||
Section 2.10. |
Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange | 38 | ||||
Section 2.11. |
Reg. S Global Notes | 40 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 | ||||||
OPTIONAL REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE | ||||||
Section 3.01. |
Optional Redemption on or after August 1, 2026 | 39 | ||||
Section 3.02. |
Optional Redemption with Proceeds of Certain Equity Offerings | 40 | ||||
Section 3.03. |
Optional Redemption at Make-Whole Price | 40 | ||||
Section 3.04. |
Method and Effect of Redemption | 41 | ||||
Section 3.05. |
Offer to Purchase | 42 | ||||
Section 3.06. |
Tender Offers | 44 | ||||
ARTICLE 4 | ||||||
COVENANTS | ||||||
Section 4.01. |
Payment of Notes | 45 | ||||
Section 4.02. |
Maintenance of Office or Agency | 45 | ||||
Section 4.03. |
Existence | 46 | ||||
Section 4.04. |
Payment of Taxes and other Claims | 46 | ||||
Section 4.05. |
Maintenance of Properties and Insurance | 46 | ||||
Section 4.06. |
Restricted Payments | 47 | ||||
Section 4.07. |
Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock | 51 |
i
Section 4.08. |
Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries | 56 | ||||
Section 4.09. |
Liens | 56 | ||||
Section 4.10. |
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries | 57 | ||||
Section 4.11. |
Transactions with Affiliates | 59 | ||||
Section 4.12. |
Limitation on Issuances and Sales of Equity Interests in Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries | 60 | ||||
Section 4.13. |
Business Activities | 61 | ||||
Section 4.14. |
Additional Note Guarantees | 61 | ||||
Section 4.15. |
Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control | 61 | ||||
Section 4.16. |
Asset Sales | 62 | ||||
Section 4.17. |
Reports | 65 | ||||
Section 4.18. |
Reports to the Trustee | 67 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 | ||||||
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF ASSETS | ||||||
Section 5.01. |
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets | 67 | ||||
ARTICLE 6 | ||||||
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES | ||||||
Section 6.01. |
Events of Default | 70 | ||||
Section 6.02. |
Acceleration | 72 | ||||
Section 6.03. |
Other Remedies | 73 | ||||
Section 6.04. |
Waiver of Past Defaults | 73 | ||||
Section 6.05. |
Control by Majority | 73 | ||||
Section 6.06. |
Limitation on Suits | 73 | ||||
Section 6.07. |
Rights of Holders to Receive Payment | 74 | ||||
Section 6.08. |
Collection Suit by Trustee | 74 | ||||
Section 6.09. |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 74 | ||||
Section 6.10. |
Priorities | 75 | ||||
Section 6.11. |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 75 | ||||
Section 6.12. |
Undertaking for Costs | 75 | ||||
Section 6.13. |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 75 | ||||
Section 6.14. |
Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 76 | ||||
Section 6.15. |
Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws | 76 | ||||
ARTICLE 7 | ||||||
THE TRUSTEE | ||||||
Section 7.01. |
General | 76 | ||||
Section 7.02. |
Certain Rights of Trustee | 77 | ||||
Section 7.03. |
Individual Rights of Trustee | 78 | ||||
Section 7.04. |
Trustee’s Disclaimer | 79 | ||||
Section 7.05. |
Notice of Default | 79 | ||||
Section 7.06. |
[Reserved.] | 79 | ||||
Section 7.07. |
Compensation and Indemnity | 79 |
ii
Section 7.08. |
Replacement of Trustee | 80 | ||||
Section 7.09. |
Successor Trustee by Merger | 81 | ||||
Section 7.10. |
Eligibility | 81 | ||||
Section 7.11. |
Money Held in Trust | 81 | ||||
ARTICLE 8 | ||||||
DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE | ||||||
Section 8.01. |
Discharge of Company’s Obligations | 81 | ||||
Section 8.02. |
Legal Defeasance | 83 | ||||
Section 8.03. |
Covenant Defeasance | 84 | ||||
Section 8.04. |
Application of Trust Money | 84 | ||||
Section 8.05. |
Repayment to Company | 84 | ||||
Section 8.06. |
Reinstatement | 85 | ||||
ARTICLE 9 | ||||||
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS | ||||||
Section 9.01. |
Amendments Without Consent of Holders | 85 | ||||
Section 9.02. |
Amendments With Consent of Holders | 86 | ||||
Section 9.03. |
Effect of Consent | 87 | ||||
Section 9.04. |
Trustee’s Rights and Obligations | 88 | ||||
Section 9.05. |
Notes Held by the Company | 88 | ||||
ARTICLE 10 | ||||||
GUARANTEES | ||||||
Section 10.01. |
The Guarantees | 88 | ||||
Section 10.02. |
Guarantee Unconditional | 89 | ||||
Section 10.03. |
Discharge; Reinstatement | 90 | ||||
Section 10.04. |
Waiver by the Guarantors | 90 | ||||
Section 10.05. |
Subrogation and Contribution | 90 | ||||
Section 10.06. |
Stay of Acceleration | 90 | ||||
Section 10.07. |
Limitation on Amount of Guarantee | 90 | ||||
Section 10.08. |
Execution and Delivery of Guarantee | 90 | ||||
Section 10.09. |
Release of Guarantee | 91 | ||||
ARTICLE 11 | ||||||
MISCELLANEOUS | ||||||
Section 11.01. |
[Reserved.] | 91 | ||||
Section 11.02. |
Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions | 92 | ||||
Section 11.03. |
Notices | 92 | ||||
Section 11.04. |
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | 94 | ||||
Section 11.05. |
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | 94 | ||||
Section 11.06. |
Payment Date Other Than a Business Day | 95 | ||||
Section 11.07. |
Governing Law | 95 |
iii
Section 11.08. |
No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 95 | ||||
Section 11.09. |
Successors | 95 | ||||
Section 11.10. |
Duplicate Originals | 95 | ||||
Section 11.11. |
Separability | 96 | ||||
Section 11.12. |
Table of Contents and Headings | 96 | ||||
Section 11.13. |
No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders | 96 | ||||
Section 11.14. |
U.S.A. Patriot Act | 96 | ||||
Section 11.15. |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 96 | ||||
Section 11.16. |
Submission to Jurisdiction | 96 | ||||
Section 11.17. |
Calculations | 97 | ||||
Section 11.18. |
Foreign Account Tax Act Compliance (FATCA) | 97 |
EXHIBITS | ||
EXHIBIT A | Form of Note | |
EXHIBIT B | Form of Supplemental Indenture | |
EXHIBIT C | Restricted Legend | |
EXHIBIT D | DTC Legend | |
EXHIBIT E | Regulation S Certificate | |
EXHIBIT F | Rule 144A Certificate | |
EXHIBIT G | Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate | |
EXHIBIT H | Certificate of Beneficial Ownership | |
EXHIBIT I | Offshore Global Note Legend |
iv
INDENTURE, dated as of August 12, 2024, between ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware corporation, as the Company, the Guarantors party hereto and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee.
RECITALS
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of the Indenture to provide for the issuance of up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029, and, if and when issued, any Additional Notes (the “Notes”). All things necessary to make the Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done, and the Company has done all things necessary to make the Notes (in the case of the Additional Notes, when duly authorized), when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of the Company as hereinafter provided.
In addition, the Guarantors party hereto have duly authorized the execution and delivery of the Indenture as guarantors of the Notes. All things necessary to make the Indenture a valid agreement of each Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done, and each Guarantor has done all things necessary to make the Note Guarantees, when the Notes are executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of such Guarantor as hereinafter provided.
THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01. Definitions.
“2025 Notes” means the 8.500% Senior Notes due 2025 issued by the Company pursuant to that certain indenture, dated September 19, 2018, as amended and supplemented, among itself, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.
“2028 Notes” means the 11.250% Senior Notes due 2028 issued by the Company pursuant to that certain indenture, dated December 6, 2023, as amended and supplemented, among itself, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.
“Acquired Debt” means with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person was merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, including Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into or becoming a Subsidiary of such specified Person; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person at the time such asset is acquired by such specified Person.
“Additional Notes” means any notes issued under the Indenture in addition to the Initial Notes having the same terms in all respects as the Initial Notes, or in all respects except with respect to interest paid or payable on or prior to the first interest payment date after the issuance of such Additional Notes.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of Montreal, or any successor thereto, as the successor administrative agent and collateral agent under the Credit Agreement.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise.
“Affiliate Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.11.
“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, Authenticating Agent or other agent appointed hereunder with respect to the Notes.
“Agent Member” means a member of, or a participant in, the Depositary.
“Applicable Premium” means, as calculated by the Company, with respect to a Note at any redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.00% of the principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess of (A) the present value at such redemption date of (1) the redemption price of such Note on August 1, 2026 (such redemption price being described in Section 3.01 exclusive of any accrued interest, if any) plus (2) all required remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through August 1, 2026 (but excluding accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate, as calculated by the Company, plus 0.50%, over (B) the principal amount of such Note on such redemption date.
“Asset Sale” means:
(1) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of any assets whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, of property or assets of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (in each case other than Capital Stock of the Company); provided that the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition
2
of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by Section 4.15 and Article 5 and not Section 4.16 of this Indenture;
(2) the issue or sale by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity Interests of any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with Section 4.07 of the Indenture or directors’ qualifying shares and shares issued to foreign nationals as required under applicable law), whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions; and
(3) an Event of Loss,
in the case of either clause (1), (2) or (3), whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions:
(A) that have a Fair Market Value in excess of $5.0 million; or
(B) for Net Proceeds in excess of $5.0 million.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the following will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) a transfer of assets (a) to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or (b) by a Foreign Subsidiary to another Foreign Subsidiary;
(2) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(3) for purposes of Section 4.16 only, a Restricted Payment that is permitted by Section 4.06 or a Permitted Investment;
(4) the Incurrence of Permitted Liens and the disposition of assets subject to such Liens by or on behalf of the Person holding such Liens;
(5) the sale, transfer or other disposition of overdue and delinquent accounts in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(6) any disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents;
(7) the lease, assignment or sub-lease of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;
(8) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release, surrender or waiver of contract, tort, litigation or other claims in the ordinary course of business;
3
(9) sales of assets that have become worn out, obsolete or damaged or otherwise unsuitable for use in connection with the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(10) the license of patents, trademarks, copyrights and know-how to third Persons in the ordinary course of business; and
(11) sales of accounts receivable, or participations therein, and related assets in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Authenticating Agent” refers to a Person engaged to authenticate the Notes in the stead of the Trustee.
“Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy,” as now and hereafter in effect, or any successor statute.
“bankruptcy default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.
“Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and all other insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, conservatorship, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, reorganization, or similar legal requirements of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
“Board of Directors” means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee xxxxxxx xxxx authorized to act on behalf of such board;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the general partner of the partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the board of directors, managers or other governing body, and in the absence of the same, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and
(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person or other individual or entity serving a similar function.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York City are required or authorized to be closed.
“Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the sum of
(1) the aggregate amount of all expenditures of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for fixed or capital assets made during such period which, in accordance with GAAP, would be classified as capital expenditures; and
4
(2) the aggregate amount of all payments in respect of Capital Lease Obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period.
“Capital Lease Obligation” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under a lease of (or other Indebtedness arrangements conveying the right to use) real or personal property which are required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease or a liability on the face of a balance sheet of such Person determined in accordance with GAAP and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof in accordance with GAAP and the stated maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease or other arrangement prior to the first date upon which such lease or other arrangement may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty; provided that any obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries either existing on the Issue Date or created prior to the recharacterization described below (i) that were not included on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as capital lease obligations and (ii) that are subsequently recharacterized as capital lease obligations due to a change in accounting treatment or otherwise, shall for all purposes of the Indenture (including, without limitation, the calculation of Consolidated Net Income and Consolidated Cash Flow) not be treated as Capital Lease Obligations or Indebtedness.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock or shares;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity other than a corporation, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and
(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of the issuing Person.
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally Guaranteed by, the United States or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition;
(2) certificates of deposit, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or banker’s acceptances having maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition issued by any lender to the Company or any Subsidiary or by any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof having combined capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000;
5
(3) commercial paper of an issuer rated at least A-1 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”) or P-1 by Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc. (“Xxxxx’x”), or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named rating agencies cease publishing ratings of commercial paper issuers generally, and maturing within six months from the date of acquisition;
(4) repurchase obligations of any financial institution satisfying the requirements of clause (2) of this definition, having a term of not more than 30 days, with respect to securities issued or fully Guaranteed or insured by the United States government;
(5) securities with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition issued or fully Guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States, by any political subdivision or taxing authority of any such state, commonwealth or territory or by any foreign government, the securities of which state, commonwealth, territory, political subdivision, taxing authority or foreign government (as the case may be) have the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s;
(6) securities with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any financial institution satisfying the requirements of clause (2) of this definition;
(7) money market, mutual or similar funds that invest exclusively in assets satisfying the requirements of clauses (1) through (6) of this definition; and
(8) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.
“Cash Management Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, all obligations of such Person incurred in the ordinary course of business in respect of overdrafts and liabilities owed to any other Person that arise from treasury, depositary or cash management services, including in connection with any automated clearing house transfers of funds, or any similar transactions.
“Certificate of Beneficial Ownership” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit H.
“Certificated Note” means a Note in registered individual form without interest coupons.
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
6
whole, to any “person” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act);
(2) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(3) the consummation of any transaction (including any merger or consolidation), the result of which is that any “person” (as defined above), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that for purposes of this clause (3) such person shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the voting stock or voting shares of the Company.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor agency thereto.
“Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of the Indenture or any successor obligor under the Indenture and the Notes pursuant to Article 5.
“Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by a Responsible Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Consolidated Cash Flow” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period plus:
(1) an amount equal to any extraordinary or non-recurring loss, to the extent that such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(2) an amount equal to any net loss realized in connection with an Asset Sale, the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness by such Person or its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such losses were deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(3) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent that such provision for taxes was deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(4) Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
7
(5) depreciation, amortization (including amortization of goodwill and other intangibles but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period) to the extent deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(6) write offs, write downs or impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets, unrealized mark-to-market losses, and other non-cash charges (excluding any such other non-cash charge to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to the extent deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income; plus
(7) the amount of loss on a sale of receivables and related assets to a Securitization Subsidiary in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing; minus
(8) all non-cash items to the extent that such non-cash items increased Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding the recognition of deferred revenue or any items which represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period and any items for which cash was received in a prior period).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provision for taxes based on income or profits of, and the depreciation and amortization and other non-cash charges of, a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person shall be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated Cash Flow only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the Net Income of such Restricted Subsidiary was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of such Person.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of, without duplication:
(1) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued (including amortization of original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations, the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges Incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, and net payments and receipts (if any) pursuant to interest rate Hedging Obligations), provided that, (x) amortization of debt issuance costs and other debt financing fees and expenses shall be excluded and (y) commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any Permitted Receivables Financing shall be excluded; plus
(2) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; plus
(3) any interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person to the extent that such Indebtedness is Guaranteed by such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries or
8
secured by a Lien on the assets of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries (whether or not such Guarantee or Lien is called upon).
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the aggregate of the Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that:
(1) the Net Income of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting shall be included, but only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions that have been distributed in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the referent Person or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period;
(2) the Net Income of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of that Net Income is not at the date of determination permitted without any prior governmental approval (that has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to that Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless such restriction has been legally waived; and
(3) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles shall be excluded.
“Consolidated Total Assets” of any Person as of any date of determination means the total assets of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which a consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries is available.
“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (a) the sum of (1) the aggregate amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis consisting of Indebtedness for borrowed money, Capital Lease Obligations and debt obligations evidenced by promissory notes and similar instruments (for the avoidance of doubt, excluding any (A) Hedging Obligations and (B) performance bonds or any similar instruments) and (2) the aggregate amount of all outstanding Disqualified Stock of the Company and all Preferred Stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, with the amount of such Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock equal to the greater of their respective voluntary or involuntary liquidation preferences and maximum fixed repurchase prices, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. For the purpose hereof, the “maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock that does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock as if such Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock were purchased on any date on which Consolidated Total Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to the Indenture.
9
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee is principally administered, which at the date of the Indenture is located at 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000.
“CSO Obligations” means obligations to purchase, or other Guarantees of, consumer loans the making of which were facilitated by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary acting as a credit services organization or other similar service provider.
“Credit Agreement” means that certain amended and restated asset-based secured revolving credit agreement, dated as of June 23, 2022, by and among the Company, certain of the Company’s subsidiaries as borrowers or guarantors, the lenders from time to time party thereto and the Administrative Agent, including any related notes, guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, as may be amended from time to time.
“Credit Facility” means one or more debt facilities, including the Credit Agreement, or other financing arrangements (including commercial paper facilities or indentures) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables and including Permitted Receivables Financing), letters of credit or other long-term indebtedness, including any notes, Guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and in each case, as amended, extended, renewed, restated, supplemented, replaced (whether or not upon termination and whether with the original lenders, institutional investors or otherwise), refinanced (including through the issuance of debt securities), restructured or otherwise modified (in whole or in part, and without limitation as to amount, terms, conditions, covenants and other provisions) from time to time, and any agreement (and related document) governing Indebtedness incurred to refinance, in whole or in part, the borrowings and commitments then outstanding or permitted to be outstanding under such Credit Facility or a successor Credit Facility, whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders (or institutional investors).
“Default” means any event that is or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be an Event of Default.
“Depositary” means the depositary of each Global Note, which will initially be DTC.
“Designated Non-cash Consideration” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation, executed by the principal financial officer of the Company, less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection on such Designated Non-cash Consideration.
