0001104659-12-085578.txt : 20121220 0001104659-12-085578.hdr.sgml : 20121220 20121220172326 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-12-085578 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 8 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20121218 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20121220 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20121220 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MCCLATCHY CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001056087 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NEWSPAPERS: PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711] IRS NUMBER: 522080478 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1225 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-46501 FILM NUMBER: 121278102 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: LEGAL DEPARTMENT STREET 2: 2100 Q STREET CITY: SACRAMENTO STATE: CA ZIP: 95852 BUSINESS PHONE: 9163211846 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: LEGAL DEPARTMENT STREET 2: 2100 Q STREET CITY: SACRAMENTO STATE: CA ZIP: 95816-6899 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: MNI NEWCO INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19980218 8-K 1 a12-29753_18k.htm 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2012

 


 

GRAPHIC
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

1-9824

 

52-2080478

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

2100 Q Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

(916) 321-1846

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

 

Second Supplemental Indenture

 

On December 11, 2012, The McClatchy Company (the “Company”), in connection with its previously announced tender offer and consent solicitation (the “Offer”) for any and all of its outstanding 11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017 (the “2017 Notes”), entered into a Second Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”) by and among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “2017 Notes Trustee”), supplementing that certain Indenture, dated as of February 11, 2010, by and among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and the 2017 Notes Trustee (the “2017 Notes Indenture”), pursuant to which the 2017 Notes were issued.  The terms of the Supplemental Indenture became operative on December 18, 2012, upon the Company’s purchase of 2017 Notes tendered on or prior to the early tender date for the Offer.

 

The Supplemental Indenture effects certain amendments to the 2017 Notes Indenture proposed in connection with the Offer, eliminating substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain events of default contained in the 2017 Notes Indenture and also releasing all of the collateral securing the 2017 Notes from the liens created pursuant to the collateral documents entered into in connection with the 2017 Notes Indenture.

 

A copy of the Supplemental Indenture is attached as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated by reference herein. The foregoing description of the Supplemental Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Supplemental Indenture.

 

Indenture

 

On December 18, 2012, the Company issued $910 million aggregate principal amount of its 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 (the “2022 Notes”) to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (the “Initial Purchasers”).

 

The terms and conditions of the 2022 Notes and the Indenture (as defined below) described in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated by reference in this Item 1.01 and a copy of the Indenture, which includes the form of the 2022 Notes, is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2.

 

Registration Rights Agreement

 

In connection with the offering of the 2022 Notes, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as the representative of the Initial Purchasers (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The Company is obligated to use its reasonable efforts to file with the Commission and cause to become effective a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange the 2022 Notes for notes issued by the Company that are registered with the Commission and have substantially identical terms as the 2022 Notes. If the Company is not able to effect the exchange offer, the Company will instead use its reasonable efforts to file and cause to become effective a shelf registration statement covering the resale of the 2022 Notes. The Company will be required to pay additional interest on the 2022 Notes if the exchange offer is not completed, or, if required, the shelf registration statement is not declared effective, within 270 days after the issue date of the 2022 Notes.

 

A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.3. The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

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Amended and Restated Credit Agreement

 

In connection with the Notes Offering (as defined below), the Company, entered into the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among the Company, the lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer (the “Amended and Restated Credit Agreement”). The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Second Amended and Credit Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2012, among the Company, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent (as amended prior to the Notes Offering, the “Original Credit Agreement”).

 

The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement will initially provide $90.0 million in revolving credit commitments, with a $50.0 million letter of credit subfacility.  On December 21, 2012, or such earlier date specified by the Company, the commitments under the revolving credit facility would reduce to $75.0 million.  On December 18, 2012, the Company instructed the lenders to reduce the commitments under the revolving credit facility to $75.0 million immediately.  After giving effect to the Notes Offering, there were no loans and $36.1 million face amount of letters of credit outstanding under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

 

The Company’s obligations under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the Company’s domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. The Company’s obligations under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are secured by a first-priority security interest in certain assets of the Company and the guarantors, which includes intangible assets, inventory, receivables and certain minority investments, but excludes any land, buildings, machinery and equipment (“PPE”), and any leasehold interests and improvements with respect to such PPE that would be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of Company and its subsidiaries, shares of stock of any Subsidiary of the Company and any indebtedness owed to the Company or any guarantor by a subsidiary of the Company.

 

Loans under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement bear interest, at the Company’s option, at either the London Interbank Offered Rate plus a spread ranging from 275 basis points to 425 basis points, or at a base rate plus a spread ranging from 175 basis points to 325 basis points, in each case based upon the Company’s consolidated total leverage ratio. The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement provides for a commitment fee payable on the unused revolving credit ranging from 50 basis points to 62.5 basis points, based upon the Company’s consolidated total leverage ratio.

 

The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative covenants binding on the Company and its subsidiaries, including delivery of financial statements and certain other certificates and notices, payment of liabilities and obligations, maintenance of existence, maintenance of insurance, maintenance of properties and compliance with laws. The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement also contains negative covenants restricting the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to, among other things, grant liens, incur indebtedness, dispose of assets, make restricted payments, engage in transactions with affiliates and make investments, in each case subject to certain exceptions.   The negative covenants regarding liens, indebtedness, disposal of assets, restricted payments and transactions with affiliates are substantially the same as the corresponding covenants in the Indenture.

 

The financial covenants under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement require the Company to comply with a maximum consolidated total leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated interest coverage ratio, each measured quarterly. The Company is required to maintain a consolidated total leverage ratio of not more than 6.25 to 1.00, which ratio will decrease to 6.00 to 1.00 over the term of the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. The Company is also required to maintain a consolidated interest coverage ratio of at least 1.50 to 1.00.

 

The Amended and Restated Credit Agreement contains customary events of default, including the failure to pay principal when due or interest within three business days after the date due, failure to comply with covenants in the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and related loan documents (subject to grace periods in certain instances), breach of representations and warranties, cross defaults with certain indebtedness, insolvency or bankruptcy events involving the Company, any guarantor or any material subsidiary of the Company, judgment defaults, the occurrence of certain ERISA events, and a change of

 

3



 

control of the Company. Upon the occurrence and continuance of an event of default, the lenders may terminate their revolving credit commitments, require cash collateralization or similar arrangements for outstanding letters of credit and declare all amounts under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and related loan documents immediately due and payable. The revolving credit commitments shall automatically terminate, and all amounts outstanding under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement shall automatically become immediately due and payable, upon the occurrence of an event of default arising from insolvency or bankruptcy events involving the Company, any guarantor, any material subsidiary of the Company or three or more subsidiaries that are not material subsidiaries.

 

A copy of the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report and is incorporated by reference herein. The foregoing description of the Credit Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Credit Agreement.

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

 

On December 3, 2012, the Company entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to sell to the Initial Purchasers the 2022 Notes (the “Notes Offering”). On December 18, 2012, the Notes Offering was completed and the Company issued to the Initial Purchasers $910 million aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement. The net proceeds to the Company from the Notes Offering were approximately $892 million.  The Company included a description of the material terms of the Purchase Agreement in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on December 5, 2012.

 

In connection with the Notes Offering, the Company entered into an Indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of December 18, 2012, among the Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”) and as collateral agent, relating to the 2022 Notes.

 

Certain terms and conditions of the 2022 Notes and the Indenture are as follows:

 

Maturity.  The 2022 Notes mature on December 15, 2022.

 

Interest.  The 2022 Notes accrue interest of 9.00% per year. Interest on the 2022 Notes is paid semi-annually on each December 15 and June 15, beginning on June 15, 2013.

 

Security.  The 2022 Notes and the guarantees are secured by a first-priority lien, pari passu to the liens granted under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and subject to permitted liens, on certain of the Company and the guarantors’ assets, which (x) include intangible assets, inventory, receivables and certain minority investments, but (y) exclude land, buildings, machinery and equipment (“PPE”), and any leasehold interests and improvements with respect to such PPE which would be reflected on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, shares of stock of any subsidiaries of the Company and any indebtedness owed to such grantor by our subsidiaries.  Under the terms of the security documents and/or intercreditor agreement, however, the proceeds of any collection or other realization of collateral received in connection with the exercise of remedies will be applied first to repay in full all “superpriority obligations,” including amounts under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, and up to an additional $10.0 million of “superpriority” obligations that the Company may incur in the future, before the holders of the 2022 Notes and any other pari passu lien indebtedness receive such proceeds.

 

Ranking.  The 2022 Notes and the guarantees are the senior secured obligations of the Company and the guarantors. The 2022 Notes:

 

·                  rank senior in right of payment to any of the Company and the guarantors’ existing and future subordinated indebtedness;

 

·                  rank equally in right of payment with all of the Company and the guarantors’ existing and future senior indebtedness, including amounts outstanding under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement;

 

4



 

·                  rank effectively senior in right of payment to any of the Company and the guarantors’ unsecured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the collateral for the 2022 Notes and the guarantees;

 

·                  are secured, subject to permitted liens, on a first-priority basis, equally and ratably with all obligations under any of the Company indebtedness and the guarantors secured by a first-priority lien on the Company and the guarantors assets that secure the 2022 Notes (including obligations under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement); and

 

·                  are structurally subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of the non-guarantor subsidiaries of the Company.

 

Claims under the 2022 Notes and the guarantees will effectively rank behind the claims of holders of “superpriority” obligations, including interest, under the Company’s Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, in respect of proceeds from any enforcement action with respect to the collateral or in any bankruptcy, insolvency or liquidation proceeding.  The Company will also be permitted to incur up to an additional $10.0 million of incremental facilities on the same “superpriority” basis as the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

 

Guarantees.  The 2022 Notes are unconditionally guaranteed on a senior secured basis by each material domestic subsidiary of the Company; provided that holders of 2022 Notes will receive proceeds of collateral upon any enforcement action with respect to the collateral or in any bankruptcy, insolvency or liquidation proceeding only following the payment in full of permitted “superpriority” obligations, including amounts due under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

 

Optional Redemption.  The Company may redeem some or all of the 2022 Notes at any time on or after December 15, 2017 at the redemption prices set forth in the Indenture. The Company may also redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes using the proceeds of certain equity offerings specified in the Indenture completed before December 15, 2015 at the redemption price set forth in the Indenture. Prior to December 15, 2017, the Company may also redeem some or all of the 2022 Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date and a “make-whole” premium set forth in the Indenture.

 

Repurchase upon a change of control or certain asset sales.  Upon the occurrence of specific types of changes of control or certain asset sales, the Company will be required to offer to repurchase the 2022 Notes at a price equal to 101% (for a change of control) or 100% (for certain asset sales) of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the repurchase date.

 

Covenants.  The Indenture contains covenants limiting, among other things, the Company’s ability and the ability of the Company’s restricted subsidiaries to:

 

·                  incur certain additional indebtedness and issue preferred stock;

 

·                  make certain distributions, investments and other restricted payments;

 

·                  sell assets;

 

·                  agree to any restrictions on the ability of restricted subsidiaries to make payments to the Company;

 

·                  create liens;

 

·                  merge, consolidate or sell substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets, taken as a whole; and

 

·                  enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

 

These covenants are subject to a number of important exceptions and qualifications as set forth in the Indenture and certain of these covenants will not be applicable during any period of time when the 2022 Notes have an investment-grade rating.

