EX-4.1 2 dex41.htm FORM OF NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. $25,000,000 5.29% Senior Notes due March 2, 2020 NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT Dated as of March 2, 2010
Exhibit 4.1
NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC.
$25,000,000 5.29% Senior Notes
due March 2, 2020
Dated as of March 2, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION | HEADING | PAGE | ||
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF NOTES | 1 | |||
SECTION 2. SALE AND PURCHASE OF NOTES | 1 | |||
1 | ||||
2 | ||||
Section 4.1. | Representations and Warranties | 2 | ||
Section 4.2. | Performance; No Default | 2 | ||
Section 4.3. | Compliance Certificates | 2 | ||
Section 4.4. | Opinions of Counsel | 2 | ||
Section 4.5. | Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, Etc | 3 | ||
Section 4.6. | Sale of Other Notes | 3 | ||
Section 4.7. | Payment of Special Counsel Fees | 3 | ||
Section 4.8. | Private Placement Number | 3 | ||
Section 4.9. | Changes in Corporate Structure | 3 | ||
Section 4.10. | Funding Instructions | 3 | ||
Section 4.11. | Proceedings and Documents | 4 | ||
Section 4.12. | Regulatory Approvals | 4 | ||
4 | ||||
Section 5.1. | Organization; Power and Authority | 4 | ||
Section 5.2. | Authorization, Etc | 4 | ||
Section 5.3. | Disclosure | 4 | ||
Section 5.4. | Organization and Ownership of Shares of the Company and Subsidiaries; Affiliates | 5 | ||
Section 5.5. | Financial Statements; Material Liabilities | 6 | ||
Section 5.6. | Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc | 6 | ||
Section 5.7. | Governmental Authorizations, Etc | 6 | ||
Section 5.8. | Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders | 6 | ||
Section 5.9. | Taxes | 7 | ||
Section 5.10. | Title to Property; Leases | 7 | ||
Section 5.11. | Licenses, Permits, Etc | 7 | ||
Section 5.12. | Compliance with ERISA | 8 | ||
Section 5.13. | Private Offering by the Company | 8 | ||
Section 5.14. | Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations | 9 | ||
Section 5.15. | Existing Funded Indebtedness; Future Liens | 9 | ||
Section 5.16. | Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc | 9 | ||
Section 5.17. | Status under Certain Statutes | 10 |
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Section 5.18. | Environmental Matters | 10 | ||
Section 5.19. | Notes Rank Pari Passu | 10 | ||
Section 5.20. | Solvency and Consideration | 10 | ||
SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASERS | 11 | |||
Section 6.1. | Purchase for Investment | 11 | ||
Section 6.2. | Source of Funds | 11 | ||
Section 6.3. | Binding Effect | 13 | ||
Section 6.4. | Access to Information; Knowledge and Experience | 13 | ||
SECTION 7. INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY | 13 | |||
Section 7.1. | Financial and Business Information | 13 | ||
Section 7.2. | Officer’s Certificate | 16 | ||
Section 7.3. | Visitation | 16 | ||
16 | ||||
Section 8.1. | Required Prepayments | 16 | ||
Section 8.2. | Optional Prepayments | 17 | ||
Section 8.3. | Allocation of Partial Prepayments | 17 | ||
Section 8.4. | Maturity; Surrender, Etc | 17 | ||
Section 8.5. | Purchase of Notes | 17 | ||
Section 8.6. | Make-Whole Amount | 18 | ||
19 | ||||
Section 9.1. | Compliance with Law | 19 | ||
Section 9.2. | Insurance | 19 | ||
Section 9.3. | Maintenance of Properties | 20 | ||
Section 9.4. | Payment of Taxes and Claims | 20 | ||
Section 9.5. | Corporate Existence, Etc.; Ownership of Subsidiaries | 20 | ||
Section 9.6. | Books and Records | 20 | ||
Section 9.7. | Notes to Rank Pari Passu | 20 | ||
Section 9.8. | Guarantors | 21 | ||
SECTION 10. NEGATIVE COVENANTS | 22 | |||
Section 10.1. | Limitation on Funded Indebtedness | 22 | ||
Section 10.2. | Limitation on Liens | 23 | ||
Section 10.3. | Transactions with Affiliates | 26 | ||
Section 10.4. | Merger or Consolidation; Sale or Transfer of Assets | 26 | ||
Section 10.5. | Restrictions on Dividends | 27 | ||
Section 10.6. | Line of Business | 27 | ||
Section 10.7. | Terrorism Sanctions Regulations | 27 | ||
SECTION 11. EVENTS OF DEFAULT | 28 |
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Section 12. REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC | 29 | |||
Section 12.1. | Acceleration | 29 | ||
Section 12.2. | Other Remedies | 30 | ||
Section 12.3. | Rescission | 30 | ||
Section 12.4. | No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc | 30 | ||
Section 13. REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES | 31 | |||
Section 13.1. | Registration of Notes | 31 | ||
Section 13.2. | Transfer and Exchange of Notes | 31 | ||
Section 13.3. | Replacement of Notes | 31 | ||
Section 14. PAYMENTS ON NOTES | 32 | |||
Section 14.1. | Place of Payment | 32 | ||
Section 14.2. | Home Office Payment | 32 | ||
Section 15. EXPENSES, ETC | 33 | |||
Section 15.1. | Transaction Expenses | 33 | ||
Section 15.2. | Survival | 33 | ||
Section 16. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT | 33 | |||
Section 17. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER | 33 | |||
Section 17.1. | Requirements | 33 | ||
Section 17.2. | Solicitation of Holders of Notes | 34 | ||
Section 17.3. | Binding Effect, Etc | 34 | ||
Section 17.4. | Notes Held by Company, Etc | 35 | ||
Section 18. NOTICES | 35 | |||
Section 19. REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS | 35 | |||
Section 20. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION | 36 | |||
Section 21. SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER | 37 | |||
Section 22. MISCELLANEOUS | 37 | |||
Section 22.1. | Successors and Assigns | 37 | ||
Section 22.2. | Payments Due on Non-Business Days | 37 | ||
Section 22.3. | Accounting Terms | 38 | ||
Section 22.4. | Severability | 38 |
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Section 22.5. | Construction, Etc | 38 | ||
Section 22.6. | Counterparts | 38 | ||
Section 22.7. | Governing Law | 38 | ||
Section 22.8. | Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial | 38 | ||
Signature | 40 |
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SCHEDULE A | — | Information Relating to Purchasers | ||
SCHEDULE B | — | Defined Terms | ||
SCHEDULE 5.3 | — | Disclosure Materials | ||
SCHEDULE 5.4 | — | Organization and Ownership of Shares and Subsidiaries | ||
SCHEDULE 5.5 | — | Financial Statements | ||
SCHEDULE 5.15 | — | Existing Indebtedness | ||
EXHIBIT 1 | — | Form of 5.29% Senior Note due March 2, 2020 | ||
EXHIBIT 4.4(a) | — | Form of Opinion of Special Counsel for the Company | ||
EXHIBIT 4.4(b) | — | Form of Opinion of Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief Regulatory Counsel for Unitil Service Corp. | ||
EXHIBIT 4.4(c) | — | Form of Opinion of Special Counsel for the Purchasers |
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NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC.
