SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”), dated as of February 15, 2023 (the “Amendment Effective Date”), is among DZS Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Borrower, the other Loan Parties party hereto, the Lenders party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the Borrower, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Administrative Agent, and the lenders listed on the signature pages thereto have entered into that certain Credit Agreement dated as of February 9, 2022 (as the same has been or may hereafter be amended or otherwise modified and as amended hereby, the “Credit Agreement”).
WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders agree to certain amendments to the financial covenants in the Credit Agreement, and the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders have agreed to amend the financial covenants, subject in all cases to the terms and conditions of this Amendment.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows effective as of the Amendment Effective Date unless otherwise indicated:
Definitions
Amendments
Subject to satisfaction of the conditions of effectiveness set forth in Article 4 of this Amendment, the parties hereto agree that, effective as of the Amendment Effective Date, the Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “CBFR Spread”, “Term Benchmark/RFR Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date; provided that until the delivery to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to Section 5.01, of the Borrower’s consolidated financial information for the Borrower’s first fiscal quarter ending after the Second Amendment Effective Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rates per annum set forth below in Category 1:
Category |
Leverage Ratio |
Term Benchmark/RFR Spread |
CBFR Spread |
Commitment Fee Rate |
1 |
Greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00 |
4.00% |
3.00% |
0.40% |
2 |
Greater than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00, but less than 2.50 to 1.00 |
3.50% |
2.50% |
0.35% |
3 |
Greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, but less than 2.00 to 1.00 |
3.25% |
2.25% |
0.30% |
4 |
Less than 1.50 to 1.00 |
3.00% |
2.00% |
0.25% |
For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Rate shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, based upon the Borrower’s annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided, at the option of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Required Lenders, if the Borrower fails to deliver the annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01, the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 1 during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements are delivered.
If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that the financial statements upon which the Applicable Rate was determined were incorrect (whether based on a restatement, fraud or otherwise), or any ratio or compliance information in a Compliance Certificate or other certification was incorrectly calculated, relied on incorrect information or was otherwise not accurate, true or correct, the Borrower shall be required to retroactively pay any additional amount that the Borrower would have been required to pay if such financial statements, Compliance Certificate or other information had been accurate and/or computed correctly at the time they were delivered.
“Payment Condition” shall be deemed to be satisfied with respect to a transaction if:
(a) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result immediately after giving effect to such transaction;
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 2
(b) immediately after giving effect to and at all times during the 30 consecutive day period immediately prior to such transaction, the Borrower shall have (A) Liquidity (or with respect to such 30 consecutive day period, an average of Liquidity for such 30 days) calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such transaction of not less than $20,000,000 and (B) a Leverage Ratio for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such transaction, of not more than 2.25 to 1.00; and
(c) the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Compliance Certificate for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2023 demonstrating compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12.
“Second Amendment Effective Date” means February 15, 2023.
(d) on or before the last Business Day of each calendar month, a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which shall detail all sources and uses of cash on a weekly basis and which shall report any variances from the prior report;
(i) [intentionally omitted];
(j) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (j) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) above, shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding;
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 3
(n) so long as (i) no Event of Default exists immediately at the time of such Investment or immediately after giving effect thereto and (ii) the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Compliance Certificate for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2023 demonstrating compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12, Investments made in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding; and
(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its common Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its common Equity Interests, and, with respect to its preferred Equity Interests, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred Equity Interests or in shares of its common Equity Interests, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $5,000,000 during any fiscal year, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other incentive or benefit plans for management, directors or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (iv) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result after giving effect to such payment, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such repurchased Equity Interests represents a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants, and (v) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result after giving effect to such payment, repurchases of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the withholding of a portion of the Equity Interests granted or awarded to a current or former officer, director, employee or consultant to pay for the taxes payable by such Person upon such grant or award (or upon vesting thereof).
SECTION 6.12 Financial Covenants.
(a) Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2023 and each fiscal quarter thereafter during the term of this Agreement, to be greater than the ratio set forth below opposite such period below:
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 4
Fiscal Quarters Ending |
Leverage Ratio |
September 30, 2023 |
2.50 to 1.00 |
December 31, 2023 and thereafter |
2.00 to 1.00 |
(b) Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2023 and each fiscal quarter thereafter during the term of this Agreement and calculated for the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such date, to be less than 1.25 to 1.00.
(c) Minimum Liquidity. The Borrower will not permit the Liquidity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, calculated on a consolidated basis, on or prior to September 30, 2023:
(i) to be less than (A) $30,000,000 on the last day of the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2023 and (B) $35,000,000 on the last day of each of the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023; and
(ii) to be less than $20,000,000 at any time.