 

5



 

Events of Default.  The following constitute events of default under the Indenture that could, subject to certain conditions, cause the 2022 Notes to become immediately due and payable:

 

(a)           the Company’s default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest on the 2022 Notes;

 

(b)           the Company’s default in the payment when due of principal or of premium, if any, on the 2022 Notes;

 

(c)           the Company’s failure to comply with the covenant relating to mergers, consolidations or change of control;

 

(d)           the Company’s failure to comply for 45 days after notice is given with its obligations under certain specified covenants in the Indenture;

 

(e)           the Company or the guarantor’s failure to comply for 60 days after notice is given with any other provision of the Indenture or the 2022 Notes or the other agreements relating to the collateral;

 

(f)            default with respect to any indebtedness for borrowed money of, or guaranteed by, the Company or any of its restricted subsidiaries, in excess of $50.0 million which default results from the failure to pay principal on such indebtedness at maturity or results in the acceleration of any such indebtedness;

 

(g)           certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries;

 

(h)           the Company’s or any of its restricted subsidiaries’ failure to pay final and non-appealable judgments aggregating $50.0 million or more, which judgments remain unsatisfied or undischarged for 60 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgments shall not be in effect;

 

(i)            any subsidiary guarantee of a restricted subsidiary is held in a judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease to be in full force and effect, or any subsidiary guarantor that qualifies as a restricted subsidiary denies or disaffirms its obligations under its guarantee; and

 

(j)            with respect to any collateral having a fair market value in excess of $10.0 million, individually or in the aggregate, the failure of the security interest with respect to such collateral to be in full force and effect or the assertion by the Company or any guarantor that such security interest is invalid or unenforceable.

 

A copy of the Indenture, which includes the form of the 2022 Notes, is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2. The foregoing descriptions of the Indenture and the 2022 Notes do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Indenture.

 

Item 8.01 Other Events

 

On December 12, 2012, the Company issued a press release announcing the early results of the Offer.  A copy of this press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference in this Item 8.01.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

 

 

4.1

 

Second Supplemental Indenture, dated December 11, 2012, among The McClatchy Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. relating to the 11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017.

 

6



 

4.2

 

Indenture, dated December 18, 2012, among The McClatchy Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. relating to the 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022.

 

 

 

4.3

 

Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 18, 2012, between The McClatchy Company and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, relating to the 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among the Company, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release, dated December 12, 2012, announcing the early results of the tender offer and consents solicitation.

 

7



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

December 20, 2012

By:

/s/ Karole Morgan-Prager

 

 

Karole Morgan-Prager

 

 

Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

8



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

 

 

4.1

 

Second Supplemental Indenture, dated December 11, 2012, among The McClatchy Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. relating to the 11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017.

 

 

 

4.2

 

Indenture, dated December 18, 2012, among The McClatchy Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. relating to the 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022.

 

 

 

4.3

 

Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 18, 2012, between The McClatchy Company and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, relating to the 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among the Company, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release, dated December 12, 2012, announcing the early results of the tender offer and consents solicitation.

 


 

EX-4.1 2 a12-29753_1ex4d1.htm EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

 

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

dated as of December 11, 2012

 

among

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY,

 

 

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO,

 

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

 

as Trustee and as Collateral Agent

 

 

11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017

 



 

THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), is entered into as of December 11, 2012, among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee and Collateral Agent entered into the Indenture, dated as of February 11, 2010 (as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 3, 2010, among The McClatchy Company, Tribune Newsprint Company and the Trustee, the “Indenture”), relating to the Company’s 11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017 (the “Notes”);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated as of December 3, 2012 (the “Offer to Purchase”), in accordance with Section 9.2 of the Indenture, the Company solicited consents from registered holders of the Notes for amendments to the Indenture, such consents to be obtained in connection with a tender offer for the Notes (the “Tender Offer”);

 

WHEREAS, consents with respect to at least 66% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes were given by the registered holders of the Notes such that the amendments to be made pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture have been authorized in accordance with Section 9.2 of the Indenture, as certified by the requisite officers of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee and Collateral Agent desire to execute a supplemental indenture that complies with Section 9.2 of the Indenture.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1
RELATION TO INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.1                                             Relation to Indenture.  This Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Indenture.  In the event of inconsistencies between the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture, the terms of this Supplemental Indenture shall govern.

 

SECTION 1.2                                             Certain Definitions.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined in the Indenture.

 



 

ARTICLE 2
TERMINATION AND RELEASE

 

SECTION 2.1                                             Pursuant to Section 9.2 of the Indenture, the Collateral Documents, including the Copyright Security Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2010, made by the grantors party thereto in favor of the Collateral Agent, and the Trademark Security Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2010, made by the grantors party thereto in favor of the Collateral Agent, and the Intercreditor Agreement are hereby terminated in their entirety, and the Collateral is hereby released from the Liens of the Collateral Documents.

 

SECTION 2.2                                             The Company and each Grantor (as defined in the Security Agreement) is hereby authorized to file UCC termination statements and other documents or instruments evidencing the termination of the Liens.  At the request of any Grantor, the Collateral Agent shall deliver to such Grantor any Collateral of such Grantor held by the Collateral Agent and execute and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.

 

ARTICLE 3
MODIFICATIONS

 

SECTION 3.1                                             References to “11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017” in the Indenture are hereby amended and restated in their entirety to read as follows:

 

“11.50% Senior Notes due 2017.”

 

SECTION 3.2                                             Section 3.2 (SEC Reports) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.3                                             Section 3.3 (Limitation on Indebtedness) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.4                                             Section 3.4 (Limitation on Restricted Payments) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.5                                             Section 3.5 (Limitation on Liens) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

2



 

SECTION 3.6                                             Section 3.6 (Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.7                                             Section 3.7 (Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.8                                             Section 3.8 (Limitation on Affiliate Transactions) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.9                                             Section 3.9 (Change of Control) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.10                                      Section 3.10 (Future Subsidiary Guarantors) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Company shall cause each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary) that is formed or acquired following the Issue Date to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest in respect of the Notes, including all obligations under this Indenture, on the terms set forth in Article X pursuant to a supplemental indenture hereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee; provided that any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary need not become a Subsidiary Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.”

 

SECTION 3.11                                      Section 3.11 (Limitation on Lines of Business) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.12                                      Section 3.12 (Effectiveness of Covenants) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.13                                      Section 3.13 (Compliance Certificate) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

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SECTION 3.14                                      Section 3.14 (Statement by Officers as to Default) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.15                                      Section 3.15 (Payment for Consents) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.16                                      Section 4.1 (When Company May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“(a)                           The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any Person unless:

 

(i)                                     if other than the Company, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) shall be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof;

 

(ii)                                  the Successor Company (if other than the Company) and, in the case of a Successor Company that is not a corporation, a corporate co-issuer, assume pursuant to a supplemental indenture or other documentation instruments, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in forms reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture;

 

(iii)                               immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(iv)                              if the Successor Company is not the Company, each Subsidiary Guarantor (unless it is the other party to the transactions above, in which case clause (i) shall apply) shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Subsidiary Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations in respect of this Indenture and the Notes; and

 

(v)                                 the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Section 4.1.

 

(b)                                 Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.1(a), the Company shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Successor Company shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture, but, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, the predecessor Company shall not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.”

 

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SECTION 3.17                                      Section 4.2 (When a Subsidiary Guarantor May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“(a)                           The Company shall not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not the Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets, in one or more related transactions, to any Person (other than to the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor), unless, if such entity remains a Subsidiary Guarantor, (A) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Guarantor”) shall be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States, the District of Columbia or any other territory thereof; (B) the Successor Guarantor, if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor, expressly assumes in writing by supplemental indenture (and other applicable documents), executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guarantee, this Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement (C) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default of Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and (D) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture.

 

(b)                                 Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2(a), the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Successor Guarantor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, a Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture, but, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, a Subsidiary Guarantor shall not be released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Subsidiary Guarantor may (i) merge with or into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to another Subsidiary Guarantor or the Company or (ii) merge with a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Subsidiary Guarantor in a State of the United States or the District of Columbia.”

 

SECTION 3.18                                      Clauses (a)(iii)-(v), (x) and (xi) of Sections 6.1(Events of Default), and the paragraphs following such Section 6(a), of the Indenture are amended and restated in their entirety to read as follows:

 

“(iii)                         the Company fails to comply with its obligations under Article IV;

 

(iv)                              [Intentionally Omitted];

 

(v)                                 the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor fails to comply for 60 days after notice as provided below with its other agreements (except as provided in clauses (a)(i) through (a)(iv) of this Section 6.1) contained in this Indenture or under the Notes;”

 

“(x)                           any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that taken together as of the latest audited consolidated financial

 

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statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would constitute a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of this Indenture and the Subsidiary Guarantees) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that taken together as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms its obligations under this Indenture or its Subsidiary Guarantee and the Company fails to cause such Restricted Subsidiary or Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, to rescind such denials or disaffirmations within 30 days.

 

(xi)                              [Intentionally Omitted].

 

The foregoing shall constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company so elects, the sole remedy of the Holders for a failure to comply with any obligations the Company may have or is deemed to have pursuant to Section 314(a)(1) of the TIA will for the first 180 days after the occurrence of such failure consist exclusively of the right to receive additional interest on the Notes at a rate per annum:  (i) equal to 0.25% for the first 90 days after the occurrence of such failure and (ii) equal to 0.50% from the 91st day to, and including, the 180th day after the occurrence of such failure.  The additional interest will accrue on all outstanding Notes from and including the date on which such failure first occurs until such violation is cured or waived and shall be payable on each relevant Interest Payment Date to Holders of record on the regular Record Date immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date.  On the 181st day after such failure (if such violation is not cured or waived prior to such 181st day), such failure will then constitute an Event of Default without any further notice or lapse of time and the Notes shall be subject to acceleration as provided below.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a default under clause (v) of this Section 6.1(a) shall not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company of the default and the Company does not cure such default within the time specified in clause (v) of this Section 6.1(a) after receipt of such notice.  Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default.”

 

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors.  The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.”

 

SECTION 3.19                                      Section 6.10 (Priorities) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Trustee shall pay out any money or property received by it in the following order:

 

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First:                                                                     to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.6;

 

Second:                                                    to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

 

Third:                                                               to the Company or, to the extent the Trustee receives any amount for any Subsidiary Guarantor, to such Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section.  At least 15 days before such record date, the Company shall mail to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.”

 

SECTION 3.20                                      Section 7.1 (Duties of Trustee and Collateral Agent) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“SECTION 7.1.            Duties of Trustee.

 

(a)                                 If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered the Trustee indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to the Trustee in its sole discretion against loss, liability or expense.

 

(b)                                 Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

(i)                                     the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee ; and

 

(ii)                                  in the absence of gross negligence or bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee under this Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees, as applicable.  However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees as the case may be (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

(c)                                  The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

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(i)                                     this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section;

 

(ii)                                  the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer or Trust Officers unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

 

(iii)                               the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.5.

 

(d)                                 The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company.

 

(e)                                  Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(f)                                   No provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

(g)                                  Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

(h)                                 The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee, security, prefunding or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.”