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
$25,000,000 5.29% Senior Notes
due March 2, 2020
Dated as of March 2, 2010
TO EACH OF THE PURCHASERS LISTED IN
SCHEDULE A HERETO:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Northern Utilities, Inc., a New Hampshire corporation (the “Company”), agrees with each of the purchasers whose names appear at the end hereof (each, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”) as follows:
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF NOTES.
The Company will authorize the issue and sale of $25,000,000 principal amount of its 5.29% Senior Notes due March 2, 2020 (the “Notes”, such term to include any such notes issued in substitution therefor pursuant to Section 13). The Notes shall be substantially in the form set out in Exhibit 1, with such changes therefrom, if any, as may be approved by each Purchaser and the Company. Certain capitalized and other terms used in this Agreement are defined in Schedule B; and references to a “Schedule” or an “Exhibit” are, unless otherwise specified, to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement.
SECTION 2. SALE AND PURCHASE OF NOTES.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser will purchase from the Company, at the Closing provided for in Section 3, Notes in the principal amount specified opposite such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A at the purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The Purchasers’ obligations hereunder are several and not joint obligations and no Purchaser shall have any liability to any Person for the performance or non-performance of any obligation by any other Purchaser hereunder.
The sale and purchase of the Notes to be purchased by each Purchaser shall occur at the offices of Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 at 10:00 a.m., Central time, at a closing (the “Closing”) on March 2, 2010 or on such other
Business Day thereafter on or prior to March 31, 2010 as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers. At the Closing the Company will deliver to each Purchaser the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of a single Note (or such greater number of Notes in denominations of at least $100,000 as such Purchaser may request) dated the date of the Closing and registered in such Purchaser’s name (or in the name of its nominee), against delivery by such Purchaser to the Company or its order of immediately available funds in the amount of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds to account number 004622844048 at Bank of America, General Funds, ABA number 026 009 593, for the account of Northern Utilities, Inc. If at the Closing the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to any Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3, or any of the conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to such Purchaser’s satisfaction, such Purchaser shall, at its election, be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such nonfulfillment.
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS TO CLOSING.
Each Purchaser’s obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be sold to such Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Purchaser’s satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of the following conditions:
Section 4.3. Compliance Certificates.
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covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request (and the Company hereby instructs its counsel to deliver such opinion to the Purchasers), (b) from Xxxx Xxxxx, Chief Regulatory Counsel for Unitil Service Corp., covering the matters set forth in Exhibit 4.4(b) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request (and the Company hereby instructs Xxxx Xxxxx to deliver such opinion to the Purchasers) and (c) from Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel in connection with such transactions, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit 4.4(c) and covering such other matters incident to such transactions as such Purchaser may reasonably request.
Section 4.5. Purchase Permitted By Applicable Law, Etc. On the date of the Closing such Purchaser’s purchase of Notes shall (a) be permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which such Purchaser is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and (c) not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in effect on the date hereof. If requested by such Purchaser, such Purchaser shall have received an Officer’s Certificate certifying as to such matters of fact as such Purchaser may reasonably specify to enable such Purchaser to determine whether such purchase is so permitted.
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SECTION 5. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each Purchaser that:
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other writings identified in Schedule 5.3 and such financial statements listed in Schedule 5.5 delivered to each Purchaser being referred to, collectively, as the “Disclosure Documents”), taken as a whole, do not, as of their respective dates, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, since December 31, 2008, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business or properties of the Company or any Subsidiary except changes that individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein or in the Disclosure Documents.
Section 5.4. Organization and Ownership of Shares of the Company and Subsidiaries; Affiliates. (a) Schedule 5.4 contains (except as noted therein) complete and correct lists (i) of the Company’s Subsidiaries, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the correct name thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, and the percentage of shares of each class of its capital stock or similar equity interests outstanding owned by the Company and each other Subsidiary, (ii) of the Company’s Affiliates, other than Subsidiaries, and (iii) of the Company’s directors and senior officers.
(b) All of the outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 5.4 as being owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien (except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 5.4).
(c) Each Subsidiary identified in Schedule 5.4 is a corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other legal entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary has the corporate or other power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) No Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to any legal, regulatory, contractual or other restriction (other than this Agreement, the agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary limitations imposed by corporate or utility regulatory law or similar statutes) restricting the ability of such Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of profits to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of capital stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary in an amount substantially inconsistent with the past practice of such Subsidiary.
(e) The Company is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Unitil.
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(b) Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, or any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or is in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation (including without limitation Environmental Laws or the USA Patriot Act) of any Governmental Authority, which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(b) To the knowledge of the Company, there is no Material violation by any Person of any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any patent, copyright, proprietary software, service xxxx, trademark, trade name or other right owned or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) None of the Plans that are subject to the minimum funding requirements of section 412 of the Code or section 302 of ERISA, nor any trust established thereunder, have incurred any “accumulated funding deficiency” or “liquidity shortfall” (as those terms are defined in section 302 of ERISA or section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived.
(c) The Company and its ERISA Affiliates have not incurred withdrawal liabilities (and are not subject to contingent withdrawal liabilities) under section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material.
(d) The postretirement benefit obligations (determined as of the last day of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal year in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 106, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by section 4980B of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been determined in accordance with GAAP and are reflected in footnote 8 of the Company’s audited financial statements for its most recently ended fiscal year.
(e) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes hereunder will not involve any transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of section 406 of ERISA or in connection with which a tax could be imposed pursuant to section 4975(c)(1)(A)–(D) of the Code. The representation by the Company to each Purchaser in the first sentence of this Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of such Purchaser’s representation in Section 6.2 as to the sources of the funds used to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser.
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any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any Person other than the Purchasers and not more than thirty (30) other Institutional Investors, each of which has been offered the Notes at a private sale for investment. Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the registration requirements of section 5 of the Securities Act or to the registration requirements of any securities or blue sky laws of any applicable jurisdiction.
(b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien not permitted by Section 10.2.
(c) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Funded Indebtedness of the Company or such Subsidiary, any agreement relating thereto or any other agreement (including, but not limited to, its charter or other organizational document) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on the incurring of, Funded Indebtedness of the Company.
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(b) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is a Person named on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or with whom people of the United States are restricted from doing business with under section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages in any dealings or transactions with any such Person. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act.
(c) No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(b) Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, all buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE PURCHASERS.