10
“Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable at the option of the Holder) or upon the happening of any event:
(1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;
(2) is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (excluding Capital Stock convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of the Company or a Subsidiary; provided that any such conversion or exchange will be deemed an Incurrence of Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock, as applicable); or
(3) is redeemable at the option of the Holder thereof, in whole or in part,
in the case of each of clauses (1), (2) and (3), on or prior to the 91st day after the Stated Maturity of the Notes; provided that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for provisions thereof giving Holders thereof the right to require such Person to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring on or prior to the 91st day after the Stated Maturity of the Notes will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the “asset sale” or “change of control” provisions applicable to such Capital Stock are not more favorable to the Holders of such Capital Stock than the provisions of Section 4.15 and Section 4.16 are to the Holders.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company other than a Foreign Subsidiary.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, and its successors.
“DTC Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit D.
“Electronic Means” means the following communications methods: e-mail, facsimile transmission, secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.
“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means a sale for cash of either (1) common equity securities of the Company (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) or (2) common equity securities of a Parent Entity (other than to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) to the extent that the net proceeds therefrom are contributed to the common equity capital of the Company.
11
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01.
“Event of Loss” means, with respect to any property or asset, any (i) loss or destruction of, or damage to, such property or asset or (ii) condemnation, seizure or taking, by exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, of such property or asset, or confiscation or requisition of the use of such property or asset.
“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Excluded Contribution” means net cash proceeds or marketable securities received by the Company from:
(1) contributions to its common equity capital, and
(2) the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company or to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company,
in each case designated as Excluded Contributions pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate executed by the principal financial officer of the Company on the date such capital contributions are made or the date such Capital Stock is sold, as the case may be, which are excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 4.06(a)(3).
“Existing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on the date of the Indenture until such Indebtedness is repaid, including without limitation, Indebtedness in connection with the 2025 Notes, the Guarantees of such 2025 Notes, the 2028 Notes and the Guarantees of such 2028 Notes.
“Fair Market Value” means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress or necessity of either party, determined in good faith by an officer of the Company; provided, however, that, except in the case of determining the Fair Market Value of assets in connection with an Asset Sale not involving the sale of assets to an Affiliate, (i) the determination must be made by the Board of Directors of the Company if the Fair Market Value exceeds $10.0 million and (ii) the determination must be made by the Board of Directors of the Company and based upon an opinion or appraisal issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing if the Fair Market Value exceeds $15.0 million.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of the Consolidated Cash Flow of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incurs or redeems any Indebtedness or any Indebtedness is no longer outstanding (other than revolving credit borrowings) or the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issues or redeems Preferred Stock subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being
12
calculated but prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect to such Incurrence or redemption of Indebtedness, or such issuance or redemption of Preferred Stock (including the application of any proceeds therefrom), as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period. In addition, for purposes of making the computation referred to above:
(1) acquisitions that have been made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including through mergers or consolidations and including any related financing transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the Calculation Date shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period and Consolidated Cash Flow for such reference period shall be calculated to include the Consolidated Cash Flow of the acquired entities (adjusted to exclude (A) the cost of any compensation, remuneration or other benefit paid or provided to any employee, consultant, Affiliate or equity owner of the acquired entities to the extent such costs are eliminated and not replaced and (B) the amount of any reduction in general, administrative or overhead costs of the acquired entities, in each case, as determined in good faith by an officer of the Company);
(2) the Consolidated Cash Flow attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded;
(3) the Fixed Charges attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Calculation Date, shall be excluded, but only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Fixed Charges will not be obligations of the referent Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries following the Calculation Date;
(4) any Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such four-quarter period;
(5) any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such four-quarter period; and
(6) if any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest, the interest expense on such Indebtedness will be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligation applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term as at the Calculation Date in excess of 12 months).
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of, without duplication:
13
(1) the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
(2) the product of (A) all cash dividend payments (and non-cash dividend payments in the case of a Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary) on any series of Preferred Stock of such Person, times (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, in each case, on a consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company incorporated or organized in a jurisdiction other than the United States or any state or commonwealth thereof or the District of Columbia.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect on the date of the Indenture, including those set forth in:
(1) the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
(2) the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board; and
(3) such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.
“Global Note” means a Note in registered global form without interest coupons.
“Guarantee” by any Person means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person to:
(1) purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment) of such Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment of such Indebtedness;
(2) purchase property, securities or services for the purposes of assuring the Holder of such Indebtedness of the payment of such Indebtedness; or
(3) maintain working capital, equity capital or other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness;
provided, however, that the Guarantee by any Person shall not include endorsements by such Person for collection or deposit, in either case, in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
14
“Guarantor” means (i) each Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) of the Company in existence on the Issue Date and (ii) each Domestic Subsidiary that executes a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B to the Indenture providing for the Guarantee of the payment of the Notes, or any successor obligor under its Note Guarantee pursuant to Article 5, in each case unless and until such Guarantor is released from its Note Guarantee pursuant to the Indenture.
“Hedging Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Indebtedness.”
“Holder” or “Noteholder” means the registered holder of any Note.
“IAI Global Note” means a Global Note resold to Institutional Accredited Investors bearing the Restricted Legend.
“Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness or other obligation of any Person, to create, issue, incur (by conversion, exchange or otherwise), assume (pursuant to a merger, consolidation, acquisition or other transaction), Guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation (and “Incurrence” and “Incurred” shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing); provided, however, that a change in GAAP that results in an obligation of such Person that exists at such time becoming Indebtedness shall not be deemed an Incurrence of such Indebtedness; provided, further, that none of the following shall be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness: (i) amortization of debt discount or the accretion of principal with respect to a non-interest bearing or other discount security; (ii) the payment of regularly scheduled interest in the form of additional Indebtedness of the same instrument or the payment of regularly scheduled dividends on Capital Stock in the form of additional Capital Stock of the same class and with the same terms; and (iii) the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Indebtedness arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or the making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Indebtedness. Indebtedness otherwise Incurred by a Person before it becomes a Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed to have been Incurred at the time it becomes such a Subsidiary.
“Indebtedness” means (without duplication), with respect to any Person, whether recourse is to all or a portion of the assets of such Person and whether or not contingent:
(1) obligations of such Person in respect of principal for money borrowed;
(2) obligations of such Person in respect of principal evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;
(3) every reimbursement obligation of such Person with respect to letters of credit, banker’s acceptances or similar facilities issued for the account of such Person, other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations, other than obligations referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (5), entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and
15
to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the 10th day following payment on the letter of credit;
(4) every obligation of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding trade payables, credit on open account, provisional credit, accrued liabilities or similar terms arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue by more than ninety (90) days or which are being contested in good faith);
(5) every Capital Lease Obligation of such Person;
(6) the maximum fixed redemption or repurchase price of Disqualified Stock of such Person at the time of determination plus accrued but unpaid dividends;
(7) every net payment obligation of such Person under interest rate swap, cap, collar or similar agreements or foreign currency hedge, exchange or similar agreements of such Person (collectively, “Hedging Obligations”); and
(8) every obligation of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (7) of another Person the payment of which, in either case, such Person has Guaranteed or is liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, to the extent of such Guarantee or other liability.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness shall not include (x) CSO Obligations or (y) obligations under or in respect of any Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Indenture Documents” means the Notes, the Indenture and the Note Guarantees.
“Indenture Obligations” means all obligations in respect of the Notes or arising under the Indenture Documents. Indenture Obligations shall include all interest accrued (or which would, absent the commencement of an insolvency or liquidation proceeding, accrue) after the commencement of an insolvency or liquidation proceeding in accordance with and at the rate specified in the relevant Indenture Document whether or not the claim for such interest is allowed as a claim in such insolvency or liquidation proceeding.
“Initial Additional Notes” means Additional Notes issued in an offering not registered under the Securities Act and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.
“Initial Notes” means the Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Notes issued in replacement thereof.
16
“Initial Purchaser” or “Initial Purchasers” means the initial purchaser or initial purchasers party to a purchase agreement with the Company relating to the sale of the Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes by the Company.
“Institutional Accredited Investor” means an institutional “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act.
“interest”, in respect of the Notes, unless the context otherwise requires, refers to interest, if any.
“Interest Payment Date” means each February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing February 1, 2025.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the form of direct or indirect loans (including Guarantees of Indebtedness or other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding commissions, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities; provided that an acquisition of assets, Equity Interests or other securities by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for consideration consisting of common equity securities of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed to be an Investment. If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company sells or otherwise disposes of any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company such that after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, the Company shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary not sold or disposed of. For purposes of the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary” and Section 4.06;
(1) Investments shall include the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of a Subsidiary of the Company at the time that such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to:
(A) the Company’s “Investment” in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; less
(B) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and
(2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer.
17
The amount of any Investment outstanding at any time shall be the original cost of such Investment, reduced by any dividend, distribution, interest payment, return of capital, repayment or other amount received in cash by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such Investment.
“Issue Date” means the date on which the Initial Notes are originally issued under the Indenture.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or hypothecation of any kind in respect of that asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any other agreement to give a security interest in and any filing of any financing statement under the UCC (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction).
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Company or any Guarantor to perform its obligations under the Indenture, the Notes or any supplemental indenture, or (c) the validity or enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes or any supplemental indenture.
“Material Debt” means Indebtedness in an aggregate amount of $1.0 million or more.
“Net Income” means, with respect to any Person, the net income (loss) of such Person, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any reduction in respect of Preferred Stock dividends, excluding, however, (1) any net gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such gain (but not loss), realized in connection with (A) any Asset Sale or (B) the disposition of any securities by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or the extinguishment of any Indebtedness of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries and (2) any extraordinary or nonrecurring gain (but not loss), together with any related provision for taxes on such extraordinary or nonrecurring gain (but not loss).
“Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale (including legal, accounting and investment banking fees and sales commissions), any relocation expenses, commissions, premiums (including tender premiums), defeasance costs, underwriting discounts, fees, costs and expenses (including original issue discount, upfront fees or similar fees) Incurred as a result thereof, taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements), all costs associated with unwinding any related Hedging Obligations in connection with such transaction, amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset
18
Sale and any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP, any portion of the purchase price from such transaction placed in escrow, whether for the satisfaction of any indemnification obligations in respect of such transaction, as a reserve for adjustments to the purchase price associated with any such transaction or otherwise in connection with such transaction and the amount of any liabilities (other than Indebtedness in respect of the Credit Agreement and the Notes) directly associated with such asset being sold and retained by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness:
(1) as to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise; and
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the Holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any Holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity.
“Non-U.S. Person” means a Person that is not a U.S. person, as defined in Regulation S.
“Non-Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.
“Note Guarantee” means the Guarantee of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to the Indenture.
“Notes” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.
“Offering Memorandum” means the final offering memorandum, dated July 30, 2024, relating to the offering of the Notes.
“Offer to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.05.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or by any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.
“Offshore Global Note” means a Global Note representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Regulation S.
19
“Offshore Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit H.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
“Parent Entity” means any Person that is a direct or indirect parent of the Company.
“Paying Agent” refers to a Person engaged to perform the obligations of the Trustee in respect of payments made or funds held hereunder in respect of the Notes.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(1) any Investment in the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any Investment in cash or Cash Equivalents;
(3) any Investment by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment (A) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (B) such Person is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) any Investment existing on the date of the Indenture or made pursuant to binding commitments in effect on the date of the Indenture or an Investment consisting of any extension, modification or renewal of any Investment existing on the date of the Indenture; provided that the amount of any such Investment may be increased (x) as required by the terms of such Investment as in existence on the date of the Indenture or (y) as otherwise permitted under the Indenture;
(5) any Restricted Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.16;
(6) Hedging Obligations that are permitted by the terms of the Indenture to be outstanding;
(7) Investments in prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits;
(8) loans and advances to, or guarantees of Indebtedness of, employees of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $5.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
(9) any Investment consisting of a Guarantee permitted by Section 4.07;
20
(10) Investments consisting of non-cash consideration received in the form of securities, notes or similar obligations in connection with dispositions of obsolete or worn out assets permitted pursuant to the Indenture;
(11) Investments received in settlement of bona fide disputes or as distributions in bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings;
(12) Investments in joint ventures not to exceed the greater of (x) $120.0 million (or its foreign currency equivalent) and (y) 6.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company in the aggregate at any one time outstanding (net of, with respect to the Investment in any particular Person, the cash return thereon received after the Issue Date as a result of any sale for cash, repayment, redemption or other cash realization (not included in Consolidated Net Income), not to exceed the amount of Investments in such Person made after the Issue Date in reliance on this clause);
(13) other Investments in any Person having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (13) that are at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $120.0 million and 6.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company;
(14) loans and advances to officers, directors and employees for business-related travel expenses, moving expenses and other similar expenses or payroll advances, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practices;
(15) advances and extensions of credit by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to customers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that are recorded as accounts receivable or consumer loans on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(16) Investments resulting from the Incurrence of CSO Obligations;
(17) Investments in a Securitization Subsidiary that are necessary or desirable to effect any Permitted Receivables Financing or any repurchases in connection therewith; and
(18) Investments in Subsidiaries (other than Investments in the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) not to exceed $10.0 million in the aggregate at any one time outstanding.
“Permitted Liens” means:
(1) Liens in favor of the Company or a Guarantor;
(2) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that such Liens were not created in connection with, or in contemplation of, such merger or
21
consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) Liens on property existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company, provided that such Liens were not created in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition;
(4) Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds, workmen’s compensation or unemployment obligations or other obligations of a like nature, or to secure letters of credit issued with respect to such obligations, Incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(5) Liens consisting of deposits in connection with leases or other similar obligations, or securing letters of credit issued in lieu of such deposits, incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(6) Liens securing Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted by clause (2) of paragraph (b) of Section 4.07 covering only the assets acquired with such Indebtedness and directly related assets such as proceeds (including insurance proceeds), products, replacements, substitutions and accessions thereto;
(7) Liens existing on the date of the Indenture and replacement Liens that do not encumber additional assets, unless such encumbrance is otherwise permitted;
(8) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent for more than 30 days or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted, provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor;
(9) Liens securing Permitted Refinancing Debt, provided that the Company was permitted to Incur such Liens with respect to the Indebtedness so refinanced under the Indenture and:
(A) the new Lien is limited to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien arose, could secure the original Lien (plus improvements and accessions to, such property or proceeds or distributions thereof); and
(B) the Indebtedness secured by the new Lien is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (x) the outstanding principal amount, or, if greater, committed amount, of the Indebtedness renewed, refunded, refinanced replaced, defeased or discharged with such Permitted Refinancing Debt; and (y) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such renewal, refunding, refinancing, replacement, defeasance or discharge;
22
(10) Statutory and common law Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, suppliers, materialmen, repairmen or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business with respect to amounts that are not yet delinquent for more than 30 days or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted, provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor;
(11) Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review, provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor;
(12) Liens arising from filings of UCC financing statements or similar documents regarding leases or otherwise for precautionary purposes relating to arrangements not constituting Indebtedness;
(13) Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries or (iii) relating to purchase orders and other agreements entered into with customers of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(14) Liens securing Indenture Obligations (including any Additional Notes);
(15) Liens securing Cash Management Obligations;
(16) Minor survey exceptions, minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties which were not Incurred in connection with Indebtedness and which do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
(17) Liens securing Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness is permitted under clause (10) of paragraph (b) of Section 4.07; provided, however, that no asset of the Company or any Domestic Subsidiary shall be subject to any such Lien;
(18) Liens in favor of banking institutions (including the right of setoff) encumbering deposit accounts maintained by the Company or any Guarantor into which any fees or commission paid to the Company or any Guarantor in connection with CSO
23
Obligations are required to be deposited by the lenders of the related consumer loans and that are within the general parameters in the banking industry;
(19) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by clause (14) of paragraph (b) of Section 4.07;
(20) Liens on accounts receivable and related assets and proceeds thereof arising in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing; and
(21) other Liens of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company with respect to obligations in an aggregate principal amount that does not exceed $15.0 million at any one time outstanding.
For purposes of this definition, the term “Indebtedness” shall be deemed to include interest, fees, expenses and all other amounts owing in connection with or in respect of any referenced Indebtedness.
“Permitted Receivables Financing” means any receivables financing facility or arrangement pursuant to which a Securitization Subsidiary purchases or otherwise acquires accounts receivable of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and enters into a third party financing thereof on terms that the Board of Directors has concluded are customary and market terms that are fair to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Permitted Refinancing Debt” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net cash proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that:
(1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Debt does not exceed the principal amount and premium, if any, plus accrued interest (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus the amount of any fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith);
(2) such Permitted Refinancing Debt has a final scheduled maturity date later than the final scheduled maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded;
(3) if the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guarantee, such Permitted Refinancing Debt is contractually subordinated in right of payment to, the Notes or such Note Guarantee on terms at least as favorable to the Holders of Notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded; and
24
(4) such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company or by the Restricted Subsidiary that is the obligor on the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded or would otherwise be permitted to Incur such Indebtedness.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock corporation, trust, unincorporated organization or government or agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
“Preferred Stock” as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.
“principal” of any debt means the principal amount of such debt, (or if such debt was issued with original issue discount, the face amount of such debt less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such debt), together with, unless the context otherwise indicates, any premium then payable on such debt.
“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, xxxxxx or inchoate.
“Receivables Fees” means distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any accounts receivable or participation interest therein issued or sold in connection with, and other fees paid to a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, any Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness. “Refinanced” and “refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.
“Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.09.
“Registrar” means a Person engaged to maintain the Register.
“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date means the January 15 or July 15 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto.
25
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer of the Company, any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Company with responsibility for the administration of the Indenture.
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Legend” means the legend set forth in Exhibit C.
“Restricted Payment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.06(iv).
“Restricted Period” means the relevant 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.