 

SECTION 3.21                                      Section 7.2 (Rights of Trustee and Collateral Agent) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“SECTION 7.2.            Rights of Trustee.

 

(a)                                 The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or any other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person or Persons.  The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

(b)                                 Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel.  The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 

(c)                                  The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care.

 

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(d)                                 The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.

 

(e)                                  The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder or under the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

(f)                                   The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into any statement, warranty or representation, or the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or other paper or document made or in connection with this Indenture; moreover, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into (i) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (ii) the occurrence of any default, or the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Indenture or any other agreement, instrument or document or (iii) the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.

 

(g)                                  The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except any Default or Event of Default of which a Trust Officer shall have (x) received written notification at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture or (y) obtained “actual knowledge.”  “Actual knowledge” shall mean the actual fact or statement of knowing by a Trust Officer without independent investigation with respect thereto.

 

(h)                                 In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

(i)                                     The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

 

(j)                                    The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.”

 

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SECTION 3.22                                      Section 7.10 (Limitation on Duty of Trustee and Collateral Agent in Respect of Collateral; Indemnfication) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.23                                      Clauses (b) and (c) of Section 8.1 (Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance) of the Indenture are amended and restated in their entirety to read as follows:

 

“(b)                           Subject to Sections 8.1(c) and 8.2, the Company at its option and at any time may terminate all the obligations of the Company and any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes and this Indenture (“legal defeasance option”).

 

If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.

 

Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Company, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Company terminates.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 8.1(a) and (b), the Company’s obligations in Sections 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.9, 2.10, 2.12, 3.1, 6.7, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.6, 7.7, 8.1(b), 8.3,  8.4, 8.5 and 8.6 shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full.  Thereafter, the Company’s obligations in Sections 6.7, 7.6, 8.4 and 8.5 shall survive.”

 

SECTION 3.24                                      Section 8.2 (Conditions to Defeasance) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option only if:

 

(i)                                     the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, U.S. dollars or U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination of U.S. dollars and U.S. Government Obligations, in such amounts as shall be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding Notes issued hereunder on the Stated Maturity or on the applicable Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular Redemption Date;

 

(ii)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, (a) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders shall not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such legal defeasance and shall be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such legal defeasance had not occurred;

 

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(iii)                               [Intentionally Omitted];

 

(iv)                              such legal defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is bound;

 

(v)                                 no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowings);

 

(vi)                              the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, assuming, among other things, no intervening bankruptcy of the Company between the date of deposit and the 91st day following the deposit and assuming that no Holder is an “insider” of the Company under applicable bankruptcy law, after the 91st day following the deposit, the trust funds shall not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of Title 11 of the United States Code;

 

(vii)                           the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or others; and

 

(viii)                        the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel (which Opinion of Counsel may be subject to customary assumptions and exclusions), each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the legal defeasance have been complied with.”

 

SECTION 3.25                                      Section 8.4 (Repayment to the Company) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in this Article VIII which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect legal defeasance, provided that the Trustee shall not be required to liquidate any U.S. Government Obligations in order to comply with the provisions of this paragraph.

 

Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, and, thereafter, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors.”

 

SECTION 3.26                                      Section 9.1 (Without Consent of Holders) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“This Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees may be amended or supplemented without notice to or consent of any Holder:

 

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(i)                                     to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

 

(ii)                                  to comply with (a) Article IV in respect of the assumption by a Successor Company of an obligation of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes and (b) Article IV and Article X in respect of the assumption by a Person of the obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee and this Indenture;

 

(iii)                               to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code;

 

(iv)                              to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or to release a Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;

 

(v)                                 [Intentionally Omitted];

 

(vi)                              [Intentionally Omitted];

 

(vii)                           to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders, add Events of Default or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

 

(viii)                        to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;

 

(ix)                              to comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA, as amended;

 

(x)                                 to provide for the appointment of a successor trustee; provided that the successor trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the terms of this Indenture;

 

(xi)                              [Intentionally Omitted];

 

(xii)                           to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees to any provision of the “Description of notes” section of the Offering Memorandum, to the extent that such provision in the “Description of notes” is intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees; or

 

(xiii)                        to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

After an amendment under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment.  The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section.  A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Note shall not be rendered invalid by such tender.”

 

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SECTION 3.27                                      Section 9.2 (With Consent of Holders) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“This Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  Any past default or compliance with the provisions of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  However, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment, supplement or waiver may:

 

(i)                                     reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;

 

(ii)                                  reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;

 

(iii)                               reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Note;

 

(iv)                              waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Notes issued hereunder (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes issued hereunder by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued hereunder with respect to a nonpayment default and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

(v)                                 reduce the premium payable upon the redemption or repurchase of any Note or change the time at which any Note may or shall be redeemed or repurchased in accordance with Article V, whether through an amendment or waiver of provisions in the covenants or otherwise;

 

(vi)                              make any Note payable in a currency other than that stated in the Note;

 

(vii)                           impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes;

 

(viii)                        make any change in the amendment provisions in this Section 9.2;

 

(ix)                              modify the Subsidiary Guarantees of any Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in any manner, taken as a whole, materially adverse to the Holders; or

 

(x)                                 release any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms thereof.

 

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It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or supplement, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.  A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Note shall not be rendered invalid by such tender.

 

After an amendment or supplement under this Indenture becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment or supplement.  The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment or supplement under this Section.”

 

SECTION 3.28                                      Section 9.5 (Trustee and Collateral Agent To Sign Amendments) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“The Trustee shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not, in the sole determination of the Trustee, adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee.  If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it.  In signing any amendment, supplement or waiver pursuant to this Article IX, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 7.1 and 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by or complies with this Indenture and that such amendment, supplement or waiver is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Opinion of Counsel will be required for the Trustee to execute any amendment or supplement adding a new Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture.”

 

SECTION 3.29                                      The first and fourth paragraphs of Section 10.1 (Subsidiary Guarantee) of the Indenture are amended and restated in their entirety to read as follows:

 

“Subject to the provisions of this Article X, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, jointly and severally with each other Subsidiary Guarantor, to each Holder of the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the Trustee the full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes (including, without limitation, interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6) (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guarantor Obligations”).  Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees (to the extent lawful) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this Article X notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.”

 

“Except as set forth in Section 4.2, Section 10.2 and Article VIII, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or

 

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termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guarantor Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not (to the extent lawful) be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guarantor Obligations or otherwise.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor herein shall not (to the extent lawful) be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Company or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes, or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes, or any other agreement; (d) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Subsidiary Guarantor; (e) any change in the ownership of the Company; (f) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guarantor Obligations; or (g) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Subsidiary Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.”

 

SECTION 3.30                                      Article XI (Collateral and Security) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.31                                      Section 12.1 (Notices) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“Notices given by publication shall be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made, and notices given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed given five calendar days after mailing.  Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person, by facsimile or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company or to any Subsidiary Guarantor:

 

c/o The McClatchy Company

2100 “Q” Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager

Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

if to the Trustee:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.

400 South Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: Corporate Unit

Facsimile: (213) 630-6298

 

15



 

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to the Holder at the Holder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.  Any notice or communication shall also be so mailed or delivered to any Person described in TIA §313(c), to the extent required by the TIA.

 

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to the Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, pdf, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods. If the parties hereto elect to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling.  The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction.  The parties hereto agree to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.”

 

SECTION 3.32                                      Section 12.14 (Direction by Holders to Enter into Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement) of the Indenture is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 

“[Intentionally Omitted].”

 

SECTION 3.33                                      Any and all references to “Collateral,” “Collateral Agent,” “Collateral Documents” and “Intercreditor Agreement” in any provisions of the Indenture not specifically set forth herein are hereby deleted in their entirety.

 

ARTICLE 4
EFFECTIVE TIME

 

SECTION 4.1                                             The termination and release as described in Article 2 and the modifications to the Indenture as described in Article 3 of this Supplemental Indenture became effective upon execution of this Supplemental Indenture but will not become operative until the acceptance for purchase by the Company of the Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) pursuant to the Tender Offer at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 11, 2012.

 

16



 

ARTICLE 5
MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 5.1                                             Notices.  All notices shall be made in accordance with Section 12.1 of the Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture.

 

SECTION 5.2                                             Separability Clause.  In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

SECTION 5.3                                             GOVERNING LAW.  THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, TOGETHER WITH THE INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 5.4                                             Waiver of Jury Trial.  Each of the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to the Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

SECTION 5.5                                             No Recourse Against Others.  An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability.  The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

SECTION 5.6                                             Successors.  All agreements of the Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor in the Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, and the Notes shall bind their respective successors.  All agreements of the Trustee in the Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, shall bind its successors.

 

SECTION 5.7                                             Counterparts.  This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

SECTION 5.8                                             Ratification.  The Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects hereby ratified and confirmed.

 

17



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

The Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Teresa Petta

 

 

 

Name:

Teresa Petta

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Teresa Petta

 

 

 

Name:

Teresa Petta

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

 

 

The Company

 

 

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Patrick Talamantes

 

 

 

Name:

Patrick Talamantes

 

 

 

Title:

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

 

 

The Guarantors

 

 

 

 

 

ABOARD PUBLISHING, INC.

 

 

ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, INC.

 

 

BELTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

BISCAYNE BAY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

 

CASS COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

 

COLUMBUS LEDGER-ENQUIRER, INC.

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, INC.

 

 

EAST COAST NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

 

GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

HLB NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

 

KELTATIM PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

KEYNOTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

LEE’S SUMMIT JOURNAL, INCORPORATED

 

 

LEXINGTON H-L SERVICES, INC.

 

 

MACON TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

 

MAIL ADVERTISING CORPORATION

 

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE WEST

 

 

MCCLATCHY INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

 

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

 

MCCLATCHY U.S.A., INC.

 

 

MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY

 

 

NEWSPRINT VENTURES, INC.

 

 

NITTANY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

 

NOR-TEX PUBLISHING, INC.

 

 

OLYMPIC-CASCADE PUBLISHING, INC.

 

 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

QUAD COUNTY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

 

STAR-TELEGRAM, INC.

 

 

TACOMA NEWS, INC.

 

 

THE BRADENTON HERALD, INC.

 

 

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

 

THE NEWS AND OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

 

THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY

 

 

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

TRIBUNE NEWSPRINT COMPANY

 

 

WICHITA EAGLE AND BEACON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

 

WINGATE PAPER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

 

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE LLC

 

 

MCCLATCHY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BELLINGHAM HERALD PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

IDAHO STATESMAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

OLYMPIAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Pacific Northwest Publishing Company, Inc.,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Cypress Media, Inc.,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

The McClatchy Company,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance,

 

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 


EX-4.2 3 a12-29753_1ex4d2.htm EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

as Issuer

 

THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS PARTIES
HERETO

 

 

9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

 

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of December 18, 2012

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

as Trustee

 

and

 

as Collateral Agent

 

 

 



 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE

 

TIA Section

 

Indenture Section

303

 

 

1.4

310

(a)(1)

 

7.9

 

(a)(2)

 

7.9

 

(a)(3)

 

N.A.

 

(a)(4)

 

N.A.

 

(a)(5)

 

7.9

 

(b)

 

7.9

 

(c)

 

N.A.