Section 6.1. Purchase for Investment.
(a) Each Purchaser severally represents that it (i) is an institutional “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act, (ii) is not an “underwriter” as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, and (iii) is purchasing the Notes for its own account or for one or more separate accounts maintained by such Purchaser or for the account of one or more pension or trust funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof, provided that the disposition of such Purchaser’s or their property shall at all times be within such Purchaser’s or their control.
(b) Each Purchaser understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to and does not intend to register the Notes.
(c) Each Purchaser understands that the Notes will bear a legend, prominently stamped or printed thereon, reading substantially as follows:
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO DISTRIBUTION OR RESALE, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, MORTGAGED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR THE AVAILABILITY OF AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
(a) the Source is an “insurance company general account” (as the term is defined in the United States Department of Labor’s Prohibited Transaction Exemption (“PTE”) 95-60) in respect of which the reserves and liabilities (as defined by the annual statement for life insurance companies approved by the NAIC (the “NAIC Annual Statement”)) for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any employee benefit plan together with the amount of the reserves and liabilities for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any other employee benefit plans maintained
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by the same employer (or affiliate thereof as defined in PTE 95-60) or by the same employee organization in the general account do not exceed 10% of the total reserves and liabilities of the general account (exclusive of separate account liabilities) plus surplus as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement filed with such Purchaser’s state of domicile; or
(b) the Source is a separate account that is maintained solely in connection with such Purchaser’s fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that has any interest in such separate account (or to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or
(c) the Source is either (i) an insurance company pooled separate account, within the meaning of PTE 90-1 or (ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of the PTE 91-38 and, except as disclosed by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (c), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or
(d) the Source constitutes assets of an “investment fund” (within the meaning of Part V of PTE 84-14 (the “QPAM Exemption”)) managed by a “qualified professional asset manager” or “QPAM” (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption), no employee benefit plan’s assets that are included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of section V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, as of the last day of its most recent calendar quarter, the QPAM does not own a 10% or more interest in the Company and no person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying the definition of “control” in section V(e) of the QPAM Exemption) owns a 20% or more interest in the Company (or less than 20% but greater than 10%, if such person exercises control over the management or policies of the Company by reason of its ownership interest) and (i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of all employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (d); or
(e) the Source constitutes assets of a “plan(s)” (within the meaning of section IV of PTE 96-23 (the “INHAM Exemption”)) managed by an “in-house asset manager” or “INHAM” (within the meaning of Part IV of the INHAM Exemption), the conditions of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of the INHAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the INHAM nor a person controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of “control” in section IV(d) of the INHAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such INHAM and (ii) the name(s) of the employee benefit plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (e); or
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(f) the Source is a governmental plan; or
(g) the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (g); or
(h) the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA.
As used in this Section 6.2, the terms “employee benefit plan,” “governmental plan,” and “separate account” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in section 3 of ERISA.
SECTION 7. INFORMATION AS TO COMPANY.
(a) Quarterly Statements —
(i) within 90 days after the end of each quarterly fiscal period in each fiscal year of the Company (other than the last quarterly fiscal period of each such fiscal year), duplicate copies of,
(A) an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and
(B) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for such quarter and (in the case of the second and third quarters) for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter,
(ii) within 90 days after the end of each quarterly fiscal period in each fiscal year of Unitil (other than the last quarterly fiscal period of each such fiscal year), duplicate copies of,
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(A) an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Unitil and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and
(B) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Unitil and its Subsidiaries, for such quarter and (in the case of the second and third quarters) for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods in the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to quarterly financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year-end adjustments, provided that delivery within the time period specified above of copies of Unitil’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Form 10-Q”) prepared in compliance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of Section 7.1(a)(ii), provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10-Q if Unitil shall have timely made such Form 10-Q available on “XXXXX” or on its home page on the worldwide web (at the date of this Agreement located at, respectively, xxxx://xxx.xxx.xxx/xxxxx.xxxxx and xxxx://xxx.xxxxxx.xxx) (such availability being referred to as “Electronic Delivery”);
(i) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, duplicate copies of
(A) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year, and
(B) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such year,
(ii) within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of Unitil, duplicate copies of
(A) a consolidated balance sheet of Unitil and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year, and
(B) consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Unitil and its Subsidiaries for such year,
(C) setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and accompanied by a report thereon of independent public accountants of
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recognized national standing, which report shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported upon and their results of operations and cash flows and have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, and that the examination of such accountants in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such report in the circumstances
provided that the delivery within the time period specified above of Unitil’s Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) for such fiscal year (together with Unitil’s annual report to shareholders, if any, prepared pursuant to Rule 14a-3 under the Exchange Act) prepared in accordance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC, shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of Section 7.1(b)(ii), provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10-K if Unitil shall have timely made Electronic Delivery thereof;
(e) Material Adverse Events — promptly upon the occurrence thereof, notice of any event, circumstance or condition which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes; and
(f) Requested Information — with reasonable promptness, such other data and information relating to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company, Unitil or any of their respective Subsidiaries (including, but without limitation, actual copies of Unitil’s Form 10-Q and Form 10-K) or relating to the ability of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder and under the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any such holder of Notes.
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(a) Covenant Compliance — the information (including detailed calculations) required in order to establish whether the Company was in compliance with the requirements of Sections 10.1 (to the extent Funded Indebtedness is incurred during the period covered by such certificate) and 10.5, during the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished (including with respect to each such Section, where applicable, the calculations of the maximum or minimum amount, ratio or percentage, as the case may be, permissible under the terms of such Sections, and the calculation of the amount, ratio or percentage then in existence); and
(b) Event of Default — a statement that such Senior Financial Officer has reviewed the relevant terms hereof and has made, or caused to be made, under his or her supervision, a review of the transactions and conditions of the Company and its Subsidiaries from the beginning of the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not have disclosed the existence during such period of any condition or event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default or, if any such condition or event existed or exists (including, without limitation, any such event or condition resulting from the failure of the Company or any Subsidiary to comply with any Environmental Law), specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.
SECTION 8. PAYMENT AND PREPAYMENT OF THE NOTES.
In the event that the Company shall prepay less than all of the Notes pursuant to any optional sinking fund payment or Section 8.2, or shall purchase less than all of the Notes pursuant to Section 8.5, the amounts of the prepayments in respect of the Notes required by this Section 8.1 shall be deemed to be applied first, to the amount of principal scheduled to be paid on the maturity date, and then to the remaining scheduled required sinking payments in inverse chronological order.
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The Company will give each holder of Notes written notice of each optional prepayment under this Section 8.2 not less than 15 days and not more than 45 days prior to the date fixed for such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify such date (which shall be a Business Day), the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of each Note held by such holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with Section 8.3), and the interest to be paid on the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount being prepaid, and shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer as to the estimated Make-Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment (calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer specifying the calculation of such Make-Whole Amount, if any, as of the specified prepayment date.