“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A Certificate” means (i) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto or (ii) a written certification addressed to the Company and the Trustee to the effect that the Person making such certification (x) is acquiring such Note (or beneficial interest) for its own account or one or more accounts with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and each such account is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A, (y) is aware that the transfer to it or exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A, and (z) acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as it has requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or has determined not to request such information.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Securitization Subsidiary” means
(A) each of XxXxxx Asset Securitization Trust III, LLC, Receivable Assets of XxXxxx, LLC, EFR 2016-1, LLC, EFR 2016-2, LLC, Enova Finance 5, LLC, XxXxxx Receivables 2021, LLC, XxXxxx Receivables 2022, LLC, NetCredit Funding 2019-A, LLC, ENVA 2019-A, LLC, NetCredit Funding 2020-A, LLC, ENVA 2020-A, LLC, NetCredit Funding 2023 A, LLC, NetCredit Combined Receivables 2023, LLC, NetCredit Funding 3 LLC, ENVA 2018-A, LLC, NetCredit Funding, LLC, EFR 2018-1, LLC, NetCredit Funding-2, LLC, EFR 2018-2, LLC, NetCredit Receivables 2022, LLC, HWC Receivables 2023, LLC, XxXxxx Asset Securitization IV, LLC, NetCredit LOC Receivables, LLC, NetCredit LOC Funding 2024, LLC, NetCredit LOC Receivables 2024, LLC, NetCredit Funding 2024 A LLC and NetCredit Combined Receivables 2024, LLC, each a Delaware limited liability company, and Small Business Funding Trust, a Delaware trust; and
26
(B) any other Subsidiary of the Company:
(1) that is designated a “Securitization Subsidiary” by the Board of Directors,
(2) that does not engage in, and whose charter, bylaws, operating agreement or similar governing or constitutional document prohibits it from engaging in, any activities other than Permitted Receivables Financings and any activity necessary, incidental or related thereto,
(3) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligation, contingent or otherwise, of which
(A) is Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary,
(B) is recourse to or obligates the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any way, or
(C) subjects any property or asset of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof,
(4) with respect to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) has any obligation to maintain or preserve its financial condition or cause it to achieve certain levels of operating results,
other than, in respect of clauses (3) and (4), pursuant to customary representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing.
“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, senior vice president-finance, principal accounting officer, treasurer or comptroller of the Company.
“Senior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company other than Indebtedness that is in any manner subordinated in right of payment or security in any respect to Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such regulation is in effect on the date of the Indenture.
“Similar Business” means any business conducted or proposed to be conducted by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the date of the Indenture and any business engaged in (1) the business of providing online financial services, (2) the business of originating, arranging, purchasing and collecting consumer and small business loans, and (3) any other activities similar, reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto, or a reasonable extension or expansion thereof.
27
“Spin-Off” means the spin-off transaction pursuant to which at least 80% of the common stock of the Company was distributed to the shareholders of Cash America International, Inc. in 2014.
“Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any security or any installment of interest thereon, means the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the principal of such security or such installment of interest is due and payable.
“Subordinated Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary which is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantee, as applicable, pursuant to a written agreement to that effect.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or a combination thereof) and (2) any partnership (A) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (B) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).
“Total Indebtedness” of any Person as of any date of determination means Long-term debt (which includes the current portion thereof) as of the most recent fiscal quarter end for which a consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries is available.
“Total Recourse Indebtedness” of any Person as of any date of determination means (x) Total Indebtedness of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries minus (y) the aggregate obligations of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries under or in respect of Permitted Receivables Financings, if any.
“Total Recourse Indebtedness Leverage Ratio” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (1) Total Recourse Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date to (2) the Consolidated Cash Flow of the Company for the most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such event for which such calculation is being made shall occur, in each case with such pro forma adjustments to the Total Recourse Indebtedness Leverage Ratio as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Treasury Rate” means, at any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of constant maturity United States Treasury securities (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) that has become publicly available at least two business days prior to such redemption date (or, if such statistical release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar
28
market data)) most nearly equal to the period from such redemption date to August 1, 2026; provided, however, that if no published maturity exactly corresponds with such date, then the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated on a straight-line basis from the arithmetic mean of the yields for the next shortest and next longest published maturities; provided further, however, that if the period from such redemption date to August 1, 2026, is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.
“Trustee” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of the Indenture or any successor trustee under the Indenture pursuant to Article 7.
“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
“Trust Officer” means, with respect to the Trustee, any officer of the trustee assigned to the Corporate Trust Department (or any successor division or unit) of the Trustee located at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and shall also include any other officer of the Trustee to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time (except as otherwise specified) in any applicable state or jurisdiction.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, but only to the extent that such Subsidiary:
(1) has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt;
(2) except as permitted by Section 4.11, is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company;
(3) is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and
(4) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
29
“U.S. Global Note” means a Global Note that bears the Restricted Legend representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.
“U.S. Government Obligation” means:
(1) any security which is: a direct obligation of the United States of America the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or an obligation of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally Guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof; and
(2) any depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any U.S. Government Obligation and held by such bank for the account of the Holder of such depository receipt, or with respect to any specific payment of principal of or interest on any U.S. Government Obligation which is so specified and held, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the Holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal or interest evidenced by such depository receipt.
“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any specified Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of members of the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (A) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (B) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment, by
(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.
“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of any Person means a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) shall at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).
Section 1.02. Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires or except as otherwise expressly provided,
(1) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
30
(2) “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to the Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Section, Article or other subdivision;
(3) all references to Sections or Articles or Exhibits refer to Sections or Articles or Exhibits of or to the Indenture unless otherwise indicated;
(4) references to agreements or instruments, or to statutes or regulations, are to such agreements or instruments, or statutes or regulations, as amended from time to time (or to successor statutes and regulations); and
(5) in the event that a transaction meets the criteria of more than one category of permitted transactions or listed exceptions the Company may classify such transaction as it, in its sole discretion, determines.
ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES
Section 2.01. Form, Dating and Denominations 144A, Reg S; Legends. (a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A. The terms and provisions contained in the form of the Notes annexed as Exhibit A constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, rules of or agreements with national securities exchanges to which the Company is subject, or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes will be issuable in denominations of $2,000 in principal amount and any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c), Section 2.10(b)(3), (b)(5), or (c) or Section 2.09(b)(4), each Initial Note or Initial Additional Note will bear the Restricted Legend.
(2) Each Global Note, whether or not an Initial Note or Additional Note, will bear the DTC Legend.
(3) Each Offshore Global Note will bear the Offshore Global Note Legend.
(4) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S will be issued as provided in Section 2.11(a).
(5) Initial Notes and Initial Additional Notes offered and sold in reliance on any exemption under the Securities Act other than Regulation S and Rule 144A will be issued, and upon the request of the Company to the Trustee, Initial Notes offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A may be issued, in the form of Certificated Notes.
31
(6) Initial Notes resold to Institutional Accredited Investors will be in the form of an IAI Global Note.
(c) If the Company determines (upon the advice of counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require) that a Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information and that the Restricted Legend is no longer necessary or appropriate in order to ensure that subsequent transfers of the Note (or a beneficial interest therein) are effected in compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may instruct the Trustee to cancel the Note and issue, in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, to the Holder thereof (or to its transferee) a new Note of like tenor and amount, registered in the name of the Holder thereof (or its transferee), that does not bear the Restricted Legend, and the Trustee will comply with such instruction.
(d) By its acceptance of any Note bearing the Restricted Legend (or any beneficial interest in such a Note), each Holder thereof and each owner of a beneficial interest therein acknowledges the restrictions on transfer of such Note (and any such beneficial interest) set forth in this Indenture and in the Restricted Legend and agrees that it will transfer such Note (and any such beneficial interest) only in accordance with the Indenture and such legend.
Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication; Additional Notes. (a) A Responsible Officer shall execute the Notes for the Company by facsimile, manual or electronic signature in the name and on behalf of the Company. If a Responsible Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note will still be valid.
(b) A Note will not be valid until the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note, with the signature conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under the Indenture.
(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of the Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication. The Trustee will authenticate and deliver
(i) Initial Notes for original issue in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000, and
(ii) Initial Additional Notes from time to time for original issue in aggregate principal amounts specified by the Company
after the following conditions have been met:
(1) A Company Order has been delivered to the Trustee instructing the Trustee to authenticate the relevant Notes
32
(2) Receipt by the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate specifying
(A) the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated,
(B) whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes,
(C) in the case of Initial Additional Notes, that the issuance of such Notes does not contravene any provision of Article 4,
(D) whether the Notes are to be issued as one or more Global Notes or Certificated Notes, and
(E) other information the Company may determine to include or the Trustee may reasonably request.
(3) In the case of Initial Additional Notes, receipt by the Trustee of an Opinion of Counsel confirming that the Holders of the outstanding Notes will be subject to federal income tax in the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Additional Notes were not issued.
Section 2.03. Registrar, Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent; Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. (a) The Company may appoint one or more Registrars and one or more Paying Agents, and the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent, in which case each reference in the Indenture to the Trustee in respect of the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by that Agent will be deemed to be references to the Agent. The Company may act as Registrar or (except for purposes of Article 8) Paying Agent. In each case the Company and the Trustee will enter into an appropriate agreement with the Agent implementing the provisions of the Indenture relating to the obligations of the Trustee to be performed by the Agent and the related rights. The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent.
(b) The Company will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes and will promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require the Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying Agent will have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee.
Section 2.04. Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or if a Holder claims that its Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company will issue and the Trustee will authenticate a replacement Note of
33
like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity must be furnished that is sufficient in the judgment of both the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company and the Trustee from any loss they may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company and the Trustee may charge the Holder for the expenses of the Company and the Trustee in replacing a Note. In case the mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may pay the Note instead of issuing a replacement Note.
Section 2.05. Outstanding Notes. (a) Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for
(1) Notes cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to it for cancellation;
(2) any Note which has been replaced pursuant to Section 2.04 unless and until the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser; and
(3) on or after the maturity date or any redemption date or date for purchase of the Notes pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, those Notes payable or to be redeemed or purchased on that date for which the Trustee (or Paying Agent, other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds money sufficient to pay all amounts then due.
(b) A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its Affiliates holds the Note, provided that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding Notes have given or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder, Notes owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company will be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding (it being understood that in determining whether the Trustee is protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Notes which the Trustee knows to be so owned will be so disregarded). Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.06. Temporary Notes. Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Responsible Officer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by the execution of the temporary Notes. If temporary Notes are issued, the Company will cause definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Notes, the temporary Notes will be exchangeable for definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose
34
pursuant to Section 4.02, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any temporary Notes the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes will be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as definitive Notes.
Section 2.07. Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, in each case along with a Company Order instructing the Trustee to cancel such Notes delivered to it. Any Registrar or the Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to it for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee will cancel all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of them in accordance with its normal procedures or the written instructions of the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.08. CUSIP and CINS Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” and “CINS” numbers, and the Trustee will use CUSIP numbers or CINS numbers in notices of redemption or exchange or in Offers to Purchase as a convenience to Holders, the notice to state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange or Offer to Purchase. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP or CINS numbers.
Section 2.09. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. (a) The Notes will be issued in registered form only, without coupons, and the Company shall cause the Trustee to maintain a register (the “Register”) of the Notes, for registering the record ownership of the Notes by the Holders and transfers and exchanges of the Notes.
(b) (1) Each Global Note will be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and, so long as DTC is serving as the Depositary thereof, will bear the DTC Legend.
(2) Each Global Note will be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary. Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) will be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to the Depositary, its successors or their respective nominees, except (1) as set forth in Section 2.09(b)(4) and (2) transfers of portions thereof in the form of Certificated Notes may be made upon request of an Agent Member (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depositary in accordance with customary procedures of the Depositary and in compliance with this Section and Section 2.10.
(3) Agent Members will have no rights under the Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, and the Depositary
35
may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Depositary or its nominee may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person (including any Agent Member and any Person that holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through an Agent Member) to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Notes, and nothing herein will impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any security.
(4) If (x) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for a Global Note and a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the notice or (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a request from the Depositary, the Trustee will promptly exchange each beneficial interest in the Global Note for one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount registered in the name of the owner of such beneficial interest, as identified to the Trustee by the Depositary, and thereupon the Global Note will be deemed canceled. If such Note does not bear the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will not bear the Restricted Legend. If such Note bears the Restricted Legend, then the Certificated Notes issued in exchange therefor will bear the Restricted Legend, provided that any Holder of any such Certificated Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in an Offshore Global Note will have the right upon presentation to the Trustee of a duly completed Certificate of Beneficial Ownership after the Restricted Period to exchange such Certificated Note for a Certificated Note of like tenor and amount that does not bear the Restricted Legend, registered in the name of such Holder.
(c) Each Certificated Note will be registered in the name of the holder thereof or its nominee.
(d) A Holder may transfer a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) to another Person or exchange a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) for another Note or Notes of any authorized denomination by presenting to the Trustee a written request therefor stating the name of the proposed transferee or requesting such an exchange, accompanied by any certification, opinion or other document required by Section 2.10. The Trustee will promptly register any transfer or exchange that meets the requirements of this Section by noting the same in the register maintained by the Trustee for the purpose; provided that
(x) no transfer or exchange will be effective until it is registered in such register and
(y) the Trustee will not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or purchased pursuant to an Offer to Purchase (ii) to register the
36
transfer of or exchange any Note so selected for redemption or purchase in whole or in part, except, in the case of a partial redemption or purchase, that portion of any Note not being redeemed or purchased, or (iii) if a redemption or a purchase pursuant to an Offer to Purchase is to occur after a Regular Record Date but on or before the corresponding Interest Payment Date, to register the transfer of or exchange any Note on or after the Regular Record Date and before the date of redemption or purchase. Prior to the registration of any transfer, the Company, the Trustee and their agents will treat the Person in whose name the Note is registered as the owner and Holder thereof for all purposes (whether or not the Note is overdue), and will not be affected by notice to the contrary.
From time to time the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate additional Notes as necessary in order to permit the registration of a transfer or exchange in accordance with this Section.
No service charge will be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note, but the Company and the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than a transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable upon exchange pursuant to subsection (b)(4)).
(e) (1) Global Note to Global Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note being transferred or exchanged equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) record a like increase in the principal amount of the other Global Note. Any beneficial interest in one Global Note that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note, or exchanged for an interest in another Global Note, will, upon transfer or exchange, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and become an interest in the other Global Note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer and exchange restrictions, if any, and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for as long as it remains such an interest.
(2) Global Note to Certificated Note. If a beneficial interest in a Global Note is transferred or exchanged for a Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) record a decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange and (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the owner of such beneficial interest (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or owner, as applicable.
(3) Certificated Note to Global Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel such Certificated Note, (y) record an increase in the principal amount of such Global Note equal to the principal amount of such transfer or
37
exchange and (z) in the event that such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.
(4) Certificated Note to Certificated Note. If a Certificated Note is transferred or exchanged for another Certificated Note, the Trustee will (x) cancel the Certificated Note being transferred or exchanged, (y) deliver one or more new Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such transfer or exchange to the transferee (in the case of a transfer) or the Holder of the canceled Certificated Note (in the case of an exchange), registered in the name of such transferee or Holder, as applicable, and (z) if such transfer or exchange involves less than the entire principal amount of the canceled Certificated Note, deliver to the Holder thereof one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an aggregate principal amount equal to the untransferred or unexchanged portion of the canceled Certificated Note, registered in the name of the Holder thereof.
Section 2.10. Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange. (a) The transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section and Section 2.09 and, in the case of a Global Note (or a beneficial interest therein), the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee shall refuse to register any requested transfer or exchange that does not comply with the preceding sentence.
(b) Subject to paragraph (c), the transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth in column A below for a Note (or a beneficial interest therein) of the type set forth opposite in column B below may only be made in compliance with the certification requirements (if any) described in the clause of this paragraph set forth opposite in column C below.
A | B | C | ||
U.S. Global Note |
U.S. Global Note | (1) | ||
U.S. Global Note |
Offshore Global Note | (2) | ||
U.S. Global Note |
Certificated Note | (3) | ||
Offshore Global Note |
U.S. Global Note | (4) | ||
Offshore Global Note |
Offshore Global Note | (1) | ||
Offshore Global Note |
Certificated Note | (5) | ||
Certificated Note |
U.S. Global Note | (3) | ||
Certificated Note |
Offshore Global Note | (2) | ||
Certificated Note |
Certificated Note | (3) |
(1) No certification is required.
(2) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Regulation S Certificate;
38
provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required.
(3) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee (x) a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate, (y) a duly completed Regulation S Certificate or (z) a duly completed Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate, and/or an Opinion of Counsel and such other certifications and evidence as the Company may reasonably require in order to determine that the proposed transfer or exchange is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities law of any state of the United States; provided that if the requested transfer or exchange is made by the Holder of a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend, then no certification is required. In the event that (i) the requested transfer or exchange takes place after the Restricted Period and a duly completed Regulation S Certificate is delivered to the Trustee or (ii) a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend is surrendered for transfer or exchange, upon transfer or exchange the Trustee will deliver a Certificated Note that does not bear the Restricted Legend.
(4) The Person requesting the transfer or exchange must deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee a duly completed Rule 144A Certificate.
(5) [Reserved.]
(c) No certification is required in connection with any transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) after such Note is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (or a successor provision) without the need for current public information; provided that the Company has provided the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate to that effect, and the Company may require from any Person requesting a transfer or exchange in reliance upon this clause (c) an opinion of counsel and any other reasonable certifications and evidence in order to support such certificate.
Any Certificated Note delivered in reliance upon this paragraph will not bear the Restricted Legend.
(d) The Trustee will retain copies of all certificates, opinions and other documents received in connection with the transfer or exchange of a Note (or a beneficial interest therein), and the Company will have the right to inspect and make copies thereof at any reasonable time upon written notice to the Trustee.
(e) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
39
Section 2.11. Reg. S Global Notes. Each Note originally sold by the Initial Purchasers in reliance upon Regulation S will be evidenced by one or more Offshore Global Notes that bear the Offshore Global Note Legend.
ARTICLE 3
OPTIONAL REDEMPTION; OFFER TO PURCHASE
Section 3.01. Optional Redemption on or after August 1, 2026. On or after August 1, 2026, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior written notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive interest, if any, due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on August 1 of each of the years set forth below.