(d) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower will not permit EBITDA, calculated as of the end of the fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023 and, in each case, calculated for the fiscal quarter (and not the four quarter period) then ending, to be less than (i) ($1,000,000) for the fiscal quarter ending March 30, 2023 and (ii) $1 for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2023.
Conditions Precedent
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 5
Ratifications, Representations and Warranties
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 6
Miscellaneous
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 7
[Signatures on following pages]
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Page 8
Executed as of the date first written above.
DZS INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
DZS CALIFORNIA INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
DZS INTERNATIONAL INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
DZS SERVICES INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Signature Page
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually, and as Administrative Agent and Issuing Bank
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Authorized Signatory
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Signature Page
TEXAS CAPITAL BANK,
as a Lender
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Executive Vice President
SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, Signature Page
EXHIBIT D
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
To: The Lenders party to the
Credit Agreement described below
This Compliance Certificate (“Certificate”), for the period ended [_________], 20[__], is furnished pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of February 9, 2022 (as amended, restated, modified, renewed or extended from time to time, the “Agreement”) among DZS Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Loan Parties, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders and as the Issuing Bank. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES, SOLELY IN HIS OR HER CAPACITY AS A FINANCIAL OFFICER ON BEHALF OF THE BORROWER AND NOT INDIVIDUALLY, THAT:
1. I am the [_________________] of the Borrower and, as such, am familiar with the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, properties and assets of each of the Loan Parties.
2. The attached financial statements of the Borrower present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied[, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes].
3. Except as set forth in paragraph 6 below, (i) no Default has occurred which is continuing as of the date of this Certificate, (ii) no change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) of the Agreement, and (iii) no Immaterial Subsidiary has ceased to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.
4. Schedule I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrower’s compliance with Section 6.12 of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct.
5. Schedule II hereto sets forth the computations necessary to determine the Applicable Rate commencing on the Business Day this Certificate is delivered.
6. Described below are the exceptions, if any, referred to in paragraph 3 hereof by listing, in detail, the (i) nature of the Default, the period during which it has existed and the action which the Borrower has taken, is taking, or proposes to take with respect to each such condition or event, (ii) change in GAAP or the application thereof and the effect of such change on the attached financial statements, or (iii) the Immaterial Subsidiaries that have ceased to be Immaterial Subsidiaries.
EXHIBIT D – Page 1
The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedules I and II hereto and the financial statements attached hereto as Annex A delivered with this Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this [___] day of [__________, ____].
By:
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT D – Page 2
Annex A to Compliance Certificate
Financial Statements
[See Attached.]
EXHIBIT D – Page 3
Schedule I to Compliance Certificate
Compliance as of _________, ____ with
Provisions of the Agreement
Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2023 and each fiscal quarter thereafter during the term of this Agreement, to be greater than the ratio set forth below opposite such period below:
ARTICLE I Fiscal Quarters Ending |
ARTICLE II Leverage Ratio |
ARTICLE III September 30, 2023 |
ARTICLE IV 2.50 to 1.00 |
ARTICLE V December 31, 2023 and thereafter |
ARTICLE VI 2.00 to 1.00 |
A) Funded Indebtedness |
$_______________ |
- lesser of (i) Unrestricted Cash or (ii) one-half of B Total below |
$_______________ |
A TOTAL (NET FUNDED INDEBTEDNESS) |
$_______________ |
B) Net income |
$_______________ |
+ interest expense |
$_______________ |
+ income tax expense |
$_______________ |
+ depreciation expense |
$_______________ |
+ amortization expense |
$_______________ |
+ extraordinary non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ other non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-cash stock based compensation expense |
$_______________ |
+ business restructuring charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed or actual Investment or issuance or incurrence of any Indebtedness not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
+ cost savings, operating expense reductions and cost synergies in connection with Permitted Acquisitions net of actual benefits realized |
$_______________ |
+ one-time expenses for bad debt not to exceed $14,206,000 |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed issuance of Equity Interests which is not consummated, not to exceed $1,000,000 |
$_______________ |
EXHIBIT D – Page 4
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any actual issuance of Equity Interests not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
- any cash payments made in respect of non-cash charges taken in a prior period |
$_______________ |
- extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income |
$_______________ |
B TOTAL (EBITDA) |
$_______________ |
A Total / B Total = Leverage Ratio
|
to 1.00 |
As of the Compliance Test Date shown above, the Leverage Ratio is _________ to 1.00
Compliance as of the Compliance Test Date shown above: [__] Yes [__] No
(b) Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, on the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2023 and each fiscal quarter thereafter during the term of this Agreement and calculated for the period of the four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on such date, to be less than 1.25 to 1.00.