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Section 8.6. Make-Whole Amount.
“Make-Whole Amount” means, with respect to any Note, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to the Called Principal of such Note over the amount of such Called Principal, provided that the Make-Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the following terms have the following meanings:
“Called Principal” means, with respect to any Note, the principal of such Note that is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires.
“Discounted Value” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which interest on the Notes is payable) equal to the Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal.
“Reinvestment Yield” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, 0.50% over the yield to maturity implied by (i) the yields reported as of 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, on the display designated as “Page PX1” (or such other display as may replace Page PX1) on Bloomberg Financial Markets for the most recently issued actively traded on the run U.S. Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date, or (ii) if such yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported as of such time are not ascertainable (including by way of interpolation), the Treasury Constant Maturity Series Yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (or any comparable successor publication) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a constant maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date.
In the case of each determination under clause (i) or clause (ii), as the case may be, of the preceding paragraph, such implied yield will be determined, if necessary, by (a) converting U.S. Treasury xxxx quotations to bond equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly between (1) the applicable U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and greater than such Remaining Average Life and (2) the applicable U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than such Remaining Average Life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded to the number of decimal places as appears in the interest rate of the applicable Note.
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“Remaining Average Life” means, with respect to any Called Principal, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) obtained by dividing (i) such Called Principal into (ii) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the principal component of each Remaining Scheduled Payment with respect to such Called Principal by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) that will elapse between the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment.
“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due after the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date, provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which interest payments are due to be made under the terms of the Notes, then the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2 or Section 12.1.
“Settlement Date” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires.
SECTION 9. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.
The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:
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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except pursuant to an action or order by a Governmental Authority, the Company shall at all times be and remain a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Unitil.
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(i) an executed counterpart of such Guaranty Agreement or joinder agreement in respect of an existing Guaranty Agreement, as appropriate;
(ii) a certificate signed by the President, a Vice President or another authorized Responsible Officer of such Person making representations and warranties to the effect of those contained in Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.6 and 5.7, but with respect to such Person and such Guaranty Agreement, as applicable;
(iii) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Company certifying that at such time and after giving effect to the execution and delivery of such Guaranty Agreement or joinder agreement, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(iv) such documents and evidence with respect to such Person as the Required Holders may reasonably request in order to establish the existence and good standing of such Person and the authorization of the transactions contemplated by such Guaranty Agreement; and
(v) an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Required Holders to the effect that such Guaranty Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as an enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.
In addition to the foregoing, if the Bank Credit Agreement shall contain (or be amended to contain) covenants, reporting obligations or events of default related to such Bank Guarantor, then the Company shall deliver an amendment to this Agreement to add similar covenants, reporting obligations and events of default related to such Bank Guarantor for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, and until such time as such amendment is delivered, this Agreement shall be deemed, without any action on the part of the parties hereto, to be amended to include such additional covenants, reporting obligations and events of default as if set forth herein in full. If the Bank Credit Agreement shall cease to contain such covenants, reporting obligations or events of default related to such Bank Guarantor, then the Company and the holders of the Notes shall deliver an amendment to this Agreement to remove such similar covenants, reporting obligations and events of default related to such Bank Guarantor, and until such time as such amendment is
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delivered, this Agreement shall be deemed, without any action on the part of the parties hereto, to be amended to exclude such covenants, reporting obligations and events of default as if set forth herein in full.
The Section 9.8 Notice shall describe the guaranty or other obligation being provided under the Bank Credit Agreement and refer to this Section 9.8 and the right of the Required Holders to require the Company to cause such Person to concurrently deliver a Guaranty Agreement hereunder. The Required Holders shall, as soon as practicable after receiving the Section 9.8 Notice, deliver to the Company a written notice (a “Notice of Election”) of their election, if any, to require a Guaranty Agreement hereunder; provided, that failure of the Required Holders to deliver a Notice of Election prior to the delivery of the guaranty or other obligation under the Bank Credit Agreement shall not preclude the Required Holders from thereafter delivering a Notice of Election and requiring the delivery of a Guaranty Agreement hereunder.
(b) The holders of the Notes agree to release any Guarantor from the Guaranty Agreement upon the written request of the Company or such Guarantor; provided that (i) such Guarantor has been released and discharged (or will be released and discharged concurrently with the release of the Guarantor) under and in respect of the Bank Credit Agreement and (ii) at the time of such release and discharge and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall exist, and the Company shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the holders of the Notes to the effect of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii). If the Company shall pay any fee or other form of consideration (other than customary fees paid in connection with an amendment, restatement or refinancing of the Bank Credit Agreement in the ordinary course of business) to any holder of Indebtedness of the Company expressly for the purpose of obtaining such release, then the Company shall pay an equivalent fee or other consideration to the holders of the Notes.
SECTION 10. NEGATIVE COVENANTS.
The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:
(i) Funded Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes;
(ii) additional Funded Indebtedness, so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Funded Indebtedness, after giving effect to the application of the proceeds thereof (subject to the proviso set forth hereafter) and when added to all other Funded Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis) then outstanding, does not exceed 65% of the Total Capitalization; provided, that in giving effect to the application of such proceeds, only applications which are substantially contemporaneous with the incurrence of such additional Funded Indebtedness shall be given such effect, except that if the application of such proceeds involves the redemption of other securities of the Company, and such redemption cannot
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be made substantially contemporaneously with the incurrence of such additional Funded Indebtedness, then such intended redemption shall nevertheless be given effect for purposes hereof if either (1) the Company shall have given irrevocable written notice of redemption of such other securities to the holders thereof at or prior to the time of the incurrence of such additional Funded Indebtedness and such redemption is thereafter made in accordance with the terms of such notice, or (2) if such notice was not permitted to be given at or prior to the time of the incurrence of such additional Funded Indebtedness and the redemption will occur within 180 days after such incurrence, then (A) the proceeds of such Funded Indebtedness to be used for such redemption shall have been set aside in an escrow or trust account with a United States bank or other financial institution having capital and surplus of at least $35,000,000, together with written instructions to the escrow agent or trustee to send notice of redemption of such securities provided by the Company to the holders thereof in accordance with the terms of such securities and thereafter to use such proceeds for such redemption in accordance with the terms of such notice, such escrow or trust account to also provide (x) that the funds set aside therein are not to be released to or for the benefit of the Company except for the purpose of accomplishing the redemption contemplated thereby, or with the prior written consent of all holders of Notes then outstanding, and (y) that if the funds set aside therein are invested in securities by such bank or financial institution, they shall be invested only in direct obligations of the United States of America maturing in not more than 180 days, and (B) unless otherwise agreed to in writing by all of the holders of Notes then outstanding, the redemption to be funded from such escrow or trust account is actually made in accordance with the terms under which such escrow or trust account is established.