Year |
Percentage | |||
2026 |
104.563 | % | ||
2027 |
102.281 | % | ||
2028 and thereafter |
100.000 | % |
Section 3.02. Optional Redemption with Proceeds of Certain Equity Offerings. Prior to August 1, 2026, the Company may redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) originally issued under the Indenture at a redemption price of 109.125% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive interest, if any, due on the relevant interest payment date) if:
(1) such redemption is made with the proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings;
(2) at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) originally issued under the Indenture remain outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (excluding Notes held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries); and
(3) the redemption occurs within 180 days of such Equity Offering.
Section 3.03. Optional Redemption at Make-Whole Price. Prior to August 1, 2026, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus the Applicable Premium, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive interest, if any, due on the
40
relevant interest payment date). Notice of such redemption must be sent, not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date.
Section 3.04. Method and Effect of Redemption. (a) The Company will send notice of any redemption at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each registered Holder of the Notes to be redeemed at its registered address and no less than five (5) Business Days prior to giving such notice to Holders the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate (that conforms to Section 11.04 and Section 11.05 hereof) that notifies the Trustee of such redemption (which five Business Day period the trustee may waive in its sole discretion). Once notice of redemption is sent, the Notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the redemption date at the applicable redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest applicable to such Notes to, but excluding, the redemption date.
(b) The notice of redemption will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will include or state the following:
(1) the redemption date;
(2) the redemption price, including the portion thereof representing any accrued interest;
(3) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for redemption;
(4) Notes called for redemption must be so surrendered in order to collect the redemption price;
(5) on the redemption date the redemption price will become due and payable on Notes called for redemption, and interest on Notes called for redemption will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date;
(6) if any Note is redeemed in part, the notice of redemption that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount of that Note to be redeemed, and on and after the redemption date, upon surrender and cancellation of such Note, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion will be issued; and
(7) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.
(c) Notice of any redemption in connection with any Equity Offering or other securities offering or financing, or in connection with a transaction (or series of related transactions) that constitute a Change of Control, may, at the Company’s discretion, be given prior to the completion thereof and be subject to one or more conditions precedent,
41
including, but not limited to, completion of the related Equity Offering, securities offering, financing or Change of Control. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed. In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person.
(d) On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or any portion of the Notes called for redemption (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price and accrued and unpaid interest). On or before the redemption date, the Company will deposit with a Paying Agent (or the Trustee) money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed on that date. If fewer than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures on a pro rata pass-through distribution of principal basis, in the case of Global Notes, or by the Trustee on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method the Trustee deems to be fair and appropriate, in the case of Notes that are not Global Notes. Upon surrender of any Note redeemed in part, the Holder will receive a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the surrendered Note.
Section 3.05. Offer to Purchase. (a) An “Offer to Purchase” means an offer by the Company to purchase Notes as required by the Indenture. An Offer to Purchase must be made by written offer (the “offer”) sent to the Holders. The Company will notify the Trustee at least 15 days (or such shorter period as is acceptable to the Trustee) prior to sending the offer to Holders of its obligation to make an Offer to Purchase, and the offer will be sent by the Company with a copy to the Trustee or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
(b) The offer must include or state the following as to the terms of the Offer to Purchase:
(1) the provision of the Indenture pursuant to which the Offer to Purchase is being made;
(2) the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes offered to be purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase (including, if less than 100%, the manner by which such amount has been determined pursuant to the Indenture) (the “purchase amount”);
(3) the purchase price, including the portion thereof representing accrued interest;
42
(4) an expiration date (the “expiration date”) not less than 30 days or more than 60 days after the date of the offer, and a settlement date for purchase (the “purchase date”) not more than five Business Days after the expiration date;
(5) information concerning the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries which the Company in good faith believes will enable the Holders to make an informed decision with respect to the Offer to Purchase, at a minimum to include
(A) the most recent annual and quarterly financial statements and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for the Company,
(B) a description of material developments in the Company’s business subsequent to the date of the latest of the financial statements (including a description of the events requiring the Company to make the Offer to Purchase), and
(C) if applicable, appropriate pro forma financial information concerning the Offer to Purchase and the events requiring the Company to make the Offer to Purchase;
(6) a Holder may tender all or any portion of its Notes, subject to the requirement that any portion of a Note tendered must be in a multiple of $1,000 principal amount;
(7) the place or places where Notes are to be surrendered for tender pursuant to the Offer to Purchase;
(8) each Holder electing to tender a Note pursuant to the offer will be required to surrender such Note at the place or places specified in the offer prior to the close of business on the expiration date (such Note being, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, duly endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed written instrument of transfer);
(9) interest on any Note not tendered, or tendered but not purchased by the Company pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, will continue to accrue;
(10) on the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date;
(11) Holders are entitled to withdraw Notes tendered by giving notice, which must be received by the Company or the Trustee not later than the close of business on the expiration date, setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the tendered Notes, the certificate number of the tendered Notes and a statement that the Holder is withdrawing all or a portion of the tender;
43
(12) (i) if Notes in an aggregate principal amount less than or equal to the purchase amount are duly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, the Company will purchase all such Notes, and (ii) if the Offer to Purchase is for less than all of the outstanding Notes and Notes in an aggregate principal amount in excess of the purchase amount are tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the offer, the Company will purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the purchase amount on a pro rata basis, with adjustments so that only Notes of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof will be purchased;
(13) if any Note is purchased in part, new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Note will be issued; and
(14) if any Note contains a CUSIP or CINS number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of the CUSIP or CINS number either as printed on the Notes or as contained in the offer and that the Holder should rely only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes.
(c) Prior to the purchase date, the Company will accept tendered Notes for purchase as required by the Offer to Purchase and deliver to the Trustee all Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate specifying which Notes have been accepted for purchase. On the purchase date the purchase price will become due and payable on each Note accepted for purchase, and interest on Notes purchased will cease to accrue on and after the purchase date. The Trustee will promptly return to Holders any Notes not accepted for purchase and send to Holders new Notes equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes accepted for purchase in part.
(d) The Company will comply with Section 14(e) of, and Rule 14e-1 under, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws in making any Offer to Purchase, and the above procedures will be deemed modified as necessary to permit such compliance.
Section 3.06. Tender Offers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any tender offer for the Notes, including a Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer, if holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in such tender offer and the Company, or any third party making such a tender offer in lieu of the Company, purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to such tender offer, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a price in cash equal to the price offered each other Holder (excluding any early tender or incentive fee) in such tender offer, plus, to the extent not included in the tender offer payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the date of redemption.
44
ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS
Section 4.01. Payment of Notes. (a) The Company agrees to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and the Indenture. Not later than 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the due date of any principal of or interest on any Notes, or any redemption or purchase price of the Notes, the Company will deposit with the Trustee (or Paying Agent) money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay such amounts, provided that if the Company or any Affiliate of the Company is acting as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders a sum of money sufficient to pay such amounts until paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in the Indenture. In each case the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its compliance with this Section 4.01(a).
(b) An installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the date due if the Trustee (or Paying Agent, other than the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) holds on that date money designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. If the Company or any Affiliate of the Company acts as Paying Agent, an installment of principal or interest will be considered paid on the due date only if paid to the Holders.
(c) The Company agrees to pay interest on overdue principal, and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum specified in the Notes.
(d) Payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes are to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Global Notes. With respect to Certificated Notes, the Company will make all payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each Holder’s registered address.
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee or Registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustees of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustees with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.
The Company may also from time to time designate additional offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company shall give prompt written notice to each of the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
45
The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 2.03.
Section 4.03. Existence. Subject to Article 5, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence. Subject to Article 5, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the corporate existence of each of the Guarantors (unless merged into the Company or Guarantor) and all rights and franchises of the Company and the Guarantors unless, in the good faith judgment of the Company, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such corporate existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.04. Payment of Taxes and other Claims. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies imposed on them or any of their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent the same have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent and all claims for which sums have become due and payable that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim if (i) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (ii) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments, charges, levies and claims in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.05. Maintenance of Properties and Insurance. (a) The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, provided that this Section 4.05 shall not prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated.
46
Section 4.06. Restricted Payments. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly,
(i) declare or pay any dividend on, except as described below, or make any other payment or distribution in respect of, its Equity Interests (including any dividend or distribution payable in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or similar payment to the direct or indirect Holders thereof in their capacity as such (other than any dividends or distributions payable solely in its Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) and dividends or distributions payable to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (and, if such Restricted Subsidiary has stockholders, members or partners other than the Company or other Restricted Subsidiaries, to its other stockholders, members or partners on no more than a pro rata basis));
(ii) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Equity Interests of the Company held by any Person or any Equity Interests of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries held by any Affiliate of the Company (in each case other than held by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), including in connection with any merger or consolidation and including the exercise of any option to exchange any Equity Interests (other than into Equity Interests of the Company that are not Disqualified Stock);
(iii) make any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value, more than 30 days prior to the scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment of any Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guarantee (other than the purchase, repurchase or other acquisition of such 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 such purchase, repurchase or other acquisition); or
(iv) make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above and this clause (iv) being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”);
unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
(1) | no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof; |
(2) | the Company would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.07(a); and |
47
(3) | the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the date of the Indenture (and not returned or rescinded) (including Permitted Payments made pursuant to clause (1) (without duplication) of Section 4.06(b), but excluding all other Restricted Payments permitted by Section 4.06(b)), is, at the time of determination, less than the sum of: |
(A) | 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period) beginning on July 1, 2024 to the end of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of such deficit), provided, however, that, to the extent the Total Recourse Indebtedness Leverage Ratio of the Company for the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment does not exceed 2.25 to 1.0 (and the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the aforementioned period is positive), then 75% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the aforementioned period shall be included pursuant to this clause (A); plus |
(B) | 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company from the issuance or sale of its Equity Interests subsequent to July 1, 2024 (other than an issuance or sale to a Subsidiary of the Company and other than Excluded Contributions) and 100% of any cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders subsequent to the date of the Indenture; plus |
(C) | the amount by which the principal amount of any Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary is reduced upon the conversion or exchange (other than by a Restricted Subsidiary) subsequent to July 1, 2024 of any Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary convertible or exchangeable for Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company (less the amount of any cash, or the fair value of any other property, distributed by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary upon such conversion or exchange); provided, however, that the foregoing amount shall not exceed the net cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale of such Indebtedness (excluding net cash proceeds from sales to a Restricted Subsidiary); plus |
(D) | the amount equal to the sum of (x) the net reduction in the Restricted Investments made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Person resulting from repurchases, repayments or redemptions of such Investments by such Person, proceeds realized on the sale or other disposition of such Investment and proceeds representing the return of capital (excluding dividends and distributions to the extent included in |
48
Consolidated Net Income), in each case realized by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and (y) in the event that any Unrestricted Subsidiary is re-designated as a Restricted Subsidiary, the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that the foregoing sum will not exceed, in the case of any such Person, the amount of Restricted Investments previously made (and treated as a Restricted Payment) by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Person or Unrestricted Subsidiary; plus |
(E) | 100% of any dividends or distributions received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries subsequent to July 1, 2024 from an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company, to the extent that such dividends or distributions were not otherwise included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for such period; plus |
(F) | $50.0 million. |
(b) The foregoing provisions will not prohibit any of the following (collectively, the “Permitted Payments”):
(1) | the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if at said date of declaration such payment would have complied with the provisions of the Indenture; |
(2) | so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, any Restricted Payment made in exchange for, or with the net cash proceeds from, the substantially concurrent sale of Equity Interests of the Company (other than any Disqualified Stock and other than Equity Interests issued or sold to a Subsidiary of the Company) or a substantially concurrent cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders; provided that the net cash proceeds from such sale or such cash capital contribution (to the extent so used for such Restricted Payment) shall be excluded from clause (3)(B) of the preceding paragraph; |
(3) | the defeasance, redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition of Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee in exchange for, or with the net cash proceeds from, an Incurrence of Permitted Refinancing Debt; |
(4) | so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, the redemption, repurchase, retirement or other acquisition for value of any Equity Interests of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company held by employees, former employees, managers, former managers, consultants or former consultants of |
49
the Company (or any of its Subsidiaries); provided that the aggregate amount of such repurchases and other acquisitions (excluding amounts representing cancellation of Indebtedness) shall not exceed $5.0 million in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year being carried over to succeeding calendar years subject to a maximum (without giving effect to the following parenthetical) of $10.0 million in any calendar year) (in each case plus the amount of net cash and proceeds received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (x) in respect of “key-man” life insurance and (y) from the issuance of Equity Interests by the Company to members of management of the Company and its Subsidiaries, to the extent that those amounts did not provide the basis for any previous Restricted Payment); |
(5) | payments of dividends on Disqualified Stock issued pursuant to Section 4.07; |
(6) | repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price of such options; |
(7) | cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of the Company; provided, however, that any such cash payment shall not be for the purpose of evading the limitation of this Section 4.06 (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors); |
(8) | so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would be caused thereby, payments of intercompany subordinated Indebtedness, the Incurrence of which was permitted under Section 4.07(b)(4); |
(9) | the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee pursuant to provisions similar to those in Section 4.15; provided that all Notes tendered by Holders in connection with a Change of Control Offer have first been repurchased, redeemed or acquired for value; |
(10) | [Reserved]; |
(11) | Restricted Payments in an amount equal to the unused amount of Excluded Contributions received since the date of the Indenture; |
(12) | distributions or payments of Receivables Fees; and |
(13) | Restricted Payments in an amount which, when taken together with all Restricted Payments previously made pursuant to this clause (13) and then outstanding, does not exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 2.50% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company. |
50
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the assets proposed to be transferred by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.06, in the event that a Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Payments described in the clauses above, or is permitted pursuant to Section 4.06(a) and/or one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investment,” the Company will be entitled to divide or classify (or later divide, classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such Restricted Payment or Investment (or portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 4.06, including as an Investment pursuant to one or more of the clauses contained in the definition of “Permitted Investment.”
Section 4.07. Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock and Preferred Stock. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) and the Company will not issue any Disqualified Stock and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) and the Company may issue shares of Disqualified Stock, and any Restricted Subsidiary may issue Preferred Stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred or such Disqualified Stock or such Preferred Stock is issued would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net cash proceeds therefrom, including the effect of acquisitions or repayments or redemptions of Indebtedness to be funded by such proceeds), as if the additional Indebtedness had been Incurred, or the Disqualified Stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
(b) Section 4.07(a) will not prohibit the Incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(1) | the Incurrence by the Company and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Notes (other than Additional Notes) and the related Note Guarantees; |
(2) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money obligations) Incurred for the purpose of financing (or refinancing) all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement of property (real or personal), plant or equipment used in the business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in an amount that, added to all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (2) and then outstanding, will not exceed the sum of (A) the greater of (x) $50.0 million |
51
and (y) 2.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company, plus (B) the amount of any fees and expenses incurred in connection with any refinancing; |
(3) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Debt in exchange for, or the net cash proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund Indebtedness that was Incurred pursuant to paragraph (a) or pursuant to clause (1), (7) or this clause (3) in this Section 4.07(b); |
(4) | the Incurrence of (a) intercompany Indebtedness of the Company, a Guarantor or any other Restricted Subsidiary for so long as such Indebtedness is held by the Company or a Guarantor; provided that (i) such Indebtedness shall be unsecured and if owing by the Company or any Guarantor, contractually subordinated in all respects (other than with respect to the maturity thereof) to the obligations of the Company under the Notes or such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee, as the case may be, and (ii) if as of any date any Person other than the Company or a Guarantor owns or holds any such Indebtedness or holds a Lien in respect of such Indebtedness (other than a Permitted Lien securing Indenture Obligations), such date shall be deemed the incurrence of Indebtedness not permitted under this clause (4) by the issuer of such Indebtedness and (b) intercompany Indebtedness of the Company, any Guarantor or any Foreign Subsidiary for so long as such Indebtedness is held by a Foreign Subsidiary; provided that (i) if such Indebtedness is owing by the Company or any Guarantor, such Indebtedness shall be unsecured and contractually subordinated in all respects (other than with respect to the maturity thereof) to the obligations of the Company under the Notes or such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee, as the case may be, and (ii) if as of any date any Person other than such other Foreign Subsidiary owns or holds any such Indebtedness or holds a Lien in respect of such Indebtedness (other than Permitted Liens of the type described in clause (17) of the definition thereof), such date shall be deemed the incurrence of Indebtedness not constituting Indebtedness permitted under this clause (4) by the issuer of such Indebtedness; |
(5) | Guarantees by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries otherwise permitted hereunder so long as the Person giving such Guarantee could have Incurred the Indebtedness or other obligations that are being Guaranteed; provided that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed (x) is subordinated to the Notes or a Note Guarantee, then the Guarantee must be subordinated to the same extent as the Indebtedness being guaranteed or (y) is owed by any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not a Guarantor, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the prior payment in full of the Notes in the case of the Company or the Note Guarantees in the case of a Guarantor; |
52
(6) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations that are Incurred for the purpose of fixing or hedging interest rate risk with respect to any floating rate Indebtedness that is permitted by the terms of the Indenture to be outstanding; |
(7) | the Incurrence of Existing Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness described in clause (1) or (4) of this Section 4.07(b)); |
(8) | the Incurrence of obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, performance, bid and surety bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or in connection with leases of real or personal property in the ordinary course of business; |
(9) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within two business days of its Incurrence; |
(10) | Indebtedness of Foreign Subsidiaries (and any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof) that, when added together with any other Indebtedness incurred under this clause (10) and then outstanding, will not exceed the greater of (x) $75.0 million (or its foreign currency equivalent) and (y) 3.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company; |
(11) | Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business; |
(12) | Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes or similar Indebtedness issued by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to current, future or former officers, managers, and employees thereof, or to their respective estates, spouses or former spouses, in each case to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to the extent described in Section 4.06(b)(4); |
(13) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness, or issuance of Disqualified Stock by the Company (in addition to Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock permitted by any other clause of this paragraph) in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) that, when added to all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (13) and then outstanding, will not exceed $30.0 million; |
(14) | the Incurrence by the Company or any Guarantor (including any Guarantees thereof) of Indebtedness pursuant to Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed as of any date of Incurrence, the sum of (A) the greater of (x) $515.0 million and (y) 20.0% of Consolidated Total Assets |
53
of the Company, plus (B) in the event of any refinancing of any such Indebtedness, the aggregate amount of fees and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancing, less the aggregate amount of all Net Proceeds of Asset Sales applied to repay any such Indebtedness pursuant to Section 4.16; |
(15) | the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness, or issuance of Disqualified Stock by the Company in an aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference up to 100% of the net cash proceeds received by the Company since immediately after the date of the Indenture from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Company or cash contributed to the capital of the Company (in each case, other than Excluded Contributions, proceeds of Disqualified Stock and sales of Equity Interests to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company) as determined in accordance with clause (iv)(3) of Section 4.06(a) to the extent such net cash proceeds have not been applied pursuant to such clauses to make Restricted Payments or to make other Investments, payments or exchanges pursuant to Section 4.06(b) or to make Permitted Investments (other than Permitted Investments specified in clauses (1) and (3) of the definition thereof); |
(16) | (x) the Incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness, or issuance of Disqualified Stock by the Company, incurred or issued to finance an acquisition or (y) Acquired Debt; provided that after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition, either (a) the Company would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of this covenant, or (b) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is greater than such Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio immediately prior to such acquisition; and |
(17) | the Incurrence of Cash Management Obligations. |
(c) | For purposes of determining compliance with this covenant, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Indebtedness described in clauses (1) through (17) of Section 4.07(b) or under Section 4.07(a), the Company may, in its sole discretion, divide and classify such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this covenant and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness in one of such clauses or pursuant to paragraph (a) of this covenant, and may re-classify any such item of Indebtedness from time to time among such clauses or the first paragraph of this covenant, so long as such item meets the applicable criteria for such category. For avoidance of doubt, Indebtedness may be classified as Incurred in part pursuant to one of the clauses (1) through (17) of Section 4.07(b), and in part under one or more other clauses or under Section 4.07(a). Indebtedness outstanding on the date of the Indenture under the Credit |
54
Agreement, if any, shall be treated at all times as Incurred pursuant to clause (14) of Section 4.07(b). |
For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced.