A) EBITDA (B Total above) |
$_______________ |
- Unfinanced Capital Expenditures |
$_______________ |
A TOTAL |
$_______________ |
B) cash Interest Expense |
$_______________ |
+ scheduled principal payments on Indebtedness actually made |
$_______________ |
+ expense for taxes paid in cash |
$_______________ |
+ Restricted Payments paid in cash |
$_______________ |
+ Capital Lease Obligation payments |
$_______________ |
B TOTAL (FIXED CHARGES) |
$_______________ |
A Total / B Total = Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
|
to 1.00 |
As of the Compliance Test Date shown above, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is _________ to 1.00
Compliance as of the Compliance Test Date shown above: [__] Yes [__] No
EXHIBIT D – Page 5
(c) Minimum Liquidity. The Borrower will not permit the Liquidity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, calculated on a consolidated basis, on or prior to September 30, 2023:
(i) to be less than (A) $30,000,000 on the last day of the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2023 and (B) $35,000,000 on the last day of each of the fiscal quarters ending June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023; and
(ii) to be less than $20,000,000 at any time.
Unrestricted Cash |
$_______________ |
+ Permitted Investments |
$_______________ |
+ Availability |
$_______________ |
TOTAL (LIQUIDITY) |
$_______________ |
As of the Compliance Test Date shown above, Liquidity is $_________
Compliance as of the Compliance Test Date shown above: [__] Yes [__] No
(d) Minimum EBITDA. The Borrower will not permit EBITDA, calculated as of the end of the fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023 and, in each case, calculated for the fiscal quarter (and not the four quarter period) then ending, to be less than (i) ($1,000,000) for the fiscal quarter ending March 30, 2023 and (ii) $1 for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2023.
Net income |
$_______________ |
+ interest expense |
$_______________ |
+ income tax expense |
$_______________ |
+ depreciation expense |
$_______________ |
+ amortization expense |
$_______________ |
+ extraordinary non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ other non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-cash stock based compensation expense |
$_______________ |
+ business restructuring charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed or actual Investment or issuance or incurrence of any Indebtedness not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
+ cost savings, operating expense reductions and cost synergies in connection with Permitted Acquisitions net of actual benefits realized |
$_______________ |
+ one-time expenses for bad debt not to exceed $14,206,000 |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed issuance of Equity Interests which is not consummated, not to exceed $1,000,000 |
$_______________ |
EXHIBIT D – Page 6
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any actual issuance of Equity Interests not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
- any cash payments made in respect of non-cash charges taken in a prior period |
$_______________ |
- extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income |
$_______________ |
TOTAL (EBITDA) |
$_______________ |
As of the Compliance Test Date shown above, EBITDA is $_________
Compliance as of the Compliance Test Date shown above: [__] Yes [__] No
EXHIBIT D – Page 7
Schedule II to Compliance Certificate
Borrower’s Applicable Rate Calculation
A) Funded Indebtedness |
$_______________ |
- lesser of (i) Unrestricted Cash or (ii) one-half of B Total below |
$_______________ |
A TOTAL (NET FUNDED INDEBTEDNESS) |
$_______________ |
B) Net income |
$_______________ |
+ interest expense |
$_______________ |
+ income tax expense |
$_______________ |
+ depreciation expense |
$_______________ |
+ amortization expense |
$_______________ |
+ extraordinary non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ other non-cash charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-cash stock based compensation expense |
$_______________ |
+ business restructuring charges |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed or actual Investment or issuance or incurrence of any Indebtedness not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
+ cost savings, operating expense reductions and cost synergies in connection with Permitted Acquisitions net of actual benefits realized |
$_______________ |
+ one-time expenses for bad debt not to exceed $14,206,000 |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any proposed issuance of Equity Interests which is not consummated, not to exceed $1,000,000 |
$_______________ |
+ non-recurring expenses, fees, costs and charges incurred in connection with any actual issuance of Equity Interests not prohibited by the Agreement |
$_______________ |
- any cash payments made in respect of non-cash charges taken in a prior period |
$_______________ |
- extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income |
$_______________ |
B TOTAL (EBITDA) |
$_______________ |
A Total / B Total = Leverage Ratio
|
to 1.00 |
As set forth above, as of the Compliance Test Date, the Leverage Ratio is _________ to 1.00.
EXHIBIT D – Page 8
Category |
Leverage Ratio |
Term Benchmark/RFR Spread |
CBFR Spread |
Commitment Fee Rate |
1 |
Greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00 |
4.00% |
3.00% |
0.40% |
2 |
Greater than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00, but less than 2.50 to 1.00 |
3.50% |
2.50% |
0.35% |
3 |
Greater than or equal to 1.50 to 1.00, but less than 2.00 to 1.00 |
3.25% |
2.25% |
0.30% |
4 |
Less than 1.50 to 1.00 |
3.00% |
2.00% |
0.25% |
Based on such Leverage Ratio, the Applicable Rate is determined by reference to Category ___
EXHIBIT D – Page 9