(b) In addition to the limitations contained in Section 10.1(a), no Subsidiary shall create, incur, assume or become liable for or have outstanding, or permit its property to be subject to a Lien securing any Funded Indebtedness if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent transaction, the aggregate amount of all Funded Indebtedness of all Subsidiaries would exceed 20% of Total Shareholders’ Equity.
(c) For the purposes of this Section 10.1, any Person becoming a Subsidiary after the date hereof shall be deemed, at the time it becomes a Subsidiary, to have incurred all of its then outstanding Indebtedness, and any Person extending, renewing or refunding any Indebtedness shall be deemed to have incurred such Indebtedness at the time of such extension, renewal or refunding.
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Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent the Company or a Subsidiary from creating, assuming or suffering to exist, and the Company and its Subsidiaries are hereby expressly permitted to create, assume or suffer to exist, without securing the Notes as hereinabove provided, Liens of the following character:
(a) any purchase money mortgage or other Lien existing on any property of the Company or a Subsidiary at the time of acquisition, whether or not assumed, or created contemporaneously with the acquisition or construction of property, to secure or provide for the payment of the purchase or construction price of such property, and any conditional sales agreement or other title retention agreement with respect to any property hereafter acquired; provided, however, that (i) the aggregate principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by all such mortgages and other Liens on a particular parcel of property shall not exceed 100% of the lesser of the total cost or fair market value at the time of the acquisition or construction of such property, including the improvements thereon (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company or the relevant Subsidiary) and (ii) all such Indebtedness shall have been incurred within the applicable limitations provided in Section 10.1;
(b) refundings or extensions of any Lien permitted by this Section 10.2 for amounts not exceeding the principal amount of the Indebtedness so refunded or extended at the time of the refunding or extension thereof, and covering only the same property theretofore securing the same;
(c) deposits, Liens or pledges to enable the Company or a Subsidiary to exercise any privilege or license, or to secure payment of worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance, old age pensions or other social security, or to secure the performance of bids, tenders, contracts or leases to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party, or to secure public or statutory obligations of the Company or a Subsidiary, or to secure surety, stay or appeal bonds to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party; or other similar deposits or pledges made in the ordinary course of business;
(d) mechanics’, workmen’s, repairmen’s, materialmen’s or carrier’s liens or other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business; or deposits or pledges to obtain the release of any such Liens;
(e) Liens arising out of judgments or awards against the Company or a Subsidiary (i) which judgments or awards are discharged by the Company within 30 days after entry thereof; (ii) with respect to which the Company or a Subsidiary shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review and in respect of which a stay of execution pending such appeal or proceeding for review shall have been secured; or (iii) Liens incurred by the Company or a Subsidiary for the purpose of obtaining a stay or discharge in the course of any legal proceeding to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party;
(f) Liens for taxes (i) not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or (ii) being contested, provided, payment thereof is not required by Section 9.4;
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(g) Minor survey exceptions, or minor encumbrances, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, 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 properties, which encumbrances, easements, reservations, rights and restrictions do not in the aggregate Materially detract from the value of said properties or Materially impair their use in the operation of the business of the Company or a Subsidiary;
(h) Liens incurred in connection with the lease of conversion burners and water heaters to customers;
(i) Liens on property acquired through the merger or consolidation of another utility company with or into, or the purchase of all or substantially all of the assets of another utility company by, the Company or a Subsidiary, provided that such Lien does not extend to other property of the Company or a Subsidiary;
(j) pledges, assignments and other security devices entered into in connection with the financing or refinancing of customers’ conditional sales contracts;
(k) Liens securing short-term Indebtedness incurred in connection with the purchase and sale of gas and/or energy supply (including transportation charges) or Guaranties in respect of obligations under such contracts; provided that, such Liens attach solely to such gas or energy supply;
(l) unsecured contractual rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with funds contributed and borrowed under the Cash Pooling and Loan Agreement, to the extent advances from the Cash Pool (as defined in the Cash Pooling and Loan Agreement) are used for the purpose of purchasing gas and/or energy supply; provided that, if at any time any Liens are granted to secure such contractual rights, such Liens shall attach solely to such gas or energy supply; and
(m) Liens created or incurred after the date of Closing, in addition to those otherwise permitted by this Section 10.2, securing Indebtedness (other than the principal credit facilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries) which does not exceed in the aggregate $10,000,000 at any one time outstanding; provided that all such Indebtedness shall have been incurred within the applicable limitations provided in Section 10.1.
If at any time the Company or a Subsidiary shall create or assume any Lien not permitted by this Section, to which the covenant to secure the Notes in the first paragraph of this Section 10.2 is applicable, the Company will promptly deliver to each holder of record of the Notes then outstanding:
(x) an Officers’ Certificate stating that the covenant of the Company contained in the first paragraph of this Section 10.2 has been complied with; and
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(y) an opinion of counsel addressed to such holders to the effect that such covenant has been complied with, and that any instruments executed by the Company in the performance of such covenant comply with the requirements of such covenant.
(i) the corporation which results from such consolidation, merger or combination or the corporation to which the Company sells, leases or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its and its Subsidiaries’ assets (in either case, the “surviving corporation”) is either the Company (in the case of a merger, consolidation or combination), or, if not, is organized under the laws of any State of the United States or the District of Columbia,
(ii) in the event that the surviving corporation is not the Company, the obligations of the Company under this Agreement and the Notes are expressly assumed in writing by the surviving corporation and the surviving corporation shall furnish the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to such holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of the surviving corporation enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, and
(iii) at the time of such consolidation, merger or combination or sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ assets, and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Company or the surviving corporation, as the case may be, could incur at least $1.00 of additional Funded Indebtedness pursuant to Section 10.1.
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Section 10.5. Restrictions on Dividends. (a) The Company will not except as hereinafter provided:
(i) declare or pay any dividend (other than dividends payable solely in shares of its own common stock); or
(ii) make any other distribution of cash, property or assets on any shares of any class of its capital stock or apply any of its cash, property or assets (other than amounts equal to net proceeds received from the sale of common stock of the Company subsequent to the date of this Agreement) to the purchase or retirement of, or make any other distribution, through reduction of capital or otherwise, in respect of any shares of its capital stock;
(which dividends, distributions, purchases and retirements are hereinafter referred to as “distributions”) if, after giving effect to such distribution, the aggregate amount of (1) all such distributions declared, paid, made or applied subsequent to January 1, 2009, plus (2) all regular dividends declared on any class of Preferred Stock of the Company subsequent to January 1, 2009 and all amounts charged to retained earnings after January 1, 2009 in connection with the purchase or retirement of any shares of Preferred Stock of the Company, would exceed an amount equal to the sum of (x) 100% of the Company’s Adjusted Net Income (Deficit) accumulated subsequent to January 1, 2009, plus (y) 100% of the net proceeds from any common or preferred equity issuances by the Company subsequent to January 1, 2009, plus (z) $10,000,000.