The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such respective Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.
In the case of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance any Indebtedness, such Indebtedness shall not include the aggregate amount of fees, underwriting discounts, premiums and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancing.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.07 to the contrary, in the case of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance Indebtedness initially incurred in reliance on Section 4.07(b) measured by reference to a percentage of Consolidated Total Assets at the time of Incurrence, if such refinancing would cause the percentage of Consolidated Total Assets restriction to be exceeded if calculated based on the percentage of Consolidated Total Assets on the date of such refinancing, such percentage of Consolidated Total Assets restriction shall not be deemed to be exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced, plus premiums (including tender premiums), defeasance, costs and fees in connection with such refinancing.
Accrual of interest and dividends, accretion of accreted value, issuance of securities paid-in-kind, amortization of original issue discount, changes to amounts outstanding in respect of Hedging Obligations solely as a result of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or interest rates or by reason of fees, indemnities and compensation payable thereunder or reclassification of commitments or obligations not treated as Indebtedness due to a change in
55
GAAP shall not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this covenant and the covenant described below in Section 4.09.
(d) | The Company will not incur, and will not permit any Guarantor to incur, any Indebtedness (including Permitted Debt) that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company or such Guarantor unless such Indebtedness is also contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and the applicable Note Guarantees on substantially identical terms; provided, however, that no Indebtedness will be deemed to be contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness solely by virtue of being unsecured or by virtue of being secured on junior Lien or priority basis. |
Section 4.08. Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate Fair Market Value of all outstanding Investments owned by Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.06 or under one or more clauses of the definition of Permitted Investments, as determined by the Company. That designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
(b) Any designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by Section 4.06. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under Section 4.07, the Company will be in default of such covenant. The Board of Directors of Company may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, and such designation will only be permitted if (1) such Indebtedness is permitted to be Incurred under the covenant in Section 4.07, calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the four-quarter reference period; and (2) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.
Section 4.09. Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien of any kind on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired (each, an “Initial
56
Lien”), other than Permitted Liens, without effectively providing that the Notes are secured equally and ratably with (or, if the obligation to be secured by the Lien is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guarantee, prior to) the obligations so secured for so long as such obligations are so secured. Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien.
Section 4.10. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to:
(1) | pay dividends or make any other distributions to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to its Capital Stock or any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits; |
(2) | pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
(3) | make any loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or |
(4) | sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. |
(b) However, the foregoing restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) | any agreements in effect or entered into on the date of the Indenture, including agreements governing Existing Indebtedness as in effect on the date of the Indenture, and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the agreements governing such Indebtedness as in effect on the date of the Indenture; |
(2) | the Indenture Documents; |
(3) | applicable law and/or any applicable rule, regulation or order; |
(4) | customary non-assignment provisions in leases, licenses or other agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business; |
57
(5) | purchase money obligations that impose restrictions of the nature described in clause (4) of Section 4.10(a) on the property so acquired; |
(6) | any agreement for the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of a Restricted Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition thereof; |
(7) | any agreement or other instrument of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in existence at the time of such acquisition (but not created in contemplation thereof), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person and its Subsidiaries, or the property or assets of the Person and its Subsidiaries, so acquired; |
(8) | Liens that limit the right of Company or any of its Subsidiaries to dispose of the asset or assets subject to such Lien; |
(9) | customary provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property in partnership, joint venture, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements; |
(10) | Permitted Refinancing Debt, provided that the restrictions subject to the limitations of this provision and contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Debt are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced; |
(11) | any such encumbrance or restriction with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement governing Indebtedness incurred by such Foreign Subsidiary, (i) if the encumbrances and restrictions subject to the limitations of this provision and contained in any such agreement or instrument taken as a whole are not materially more restrictive than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements described in clause (1) above (as determined in good faith by the Company), or (ii) if such encumbrance or restriction is not materially more restrictive than is customary in comparable financings (as determined in good faith by the Company) and either (x) the Company determines in good faith that such encumbrance or restriction will not materially affect the Company’s ability to make the principal or interest payments on the Notes or (y) such encumbrance or restriction applies only if a default occurs in respect of a payment or financial covenant relating to such Indebtedness; |
(12) | the Credit Agreement as in effect as of the date of the Indenture and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, |
58
supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof and any additional Credit Facilities permitted under the Indenture; provided, however, that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements, refinancings or additional facilities are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of the Indenture; |
(13) | agreements governing other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.07 and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements; provided that the encumbrances or restrictions therein are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the Indenture Documents in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company; and |
(14) | customary restrictions pursuant to the terms of a Permitted Receivables Financing. |
Section 4.11. Transactions with Affiliates. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make any payment to, or sell, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or Guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate (each of the foregoing, an “Affiliate Transaction”), unless:
(1) | such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction at the time in an arm’s-length transaction with a person who was not an Affiliate; and |
(2) | if such Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involves an amount in excess of $10.0 million, the terms of the Affiliate Transaction are set forth in writing and a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company who are disinterested with respect to such Affiliate Transaction has determined in good faith that the criteria set forth in clause (1) are satisfied and has approved the relevant Affiliate Transaction as evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company set forth in an Officer’s Certificate; and |
(3) | if such Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involves an amount in excess of $15.0 million, the Company also obtains an opinion as to the fairness to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary of such Affiliate Transaction from a financial point of view issued by an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing. |
59
(b) The foregoing provisions will not apply to the following:
(1) | any employment agreement or compensation plan or arrangement entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary; |
(2) | transactions exclusively between or among the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that such transactions are not otherwise prohibited by the Indenture; |
(3) | any agreement existing on the date of the Indenture, as in effect on the date of the Indenture, or as modified, amended or amended and restated by any modification, amendment or amendment and restatement made in compliance with the applicable provisions of clauses (1), (2) and (3) of Section 4.11(a), and any agreement entered into in connection with the Spin-Off (including any modification, amendment or amendment and restatement of any such agreement) on terms that are commercially reasonable to the Company; |
(4) | reasonable compensation of, and indemnity arrangements in favor of, managers of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; |
(5) | the issuance or sale of any Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company; |
(6) | Restricted Payments that are permitted by Section 4.06 and Permitted Investments of the type described in clause (8) of the definition thereof; and |
(7) | sales of accounts receivable, or participations therein, or any related transaction, in connection with any Permitted Receivables Financing. |
Section 4.12. Limitation on Issuances and Sales of Equity Interests in Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, transfer, convey, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any Equity Interests in any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company to any Person (other than the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company), unless:
(1) | such transfer, conveyance, sale, lease or other disposition is of all the Equity Interests in such Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiary; and |
(2) | the Net Proceeds from such transfer, conveyance, sale, lease or other disposition are applied in accordance with Section 4.16. |
In addition, the Company will not permit any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company to issue any of its Equity Interests (other than, if necessary, shares of its Capital Stock
60
constituting directors’ qualifying shares) to any Person other than to the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Company.
Section 4.13. Business Activities. The Company will not and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to engage in any business other than Similar Businesses.
Section 4.14. Additional Note Guarantees. If (i) the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall acquire or create another Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) after the date of the Indenture that Guarantees (or otherwise becomes liable for) Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement or other capital markets debt securities of the Company or any Guarantor or (ii) any Foreign Subsidiary Guarantees (or otherwise becomes liable for) Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement or other capital markets debt securities of the Company or any Guarantor, then the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to become a Guarantor and:
(1) | execute a supplemental indenture, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, pursuant to which such Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee, on a senior unsecured basis, all of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture Documents on the terms set forth in the Indenture; and |
(2) | take such further action and execute and deliver such other documents specified in the Indenture Documents or otherwise reasonably requested by the Trustee to give effect to the foregoing. |
Section 4.15. Repurchase of Notes Upon a Change of Control. (a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, unless the Company has mailed a redemption notice with respect to all of the outstanding Notes as described in Section 3.01, Section 3.02 or Section 3.03, each Holder of Notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described below at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Payment”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, unless the Company has mailed a redemption notice with respect to all of the outstanding Notes as described in Section 3.01, Section 3.02 or Section 3.03, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee (the “Change of Control Offer”) stating:
(1) | that a Change of Control has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest on the relevant interest payment date); |
(2) | the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control; |
61
(3) | the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed); and |
(4) | the instructions, as determined by the Company, consistent with this Section 4.15, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes purchased. |
(b) The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.
(c) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.
(d) On a date that is at least 30 but no more than 60 days from the date on which the Company mailed notice of the Change of Control (the “Change of Control Payment Date”), the Company will, to the extent lawful:
(i) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered; and
(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company.
(e) The paying agent will promptly send to each Holder of Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and send (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
(f) [Reserved.]
Section 4.16. Asset Sales. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Sale (except with respect to an Event of Loss) unless:
62
(1) the Company (or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration (including by way of relief from, or by any other Person assuming responsibility for, any liabilities, contingent or otherwise, as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet, and as a result of which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are released from further liability with respect to such liabilities) at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(2) at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;
provided that the amount of
(A) | any liabilities (as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or any Guarantee thereof) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets pursuant to a customary novation agreement releasing the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from further liability; |
(B) | any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days following the closing of the Asset Sale (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received in that conversion); and |
(C) | any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (iii) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $50.0 million and 2.0% of Consolidated Total Assets of the Company at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration, with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value, |
will be deemed to be cash for purposes of this provision.
(b) Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary may apply such Net Proceeds at its option:
(1) to permanently reduce Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor (and in the case of a revolving credit, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto);
(2) with respect to Asset Sales of assets of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, to permanently reduce Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that
63
is not a Guarantor (and in the case of a revolving credit, to correspondingly reduce commitments with respect thereto), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or another Subsidiary;
(3) to the making of a Capital Expenditure or the acquisition of a controlling interest in another business or other asset, in each case, that is used or useful in a Similar Business or that replaces the assets that are the subject of such Asset Sale; or
(4) to the extent the Asset Sale constituted the sale of consumer loans, or other loans generated through the conduct of Similar Businesses, then to the making of advances and the extension of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that are either (A) recorded as accounts receivable or consumer loans on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company or (B) consumer loans the making of which are facilitated by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary acting as a credit services organization or similar services provider in an amount no greater than the cash used to cash collateralize or repurchase such loans,
provided that, in the case of clause (3) above, a binding commitment to make a Capital Expenditure or acquire a controlling interest shall be treated as a permitted application of the Net Proceeds from the date of such commitment so long as the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary enters into such commitment with the good faith expectation that such Net Proceeds will be applied to satisfy such commitment within 180 days of such commitment (an “Acceptable Commitment”) and, in the event any Acceptable Commitment is later cancelled or terminated for any reason before the Net Proceeds are applied in connection therewith, then such Net Proceeds shall constitute Excess Proceeds if not actually applied or subject to a binding commitment or otherwise applied under clause (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this Section 4.16(b) within the applicable 365 day period.
Pending the final application of any such Net Proceeds, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may temporarily reduce Indebtedness under the Credit Facilities or invest such Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the Indenture.
(c) Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested (by election or as a result of the passage of time) as provided in Section 4.16(b) will be deemed to constitute “Excess Proceeds.” Excess Proceeds of less than $20.0 million will be carried forward and accumulated. When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $20.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer (an “Asset Sale Offer”) to all Holders of Notes to purchase Notes having a principal amount equal to (A) accumulated Excess Proceeds, multiplied by (B) a fraction (x) the numerator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and (y) the denominator of which is equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes and all pari passu Indebtedness similarly required to be repaid, redeemed or tendered for in connection with the Asset Sale, rounded down to the nearest $1,000. The offer price for such Asset Sale Offer shall be an amount in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase, in accordance with the procedures set forth
64
in the Indenture. Any Excess Proceeds remaining after consummation of the Asset Sale Offer may be used by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by the Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount of the Excess Proceeds available to be applied to their repurchase, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis based upon principal balance or accreted value, or to the extent that selection on a pro rata basis is not practicable, by lot or by such method as the Trustee considers fair and appropriate in accordance with DTC procedures. Upon completion of such Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
Section 4.17. Reports. (a) Whether or not the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, so long as any Notes are outstanding the Company will furnish to the Holders of the Notes and the Trustee within the time periods specified in those sections:
(1) all quarterly and annual reports that would be required to be filed with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such reports, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to annual information only, a report thereon by the Company’s certified independent accountants, and
(2) all current reports under Items 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 2.01, 2.03, 2.04, 2.06, 3.03, 4.01, 4.02, 5.01, 5.02 or 5.03 of Form 8-K that would be required to be filed with or furnished to the Commission on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file or furnish such reports,
in each case, prepared on a basis substantially consistent with, and with the same level of detail as, the corresponding information included in the Offering Memorandum or, at the option of the Issuers, the then applicable Commission requirements.
(b) In addition, whether or not required by the Commission, the Company will, after the effectiveness of an exchange offer registration statement or shelf registration statement, if the Commission will accept the filing, file a copy of all of the information and reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 4.17(a) with the Commission for public availability within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations.
(c) Unless the Company is otherwise obligated to do so under the Exchange Act, the information and reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 4.17(a) will not be required to (i) comply with Section 302 or Section 404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, or related Items 307 and 308 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the Commission, or Items 301 or 302 of Regulation S-K or Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K (with respect to any non-GAAP financial measures contained therein), in each case, as in effect on the date of the Indenture or (ii) contain the separate financial information for Guarantors contemplated by Rule 3-09 or Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission (or any similar successor provision) or any schedules required by
65
Regulation S-X, or in each case any successor provisions, or “segment reporting” and the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K (it being understood that the Company will furnish summary financial information with respect to the non-Guarantors on a basis substantially consistent with the financial information presented in the fourth sentence of the second paragraph under “Description of Notes—Ranking” in the Offering Memorandum).
(d) If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and such Unrestricted Subsidiary or group of Unrestricted Subsidiaries, if taken together as one Subsidiary, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraphs will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, and in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries of the Company.
(e) The Company will be deemed to have furnished such information and reports to the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes if it has filed such information and reports with the Commission using the XXXXX filing system and such information and reports are publicly available, provided that the Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine when or whether such filing has occurred.
(f) In the event such information and reports have not been filed with the Commission using the XXXXX filing system and are not publicly available, the Company will post such information and reports on a website no later than the date the Company is required to provide those reports to the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes and maintain such posting for so long as any Notes remain outstanding. Access to such information and reports on such website may be subject to a confidentiality acknowledgment; provided, that no other conditions (except for password protection) may be imposed on access to such information and reports other than a representation by the Person accessing such information and reports that it is the Trustee, a Holder of the Notes, a beneficial owner of the Notes, a bona fide prospective investor, a securities analyst or a market maker.
(g) The Company will, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding, use its commercially reasonable efforts to hold and participate in quarterly conference calls with the Holders of the Notes and securities analysts to discuss such financial information no later than ten business days after distribution of such financial information.
(h) The Company will also, for so long as any Notes remain outstanding and constitute “restricted securities” under Rule 144, furnish to the Holders of the Notes, securities analysts and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
66
(i) Delivery of these reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of them will not constitute constructive or actual notice or knowledge of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).
(j) To the extent any such reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) of Section 4.17(a) above is not so filed or furnished, as applicable, within the time periods specified above and such reports are subsequently filed or furnished, as applicable, the Company will be deemed to have satisfied its obligations with respect thereto at such time and any Default or Event of Default with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been cured.
Section 4.18. Reports to the Trustee. (a) The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year a certificate from the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company stating that the officer has conducted or supervised a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries and their performance under the Indenture and that, based upon such review, the Company has fulfilled its obligations hereunder or, if there has been a Default, specifying the Default and its nature and status.
(b) The Company will deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days after the Company becomes aware or should reasonably become aware of the occurrence of a Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of the Default, and the action which the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.