311

(a)

 

7.11

 

(b)

 

7.11

 

(c)

 

N.A.

312

(a)

 

2.5

 

(b)

 

12.18

 

(c)

 

12.18

313

(a)

 

7.12

 

(b)

 

7.12

 

(b)(1)

 

7.12

 

(b)(2)

 

7.6; 7.12

 

(c)

 

7.12; 12.1

 

(d)

 

7.12

314

(a)

 

5.3; 12.3

 

(a)(1)

 

6.2

 

(a)(4)

 

3.13; 12.3

 

(b)

 

N.A.

 

(c)(1)

 

12.2

 

(c)(2)

 

12.2

 

(c)(3)

 

N.A.

 

(d)

 

N.A.

 

(e)

 

12.2; 12.3

 

(f)

 

N.A.

315

(a)

 

7.1(b); 7.2

 

(b)

 

7.5; 12.1

 

(c)

 

7.1(a)

 

(d)

 

7.1(c)

 

(e)

 

6.11

316

(a) (last sentence)

 

2.16

 

(a)(1)(A)

 

6.5

 

(a)(1)(B)

 

6.4

 

(a)(2)

 

N.A.

 

(b)

 

6.7

 

(c)

 

2.17

317

(a)(1)

 

6.8

 

(a)(2)

 

6.9

 

(b)

 

2.4

318

(a)

 

12.17

 

(c)

 

12.17

 

N.A. means Not Applicable.

Note:  This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purposes, be deemed to be part hereof.

 

i



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions and Incorporation by Reference

 

 

 

SECTION 1.1.

Definitions

1

SECTION 1.2.

Other Definitions

37

SECTION 1.3.

Rules of Construction

37

SECTION 1.4.

Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act

38

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Notes

 

 

 

SECTION 2.1.

Form and Dating

38

SECTION 2.2.

Form of Execution and Authentication

40

SECTION 2.3.

Registrar and Paying Agent

41

SECTION 2.4.

Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

42

SECTION 2.5.

Lists of Holders of the Notes

42

SECTION 2.6.

Transfer and Exchange

42

SECTION 2.7.

Replacement Notes

52

SECTION 2.8.

Outstanding Notes

52

SECTION 2.9.

Treasury Notes

52

SECTION 2.10.

Temporary Notes

53

SECTION 2.11.

Cancellation

53

SECTION 2.12.

Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest

53

SECTION 2.13.

CUSIP Numbers

54

SECTION 2.14.

Reserved

54

SECTION 2.15.

Record Date

55

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

 

Covenants

 

 

 

SECTION 3.1.

Payment of Notes

55

SECTION 3.2.

SEC Reports

55

SECTION 3.3.

Limitation on Indebtedness

56

SECTION 3.4.

Limitation on Restricted Payments

61

SECTION 3.5.

Limitation on Liens

67

SECTION 3.6.

Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries

67

SECTION 3.7.

Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock

69

SECTION 3.8.

Limitation on Affiliate Transactions

72

SECTION 3.9.

Change of Control

73

SECTION 3.10.

Future Subsidiary Guarantors

75

SECTION 3.11.

Limitation on Lines of Business

76

SECTION 3.12.

Effectiveness of Covenants

76

SECTION 3.13.

Compliance Certificate

77

 

ii



 

SECTION 3.14.

Statement by Officers as to Default

77

SECTION 3.15.

Payment for Consents

77

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Successor Company and Successor Guarantor

 

 

 

SECTION 4.1.

When Company May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets

77

SECTION 4.2.

When a Subsidiary Guarantor May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets

79

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

Redemption of Notes

 

 

 

SECTION 5.1.

Optional Redemption

80

SECTION 5.2.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions

81

SECTION 5.3.

Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed

81

SECTION 5.4.

Notice of Redemption

81

SECTION 5.5.

Deposit of Redemption Price

82

SECTION 5.6.

Notes Payable on Redemption Date

82

SECTION 5.7.

Notes Redeemed in Part

83

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Defaults and Remedies

 

 

 

SECTION 6.1.

Events of Default

83

SECTION 6.2.

Acceleration

86

SECTION 6.3.

Other Remedies

87

SECTION 6.4.

Waiver of Past Defaults

87

SECTION 6.5.

Control by Majority

87

SECTION 6.6.

Limitation on Suits

87

SECTION 6.7.

Rights of Holders to Receive Payment

88

SECTION 6.8.

Collection Suit by Trustee

88

SECTION 6.9.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

88

SECTION 6.10.

Priorities

88

SECTION 6.11.

Undertaking for Costs

89

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Trustee

 

 

 

SECTION 7.1.

Duties of Trustee and Collateral Agent

89

SECTION 7.2.

Rights of Trustee and Collateral Agent

91

SECTION 7.3.

Individual Rights of Trustee and Collateral Agent

92

SECTION 7.4.

Disclaimer

92

SECTION 7.5.

Notice of Defaults

93

SECTION 7.6.

Compensation and Indemnity

93

SECTION 7.7.

Replacement of Trustee

94

 

iii



 

SECTION 7.8.

Successor Trustee by Merger

95

SECTION 7.9.

Eligibility; Disqualification

95

SECTION 7.10.

Limitation on Duty of Trustee and Collateral Agent in Respect of Collateral; Indemnification

95

SECTION 7.11.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer

96

SECTION 7.12.

Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes

96

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance

 

 

 

SECTION 8.1.

Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance

96

SECTION 8.2.

Conditions to Defeasance

98

SECTION 8.3.

Application of Trust Money

99

SECTION 8.4.

Repayment to Company

99

SECTION 8.5.

Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations

99

SECTION 8.6.

Reinstatement

99

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Amendments

 

 

 

SECTION 9.1.

Without Consent of Holders

100

SECTION 9.2.

With Consent of Holders

101

SECTION 9.3.

Effect of Consents and Waivers

103

SECTION 9.4.

Notation on or Exchange of Notes

103

SECTION 9.5.

Trustee and Collateral Agent To Sign Amendments

103

SECTION 9.6.

Compliance with Trust Indenture Act

104

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

 

Subsidiary Guarantee

 

 

 

SECTION 10.1.

Subsidiary Guarantee

104

SECTION 10.2.

Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge

106

SECTION 10.3.

Right of Contribution

106

SECTION 10.4.

No Subrogation

107

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI

 

Collateral and Security

 

 

 

SECTION 11.1.

The Collateral

107

SECTION 11.2.

Further Assurances

108

SECTION 11.3.

Release of Liens on the Collateral

108

SECTION 11.4.

Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Trustee or the Collateral Agent Under the Collateral Documents

109

SECTION 11.5.

Recording, Registration and Opinions

110

 

iv



 

ARTICLE XII

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

 

SECTION 12.1.

Notices

111

SECTION 12.2.

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

112

SECTION 12.3.

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

112

SECTION 12.4.

Submission of Jurisdiction

113

SECTION 12.5.

Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar

113

SECTION 12.6.

Days Other than Business Days

113

SECTION 12.7.

Governing Law

113

SECTION 12.8.

Waiver of Jury Trial

113

SECTION 12.9.

No Recourse Against Others

113

SECTION 12.10.

Successors

114

SECTION 12.11.

Multiple Originals

114

SECTION 12.12.

Variable Provisions

114

SECTION 12.13.

Table of Contents; Headings

114

SECTION 12.14.

Direction by Holders to Enter into Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement

114

SECTION 12.15.

Force Majeure

114

SECTION 12.16.

USA Patriot Act

114

SECTION 12.17.

Trust Indenture Act Controls

114

SECTION 12.18.

Communication by Holders of Notes with other Holders of Notes

114

 

EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT A

Form of Note

 

EXHIBIT B

Form of Certificate of Transfer

 

EXHIBIT C

Form of Certificate of Exchange

 

EXHIBIT D

Form of Intercreditor Agreement

 

EXHIBIT E

Form of Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement

 

 

v


 


 

INDENTURE, dated as of December 18, 2012 (this “Indenture”), among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), certain subsidiaries of the Company from time to time parties hereto (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a national banking association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”) and as collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).

 

Recitals of the Company

 

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other parties and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions and Incorporation by Reference

 

SECTION 1.1.            Definitions.

 

144A Global Note” means a global note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.

 

3-16 Limitation” shall mean any assets that are excluded from the Collateral pursuant to clause (vii) of the definition of “Excluded Property” in the Security Agreement.

 

Acquired Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, Indebtedness (1) of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person is merged or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case whether or not Incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition, and Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.  Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been Incurred, with respect to clause (1) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person is merged or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (2) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of such acquisition of assets.

 

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person.  For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar.

 



 

Applicable Premium” means, as determined by the Company with respect to a Note on any Redemption Date, the greater of:

 

(1)           1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; and

 

(2)           the excess, if any, of (a) the present value as of such Redemption Date of (i) the redemption price of such Note on December 15, 2017 as set forth in Section 5.1(a), plus (ii) the remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through December 15, 2017 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the Redemption Date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such Redemption Date plus 50 basis points, over (b) the then outstanding principal of such Note.

 

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary that apply to such transfer or exchange.

 

Asset Acquisition” means (1) an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary or shall be consolidated or merged with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets of any Person.

 

Asset Disposition” means any sale, lease, transfer, issuance or other disposition, or a series of related sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions that are part of a common plan, of shares of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares or local ownership shares) (it being understood that the Capital Stock of the Company is not an asset of the Company), property or other assets (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a “disposition”) by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be deemed to be Asset Dispositions:

 

(1)           a disposition of assets by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)           the disposition of Cash Equivalents in the ordinary course of business or the voluntary termination of Hedging Obligations;

 

(3)           a disposition of inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)           a disposition of used, obsolete, worn out, damaged or surplus equipment or equipment or assets that are no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and that is disposed of in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

2



 

(5)           the disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in a manner permitted pursuant to Section 4.1 or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;

 

(6)           an issuance of Capital Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(7)           for purposes of Section 3.7 only, the making of a Permitted Investment or a disposition subject to Section 3.4;

 

(8)           dispositions of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary or property or other assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions with an aggregate Fair Market Value of less than $10.0 million;

 

(9)           the creation of a Permitted Lien and dispositions in connection with Permitted Liens;

 

(10)         dispositions of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;

 

(11)         the licensing or sublicensing of patents, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property, know-how or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other property which do not materially interfere with the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as operated immediately prior to the granting of such license, lease or sublease;

 

(12)         to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Related Business;

 

(13)         foreclosure on assets or transfers by reason of eminent domain;

 

(14)         any sale of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other securities of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)         a Sale/Leaseback Transaction that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the cost of the underlying fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 180 days after the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary acquires or completes the acquisition of such fixed or capital asset;

 

(16)         the receipt by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any cash insurance proceeds or condemnation award payable by reason of theft, loss, physical destruction or damage, taking or similar event with respect to any of their respective property or assets;

 

(17)         operating leases in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(18)         the surrender or waiver of contract rights or litigation rights or the settlement, release or surrender of tort or other litigation claims of any kind;

 

(19)         the contribution of any real property (including, without limitation, land, buildings and fixtures) by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to a pension plan to satisfy funding obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under such plan; and

 

(20)         the transfer of improvements, additions or alterations in connection with the lease of any property.