(b) For the purposes of this Section 10.5, the amount of any distribution declared, paid or distributed in property shall be deemed to be the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) of such property at the time of the making of the distribution in question.
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SECTION 11. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
An “Event of Default” shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing:
(a) the Company defaults in the payment of any principal or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or
(b) the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or
(c) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in any of Sections 7.1(d) or Section 10 or, if a Guaranty Agreement is in effect, any Guarantor defaults in the performance of or compliance with any Material term of the Guaranty Agreement; or
(d) the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein (other than those referred to in Sections 11(a), (b) and (c)) and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (ii) the Company receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this Section 11(d)); or
(e) any representation or warranty made in writing by the Company or a Guarantor, if any, or by any officer of the Company or such Guarantor in this Agreement or in the Guaranty Agreement, as applicable, or in any writing furnished in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby proves to have been false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made; or
(f)(i) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make-whole amount or interest on any Indebtedness that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $5,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any evidence of any Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $5,000,000 or of any mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating thereto or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Indebtedness has become, or has been declared (or one or more Persons are entitled to declare such Indebtedness to be), due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Indebtedness to convert such Indebtedness into equity interests), (x) the Company or any Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Indebtedness before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $5,000,000, or (y) one or more Persons have the right to require the Company or any Subsidiary so to purchase or repay such Indebtedness; or
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(g) the Company or any Subsidiary (i) is generally not paying, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, (ii) files, or consents by answer or otherwise to the filing against it of, a petition for relief or reorganization or arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy, for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of any jurisdiction, (iii) makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iv) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudicated as insolvent or to be liquidated, or (vi) takes corporate action for the purpose of any of the foregoing; or
(h) a court or other Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, or constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any such petition shall be filed against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and such petition shall not be dismissed within 60 days; or
(i) a final judgment or judgments for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $10,000,000 (in excess of insurance available therefor) are rendered against one or more of the Company and its Subsidiaries and which judgments are not, within 60 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 60 days after the expiration of such stay; or
(j) if the Guaranty Agreement is in effect, the Guaranty Agreement ceases to be a legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation or contract of any Guarantor, or any Guarantor or any party by, through or on account of any such Guarantor, challenges the validity, binding nature or enforceability of the Guaranty Agreement.
SECTION 12. REMEDIES ON DEFAULT, ETC.
(b) If any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of at least 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may at any time at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes then outstanding to be immediately due and payable.
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(c) If any Event of Default described in Section 11(a) or (b) has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any time, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all the Notes held by it or them to be immediately due and payable.
Upon any Notes becoming due and payable under this Section 12.1, whether automatically or by declaration, such Notes will forthwith mature and the entire unpaid principal amount of such Notes, plus (x) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, but not limited to, interest accrued thereon at the Default Rate) and (y) the Make-Whole Amount determined in respect of such principal amount (to the full extent permitted by applicable law), shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without presentment, demand, protest or further notice, all of which are hereby waived. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for) and that the provision for payment of a Make-Whole Amount by the Company in the event that the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.
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right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Without limiting the obligations of the Company under Section 15, the Company will pay to the holder of each Note on demand such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all costs and expenses of such holder incurred in any enforcement or collection under this Section 12, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements.
SECTION 13. REGISTRATION; EXCHANGE; SUBSTITUTION OF NOTES.
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(a) in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it (provided that if the holder of such Note is, or is a nominee for, an original Purchaser or another Institutional Investor that is a holder of a Note with a minimum net worth of at least $5,000,000 or a Qualified Institutional Buyer, such Person’s own unsecured agreement of indemnity shall be deemed to be satisfactory), or
(b) in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation thereof,
within ten Business Days thereafter, the Company at its own expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu thereof, a new Note, dated and bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note or dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon.
SECTION 14. PAYMENTS ON NOTES.
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SECTION 16. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; ENTIRE AGREEMENT.
All representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Notes, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note and may be relied upon by any subsequent holder of a Note, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of such Purchaser or any other holder of a Note. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Company under this Agreement. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement and the Notes embody the entire agreement and understanding between each Purchaser and the Company and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.
SECTION 17. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER.
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unless consented to by such Purchaser in writing, and (b) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of the holder of each Note at the time outstanding affected thereby, (i) subject to the provisions of Section 12 relating to acceleration or rescission, change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make-Whole Amount on, the Notes, (ii) change the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes the holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment or waiver, or (iii) amend any of Sections 8, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 17 or 20.
Section 17.2. Solicitation of Holders of Notes.
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All notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telecopy if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested (postage prepaid), or (c) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:
(i) if to any Purchaser or its nominee, to such Purchaser or nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A, or at such other address as such Purchaser or nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing,
(ii) if to any other holder of any Note, to such holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Company in writing, or
(iii) if to the Company, to the Company at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of Treasurer, or at such other address as the Company shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing.
Notices under this Section 18 will be deemed given only when actually received.
SECTION 19. REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS.
This Agreement and all documents relating thereto, including, without limitation, (a) consents, waivers and modifications that may hereafter be executed, (b) documents received by any Purchaser at the Closing (except the Notes themselves), and (c) financial statements, certificates and other information previously or hereafter furnished to any Purchaser, may be reproduced by such Purchaser by any photographic, photostatic, electronic, digital, or other similar process and such Purchaser may destroy any original document so reproduced. The Company agrees and stipulates that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding (whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by such Purchaser in the regular course of business) and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. This Section 19 shall not prohibit the Company or any other holder of Notes from contesting any such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.
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SECTION 20. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
For the purposes of this Section 20, “Confidential Information” means information delivered to any Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the transactions contemplated by or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement that was marked or labeled or otherwise adequately identified when received by such Purchaser as being confidential information of the Company, such Subsidiary, Unitil or Unitil’s Affiliates, provided that such term does not include information that (a) was publicly known or otherwise known to such Purchaser prior to the time of such disclosure, (b) subsequently becomes publicly known through no act or omission by such Purchaser or any Person acting on such Purchaser’s behalf, (c) otherwise becomes known to such Purchaser other than through disclosure by the Company or any Subsidiary or (d) constitutes financial statements delivered to such Purchaser under Section 7.1 that are otherwise publicly available.