ARTICLE 5
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF ASSETS
Section 5.01. Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets. (a) The Company. The Company may not, in any transaction or series of related transactions consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not the Company survives), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s property and assets whether as an entirety or substantially as an entirety (or cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s property and assets whether as an entirety or substantially as an entirety), to any Person, unless:
(1) | either: |
(A) | if the transaction or series of transactions is a consolidation of the Company with or a merger of the Company with or into any other Person, the Company shall be the surviving Person of such merger or consolidation; or |
(B) | the Person formed by any consolidation or merger with or into the Company, or to which all or substantially all of the properties and |
67
assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as the case may be, are sold, assigned, conveyed, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state or commonwealth thereof or the District of Columbia; provided that such Person shall expressly assume by supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee all of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes and the Indenture, as so supplemented, shall remain in full force and effect; |
(2) | immediately before and after giving effect to such transaction or series of transactions on a pro forma basis (including any Indebtedness Incurred or anticipated to be Incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction or series of transactions), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and |
(3) | at the time of such transaction and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable period (but without giving effect to the costs and expenses of such transaction), (x) the Company or the successor entity to the Company would be permitted to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth Section 4.07(a) or (y) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company (or the surviving Person, as applicable) and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would be no less than the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis immediately prior to such transaction. |
In connection with any consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition contemplated by the foregoing provisions, the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition and any supplemental indenture in respect thereof comply with the requirements of the Indenture; provided that in giving an Opinion of Counsel, counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate as to any matters of fact, including as to satisfaction of clauses (2) and (3) above.
The successor entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of the predecessor company under the Indenture Documents, and the predecessor company shall be released from all its obligations and covenants under the Indenture Documents.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.01(a), (a) the Company may consolidate or otherwise combine with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to a Guarantor, (b) the Company may
68
consolidate or otherwise combine with or merge into an Affiliate incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States, any state or commonwealth thereof or the District of Columbia, for the purpose of changing the legal domicile of the Company, reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction, or changing the legal form of the Company, (c) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate or otherwise combine with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to the Company or a Guarantor and (d) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate or otherwise combine with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to any other Restricted Subsidiary, in each case without regard to the requirements set forth in this Section 5.01(a).
(b) The Guarantors. Subject to certain limitations in the Indenture governing release of a Guarantor upon the sale or disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor, each Guarantor will not, in any transaction or series of related transactions merge or consolidate with or into (whether or not such Guarantor survives), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any Person, unless either:
(1) | either: |
(A) | if the transaction or series of transactions is a consolidation of such Guarantor with or a merger of such Guarantor with or into any other Person, such Guarantor shall be the surviving Person of such consolidation or merger; or |
(B) | the Person formed by any consolidation or merger with or into such Guarantor, or to which all or substantially all of the properties and assets of such Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as the case may be, are sold, assigned, conveyed, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of, shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume by (i) a supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee and the Indenture and, in each case, the Indenture, as so supplemented, shall remain in full force and effect and (ii) by amendment, supplement or other instrument (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee), executed and delivered to the Trustee; or |
(2) | the transaction is made in compliance with Section 4.16. |
In connection with any consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition contemplated by clause (1)(B) of the foregoing provisions, such Guarantor shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment,
69
conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition and the supplemental indenture in respect thereof comply with the requirements of the Indenture.
The successor entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of the predecessor company under the Indenture, and the predecessor company shall (except in the case of a lease) be released from all its obligations and covenants under the Indenture and the Notes.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.01(b), any Guarantor may (a) consolidate or otherwise combine with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to another Guarantor or the Company, (b) consolidate or otherwise combine with or merge into an Affiliate incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States, any state or commonwealth thereof or the District of Columbia for the purpose of changing the legal domicile of the Guarantor, reincorporating the Guarantor in another jurisdiction, or changing the legal form of the Guarantor or (c) convert into a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or trust organized or existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such Guarantor or change its legal form, in each case without regard to the requirements set forth in this Section 5.01(b).
ARTICLE 6
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01. Events of Default. An “Event of Default” shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing:
(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the Notes;
(2) default in payment when due of the principal, or premium, if any, of any Note when due at maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required purchase, upon acceleration or otherwise;
(3) failure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply with its obligations under Section 4.15, Section 4.16 or Article 5.
(4) failure to perform any other covenant or agreement of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the Indenture Documents for 30 days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class; provided that in the case of a failure to comply with Section 4.17 such period of continuance of such failure shall be 150 days after written notice described in this clause (4) has been given;
(5) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is Guaranteed by the Company or any of its
70
Restricted Subsidiaries) whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the date of the Indenture, which default (A) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such Indebtedness on or prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default (a “payment default”) or (B) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates in excess of $20.0 million (or its foreign currency equivalent);
(6) failure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to pay final judgments which are non-appealable aggregating in excess of $20.0 million (or its foreign currency equivalent) (not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which liability has not been denied by such insurance carrier), which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days following such judgment becoming final, and in the event such judgment is covered by insurance, any enforcement proceeding has been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or decree which is not promptly stayed;
(7) except as permitted by the Indenture, any Note Guarantee shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Note Guarantee in writing; and
(8) an involuntary case or other proceeding is commenced against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding remains undismissed and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or an order for relief is entered against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, under the federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter in effect;
(9) the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, (i) commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (ii) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or for any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken
71
together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or any of its Significant Restricted Subsidiaries or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary or (iii) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors (an event of default specified in clause (8) or (9) a “bankruptcy default”).
Section 6.02. Acceleration. (a) If an Event of Default, other than a bankruptcy default, occurs and is continuing under the Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee if the notice is given by the Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders shall, declare the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon a declaration of acceleration, such principal and interest will become immediately due and payable. If a bankruptcy default occurs, the principal of and accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.
(b) The Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration).
(c) If a Default for a failure to report or failure to deliver a required certificate in connection with another default (the “Initial Default”) occurs, then, at the time such Initial Default is cured, such Default for a failure to report or failure to deliver a required certificate in connection with another default that resulted solely because of that Initial Default will also be cured without any further action. In addition, any Default or Event of Default for the failure to comply with the time periods prescribed in the covenants under Section 4.17 or otherwise to deliver any notice or certificate pursuant to any other provision of the Indenture shall be deemed to be cured upon the delivery of any such report required by such covenant or such notice or certificate, as applicable, even though such delivery is not within the prescribed period specified in the Indenture.
(d) In the event of any Event of Default specified in clause (5) of Section 6.01, such Event of Default and all consequences thereof (excluding any resulting payment default, other than as a result of acceleration of the Notes) shall be annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the Trustee or the Holders of Notes, if
72
within 30 days after such Event of Default arose the Company delivers an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee stating that:
(1) the Indebtedness or Guarantee that is the basis for such Event of Default has been discharged; or
(2) holders thereof have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or action (as the case may be) giving rise to such Event of Default;
(3) the annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; and
(4) all existing Events of Default, except nonpayment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been cured or waived.
Section 6.03. Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue, in its own name or as trustee of an express trust, any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or the Indenture. The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.
Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, by notice to the Trustee, waive an existing Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, the Default will cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, but no such waiver will extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.05. Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders of Notes not joining in the giving of such direction, and may take any other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any such direction received from Holders of Notes.
Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits. A Holder may not institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the Indenture or the Notes, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy under the Indenture or the Notes, unless:
(1) the Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;
73
(2) Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the Event of Default in its own name as Trustee under the Indenture;
(3) Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity and/or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liabilities or expenses to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(5) during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction that is inconsistent with such written request.
Section 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the right of a Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal of or interest on its Note on or after the Stated Maturities thereof, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, may not be impaired or affected without the consent of that Holder.
Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default in payment of principal or interest specified in clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01 occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust for the whole amount of principal and accrued interest remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate specified in the Notes, and such further amount as is sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee hereunder.
Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee hereunder) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relating to the Company or any Guarantor or their respective creditors or property, and is entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money, securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange of the Notes or upon any such claims. Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, if the Trustee consents to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee hereunder. Nothing in the Indenture will be deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on
74
behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.10. Priorities. If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article, it shall pay out the money in the following order:
First: to the Trustee for all amounts due hereunder (including its right to be indemnified under Section 7.07 hereof);
Second: to Holders for amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Notes, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal and interest; and
Third: to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
The Trustee, upon written notice to the Company, may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section.
Section 6.11. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted a proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under the Indenture and the proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to the Holder, then, subject to any determination in the proceeding, the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Company, any Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders will continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.12. Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under the Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit (other than the Trustee) to file an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys fees, against any party litigant (other than the Trustee) in the suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section does not apply to a suit by a Holder to enforce payment of principal of or interest on any Note on the respective due dates, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.
Section 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy conferred or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under this Indenture is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and all such rights and remedies are, to the extent permitted by law, cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or exercise of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, will not prevent the concurrent assertion or exercise of any other right or remedy.
75
Section 6.14. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default will impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.15. Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws. The Company and each Guarantor covenants, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company or the Guarantor from paying all or any portion of the principal of, or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or that may affect the covenants or the performance of the Indenture. The Company and each Guarantor hereby expressly waives, to the extent that it may lawfully do so, all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE 7
THE TRUSTEE
Section 7.01. General. (a) The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee are as provided by the Trust Indenture Act and as set forth herein. Whether or not expressly so provided, every provision of the Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee is subject to this Article.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in the Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations will be read into the Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise those rights and powers vested in it by the Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(c) No provision of the Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own gross negligent action, its own gross negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) this paragraph does not limit the effect of Section 7.01(b);
(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error in judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
76
(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.
Section 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 315(a) through (d):
(1) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may rely, and will be protected in acting or refraining from acting, upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document, but, in the case of any document which is specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee pursuant to any provision hereof, the Trustee shall examine the document to determine whether it conforms to the requirements of the Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein). The Trustee, in its discretion, may make further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it sees fit.
(2) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel conforming to Section 11.05 and the Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the certificate or opinion.
(3) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.
(4) The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable security and/or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(5) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in accordance with the direction of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.05 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under the Indenture.
(6) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.
77
(7) No provision of the Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of its rights or powers, unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(8) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Company shall be sufficient if signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company.
(9) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default, except a payment default under Sections 6.01(1) or 6.02 hereof, unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a Default or Event of Default is received by a Trust Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture.
(10) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of Officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
(11) In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(12) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.
(13) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(14) The Trustee shall not be responsible for delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its control. Such acts shall include but not be limited to acts of God, strikes, lockouts, riots, acts of war, epidemics, governmental regulations superimposed after the fact, fire, communication line failures, computer viruses, power failures, earthquakes, terrorist attacks or other disasters.
(15) The Trustee shall have no duty or responsibility to monitor the Company’s compliance with the financial covenants under this Indenture.
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee is
78
subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 310(b) and 311. For purposes of Trust Indenture Act Section 311(b)(4) and (6):
(a) “cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand; and
(b) “self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.
Section 7.04. Trustee’s Disclaimer. The Trustee (i) makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of the Indenture or the Notes, (ii) is not accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Notes and (iii) is not responsible for any statement in the Notes other than its certificate of authentication.
Section 7.05. Notice of Default. If any Default occurs and is continuing of which written notice has been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee will send notice of the Default to each Holder within 90 days after it occurs, unless the Default has been cured; provided that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interest of the Holders. Notice to Holders under this Section will be given in the manner and to the extent provided in Trust Indenture Act Section 313(c).
Section 7.06. [Reserved.]
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity. (a) The Company will pay the Trustee compensation as agreed upon in writing for its services. The compensation of the Trustee is not limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust. The Company will reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee, including the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
(b) The Company will indemnify the Trustee, its directors, employees, agents and affiliates for, and defend and hold it harmless against, any loss, damage, claim or liability or expense incurred by it without gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the Indenture
79
and its duties under the Indenture and the Notes, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon it or any of its officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under the Indenture and the Notes.
(c) To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee will have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay principal of, and interest on particular Notes.
(d) The obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 7.07 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. When the Trustee or any Paying Agent incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default specified in Section 6.01, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the Bankruptcy Law.
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee. (a) (1) The Trustee may resign at any time upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Company.
(2) The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Trustee.
(3) If the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10 or in the circumstances described in Trust Indenture Act Section 310(b), any Holder that satisfies the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 310(b) may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(4) The Company may remove the Trustee if: (i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.10; (ii) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Xxxxxxx’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.
(b) If the Trustee has been removed by the Holders, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may appoint a successor Trustee with the consent of the Company. Otherwise, if the Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If the successor Trustee does not deliver its written acceptance within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee (at the expense of the Company), the Company or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
80
(c) Upon delivery by the successor Trustee of a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company, (i) the retiring Trustee will transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, (ii) the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and (iii) the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under the Indenture. Upon request of any successor Trustee, the Company will execute any and all instruments for fully and vesting in and confirming to the successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts. The Company will give notice of any resignation and any removal of the Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all Holders, and include in the notice the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
(d) Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
(e) The Trustee agrees to give the notices provided for in, and otherwise comply with, Trust Indenture Act Section 310(b).
Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Xxxxxx. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or sells or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national banking association without any further act will be the successor Trustee with the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee in the Indenture.
Section 7.10. Eligibility. The Indenture must always have a Trustee that satisfies the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 310(a) and combined with its parent entity has a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.
Section 7.11. Money Held in Trust. The Trustee will not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as it may agree with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and except for money held in trust under Article 8.
ARTICLE 8
DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE
Section 8.01. Discharge of Company’s Obligations. (a) Subject to paragraph (b), the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the Indenture, and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guarantee, will terminate when either:
(1) all Notes previously authenticated and delivered (other than (i) lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or (ii) Notes that are paid pursuant to Section 4.01 or (iii) Notes for whose payment money or U.S. Government Obligations have been held in trust and then repaid to the Company
81
pursuant to Section 8.05) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation and the Company has paid all sums payable by it hereunder; or
(2) (A) the Notes mature within one year, or all of them are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company;
(B) the Company or any Guarantor irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the Holders, money or U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes to the date of maturity or redemption;
(C) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the Indenture;
(D) no Default (other than that resulting from borrowing funds to be applied to make such deposit or any similar or simultaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness and, in each case, the granting of Liens in connection therewith) with respect to the Indenture or the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit and such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any other material agreement or instrument (other than the Indenture) to which the Company or any Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Guarantor is bound (other than resulting from any borrowing of funds to be applied to make such deposit and any similar deposit relating to other Indebtedness and the granting of Liens in connection therewith);
(E) the deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(F) the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be; and
(G) the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture have been complied with.
(b) After satisfying the conditions in clause (1) of Section 8.01(a), only the Company’s obligations that expressly survive the termination of the Indenture will survive. After satisfying the conditions in clause (2), only the Company’s obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06 will survive. In either case,
82
the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the Indenture other than the surviving obligations.
Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance. After the 91st day following the deposit referred to in clause (1), the Company will be deemed to have paid and will be discharged from its obligations in respect of the Notes and the Indenture, other than its obligations in Article 2 and Sections 4.01, 4.02, 7.07, 7.08, 8.05 and 8.06, and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guarantee will terminate, provided the following conditions have been satisfied:
(1) The Company has irrevocably deposited in trust with the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the Holders, money or U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay principal of and interest on the Notes to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, provided that any redemption before maturity has been irrevocably provided for under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee.
(2) No Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit or occurs at any time during the 91-day period following the deposit.
(3) The deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(4) (A) with respect to clause (1), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of the Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the beneficial owners of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred; or, with respect to clause (2), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the beneficial owners of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred, and
(B) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) the Holders have a valid first priority Note interest in the trust funds (subject to customary exceptions), and (iii) after the passage of 91 days following
83
the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law.
(5) If the Notes are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the deposit and defeasance will not cause the Notes to be delisted.
(6) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the defeasance have been complied with.
Prior to the end of the 91-day period, none of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture will be discharged. Thereafter, the Trustee upon request will acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the Indenture except for the surviving obligations specified above.
Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance. After the 91st day following the deposit referred to in clause (1), the Company’s obligations set forth in Sections 4.06 through 4.17, inclusive and Article 5, and each Guarantor’s obligations under its Note Guarantee, will terminate, and clauses (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and (9) of Section 6.01 will no longer constitute Events of Default, provided the following conditions have been satisfied:
(1) The Company has complied with clauses (1), (2), (3), (4)(B), (5) and (6) of Section 8.02; and
(2) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would otherwise have been the case.
Except as specifically stated above, none of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture will be discharged.
Section 8.04. Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.05, the Trustee will hold in trust the money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03, and apply the deposited money and the proceeds from deposited U.S. Government Obligations to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes in accordance with the Notes and the Indenture. Such money and U.S. Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
Section 8.05. Repayment to Company. Subject to Sections 7.07, 8.01, 8.02 and 8.03, the Trustee will promptly pay to the Company upon request any excess money held by the Trustee at any time and thereupon be relieved from all liability with
84
respect to such money. The Trustee will pay to the Company upon request any money held for payment with respect to the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, provided that before making such payment the Trustee may at the expense of the Company publish once in a newspaper of general circulation in New York City, or send to each Holder entitled to such money, notice that the money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified in the notice (at least 30 days after the date of the publication or notice) any remaining unclaimed balance of money will be repaid to the Company. After payment to the Company, Holders entitled to such money must look solely to the Company for payment, unless applicable law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee with respect to such money will cease.
Section 8.06. Reinstatement. If and for so long as the Trustee is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.02 or 8.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under the Indenture and the Notes will be reinstated as though no such deposit in trust had been made. If the Company makes any payment of principal of or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, it will be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held in trust.
ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS
Section 9.01. Amendments Without Consent of Holders. (a) The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes without notice to or the consent of any Noteholder:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect, mistake or inconsistency;
(2) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code;
(3) to comply with Article 5;
(4) provide for the assumption of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s obligations to Holders of Notes in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s or such Guarantor’s assets;
(5) add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or to secure the Notes;
(6) add to the covenants of the Company or any Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or any Guarantor;
85
(7) make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to Holders or that does not adversely affect the legal rights of any Holder under the Indenture Documents;
(8) evidence and provide for the acceptance and appointment under the Indenture of a successor trustee pursuant to the requirements hereof;
(9) make any amendment to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of Notes as permitted by the Indenture, including to facilitate the issuance and administration of the Notes or to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository; provided, however, that (i) compliance with the Indenture as so amended would not result in Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable securities law and (ii) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders to transfer Notes;
(10) to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes;
(11) to conform their text to any provision of the “Description of Notes” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent that such provision was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision in the Indenture Documents; or
(12) at the Company’s election, comply with any requirement of the Commission in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act (it being agreed that the Indenture will not on the Issue Date, and need not thereafter, qualify under the Trust Indenture Act).
Section 9.02. Amendments With Consent of Holders. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.02, 6.04 and 6.07 or paragraph (b) below, the Company and the Trustee may amend the Indenture and the Notes with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including consents obtained in connection with the purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Notes), and the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Trustee may waive an existing Default or future compliance by the Company with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Notes).
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(1) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the principal of, premium, if any, or extend the fixed maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the
86
Notes (other than provisions relating to Section 4.15 and Section 4.16 prior to the time at which an obligation to make such an offer has arisen);
(3) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;
(4) waive a Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;
(6) make any change in the provisions of the Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes;
(7) release any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary, or any group of Guarantors that, taken together (as of the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, from any of its obligations under its Note Guarantee or the Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of the Indenture; or
(8) make any change in the foregoing or succeeding amendment and waiver provisions.
(c) It is not necessary for Noteholders to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but is sufficient if their consent approves the substance thereof.
(d) An amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section will become effective on receipt by the Trustee of written consents from the Holders of the requisite percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company will send to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. The Company will send supplemental indentures to Holders upon request. Any failure of the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, will not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
Section 9.03. Effect of Consent. (a) After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it will bind every Holder unless it is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected. If the amendment, supplement or waiver is of the type requiring the consent of each Holder affected, the amendment, supplement or waiver will bind each Holder that has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the consenting Holder.
87
(b) If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder to deliver it to the Trustee so that the Trustee may place an appropriate notation of the changed terms on the Note and return it to the Holder, or exchange it for a new Note that reflects the changed terms. The Trustee may also place an appropriate notation on any Note thereafter authenticated. However, the effectiveness of the amendment, supplement or waiver is not affected by any failure to annotate or exchange Notes in this fashion.
Section 9.04. Trustee’s Rights and Obligations. The Trustee is entitled to receive, and will be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents set forth in Section 11.04 an Opinion of Counsel and Officer’s Certificate each stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article is authorized or permitted by the Indenture. If the Trustee has received such an Opinion of Counsel, it shall sign the amendment, supplement or waiver so long as the same does not adversely affect the rights of the Trustee. The Trustee may, but is not obligated to, execute any amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Indenture.
Section 9.05. Notes Held by the Company. Solely for the purpose of determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under the Notes, or have directed the taking of any action provided in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the Holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.
ARTICLE 10
GUARANTEES
Section 10.01. The Guarantees. (a) Subject to the provisions of this Article, each Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally, on an unsecured basis, the full and punctual payment (whether at Stated Maturity, upon redemption, purchase or acceleration, or otherwise) of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on, and all other amounts payable under, each Note, and the full and punctual payment of all other amounts payable by the Company under the Indenture. Upon failure by the Company to pay punctually any such amount, each Guarantor shall forthwith on demand pay the amount not so paid at the place and in the manner specified in the Indenture.
(b) If (i) the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall acquire or create another Domestic Subsidiary (other than a Securitization Subsidiary) after the date of the Indenture that Guarantees (or otherwise becomes liable for) Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement or other capital markets debt securities of the Company or any Guarantor or (ii) any Foreign Subsidiary Guarantees (or otherwise becomes liable for) Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement or other capital markets debt securities of the
88
Company or any Guarantor, then the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to become a Guarantor and:
(1) execute a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, pursuant to which such Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee, on a senior secured basis, all of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture Documents on the terms set forth in the Indenture; and
(2) take such further action and execute and deliver such other documents specified in the Indenture Documents or otherwise reasonably requested by the Trustee to give effect to the foregoing.
Section 10.02. Guarantee Unconditional. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, will not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by
(1) any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release in respect of any obligation of the Company under the Indenture or any Note, by operation of law or otherwise;
(2) any modification or amendment of or supplement to the Indenture or any Note;
(3) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of the Company, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Company or its assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of the Company contained in the Indenture or any Note;
(4) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights which the Guarantor may have at any time against the Company, the Trustee or any other Person, whether in connection with the Indenture or any unrelated transactions, provided that nothing herein prevents the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;
(5) any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against the Company for any reason of the Indenture or any Note, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by the Company of the principal of or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under the Indenture; or
(6) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the Company, the Trustee or any other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but for the provisions of this paragraph, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of or defense to such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder.
89
Section 10.03. Discharge; Reinstatement. Each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder will remain in full force and effect until the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Company under the Indenture have been paid in full. If at any time any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note or any other amount payable by the Company under the Indenture is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise, each Guarantor’s obligations hereunder with respect to such payment will be reinstated as though such payment had been due but not made at such time.
Section 10.04. Waiver by the Guarantors. Each Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against the Company or any other Person.
Section 10.05. Subrogation and Contribution. Upon making any payment with respect to any obligation of the Company under this Article, the Guarantor making such payment will be subrogated to the rights of the payee against the Company with respect to such obligation, provided that the Guarantor may not enforce either any right of subrogation, or any right to receive payment in the nature of contribution, or otherwise, from any other Guarantor, with respect to such payment so long as any amount payable by the Company hereunder or under the Notes remains unpaid.
Section 10.06. Stay of Acceleration. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Company under the Indenture or the Notes is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of the Indenture are nonetheless payable by the Guarantors hereunder forthwith on demand by the Trustee or the Holders.
Section 10.07. Limitation on Amount of Guarantee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent conveyance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law. To effectuate that intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee are limited to the maximum amount that would not render the Guarantor’s obligations subject to avoidance under applicable fraudulent conveyance provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provision of state law.
Section 10.08. Execution and Delivery of Guarantee. The execution by each Guarantor of the Indenture (or a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit B) evidences the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor, whether or not the person signing as an officer of the Guarantor still holds that office at the time of authentication
90
of any Note. The delivery of any Note by the Trustee after authentication constitutes due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in the Indenture on behalf of each Guarantor.
Section 10.09. Release of Guarantee. The Note Guarantee of a Guarantor will terminate automatically upon:
(1) any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale or other disposition is otherwise permitted by the Indenture;
(2) in connection with any sale, issuance or other disposition of Capital Stock of that Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale, issuance or other disposition complies with Section 4.16 and the Guarantor ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as a result of such sale, issuance or other disposition;
(3) if the Company designates any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;
(4) upon the merger, amalgamation or consolidation of any Guarantor with and into the Company or another Guarantor that is the surviving Person in such merger, amalgamation or consolidation or upon the liquidation of such Guarantor following the transfer of all or substantially all of its assets, in each case, in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;
(5) in the event that such Guarantor was required to become a Guarantor under the provisions of the covenant described under “Additional Note Guarantees” by virtue of clause (ii) thereof, at such time as such Guarantor shall cease to Guarantee any Indebtedness of the Company or any other Guarantor; or
(6) upon legal defeasance, covenant defeasance or satisfaction or discharge of the Notes, as provided in Article 8.
Upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the foregoing effect and as required in Section 11.04 and Section 11.05 hereof, the Trustee will execute any documents reasonably required in order to evidence the release of the Guarantor from its obligations under its Note Guarantee.
ARTICLE 11
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 11.01. [Reserved.]
91
Section 11.02. Noteholder Communications; Noteholder Actions. (a) Holders may communicate pursuant to Trust Indenture Act Section 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under the Indenture or the Notes. The Company, the Trustee and anyone else shall have the protection of Trust Indenture Act Section 312(c).
(b) (1) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent to amendment, supplement or waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a Holder (an “act”) may be evidenced by an instrument signed by the Holder delivered to the Trustee. The fact and date of the execution of the instrument, or the authority of the person executing it, may be proved in any manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.
(2) The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders, which will be binding on all the Holders.
(c) Any act by the Holder of any Note binds that Xxxxxx and every subsequent Holder of a Note that evidences the same debt as the Note of the acting Holder, even if no notation thereof appears on the Note. Subject to paragraph (d), a Holder may revoke an act as to its Notes, but only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver or other consequence of the act becomes effective.
(d) The Company may, but is not obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to act with respect to any amendment or waiver or in any other regard, except that during the continuance of an Event of Default, only the Trustee may set a record date as to notices of default, any declaration or acceleration or any other remedies or other consequences of the Event of Default. If a record date is fixed, those Persons that were Holders at such record date and only those Persons will be entitled to act, or to revoke any previous act, whether or not those Persons continue to be Holders after the record date. No act will be valid or effective for more than 90 days after the record date.
Section 11.03. Notices. (a) Any notice or communication to the Company will be deemed given if in writing (i) when delivered in person or (ii) five days after mailing when mailed by first class mail, or (iii) when sent by electronic means, with transmission confirmed. Notices or communications to a Guarantor will be deemed given if given to the Company. Any notice to the Trustee will be effective only upon receipt. In each case the notice or communication should be addressed as follows:
if to the Company:
000 X. Xxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
if to the Trustee:
92
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
St. Xxxx, MN 55108
Attn: Corporate Trust - Enova
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Email: xxxxxxxxx.xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova
with a copy to:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Jersey City, New Jersey 07310
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided with respect to published notices, any notice or communication to a Holder will be deemed given when mailed to the Holder at its address as it appears on the Register by first class mail or, as to any Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, as agreed by the Company, the Trustee and DTC. Copies of any notice or communication to a Holder, if given by the Company, will be mailed to the Trustee at the same time. Defect in sending a notice or communication to any particular Holder will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.
(c) Where the Indenture provides for notice, the notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and the waiver will be the equivalent of the notice. Waivers of notice by Holders must be filed with the Trustee, but such filing is not a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waivers.
(d) The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions (for the purposes of this paragraph “Instructions”) given pursuant to this Indenture and delivered using Electronic Means; provided, however, that the Company shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing Responsible Officers and containing specimen signatures of such Responsible Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the Company whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Company elects to give the Trustee Instructions using Electronic Means and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such Instructions shall be deemed
93
controlling. The Company understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that the Trustee shall conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Responsible Officer listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Responsible Officer. The Company shall be responsible for ensuring that only Responsible Officers transmit such Instructions to the Trustee and that the Company and all Responsible Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys upon receipt by the Company. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Company agrees: (i) to assume all risks arising out of the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Company; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee immediately upon learning of any compromise or unauthorized use of the security procedures.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Note, where this Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event or any other communication (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) to a holder of a Global Note (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at the Depositary.
Section 11.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under the Indenture, the Company will furnish to the Trustee:
(1) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(2) an Opinion of Counsel stating that all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 11.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in the Indenture must include:
(1) a statement that each person signing the certificate or opinion has read the covenant or condition and the related definitions;
94
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement or opinion contained in the certificate or opinion is based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such person, that person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable the person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with, provided that an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials with respect to matters of fact.
Section 11.06. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day. If any payment with respect to a payment of any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note (including any payment to be made on any date fixed for redemption or purchase of any Note) is due on a day which is not a Business Day, then the payment need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date, and no interest will accrue for the intervening period.
Section 11.07. Governing Law. The Indenture, including any Note Guarantees, and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Section 11.08. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. The Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, and no such indenture or loan or debt agreement may be used to interpret the Indenture.
Section 11.09. Successors. All agreements of the Company or any Guarantor in the Indenture and the Notes will bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in the Indenture will bind its successor.
Section 11.10. Duplicate Originals. The parties may sign any number of copies of the Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. This Indenture shall be valid, binding, and enforceable against a party only when executed and delivered by an authorized individual on behalf of the party by means of (i) any electronic signature permitted by the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, state enactments of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, and/or any other relevant electronic signatures law, including relevant provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code/UCC (collectively, “Signature Law”); (ii) an original manual signature; or (iii) a faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature. Each electronic signature or faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature shall for all purposes have the same validity, legal effect, and admissibility in evidence as an original manual signature. Each party hereto shall be
95
entitled to conclusively rely upon, and shall have no liability with respect to, any faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature, or other electronic signature, of any party and shall have no duty to investigate, confirm or otherwise verify the validity or authenticity thereof. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute one and the same instrument. For avoidance of doubt, original manual signatures shall be used for execution or indorsement of writings when required under the UCC or other Signature Law due to the character or intended character of the writings
Section 11.11. Separability. In case any provision in the Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 11.12. Table of Contents and Headings. The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and headings of the Articles and Sections of the Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of the Indenture and in no way modify or restrict any of the terms and provisions of the Indenture.
Section 11.13. No Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Incorporators, Members and Stockholders. No director, officer, employee or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the Indenture Documents or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.
Section 11.14. U.S.A. Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as is required to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
Section 11.15. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 11.16. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or any federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture,
96
the Guarantees and the Notes, and irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts.
Section 11.17. Calculations. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company will be responsible for making all calculations called for under this Indenture and the Notes. Such calculations include but are not limited to, determinations of the Applicable Premium. The Company will make all such calculations in good faith and, absent manifest error, its calculations will be final and binding on Holders.
Section 11.18. Foreign Account Tax Act Compliance (FATCA). The Company agrees (i) to provide the Trustee with such reasonable information as it has in its possession to enable the Trustee to determine whether any payments pursuant to the Indenture are subject to the withholding requirements described in Section 1471(b) of the Code or otherwise imposed pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and any regulations, or agreements thereunder or official interpretations thereof (“Applicable Law”), and (ii) that the Trustee shall be entitled to make any withholding or deduction from payments under the Indenture to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Law, for which the Trustee shall not have any liability.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
97
SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused the Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
ISSUER | ||
ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
GUARANTORS | ||
AEL NET MARKETING, LLC | ||
AEL NET OF MISSOURI, LLC | ||
CASHEURONET UK, LLC | ||
CASHNETUSA OF FLORIDA, LLC | ||
CNU GLOBAL-1, LLC | ||
CNU GLOBAL-2, LLC | ||
CNU OF ALASKA, LLC | ||
CNU OF ARIZONA, LLC | ||
CNU OF CALIFORNIA, LLC | ||
CNU OF COLORADO, LLC | ||
CNU OF DELAWARE, LLC | ||
CNU OF FLORIDA, LLC | ||
CNU OF HAWAII, LLC | ||
CNU OF ILLINOIS, LLC | ||
CNU OF IOWA, LLC | ||
CNU OF INDIANA, LLC | ||
CNU OF MAINE, LLC | ||
CNU OF MICHIGAN, LLC | ||
CNU OF MINNESOTA, LLC | ||
CNU OF MISSISSIPPI, LLC | ||
CNU OF MISSOURI, LLC | ||
CNU OF MONTANA, LLC | ||
CNU OF NEVADA, LLC | ||
CNU OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, LLC | ||
CNU OF NEW MEXICO, LLC | ||
CNU OF NORTH DAKOTA, LLC | ||
CNU OF OHIO, LLC | ||
CNU OF OKLAHOMA, LLC | ||
CNU OF OREGON, LLC | ||
CNU OF RHODE ISLAND, LLC | ||
CNU OF SOUTH CAROLINA, LLC | ||
CNU OF TENNESSEE, LLC | ||
CNU OF VIRGINIA, LLC | ||
CNU OF WASHINGTON, LLC | ||
CNU OF WISCONSIN, LLC | ||
CNU OF WYOMING, LLC | ||
CNU TECHNOLOGIES OF IOWA, LLC | ||
DOLLARSDIRECT, LLC |
[Signature Page to Indenture]
ENOVA BRAZIL, LLC | ||
ENOVA INTERNATIONAL GEC, LLC | ||
ENOVA SMB, LLC | ||
ENOVIND INVESTMENT, LLC | ||
By: | CNU Online Holdings, LLC | |
Its: | Member | |
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President | ||
ALIGN BALANCE, LLC | ||
ALIGN MINT, LLC | ||
THE BUSINESS BACKER, LLC | ||
CASHNET CSO OF MARYLAND, LLC | ||
CNU DOLLARSDIRECT INC. | ||
CNU OF ALABAMA, LLC | ||
CNU OF IDAHO, LLC | ||
CNU OF KANSAS, LLC | ||
CNU OF LOUISIANA, LLC | ||
CNU OF SOUTH DAKOTA, LLC | ||
CNU OF TEXAS, LLC | ||
CNU OF UTAH, LLC | ||
CNU ONLINE HOLDINGS, LLC | ||
CUMULUS FUNDING, INC. | ||
DEBIT PLUS, LLC | ||
ENERGY INTERMEDIATE, INC. | ||
ENOVA FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, LLC | ||
ENOVA ONLINE SERVICES, LLC | ||
HEADWAY CAPITAL, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF SOUTH DAKOTA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF TEXAS, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF UTAH, LLC | ||
NETCREDIT FINANCE, LLC | ||
NETCREDIT LOAN SERVICES, LLC | ||
ODK CAPITAL, LLC | ||
PANGEA INTERMEDIATE, LLC | ||
PANGEA TRANSFER COMPANY, LLC | ||
TENNESSEE CNU, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President | ||
CASHNETUSA CO, LLC | ||
CASHNETUSA OR, LLC | ||
THE CHECK GIANT NM, LLC | ||
By: | CNU of New Mexico, LLC |
[Signature Page to Indenture]
Its: | Manager | |
By: | CNU Online Holdings, LLC | |
Its: | Member | |
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President | ||
CREDITME, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF ALABAMA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF ARIZONA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF CALIFORNIA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF DELAWARE, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF GEORGIA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF IDAHO, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF ILLINOIS, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF MISSISSIPPI, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF MISSOURI, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF NEW MEXICO, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF NORTH DAKOTA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF VIRGINIA, LLC | ||
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF WISCONSIN, LLC |
By: | NC Financial Solutions, LLC | |||
Its: | Member | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||||
Title: Vice President |
NC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS OF LOUISIANA, LLC | ||
By: | CNU of Utah, LLC | |
Its: | Member | |
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President | ||
ENOVA DECISIONS, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Secretary | ||
ODWS, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Officer |
[Signature Page to Indenture]
ENOVA CARD SERVICES, LLC | ||
ENOVA CARD HOLDCO, LLC | ||
ODX, LLC | ||
ON DECK CANADA HOLDINGS, INC. | ||
ON DECK CAPITAL, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Treasurer | ||
PANGEA USA, LLC | ||
By: | Pangea Transfer Company, LLC | |
Its: | Member | |
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President | ||
CNU OF VIRGINIA, LLC | ||
OHIO CONSUMER FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: President | ||
DEBIT PLUS PAYMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC | ||
DEBIT PLUS SERVICES, LLC | ||
DEBIT PLUS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC | ||
By: | Debit Plus, LLC | |
Its: | Member | |
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President |
[Signature Page to Indenture]
TRUSTEE | ||
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President |
[Signature Page to Indenture]
EXHIBIT A
[FACE OF NOTE]
[RULE 144A][REGULATION S][IAI] GLOBAL NOTE
9.125% Senior Note Due 2029
[CUSIP] [CINS] _______________ | ||||
[ISIN] _______________ | ||||
No. [A-1][S-1][IAI-1] | Up to $_______________ |
ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or its registered assigns, the principal sum set forth on the Schedule of Exchanges of Notes attached hereto.