 

Attributable Indebtedness” in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction means, as at the time of determination, (1) if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction does not constitute a Capitalized Lease Obligation, the present value (discounted at the interest rate implicit in the transaction) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale/Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended), determined in accordance with GAAP or (2) if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction constitutes a Capitalized Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of “Capitalized Lease Obligations.”

 

Average Life” means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by (2) the sum of all such payments.

 

Board of Directors” means:

 

(1)           with respect to a corporation, the Board of Directors of the corporation or (other than for purposes of determining Change of Control) any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors with respect to the relevant matter;

 

(2)           with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and

 

(3)           with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

 

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of a company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such company and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Broker-Dealer” means any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.

 

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Business Day” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.

 

Capital Stock” of any Person means (1) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and (2) with respect to any Person that is not a corporation, any and all partnership, limited liability company, membership or other equity interests of such Person, but in each case excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the foregoing.

 

Capitalized Lease Obligation” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation will be the capitalized amount of such obligation at the time any determination thereof is to be made as determined in accordance with GAAP, and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty.

 

Cash Equivalents” means:

 

(1)           U.S. dollars, or in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, such currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business;

 

(2)           securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof), having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;

 

(3)           marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of “A” or better from either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.;

 

(4)           certificates of deposit, demand deposits, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers’ acceptances having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank (x) the long-term debt of which is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A” or the equivalent thereof by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc., or “A2” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or (y) the short term commercial paper of such commercial bank or its parent company is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-1” or the equivalent thereof by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or “P-1” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and having combined capital and surplus in excess of $500 million;

 

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(5)           repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2), (3) and (4) above, entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above;

 

(6)           commercial paper rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-1” or the equivalent thereof by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or “P-1” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized Rating Agency, if both of the two named Rating Agencies cease publishing ratings of investments, and in any case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(7)           instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (1) through (6) above denominated in euros or any foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to in such clauses and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by any Restricted Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction;

 

(8)           interests in any investment company or money market fund that invests 95% or more of its assets in instruments of the type specified in clauses (1) through (7) above;

 

(9)           money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Rule 2A-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated at the time of acquisition thereof “AAA” or the equivalent by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or “Aaa” or the equivalent thereof by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5.0 billion; and

 

(10)         in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, high quality short-term investments which are customarily used for cash management purposes in any country in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates.

 

Cash Management Obligations” means obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary in relation to treasury, depository or cash management services agreements (including, without limitation, purchase cards).

 

Change of Control” means:

 

(1)           any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of a majority of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company (or its successors by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets);

 

(2)           during any period of twelve consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors;

 

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(3)           the sale, assignment, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) other than a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(4)           the adoption by the stockholders of the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the ownership nor acquisitions of shares of the Capital Stock of the Company by, nor the transfers of shares of the Capital Stock of the Company between, Members of the McClatchy Family or any McClatchy Family Entity shall constitute a Change in Control.  For purposes of this definition, “McClatchy Family Entity” shall mean a Person in which Members of the McClatchy Family beneficially own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date hereof) more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Voting Stock of such Person.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Collateral” means all property and assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in which Liens are, from time to time, purported to be granted to secure the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

 

Collateral Agent” means The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., acting in its capacity as collateral agent under the Collateral Documents, or any successor thereto.

 

Collateral Documents” means the Security Agreement and any other instruments and documents executed and delivered pursuant to this Indenture or any of the foregoing, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time and pursuant to which Collateral is pledged, assigned or granted to or on behalf of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

Commodity Agreement” means any commodity futures contract, commodity option, commodity swap agreement, commodity collar agreement, commodity cap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Common Stock” means with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interest or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or nonvoting) of such Person’s common stock whether or not outstanding on the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

 

Company” means The McClatchy Company until a successor replaces it pursuant to Section 4.1(c) and, thereafter, means such successor.

 

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Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

 

(1)           increased (without duplication) by the following items to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(a)           consolidated interest expense; plus

 

(b)           Consolidated Income Taxes; plus

 

(c)           consolidated depreciation expense; plus

 

(d)           consolidated amortization expense or impairment charges recorded in connection with the application of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and Financial Accounting Standard No. 144 “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets”; plus

 

(e)           other non-cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income, including any write-offs or write-downs (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period not included in the calculation); plus

 

(f)            any non-cash compensation expense realized for grants of restricted stock, performance shares, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such shares, options or other rights can be redeemed at the option of the holder only for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock); plus

 

(g)           any fees, charges or other expenses made or Incurred in connection with any actual or proposed Investment, asset sale, acquisition, recapitalization or issuance of Capital Stock or Incurrence of Indebtedness or any amendment or modification of Indebtedness (including as a result of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 141R); plus

 

(h)           the amount of any restructuring charges (including lease termination, severance and relocation expenses), integration costs or other business optimization expenses or reserves or other non-recurring charges or expenses deducted (and not added back) in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(i)            without duplication, for those fiscal periods completed prior to the Issue Date, all adjustments to EBITDA for such period used to calculate Adjusted EBITDA for such period as disclosed in the “Summary—Summary historical consolidated financial and other data” section of the Offering Memorandum;

 

(2)           decreased (without duplication) by non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period (excluding any items which represent the reversal of any accrual of, or reserve for, anticipated cash charges that reduced EBITDA in any prior period); and

 

(3)           increased or decreased (without duplication) to eliminate the following items reflected in Consolidated Net Income:

 

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(a)           any net gain or loss resulting in such period from Hedging Obligations and the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133;

 

(b)           all unrealized gains and losses relating to financial instruments to which fair market value accounting is applied;

 

(c)           any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including any net loss or gain resulting from Hedging Obligations for currency exchange risk); and

 

(d)           effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in any line item in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of purchase accounting in relation to any completed acquisition.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, clauses (1)(b) through (e) relating to amounts of a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated EBITDA of such Person only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income (loss) of such Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and, to the extent the amounts set forth in clauses (1)(b) through (e) are in excess of those necessary to offset a net loss of such Restricted Subsidiary or if such Restricted Subsidiary has net income for such period included in Consolidated Net Income, only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Company by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders.

 

Consolidated Income Taxes” means, with respect to any Person for any period, taxes imposed upon such Person or other payments required to be made by such Person by any governmental authority which taxes or other payments are calculated by reference to the income or profits or capital of such Person or such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent such income or profits were included in computing Consolidated Net Income for such period), including, without limitation, state, franchise and similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes regardless of whether such taxes or payments are required to be remitted to any governmental authority.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including but not limited to the portion of any payments or accruals with respect to Capitalized Lease Obligations that are allocable to interest expense, excluding (v) any write-offs of capitalized fees under the Credit Facility and all amendments thereto, (w) all non-cash charges for the amortization of purchase price adjustments in connection with the acquisition of Knight-Ridder, Inc., (x) all non-cash charges for the amortization of original issue discount with respect to the Notes, (y) all non-cash interest required to be recognized in accor dance with GAAP with respect to the Miami Property and (z) any interest on tax reserves to the extent the Company has elected to treat such interest as an interest expense under FIN 48 since its adoption.

 

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Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means at any date of determination the ratio of:  (1) the sum of the aggregate outstanding amount of Indebtedness of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of the date of determination on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP to (2) the Company’s Consolidated EBITDA for the four most recently completed fiscal quarters (the “Four Quarter Period”) ending on or prior to the date of determination for which financial statements are publicly available.

 

For purposes of this definition, the Company’s “Consolidated EBITDA” shall be calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to any Asset Dispositions or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of the Company or one of the Restricted Subsidiaries (including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Acquisition) Incurring Indebtedness and the application of the proceeds from any Asset Disposition) at any time on or subsequent to the first day of the Four Quarter Period and on or prior to the date of determination, as if such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter Period.

 

For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, the pro forma calculations shall be (x) made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company (and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, cost savings and operating expense reductions resulting from such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition which is being given pro forma effect that have been or are expected to be realized within twelve (12) months after the date of such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition as the result of specified actions taken or to be taken within six (6) months after such date) and, except as otherwise provided herein or (y) determined in accordance with Regulation S-X.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (loss) of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (before preferred stock dividends); provided, however, that there will not be included in such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)           any net income (loss) of any Person if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, except that:

 

(a)           subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) through (6) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included (and, without duplication, and to the extent such amounts decreased the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period, shall be increased by the Company’s Proportionate Equity Share of the amounts described in clauses (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c) and 1(d) of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA that decreased the net income of such Person during such period) in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period or, without duplication, within three months following the last day of such period and prior to the date of determination or which the Company has determined as of such date of determination will be distributed imminently in respect of such period (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and

 

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(b)           the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period;

 

(2)           solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a)(iv)(3)(A), any net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor) if such Restricted Subsidiary is subject to prior government approval or other restrictions due to the operation of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or government regulation (which have not been waived), directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company, except that:

 

(a)           subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) through (6) below, the Company’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend (subject, in the case of a dividend to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and

 

(b)           the Company’s equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;

 

(3)           any after-tax effect of gain or loss (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) realized upon sales or other dispositions of any assets of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (including pursuant to any Sale/Leaseback Transaction) other than in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)           any after-tax effect of income (loss) from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments;

 

(5)           the after-tax effect of extraordinary gain or loss;

 

(6)           the after-tax effect of the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;

 

(7)           any after-tax effect of non-cash impairment charges recorded in connection with the application of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and Financial Accounting Standard No. 144 “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets”; and

 

(8)           any non-cash compensation expense realized for grants of performance shares, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such shares, options or other rights can be redeemed at the option of the holder only for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock).

 

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Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who:  (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Issue Date; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of the Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election either by a specific vote or by approval of a proxy statement issued by the Company on behalf of its entire Board of Directors in which such individual is named as a nominee for director.

 

Corporate Trust Office” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.1 or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuers or Holders pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 12.1.

 

Credit Facility” means the amended and restated credit agreement dated as of the Issue Date, by and among the Company, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, including any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under Section 3.3 and 3.5).

 

Currency Agreement” means in respect of a Person any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.

 

Debt Facility” or “Debt Facilities” means, with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, one or more financing arrangements (including, without limitation, credit facilities, indentures and note purchase agreements and including the Credit Facility) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit or other long-term indebtedness or issuances of debt securities evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or similar instruments, in each case, as amended, restated, supplemented, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt securities) in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original trustee, administrative agent, holders and lenders or another trustee, administrative agent or agents), including, without limitation, any agreement extending the maturity thereof or increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder pursuant to incremental facilities or adding Subsidiaries of the Company as additional guarantors thereunder, and whether or not increasing the amount of Indebtedness that may be issued thereunder.

 

Default” means any event or condition that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.6 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

 

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Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns, or such other depository institution hereinafter appointed by the Company.

 

Designated Non-cash Consideration” means any consideration which is not cash or Cash Equivalents received by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Disposition that is designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate executed by the Company at the time of such Asset Disposition.  Any particular item of Designated Non-cash Consideration will cease to be considered to be outstanding once it has been transferred, sold or otherwise exchanged for or converted into or for cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person that by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event:  (1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (2) is convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (excluding Capital Stock which is convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that upon such conversion or exchange it shall be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock)), or (3) is redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, in each case on or prior to the date 91 days after the earlier of the final maturity date of the Notes or the date the Notes are no longer outstanding; provided, however, that only the portion of Capital Stock that so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a Change of Control or Asset Disposition (each defined in a substantially identical manner to the corresponding definitions in this Indenture) shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) pursuant to such provision prior to compliance by the Company with Section 3.9 and Section 3.7 and unless such repurchase or redemption would comply with Section 3.4.