Each Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of such Confidential Information in accordance with procedures adopted by such Purchaser in good faith to protect confidential information of third parties delivered to such Purchaser, provided that such Purchaser may deliver or disclose Confidential Information to (i) its directors, officers, employees, agents, attorneys, trustees and Affiliates (to the extent such disclosure reasonably relates to the administration of the investment represented by its Notes), (ii) its financial advisors and other professional advisors who agree to hold confidential the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 20, (iii) any other holder of any Note, (iv) any Institutional Investor to which it sells or offers to sell such Note or any part thereof or any participation therein (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (v) any Person from which it offers to purchase any security of the Company (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (vi) any federal or state regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Purchaser, (vii) the NAIC or the SVO or, in each case, any similar organization, or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about such Purchaser’s investment portfolio, or (viii) any other Person to which such delivery or disclosure may be necessary or appropriate (w) to effect compliance with any law, rule, regulation or order applicable to such Purchaser, (x) in response to any subpoena or other legal process, (y) in connection with any litigation to which such Purchaser is a party or (z) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the extent such Purchaser may reasonably determine such delivery and disclosure to be necessary or appropriate in the enforcement or for the protection of the rights and remedies under such Purchaser’s Notes and this Agreement after prior written notice provided to the Company.
Any holder of a Note (and any employee, representative or other agent of such holder) may disclose to any and all Persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transaction and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the taxpayer relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. The authorization in the immediately preceding sentence is not intended to permit, and does not
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permit, disclosure of any information not related to the tax treatment or tax structure of the transaction, including, for example, the identities of participants or potential participants and any Confidential Information regarding the operations or finances of the Company, its Subsidiaries, Unitil, and Unitil’s Affiliates. Each holder of a Note, by its acceptance of a Note, will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to be entitled to the benefits of this Section 20 as though it were a party to this Agreement. On reasonable request by the Company in connection with the delivery to any holder of a Note of information required to be delivered to such holder under this Agreement or requested by such holder (other than a holder that is a party to this Agreement or its nominee), such holder will enter into an agreement with the Company embodying the provisions of this Section 20.
SECTION 21. SUBSTITUTION OF PURCHASER.
Each Purchaser shall have the right to substitute any one of its Affiliates as the purchaser of the Notes that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, by written notice to the Company, which notice shall be signed by both such Purchaser and such Affiliate, shall contain such Affiliate’s agreement to be bound by this Agreement and shall contain a confirmation by such Affiliate of the accuracy with respect to it of the representations set forth in Section 6. Upon receipt of such notice, any reference to such Purchaser in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21), shall be deemed to refer to such Affiliate in lieu of such original Purchaser. In the event that such Affiliate is so substituted as a Purchaser hereunder and such Affiliate thereafter transfers to such original Purchaser all of the Notes then held by such Affiliate, upon receipt by the Company of notice of such transfer, any reference to such Affiliate as a “Purchaser” in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21), shall no longer be deemed to refer to such Affiliate, but shall refer to such original Purchaser, and such original Purchaser shall again have all the rights of an original holder of the Notes under this Agreement.
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For the avoidance of doubt, all Schedules and Exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a part hereof.
SECTION 22.7. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK EXCLUDING CHOICE-OF-LAW PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW OF SUCH STATE THAT WOULD PERMIT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OTHER THAN SUCH STATE.
SECTION 22.8. JURISDICTION AND PROCESS; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. (A) THE COMPANY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY NEW YORK STATE OR FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, THE CITY OF NEW YORK, OVER ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE NOTES. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE COMPANY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT, BY WAY OF MOTION, AS A DEFENSE OR OTHERWISE, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
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(B) THE COMPANY CONSENTS TO PROCESS BEING SERVED BY OR ON BEHALF OF ANY HOLDER OF NOTES IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING OF THE NATURE REFERRED TO IN SECTION 22.8(A) BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL (OR ANY SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM OF MAIL), POSTAGE PREPAID, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, TO IT AT ITS ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 18 OR AT SUCH OTHER ADDRESS OF WHICH SUCH HOLDER SHALL THEN HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION. THE COMPANY AGREES THAT SUCH SERVICE UPON RECEIPT (I) SHALL BE DEEMED IN EVERY RESPECT EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS UPON IT IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING AND (II) SHALL, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, BE TAKEN AND HELD TO BE VALID PERSONAL SERVICE UPON AND PERSONAL DELIVERY TO IT. NOTICES HEREUNDER SHALL BE CONCLUSIVELY PRESUMED RECEIVED AS EVIDENCED BY A DELIVERY RECEIPT FURNISHED BY THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE OR ANY REPUTABLE COMMERCIAL DELIVERY SERVICE.
(C) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION 22.8 SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW, OR LIMIT ANY RIGHT THAT THE HOLDERS OF ANY OF THE NOTES MAY HAVE TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE COMPANY IN THE COURTS OF ANY APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION OR TO ENFORCE IN ANY LAWFUL MANNER A JUDGMENT OBTAINED IN ONE JURISDICTION IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.
(D) THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT ON OR WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTES OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the form of agreement on a counterpart of this Agreement and return it to the Company, whereupon this Agreement shall become a binding agreement between you and the Company.
Very truly yours, | ||
NORTHERN UTILITIES, INC. | ||
By | ||
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Treasurer |
This Agreement is hereby
accepted and agreed to as
of the date thereof.
[VARIATION] | ||
By | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
As used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:
“Adjusted Net Income (Deficit)” means the amount of net income (or if such net income is a deficit, the amount of such deficit) of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period in question (taken as a cumulative whole) transferred to the retained earnings account on the books and records of the Company on a consolidated basis, as determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding any extraordinary non-cash gains and losses.
“Affiliate” means, at any time, and with respect to any Person, any other Person that at such time directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such first Person, and, with respect to the Company, shall include any Person beneficially owning or holding, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of any class of voting or equity interests of the Company or any Subsidiary or any Person of which the Company and its Subsidiaries beneficially own or hold, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of any class of voting or equity interests. As used in this definition, “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to an “Affiliate” is a reference to an Affiliate of the Company.
“Anti-Terrorism Order” means Executive Order No. 13,224 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism, 66 U.S. Fed. Reg. 49, 079 (2001), as amended.
“Bank Credit Agreement” means any existing or future bank credit facility or combination of bank credit facilities of greater than $10,000,000 entered into by the Company.
“Business Day” means (a) for the purposes of Section 8.6 only, 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, and (b) for the purposes of any other provision of this Agreement, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Manchester, New Hampshire are required or authorized to be closed.
“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.
“Cash Pooling and Loan Agreement” means the cash pooling and loan agreement, as amended and restated, dated December 1, 2008, between Unitil and certain of its Subsidiaries, including the Company, as further amended from time to time.
“Closing” is defined in Section 3.
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“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.
“Company” means Northern Utilities, Inc., a New Hampshire corporation, or any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 10.4.
“Confidential Information” is defined in Section 20.
“Default” means an event or condition the occurrence or existence of which would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, become an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means that rate of interest that is the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest stated in clause (a) of the first paragraph of the Notes or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Bank of America, N.A. in Charlotte, North Carolina as its “base” or “prime” rate.