[Initial]1 Interest Rate: 9.125% per annum.
Interest Payment Dates: February 1 and August 1, commencing on February 1, 2025.
Regular Record Dates: January 15 and July 15.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
1 | For Initial Notes or Initial Additional Notes only. |
A-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.
Date: | ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC. | |||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
A-2
(Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication)
This is one of the 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 described in the Indenture referred to in this Note.
Date: | COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee | |||||
By: |
| |||||
Authorized Signatory |
A-3
[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]
9.125% Senior Note Due 2029
1. | Principal and Interest. |
The Company promises to pay the principal of this Note on August 1, 2029.
The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note on each interest payment date, as set forth on the face of this Note, at the rate of 9.125% per annum [(subject to adjustment as provided below)].1
Interest will be payable semiannually (to the Holders of record of the Notes at the close of business on the January 15 or July 15 immediately preceding the interest payment date) on each interest payment date, commencing on February 1, 2025.
Interest on this Note will accrue commencing on the date of original issue and thereafter from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on this Note (or, if there is no existing default in the payment of interest and if this Note is authenticated between a regular record date and the next interest payment date, from such interest payment date) or, if no interest has been paid, from [the Issue Date].2 Interest will be computed in the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
The Company will pay interest on overdue principal, premium, if any, and, to the extent lawful, interest at a rate per annum that is 1% in excess of 9.125%. Interest not paid when due and any interest on principal, premium or interest not paid when due will be paid to the Persons that are Holders on a special record date, which will be the 15th day preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of such interest, whether or not such day is a Business Day. At least 15 days before a special record date, the Company will send to each Holder and to the Trustee a notice that sets forth the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid.
2. | Indentures; Note Guarantee. |
This is one of the Notes issued under an Indenture dated as of August 12, 2024 (as amended from time to time, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee. Capitalized terms used herein are used as defined in the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those expressly made part of the Indenture by reference to specified provisions of the Trust Indenture Act. Unless otherwise expressly made part of the Indenture by reference to such specified provisions, the
1 | Include only for Initial Note or Initial Additional Note. |
2 | For Additional Notes, should be the date of their original issue. |
A-4
Indenture is not subject to or qualified by the Trust Indenture Act. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the specified provisions of the Trust Indenture Act for a statement of all such terms. To the extent permitted by applicable law, in the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Note and the terms of the Indenture, the terms of the Indenture will control.
The Notes are general senior unsecured obligations of the Company. The Indenture limits the original aggregate principal amount of the Notes to $500,000,000 but additional notes (“Additional Notes”) may be issued pursuant to the Indenture, and the originally issued Notes and all such Additional Notes will vote together for all purposes as a single class, provided, however, if the Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a different CUSIP number. This Note is guaranteed as set forth in the Indenture.
3. | Redemption and Repurchase; Discharge Prior to Redemption or Maturity. |
This Note is subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an Offer to Purchase, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to this Note.
If the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay the then outstanding principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, the Company may in certain circumstances be discharged from the Indenture and the Notes or may be discharged from certain of its obligations under certain provisions of the Indenture.
4. | Registered Form; Denominations; Transfer; Exchange. |
The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 principal amount and any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, in the form of both Global Notes and Certificated Notes, as provided in the Indenture. A Holder may register the transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Trustee may require a Holder to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. Pursuant to the Indenture, there are certain periods during which the Trustee will not be required to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Note or certain portions of a Note.
5. | Defaults and Remedies. |
If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may by written notice, as provided in the Indenture, declare all the Notes to be due and payable. If a bankruptcy or insolvency default with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the Notes automatically become due and payable. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may require indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it before it enforces the Indenture or the Notes. Subject to
A-5
certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may direct the Trustee in its exercise of remedies.
6. | Amendment and Waiver. |
Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture and the Notes may be amended, or default may be waived, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Without notice to or the consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes to, among other things, cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture or the Notes or other amendments or supplements if such amendments or supplements do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect.
7. Authentication.
This Note is not valid until the Trustee (or Authenticating Agent) signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.
8. | Governing Law. |
This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
9. | Abbreviations. |
Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian) and U/G/M/A/ (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).
The Company will furnish a copy of the Indenture to any Holder upon written request and without charge.
A-6
[FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE]
FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
Insert Taxpayer Identification No. |
|
|
Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee |
|
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing |
|
attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.
A-7
[THE FOLLOWING PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL CERTIFICATES BEARING A RESTRICTED LEGEND]
In connection with any transfer of this Note occurring prior to ______________, the undersigned confirms that such transfer is made without utilizing any general solicitation or general advertising and further as follows:
Check One
☐ (1) This Note is being transferred to a “qualified institutional buyer” in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and certification in the form of Exhibit F to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.
☐ (2) This Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in compliance with the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Regulation S thereunder, and certification in the form of Exhibit E to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.
or
☐ (3) This Note is being transferred other than in accordance with (1) or (2) above and documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.
If none of the foregoing boxes is checked, the Trustee is not obligated to register this Note in the name of any Person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in the Indenture have been satisfied.
Date: |
|
Seller |
By |
NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within-mentioned instrument in every particular, without alteration or any change whatsoever. |
A-8
Signature Guarantee:3 |
By | ||||||
To be executed by an executive officer |
3 | Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
A-9
OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you wish to have all of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.15 or Section 4.16 of the Indenture, check the box below:
☐ Section 4.15 ☐ Section 4.16
If you wish to have a portion of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.15 or Section 4.16 of the Indenture, state the amount (in original principal amount) below:
$_____________________.
Date:____________
Your Signature:__________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note)
Signature Guarantee:1_____________________________
1 | Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Trustee, which requirements include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Trustee in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
A-10
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF NOTES1
The initial principal amount of this Global Note is $__________. The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for Physical Notes or a part of another Global Note have been made:
Date of Exchange |
Amount of decrease in principal amount of this Global Note |
Amount of increase in principal amount of this Global Note |
Principal amount of this Global Note following such decrease (or increase) |
Signature of authorized officer of Trustee |
1 | For Global Notes |
A-11
EXHIBIT B
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
dated as of __________, ____
among
The Guarantor(s) Party Hereto
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Trustee
9.125% Senior Notes due 2029
B-1
THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), entered into as of __________, ____, among ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), [insert each Guarantor executing this Supplemental Indenture and its jurisdiction of incorporation] (each an “Undersigned”) and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee entered into the Indenture, dated as of August 12, 2024 (the “Indenture”), relating to the Company’s 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”);
WHEREAS, as a condition to the Trustee entering into the Indenture and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders, the Company agreed pursuant to the Indenture to cause any newly acquired or created Subsidiaries to provide Guarantees in certain circumstances.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and intending to be legally bound, the parties to this Supplemental Indenture hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Indenture.
Section 2. Each Undersigned, by its execution of this Supplemental Indenture, agrees to be a Guarantor under the Indenture and to be bound by the terms of the Indenture applicable to Guarantors, including, but not limited to, Article 10 thereof.
Section 3. This Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Section 4. This Supplemental Indenture may be signed in various counterparts which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 5. This Supplemental Indenture is an amendment supplemental to the Indenture and the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture will henceforth be read together.
Section 6. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which are made solely by the Company and the Guarantor.
B-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
ENOVA INTERNATIONAL, INC., as Issuer | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[GUARANTOR] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
B-3
EXHIBIT C
RESTRICTED LEGEND
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER
(1) REPRESENTS THAT
(A) IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT,
(B) IT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a) (1), (2), (3) OR (7) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) (AN “INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR”) OR
(C) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON (WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND
(2) AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND ONLY
(A) TO THE COMPANY,
(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,
(C) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT,
(D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(E) IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $250,000 TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, DELIVERS TO THE TRUSTEE A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED
C-1
FROM THE TRUSTEE) RELATING TO THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE, OR
(F) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2)(E) ABOVE, THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
C-2
EXHIBIT D
DTC LEGEND
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN.
TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF CEDE & CO. OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE ARE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRANSFER PROVISIONS OF THE INDENTURE.
D-1
EXHIBIT E
Regulation S Certificate
_________, ____
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee and Registrar Attn:
Corporate Trust Services - DAPS Reorg 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xx. Xxxx,
MN 55108 Phone: (000) 000-0000 Email:
#XXXXXXXXXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova
Re: | Enova International, Inc. 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of August 12, 2024 relating to the Notes |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Terms are used in this Certificate as used in Regulation S (“Regulation S”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), except as otherwise stated herein.
[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]
☐ A. | This Certificate relates to our proposed transfer of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture. We hereby certify as follows: |
1. | The offer and sale of the Notes was not and will not be made to a person in the United States (unless such person is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by it for which it is acting is excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3)) and such offer and sale was not and will not be specifically targeted at an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad. |
2. | Unless the circumstances described in the parenthetical in paragraph 1 above are applicable, either (a) at the time the buy order was originated, the buyer was outside the United States or we and any person acting on our behalf reasonably believed that the buyer was outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on |
E-1
or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market, and neither we nor any person acting on our behalf knows that the transaction was pre-arranged with a buyer in the United States. |
3. | Neither we, any of our affiliates, nor any person acting on our or their behalf has made any directed selling efforts in the United States with respect to the Notes. |
4. | The proposed transfer of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act. |
5. | If we are a dealer or a person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration in respect of the Notes, and the proposed transfer takes place during the Restricted Period (as defined in the Indenture), or we are an officer or director of the Company or an Initial Purchaser (as defined in the Indenture), we certify that the proposed transfer is being made in accordance with the provisions of Rule 904(b) of Regulation S. |
☐ B. | This Certificate relates to our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us. We hereby certify as follows: |
1. | At the time the offer and sale of the Notes was made to us, either (i) we were not in the United States or (ii) we were excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(vi) or the account held by us for which we were acting was excluded from the definition of “U.S. person” pursuant to Rule 902(k)(2)(i) under the circumstances described in Rule 902(h)(3); and we were not a member of an identifiable group of U.S. citizens abroad. |
2. | Unless the circumstances described in paragraph 1(ii) above are applicable, either (a) at the time our buy order was originated, we were outside the United States or (b) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and we did not pre-arrange the transaction in the United States. |
3. | The proposed exchange of Notes is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act. |
E-2
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Very truly yours, | ||
[NAME OF SELLER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
Date: _________________
E-3
EXHIBIT F
Rule 144A Certificate
_________, ____
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee and Registrar Attn:
Corporate Trust Services—DAPS Reorg 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xx. Xxxx,
MN 55108 Phone: (000) 000-0000 Email:
#XXXXXXXXXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova
Re: | Enova International, Inc. 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of August 12, 2024 relating to the Notes |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) ABOVE IS CHECKED.
This Certificate relates to:
[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]
☐ A. | Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture. |
☐ B. | Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us. |
We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting in the aggregate owned and invested more than $100,000,000 in securities of issuers that are not affiliated with us (or such accounts, if applicable), as of _________, 20__, which is a date on or since close of our most recent fiscal year. We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting, are a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). If we are acting on behalf of an account, we exercise sole investment discretion with respect to such account. We are aware that the transfer of Notes to us, or such exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A. Prior to the date of this Certificate we have
F-1
received such information regarding the Company as we have requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or have determined not to request such information.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Very truly yours, | ||
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
Date: _________________
F-2
EXHIBIT G
Institutional Accredited Investor Certificate
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee and Registrar Attn:
Corporate Trust Services—DAPS Reorg 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xx. Xxxx,
MN 55108 Phone: (000) 000-0000 Email:
#XXXXXXXXXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova
Re: | Enova International, Inc. 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of August 12, 2024 relating to the Notes |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Certificate relates to:
[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]
☐ A. | Our proposed purchase of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture. |
☐ B. | Our proposed exchange of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us. |
We hereby confirm that:
1. | We are an institutional “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (an “Institutional Accredited Investor”). |
2. | Any acquisition of Notes by us will be for our own account or for the account of one or more other Institutional Accredited Investors as to which we exercise sole investment discretion. |
3. | We have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that we are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Notes and we and any accounts for which we are acting are able to bear the economic risks of and an entire loss of our or their investment in the Notes. |
G-1
4. | We are not acquiring the Notes with a view to any distribution thereof in a transaction that would violate the Securities Act or the securities laws of any State of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction; provided that the disposition of our property and the property of any accounts for which we are acting as fiduciary will remain at all times within our and their control. |
5. | We acknowledge that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and that the Notes may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit of U.S. persons except as set forth below. |
6. | The principal amount of Notes to which this Certificate relates is at least equal to $250,000. |
We agree for the benefit of the Company, on our own behalf and on behalf of each account for which we are acting, that such Notes may be offered, sold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of any State of the United States and only (a) to the Company, (b) pursuant to a registration statement which has become effective under the Securities Act, (c) to a qualified institutional buyer in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, (d) in an offshore transaction in compliance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (e) in a principal amount of not less than $250,000, to an Institutional Accredited Investor that, prior to such transfer, delivers to the Trustee a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) relating to the restrictions on transfer of the Notes or (f) pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (c) or (d) above, we acknowledge that a duly completed and signed certificate (the form of which may be obtained from the Trustee) must be delivered to the Trustee. Prior to the registration of any transfer in accordance with (e) or (f) above, we acknowledge that the Company reserves the right to require the delivery of such legal opinions, certifications or other evidence as may reasonably be required in order to determine that the proposed transfer is being made in compliance with the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We acknowledge that no representation is made as to the availability of any Rule 144 exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
We understand that the Trustee will not be required to accept for registration of transfer any Notes acquired by us, except upon presentation of evidence satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee that the foregoing restrictions on transfer have been complied with. We further understand that the Notes acquired by us will be in the form of definitive physical certificates and that such certificates will bear a legend reflecting the substance of the preceding paragraph. We further agree to provide to any person acquiring any of the Notes from us a notice advising such person that resales of the Notes
G-2
are restricted as stated herein and that certificates representing the Notes will bear a legend to that effect.
We agree to notify you promptly in writing if any of our acknowledgments, representations or agreements herein ceases to be accurate and complete.
We represent to you that we have full power to make the foregoing acknowledgments, representations and agreements on our own behalf and on behalf of any account for which we are acting.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Very truly yours, | ||
[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
Date: _________________
G-3
Upon transfer, the Notes would be registered in the name of the new beneficial owner as follows:
By: _________________________________
Date: ________________________________
Taxpayer ID number: ___________________
G-4
EXHIBIT H
[COMPLETE FORM I OR FORM II AS APPLICABLE.]
[FORM I]
Certificate of Beneficial Ownership
To:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee and Registrar
Attn: Corporate Trust Services—DAPS Reorg 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Drive St. Xxxx, MN 55108 Phone: (000) 000-0000 Email:
#XXXXXXXXXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova
OR
[Name of DTC Participant]
Re: | Enova International, Inc. 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of August 12, 2024 relating to the Notes |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are the beneficial owner of $____ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture and represented by an Offshore Global Note (as defined in the Indenture).
We hereby certify as follows:
[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]
☐ A. | We are a non-U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended). |
☐ B. | We are a U.S. person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. |
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any
H-1
administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
H-2
Very truly yours, | ||
[NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
Date: _________________
[FORM II]
Certificate of Beneficial Ownership
To: | Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee and Registrar Attn: Corporate Trust Services - DAPS Reorg 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000 Phone: (000) 000-0000 Email: #XXXXXXXXXXxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A. 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Attention: Corporate Trust – Enova |
|||
Re: | Enova International, Inc. 9.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) Issued under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of August 12, 2024 relating to the Notes |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is to certify that based solely on certifications we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from Institutions appearing in our records as persons being entitled to a portion of the principal amount of Notes represented by an Offshore Global Note issued under the above-referenced Indenture, that as of the date hereof, $____ principal amount of Notes represented by the Offshore Global Note being submitted herewith for exchange is beneficially owned by persons that are either (i) non-U.S. persons (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) or (ii) U.S. persons that purchased the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
H-3
We further certify that (i) we are not submitting herewith for exchange any portion of such Offshore Global Note excepted in such certifications and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any Institution to the effect that the statements made by such Institution with respect to any portion of such Offshore Global Note submitted herewith for exchange are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.
You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Yours faithfully, | ||
[Name of DTC Participant] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address: |
Date: _________________
H-4
EXHIBIT I
PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
I-1