 

Equity Offering” means a public or private offering for cash by the Company of its Common Stock, perpetual Preferred Stock or options, warrants or rights with respect to its Common Stock, other than (x) public offerings with respect to the Company’s Common Stock, or options, warrants or rights, registered on Form S-4 or S-8, (y) an issuance to any Subsidiary or (z) any offering of Common Stock issued in connection with a transaction that constitutes a Change of Control.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

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Exchange Notes” means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer pursuant to Section 2.6(i) hereof or pursuant to a registered exchange offer for Notes with a Private Placement Legend.

 

Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Exchange Offer Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Excluded Property” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

 

Existing Notes” means the Company’s 4.625% Notes due November 1, 2014, 5.750% Notes due September 1, 2017, 7.15% Debentures due November 1, 2027 and 6.875% Debentures due March 15, 2029 and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any such debt securities (including successive Refinancings).

 

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any property, the price that would reasonably be expected to be paid in an arm’s length free-market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction.  Fair Market Value shall be determined, except as otherwise provided, by (x) if such decision involves a determination of Fair Market Value equal or less than $50.0 million, in good faith by any member of the Senior Management of the Company and (y) if such decision involves the determination of Fair Market Value in excess of $50.0 million, in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Family Percentage Holding” means the aggregate percentage of the securities held by a Qualified Trust representing, directly or indirectly, an interest in voting shares or rights to voting shares of the Company that it is reasonable, under all the circumstances, to regard as being held beneficially for Qualified Persons (or any class consisting of two or more Qualified Persons); provided, however, always that in calculating the Family Percentage Holding (A) in respect of any power of appointment or discretionary trust capable of being exercised in favor of any of the Qualified Persons such trust or power shall be deemed to have been exercised in favor of Qualified Persons until such trust or power has been otherwise exercised; (B) where any beneficiary of a Qualified Trust has assigned, transferred or conveyed, in any manner whatsoever, his or her beneficial interest to another Person, then, for the purpose of determining the Family Percentage Holding in respect of such Qualified Trust, the Person to whom such interest has been assigned, transferred or conveyed shall be regarded as the only Person beneficially interested in the Qualified Trust in respect of such interest but in the case where the interest so assigned, transferred or conveyed is an interest in a discretionary trust or is an interest which may arise as a result of the exercise in favor of the assignor of a discretionary power of appointment and such discretionary trust or power of appointment is also capable of being exercised in favor of a Member of McClatchy Family, such discretionary trust or power shall be deemed to have been so exercised in favor of Qualified Persons until it has in fact been otherwise exercised; and (C) the interest of any Permitted Residuary Beneficiary shall be ignored until its interest has indefeasibly vested.

 

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First Lien Obligations” means Priority Payment Lien Obligations, the Notes Obligations and Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness.

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and any Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary of a Restricted Subsidiary described in clause (i) above that is a “controlled foreign corporation” for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the Issue Date, including those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession; provided that, except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, all calculations made for purposes of determining compliance with the terms of this Indenture shall use GAAP as in effect on the Issue Date.  All ratios and computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture shall be computed in conformity with GAAP, except that in the event the Company is acquired in a transaction that is accounted for using purchase accounting, the effects of the application of purchase accounting shall be disregarded in the calculation of such ratios and other computations contained in this Indenture.

 

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(b) hereof, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

 

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.1 or 2.6 hereof.

 

Good Faith by the Company” means the decision in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company.

 

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person, directly or indirectly, guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other financial obligations of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:

 

(1)           to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

 

(2)           entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other financial obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

 

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provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” will not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Guarantor Subordinated Obligation” means, with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to a written agreement.

 

Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.

 

Holder” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.

 

Immaterial Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary) whose total assets, as of that date, are less than $5.0 million and whose total revenues for the most recent 12-month period do not exceed $5.0 million; provided that a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary will not be considered to be an Immaterial Subsidiary if it, directly or indirectly, Incurs any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness or Priority Payment Lien Obligations.

 

Incur” means to issue, create, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) will be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; and the terms “Incurred” and “Incurrence” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.  Any Indebtedness issued at a discount (including Indebtedness on which interest is payable through the issuance of additional Indebtedness) shall be deemed incurred at the time of original issuance of the Indebtedness at the initial accreted amount thereof.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication):

 

(1)           the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

(2)           the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

 

(3)           the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto; except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a Trade Payable or similar obligation to a trade creditor in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business) other than obligations with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments securing obligations (other than obligations described in clauses (1) and (2) above and clause (5) below) entered into in the ordinary

 

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course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments are not drawn upon or, to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the fifth Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments;

 

(4)           the principal component of all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property (except Trade Payables), which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto, except (i) any such balance that constitutes a Trade Payable, accrued liability or similar obligation to a trade creditor, in each case accrued in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) any earn-out obligation until the amount of such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(5)           Capitalized Lease Obligations and all Attributable Indebtedness of such Person (whether or not such items would appear on the balance sheet of the guarantor or obligor);

 

(6)           the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

 

(7)           the principal component of all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such indebtedness of such other Persons;

 

(8)           the principal component of Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent Guaranteed by such Person (whether or not such items would appear on the balance sheet of the guarantor or obligor); and

 

(9)           to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, net Hedging Obligations of such Person (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such Hedging Obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time).

 

In no event shall the term “Indebtedness” include (i) any indebtedness under any overdraft or cash management facilities so long as any such indebtedness is repaid in full no later than five Business Days following the date on which it was incurred or in the case of such indebtedness in respect of credit or purchase cards, within 60 days of its incurrence, (ii) obligations in respect of performance, appeal or other surety bonds or completion guarantees incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iii) except as provided in clause (5) above, any obligations in respect of a lease properly classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP, (iv) any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith

 

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and for which adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by GAAP or (v) any customer deposits or advance payments received in the ordinary course of business.

 

The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date will be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and the maximum liability, upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation, of any contingent obligations at such date; provided that contingent obligations arising in the ordinary course of business and not with respect to borrowed money of such Person or other Persons shall not be deemed to constitute Indebtedness.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, money borrowed and set aside at the time of the Incurrence of any Indebtedness in order to pre-fund the payment of interest on such Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be “Indebtedness,” provided that such money is held to secure the payment of such interest.

 

Independent Financial Advisor” means (1) an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm or (2) a consultant to Persons engaged in a Related Business, in each case, of nationally recognized standing that is, in the good faith judgment of the Company, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

 

Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

 

Initial Notes” means the $910,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 of the Company issued under this Indenture on the Issue Date.

 

Initial Purchasers” means, with respect to the Initial Notes, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC.

 

Intercreditor Agreement” means the Intercreditor Agreement dated as of the Issue Date, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustee, the Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Holders, Bank of America, N.A., as collateral agent for the lenders under the Credit Facility, and the other parties from time to time thereto, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Interest Payment Date” means December 15 and June 15 of each year, commencing on June 15, 2013 and ending at the Stated Maturity of the Notes.

 

Interest Rate Agreement” means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.

 

Investment” in any Person means any direct or indirect advance, loan (other than advances or extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business that are in conformity with GAAP recorded as accounts receivable on the balance sheet of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries) or other extensions of credit (including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement,

 

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but excluding any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments issued by such Person and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that none of the following will be deemed to be an Investment:

 

(1)           Hedging Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with this Indenture;

 

(2)           endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)           an acquisition of assets, Capital Stock or other securities by the Company or a Subsidiary for consideration to the extent such consideration consists of Common Stock of the Company;

 

(4)           a deposit of funds in connection with an acquisition; provided that either such acquisition is consummated by or through a Restricted Subsidiary or such deposit is returned to the Person who made it;

 

(5)           an account receivable arising, or prepaid expenses or deposits made, in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(6)           licensing or transfer of know-how or intellectual property or the providing of services in the ordinary course of business.

 

For purposes of Section 3.4, (1) “Investment” will include the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in a Restricted Subsidiary to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to (a) the Company’s aggregate “Investment” in such Subsidiary as of the time of such redesignation less (b) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets (as conclusively determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) of such Subsidiary at the time that such Subsidiary is so redesignated a Restricted Subsidiary; and (2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BBB- (or the equivalent) by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc., in each case, with a stable or better outlook; provided that a change in outlook shall not by itself cause the Company to lose its Investment Grade Rating.

 

Issue Date” means December 18, 2012.

 

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Letter of Transmittal” means the letter of transmittal to be prepared by the Company and sent to all Holders of the Notes for use by such Holders in connection with the Exchange Offer.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction; provided that in no event shall an operating lease (or any filing or agreement to give any financing statement in connection therewith) be deemed to constitute a Lien.

 

Member of the McClatchy Family” means:  (1) Trust for the Primary Benefit of James B. McClatchy, Trust for the Primary Benefit of William Ellery McClatchy, Trust for the Primary Benefit of Charles K. McClatchy, Trust for the Primary Benefit of Sue Stiles, James B. McClatchy Trust, McClatchy 1997 Charitable Remainder Trust, Molly Maloney Evangelisti, Brown McClatchy Maloney, Betty Lou Maloney Trust, William Ellery McClatchy, Kevin McClatchy, Adair McClatchy, Carlos McClatchy, William McClatchy, Trust A U/W of C. K. McClatchy, Trust FBO Britney Beth Maloney, Trust FBO Cortney Cate Maloney, Trust FBO Blaire Brinnen Maloney, Trust FBO Mallory McClatchy Maloney, 1993 Revocable Trust FBO Charles McClatchy, and Carolan Kelly Stiles; (2) the spouse, for the time being and from time to time, of any Person listed in clause (1) above; (3) after the death of any Person listed in clause (1) above, the widow or widower, if any, of any Person listed in clause (1) above; (4) the issue of any Person listed in clause (1) above; (5) individuals adopted by any Person listed in clause (1) above or adopted by any of the issue of any Person listed in clause (1) above; provided, however, that such individuals have not attained the age of majority at the date of such adoption, together with the issue of any such adopted individuals; provided that if any Person is born out of wedlock he shall not be deemed to be the issue of another Person for the purposes hereof unless and until he is proven or acknowledged to be the issue of such Person; or (6) a Qualified Trust, but only to the extent of its Family Percentage Holding of voting shares or rights to voting shares of the capital stock of the Company at such time.

 

Miami Property” means the real property described in that certain Contract for Purchase and Sale of Real Property effective as of March 3, 2005 by and between The Miami Herald Publishing Company, Richwood, Inc., KR and Citisquare Group, LLC.