“Electronic Delivery” is defined in Section 7.1(a)(ii).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including but not limited to those related to Hazardous Material.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is treated as a single employer together with the Company under section 414 of the Code.
“Event of Default” is defined in Section 11.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“FERC” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and any successor Governmental Authority thereto.
“Form 10-K” is defined in Section 7.1(b)(ii).
“Form 10-Q” is defined in Section 7.1(a)(ii).
“Funded Indebtedness” of any Person as of any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, means (i) all Indebtedness of such Person required to be paid more than one year from the date as of which Funded Indebtedness is being determined pursuant to the terms of the
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agreement or instrument under which such Indebtedness was incurred, but there shall be excluded sinking fund, serial maturity, periodic installment and amortization payments on account of Indebtedness which are required to be made within one year from the date of such determination and (ii) all Guaranties of Funded Indebtedness of others described in clause (i) of this definition. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Funded Indebtedness shall not include: (a) obligations under contracts for the purchase of gas and energy supply, including transportation charges or Guaranties in respect of such obligations; (b) pension and benefit obligations, whether or not absolute or contingent or included, in accordance with GAAP, in determining total liabilities on the balance sheet; (c) amounts owed to or by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Cash Pooling and Loan Agreement; and (d) all obligations under operating leases.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States of America.
“Governmental Authority” means
(a) the government of
(i) the United States of America or any State or other political subdivision thereof, or
(ii) any other jurisdiction in which the Company or any Subsidiary conducts all or any part of its business, or which asserts jurisdiction over any properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, or
(b) any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of, or pertaining to, any such government.
“Granite” means Granite State Gas Transmission, Inc., a New Hampshire corporation.
“Guarantor” means each Person who is a party to the Guaranty Agreement and is otherwise required to comply with the requirements of Section 9.8.
“Guaranty” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation (except the endorsement in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any indebtedness, dividend or other obligation of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including (without limitation) obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by such Person:
(a) to purchase such indebtedness or obligation or any property constituting security therefor;
(b) to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of such indebtedness or obligation, or (ii) to maintain any working capital or other balance sheet condition or any income statement condition of any other Person or otherwise to advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such indebtedness or obligation;
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(c) to lease properties or to purchase properties or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such indebtedness or obligation of the ability of any other Person to make payment of the indebtedness or obligation; or
(d) otherwise to assure the owner of such indebtedness or obligation against loss in respect thereof.
In any computation of the indebtedness or other liabilities of the obligor under any Guaranty, the indebtedness or other obligations that are the subject of such Guaranty shall be assumed to be direct obligations of such obligor.
“Guaranty Agreement” means the Guaranty Agreement delivered pursuant to Section 9.8 the terms of which are substantially similar to the applicable guaranty or other obligation being provided under the Bank Credit Agreement and otherwise in a form reasonably acceptable to the Required Holders.
“Hazardous Material” means any and all pollutants, toxic or hazardous wastes or other substances that might pose a hazard to health and safety, the removal of which may be required or the generation, manufacture, refining, production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation, transfer, use, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, seepage or filtration of which is or shall be restricted, prohibited or penalized by any applicable law including, but not limited to, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum, petroleum products, lead based paint, radon gas or similar restricted, prohibited or penalized substances.
“holder” means, with respect to any Note the Person in whose name such Note is registered in the register maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 13.1.
“Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means, at any time, without duplication,
(a) its liabilities for borrowed money;
(b) all liabilities which would appear on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Synthetic Leases if such Synthetic Leases were accounted for as Capital Leases;
(c) obligations due in respect of Capital Leases;
(d) its liabilities for the deferred purchase price of property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business but including all liabilities created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to any such property); and
(e) any Guaranty of such Person with respect to liabilities of a type described in any of clauses (a) through (d) above.
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“Institutional Investor” means (a) any Purchaser of a Note, (b) any holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its affiliates) more than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, any pension plan, any investment company, any insurance company, any broker or dealer, or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any Related Fund of any holder of any Note.
“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, adverse claim, charge, security interest or other encumbrance in or on, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person (including in the case of stock, stockholder agreements, voting trust agreements and all similar arrangements).
“Make-Whole Amount” is defined in Section 8.6.
“Material” means material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets, or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
“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 to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes, or (c) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Notes.
“Memorandum” is defined in Section 5.3.
“MPUC” means the Maine Public Utilities Commission and any successor Governmental Authority.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” (as such term is defined in section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).
“NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any successor thereto.
“Notes” is defined in Section 1.
“NHPUC” means the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission and any successor Governmental Authority.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer or of any other officer of the Company whose responsibilities extend to the subject matter of such certificate.
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“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization, business entity or Governmental Authority.
“Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title I of ERISA that is or, within the preceding five years, has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or, within the preceding five years, have been made or required to be made, by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.
“Preferred Stock” means any class of capital stock of a Person that is preferred over any other class of capital stock (or similar equity interests) of such Person as to the payment of dividends or the payment of any amount upon liquidation or dissolution of such Person.
“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, xxxxxx or inchoate.
“PTE” is defined in Section 6.2(a).
“Purchaser” is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Qualified Institutional Buyer” means any Person who is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of such term as set forth in Rule 144A(a)(1) under the Securities Act.
“Related Fund” means, with respect to any holder of any Note, any fund or entity that (i) invests in Securities or bank loans, and (ii) is advised or managed by such holder, the same investment advisor as such holder or by an affiliate of such holder or such investment advisor.
“Required Holders” means, at any time, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding (exclusive of Notes then owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates).
“Responsible Officer” means any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Company with responsibility for the administration of the relevant portion of this Agreement.
“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States, or any successor thereto.
“Securities” or “securities” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2(1) of the Securities Act.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or comptroller of the Company or of Unitil, as applicable.
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“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any other Person in which such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such second Person, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in the profits or capital thereof is owned by such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership or joint venture can and does ordinarily take major business actions without the prior approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company.
“SVO” means the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC or any successor to such Office.
“Synthetic Lease” means, at any time, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.
“Total Capitalization” at any date means the sum of (x) Funded Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (y) Total Shareholders’ Equity as of such date. Such Total Capitalization shall be exclusive of Accumulated and Other Comprehensive Income (within the meaning of GAAP) derived from pension and benefit obligations.
“Total Shareholders’ Equity” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount for total common stock equity, preference stock and Preferred Stock as presented in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of such date.
“Unitil” means Unitil Corporation, a New Hampshire corporation.
“USA Patriot Act” means United States Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“Voting Stock” means Securities of any class or classes, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to elect a majority of the corporate directors (or Persons performing similar functions).
“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary one hundred percent of all of the equity interests (except directors’ qualifying shares) and voting interests of which are owned by any one or more of the Company and the Company’s other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries at such time.
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