 

Net Available Cash” from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities or other assets received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form) therefrom, in each case net of (1) all brokerage, legal, accounting, investment banking, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all Federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP (after taking into account any available

 

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tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing agreements), as a consequence of such Asset Disposition, (2) all payments made on any Indebtedness (other than Priority Payment Lien Obligations, Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness and Indebtedness secured by Liens that are junior to the Liens securing the Notes) that is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or that must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition, (3) all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Disposition, (4) the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the property or other assets disposed of in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters and (5) any portion of the purchase price from an Asset Disposition placed in escrow (whether as a reserve for adjustment of the purchase price, or for satisfaction of indemnities in respect of such Asset Disposition); provided, however, that in the cases of clauses (4) and (5), upon reversal of any such reserve or the termination of any such escrow, Net Available Cash shall be increased by the amount of such reversal or any portion of funds released from escrow to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness, the cash proceeds of such issuance or sale, net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, listing fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees and charges actually Incurred in connection with such issuance or sale and net of taxes paid or payable as a result of such issuance or sale (after taking into account any available tax credit or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements).

 

Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness of a Person:

 

(1)           as to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides any Guarantee or credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, Guarantee, indemnity, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise);

 

(2)           no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare a default under such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and

 

(3)           the explicit terms of which provide there is no recourse against any of the assets of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

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Non-U.S. Person” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.

 

Notes” means the Initial Notes, the Exchange Notes and any Additional Notes, treated as a single class of securities.

 

Notes Custodian” means the custodian with respect to the Global Note (as appointed by the Depositary), or any successor Person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.

 

Notes First Lien Percentage” means, at any time for purposes of Section 3.7, a fraction (expressed as a percentage), the numerator of which is the outstanding principal amount of the Notes at such time and the denominator of which is the outstanding principal amount of all outstanding Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness (including the Notes) at such time requiring a prepayment from a specified Asset Disposition.

 

Notes Obligations” means the “Secured Obligations” as defined in the Security Agreement.

 

Obligations” means any principal, interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foregoing law), penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including, without limitation, reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances), damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of payment of such principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

 

Offering Memorandum” means the offering memorandum, dated as of December 3, 2012, relating to the offering of the Notes.

 

Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company or, in the event that a Person is a partnership or a limited liability company that has no such officers, a person duly authorized under applicable law by the general partner, managers, members or a similar body to act on behalf of such Person.  “Officer” of any Subsidiary Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers or by an Officer and either an Assistant Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary of the Company.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.  The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien permitted by clause (1) or (35) (or, to the extent relating to Refinancings of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by either such clause, (19)) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” and the

 

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Obligations in respect of which Indebtedness that do not constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations.

 

Pari Passu Indebtedness Secured Parties” means the holders of Notes Obligations and Obligations in respect of other Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness

 

Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account with the Depositary.

 

Permitted Investment” means an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in:

 

(1)           the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, including through the purchase of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)           any Investment by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Person that is engaged in a Related Business if as a result of such Investment:

 

(a)           such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(b)           such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or transfer;

 

(3)           cash and Cash Equivalents or Investments that constituted Cash Equivalents at the time made;

 

(4)           receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

(5)           commission, relocation, entertainment, payroll, travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(6)           loans or advances to, or guarantees of third party loans to, employees, officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time not in excess of $5.0 million with respect to all loans or advances or guarantees made since the Issue Date (without giving effect to the forgiveness of any such loan);

 

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(7)           any Investment acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries:

 

(a)           in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a judgment, bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable;

 

(b)           as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default; or

 

(c)           in the form of notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by account debtors to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to the settlement of such account debtor’s accounts, and other Investments arising in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection of accounts receivable, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(8)           Investments made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration (including Designated Non-cash Consideration) from an Asset Disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 3.7 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Disposition;

 

(9)           Investments in existence on the Issue Date, and any extension, modification or renewal of any such Investments, or Investments purchased or received in exchange for such Investments, existing on the Issue Date, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of cash or other assets or other increases thereof (other than as a result of the accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of pay-in-kind securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Issue Date);

 

(10)         any Person to the extent such Investments consist of Currency Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements, Commodity Agreements and related Hedging Obligations, which transactions or obligations are Incurred in compliance with Section 3.3;

 

(11)         Guarantees of Indebtedness issued in accordance with Section 3.3;

 

(12)         Investments made in connection with the funding of contributions under any non-qualified retirement plan or similar employee compensation plan including, without limitation, split-dollar insurance policies, in an amount not to exceed the amount of compensation expense recognized by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such plans;

 

(13)         Investments received in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments or pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of a debtor;

 

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(14)         any Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)         prepayments and other credits to suppliers made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(16)         endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business;

 

(17)         loans or advances or similar transactions with customers, distributors, clients, developers, suppliers or purchasers of goods or services in the ordinary course of business;

 

(18)         Investments by the Company in connection with joint production arrangements in the form of dispositions of equipment to a joint venture entity in exchange for Capital Stock of or Indebtedness of the joint venture entity so long as within 30 days after such disposition but subject to the definition of Excluded Property, the Company’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s Capital Stock or Indebtedness in such entity are pledged to the Collateral Agent; and

 

(19)         Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, together with all other Investments pursuant to this clause (19), in an aggregate amount at the time of such Investment not to exceed $150.0 million outstanding at any one time (with the Fair Market Value of such Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

 

Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means an intercreditor agreement among the Collateral Agent, one or more collateral agents for any other class of First Lien Obligations and the trustee or agent for the holders of any obligations secured by Liens that are subordinated to the Liens securing the Notes and any other First Lien Obligations, substantially in the form of Exhibit E (with such changes as the Company determines are not adverse to the Holders in any material respect as set forth in an Officer’s Certificate).

 

Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1)           Liens on the Collateral securing Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(i);

 

(2)           pledges or deposits by such Person under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment, general insurance and other insurance laws and old-age pensions and other social security or retirement benefits or similar legislation, or good-faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested

 

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taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)           Liens imposed by law and carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)           Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof;

 

(5)           Liens in favor of issuers of surety, appeal or performance bonds or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or similar obligations issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;

 

(6)           minor survey exceptions, encumbrances, ground leases, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning, building codes or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;

 

(7)           Liens securing Hedging Obligations relating to Indebtedness so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted to be under this Indenture, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligation;

 

(8)           leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(9)           judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default and Liens securing appeal or surety bonds related to such judgment so long as any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment have not been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated has not expired;

 

(10)         Liens for the purpose of securing (A) any Attributable Indebtedness in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(xvii) or (B) the payment of all or a part of the purchase price of, or Capitalized Lease Obligations, mortgage financings, Purchase Money Indebtedness or other payments Incurred to finance assets or property (other than Capital Stock or other Investments) acquired, constructed, improved or leased in the ordinary course of business; provided that, in the case of this subclause (10)(B):

 

26



 

(a)           the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens is otherwise permitted to be incurred under this Indenture and does not exceed the cost of the assets or property so acquired, constructed or improved plus reasonable fees and expenses of such Person incurred in connection therewith; and

 

(b)           such Liens are created within 180 days of construction, acquisition or improvement of such assets or property and do not encumber any other assets or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such assets or property and assets affixed or appurtenant thereto and the proceeds thereof;

 

(11)         Liens that constitute banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a bank, depositary or other financial institution, whether arising by operation of law or pursuant to contract;

 

(12)         Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(13)         Liens existing on the Issue Date (other than Liens permitted under clause (1) above or clause (35)(x)(A) below);

 

(14)         Liens on property or shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created, Incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; provided further, however, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)         Liens on property at the time the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created, Incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(16)         Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(17)         Liens on Capital Stock of Unrestricted Subsidiaries and Liens on property of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time that it is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens were not incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such designation;

 

(18)         deposits as security for contested taxes or contested import to customs duties;

 

(19)         Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to refinance, refund, replace, amend, extend or modify, as a whole or in part, Indebtedness that was previously so secured pursuant to clauses (1), (10), (13), (14), (15), (19) or (35)(y) of this definition;

 

27



 

provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being Refinanced or is in respect of property that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder;

 

(20)         any interest or title of a lessor under any operating lease;

 

(21)         Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

 

(22)         Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with importation of goods;

 

(23)         Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(24)         Liens on funds of the Company or any Subsidiary held in deposit accounts with third party providers of payment services securing credit card charge-back reimbursement and similar cash management obligations of the Company or the Subsidiaries;

 

(25)         Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(26)         Liens arising by operation of law or contract on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof to secure premiums thereunder;

 

(27)         Liens on insurance policies and proceeds of insurance policies (including rebates of premiums) securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(xii) to finance the payment of premiums on the insurance policies subject to such Liens;

 

(28)         statutory, common law or contractual Liens of landlords;

 

(29)         customary Liens granted in favor of a trustee to secure fees and other amounts owing to such trustee under an indenture or other agreement pursuant to which Indebtedness permitted under Section 3.3 is Incurred;

 

(30)         Liens on any cash earnest money deposit made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or acquisition agreement that is not prohibited by this Indenture;

 

(31)         Liens in favor of credit card processors granted in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(32)         Liens arising in connection with Cash Equivalents describe in clause (5) of the definition of Cash Equivalents;

 

(33)         Liens securing other obligations in an amount not to exceed $25.0 million at any time outstanding;

 

(34)         Liens securing cash management obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(35)         Liens securing (x)(A) Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii), (B) Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations that are secured ratably (other than with respect to cash collateral for letters of credit) with Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii) and (C) Liens on cash or deposits granted to the collateral agent with respect to Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii) in respect of letters of credit issued and outstanding thereunder and (y) additional Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness in excess of the maximum amount permitted by clause (x)(A) above to the extent that after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness under this clause (y) and the application of the proceeds therefrom on such date, the Priority Leverage Ratio of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries would not exceed 2.75 to 1.00; provided that such Liens are subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement; provided, further, that for all purposes of this clause (35) only, Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility shall be deemed to be Incurred on the date on which commitments are provided with respect thereto and shall be deemed to have remained outstanding at all times until such commitments have been terminated.

 

Permitted Residuary Beneficiary” means any Person who is a beneficiary of a Qualified Trust and, under the terms of the Qualified Trust, is entitled to distributions out of the capital of such Qualified Trust only after the death of all of the Qualified Persons who are beneficiaries of such Qualified Trust.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision hereof or any other entity.

 

Preferred Stock” means, as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) that is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.

 

Priority Leverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of:

 

(i)            the sum, without duplication, of (x) the aggregate principal amount of Priority Payment Lien Obligations and Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (y) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness (other than Guarantor Subordinated Obligations) of the Subsidiary Guarantors, in each case, as of such date of calculation (determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP); provided that for purposes of calculating the Priority Leverage Ratio other than for purposes of determining the permissibility of any transaction under Section 3.4, without duplication (A) Indebtedness under a revolving

 

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credit facility shall be deemed to be Incurred on the date on which commitments are provided with respect thereto and shall be deemed to have remained outstanding at all times until such commitments have been terminated and (B) the maximum permitted amount of Priority Payment Lien Obligations then permitted to be Incurred shall be deemed to be outstanding, to

 

(ii)           Consolidated EBITDA of the Company for the four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding such date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred;

 

and in each case with such pro forma adjustments as are consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Consolidated Leverage Ratio.”

 

Priority Payment Lien Obligations” means Obligations under (i) the Credit Facility as in effect on the Issue Date (and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, refundings, refinancings or replacements thereof) and any other Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by clause (35)(x)(A) of the definition of Permitted Liens that the Company has designated as “Priority Payment Lien Obligations” under the Intercreditor Agreement; provided that any Obligations in respect of loans, notes or letters of credit in excess of $100.0 million in the aggregate shall not constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations pursuant to this clause (i), and (ii) Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations that are secured ratably (other than with respect to cash collateral for letters of credit) with Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii).

 

Private Placement Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.1(c) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions hereof.

 

Proportionate Equity Share” means, with respect to the Company’s equity in the net income of any Person included in the Company’s Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (1) of the definition thereof, the ratio of the Company’s equity in the net income of such Person during the applicable period to the total net income of such Person for such period.

 

Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) Incurred (within 365 days of such purchase or lease) to finance or refinance the purchase, lease, construction, installation, or improvement of any assets used or useful in a Related Business (whether through the direct purchase of assets or through the purchase of Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets).

 

Qualified Person” means a Person referred to in clauses (1) through (5) of the definition of Member of the McClatchy Family or the spouse, widow or widower for the time being and from time to time of any Person described in clause (4) or (5) of the definition of “Member of the McClatchy Family.”

 

Qualified Trust” means a trust (whether testamentary or inter vivos) any beneficiary of which is a Qualified Person.

 

QIB” means any “qualified institutional buyer” (as defined in Rule 144A).

 

Rating Agencies” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or if Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical Rating Agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company (as certified

 

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by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or both, as the case may be.

 

Record Date” for the interest payable on any applicable Interest Payment Date means December 1 and June 1 (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

 

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, replace, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for or to consolidate, such Indebtedness.  “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that is Incurred to Refinance any Indebtedness existing on the Issue Date or Incurred in compliance with this Indenture (including Indebtedness of the Company that Refinances Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that Refinances Indebtedness of another Restricted Subsidiary (except that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall not Refinance Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor)), including Indebtedness that Refinances Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, however, that:

 

(1)           if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced is later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes, the entire principal amount of the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the Stated Maturity of the Notes;

 

(2)           the Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being Refinanced at such time;

 

(3)           such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus, without duplication, any additional Indebtedness Incurred to pay interest, premiums required by the instruments governing such existing Indebtedness or premiums necessary to effectuate such Refinancing and costs, fees and expenses Incurred in connection therewith);

 

(4)           if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee on terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced; and

 

(5)           Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include (x) Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor, (y) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor that refinances Existing Notes that mature after December 15, 2022 or (z) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary Guarantor that refinances

 

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Existing Notes that mature on or prior to December 15, 2022 unless (i) on the date such Indebtedness is Incurred and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

Registration Rights Agreement” means (1) in the case of the Initial Notes, the registration rights agreement dated December 18, 2012, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the initial purchasers named therein, entered into in connection with the Initial Notes and (2) in the case of any Additional Notes, any registration rights agreement with respect to such Additional Notes entered into in connection with the initial issuance thereof.

 

Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Regulation S Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in an initial denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903.

 

Related Business” means any business that is the same as or related, ancillary or complementary to any of the businesses of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and any reasonable extension or evolution of any of the foregoing, including without limitation, the online business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Restricted Definitive Note” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

 

Restricted Global Note” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

 

Restricted Investment” means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

Restricted Period” means, in relation to the Initial Notes, the 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (A) the day on which the Initial Notes are offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) and (B) the Issue Date; and, in relation to any Additional Notes that bear the Private Placement Legend, it means the comparable period of 40 consecutive days.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 903” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 904” means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

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Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means any direct or indirect arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) and the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.

 

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Secured Party” means (i) the Holders, (ii) the Trustee, (iii) the Collateral Agent and (iv) any successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns of each of the foregoing.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Security Agreement” means the security agreement dated December 18, 2012, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Collateral Agent, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Senior Management” means the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company.

 

Shelf Registration Statement” means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.

 

Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in the agreement governing or certificate relating to such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

 

Subordinated Obligation” means any Indebtedness of the Company (whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter Incurred) that is subordinated or junior in right of payment to the Notes pursuant to a written agreement.  No Indebtedness of the Company shall be deemed to be subordinated or junior in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company solely by virtue of Liens, guarantees, maturity or payments or structural subordination.

 

Subsidiary” of any Person means (1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof), or (2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or

 

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more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).  Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Subsidiary will refer to a Subsidiary of the Company.

 

Subsidiary Guarantee” means, individually, any Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto, and, collectively, all such Guarantees.  Each such Subsidiary Guarantee will be in the form prescribed by this Indenture.

 

Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Restricted Subsidiary in existence on the Issue Date that provides a Subsidiary Guarantee on the Issue Date (and any other Restricted Subsidiary that provides a Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture); provided that upon release or discharge of such Restricted Subsidiary from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, such Restricted Subsidiary ceases to be a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

substantially concurrent” means, with respect to two or more events, the occurrence of such events within 45 days of each other.

 

TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in effect on the date hereof, except as provided in Section 9.6 hereof.

 

Trade Payables” means, with respect to any Person, any accounts payable to trade creditors created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the acquisition of goods or services.

 

Treasury Rate” means, as obtained by the Company, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017; provided, however, that if the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.

 

Trust Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

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Trustee” means the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means such successor.

 

Uniform Commercial Code” means the New York Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect from time to time.

 

Unrestricted Definitive Note” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

Unrestricted Global Note” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (1) any Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Company in the manner provided below and (2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary of the Company (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary or a Person becoming a Subsidiary through merger or consolidation or Investment therein) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary only if:

 

(1)           such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries does not own any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of or have any Investment in, or own or hold any Lien on any property of, any other Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or otherwise an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)           all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times thereafter while they are Unrestricted Subsidiaries, consist of Non-Recourse Debt;

 

(3)           such designation and the Investment of the Company in such Subsidiary complies with Section 3.4;

 

(4)           such Subsidiary, either alone or in the aggregate with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries, does not operate, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

 

(5)           such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation:

 

(a)           to subscribe for additional Capital Stock of such Person; or

 

(b)           to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and

 

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(6)           on the date such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with terms substantially less favorable to the Company than those that might have been obtained from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company.

 

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions.  If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of this Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred as of such date.

 

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof and the Company could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.3(a) on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (1) direct obligations of the United States of America for the timely payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act), as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligations or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such U.S. Government Obligations held by such custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the Holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligations or the specific payment of principal of or interest on the U.S. Government Obligations evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

U.S. Person” means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) of Regulation S under the Securities Act.

 

Voting Stock” of a Person means all classes of Capital Stock of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees, as applicable, of such Person.

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary, all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or local ownership shares) is owned by the Company or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

 

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SECTION 1.2.            Other Definitions.

 

Term

 

Defined in
Section

“Actual Knowledge”

 

7.2(g)

“Additional Notes”

 

2.2

“Affiliate Transaction”

 

3.8(a)

“Asset Disposition Offer”

 

3.7(c)

“Asset Disposition Offer Amount”

 

3.7(d)

“Asset Disposition Offer Period”

 

3.7(d)

“Asset Disposition Purchase Date”

 

3.7(d)

“Bankruptcy Law”

 

6.1

“Change of Control Offer”

 

3.9(b)

“Change of Control Payment”

 

3.9(b)(i)

“Change of Control Payment Date”

 

3.9(b)(ii)

“covenant defeasance option”

 

8.1(b)

“Custodian”

 

6.1

“Defaulted Interest”

 

2.12

“DTC”

 

2.1(b)

“Event of Default”

 

6.1

“Excess Proceeds”

 

3.7(c)

“Guarantor Obligations”

 

10.1

“Initial Lien”

 

3.5

“legal defeasance option”

 

8.1(b)

“Notice of Default”

 

6.1

“Paying Agent”

 

2.3

“payment default”

 

6.1(a)(vi)(A)

“Redemption Date”

 

5.4

“Registrar”

 

2.3

“Reinstatement Date”

 

3.12(b)

“Restricted Payment”

 

3.4(a)

“Special Interest Payment Date”

 

2.12(a)

“Special Record Date”

 

2.12(a)

“Successor Company”

 

4.1(a)(i)

“Successor Guarantor”

 

4.2(a)(i)

“Suspended Covenants”

 

3.12(a)

“Suspension Period”

 

3.12(b)

“Unutilized Excess Proceeds”

 

3.7(c)

 

SECTION 1.3.            Rules of Construction.  Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a)           a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

(b)           an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

 

(c)           “or” is not exclusive;

 

(d)           “including” means including without limitation;

 

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(e)           words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;

 

(f)            unsecured Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to secured Indebtedness merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured Indebtedness;

 

(g)           references to sections of, or rules under, the Securities Act or Exchange Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;

 

(h)           unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article,” “Section” or “clause” refers to an Article, Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Indenture;

 

(i)            the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and any other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not any particular Article, Section, clause or other subdivision; and

 

(j)            any requirement to pay interest on the Notes shall include all additional interest required pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or Section 6.1.

 

SECTION 1.4.            Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.  Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part hereof.

 

The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

 

indenture securities” means the Notes;

 

indenture security holder” means a Holder of a Note;

 

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

 

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and

 

obligor” on the Notes means each of the Issuer and any successor obligor upon the Notes.

 

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by reference to another statute or defined by the Commission rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Notes

 

SECTION 2.1.            Form and Dating.

 

(a)           The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, the terms of which are incorporated in and made a part hereof.  The Notes

 

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may have notations, legends or endorsements approved as to form by the Company, and required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Company is subject or usage.  Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.  The Notes shall be issuable only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(b)           The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes and The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), its nominees, and their respective successors, shall act as the Depositary with respect thereto.  Each Global Note (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or the nominee of such Depositary, (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or held by the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions, and (iii) shall bear a Global Note Legend in substantially the following form:

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  THIS NOTE IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

 

(c)           Except as permitted by Section 2.6(g), any Note not registered under the Securities Act shall bear the following Private Placement Legend on the face thereof:

 

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR

 

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ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS [IN THE CASE OF RULE 144A NOTES: ONE YEAR] [IN THE CASE OF REGULATION S NOTES: 40 DAYS] AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO A “NON-U.S. PERSON” AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH, REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY WILL, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS SECURITY FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.

 

Members of, or participants in, the Depository (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository, or the Trustee as its custodian and the Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the global Note for all purposes whatsoever, including but not limited to notices and payments.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository or impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note.  Any notice to be delivered to DTC (including, but not limited to, a notice of redemption) may be delivered electronically by the Trustee in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC.

 

SECTION 2.2.            Form of Execution and Authentication.  An Officer shall sign the Notes for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

 

If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.

 

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A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee.  The signature of the Trustee shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

 

The Trustee shall authenticate (i) Initial Notes for original issue on the Issue Date in an aggregate principal amount of $910,000,000, (ii) pursuant to the Exchange Offer, Exchange Notes from time to time for issue only in exchange for a like principal amount of Initial Notes and (iii) subject to compliance with Sections 3.3 and 3.5, one or more series of Notes (“Additional Notes”) for original issue after the Issue Date (such Notes to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A) in an unlimited amount (and if issued with a Private Placement Legend, the same principal amount of Exchange Notes in exchange therefor upon consummation of an Exchange Offer for such Additional Notes) if such Additional Notes are fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in each case upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, which Officers’ Certificate shall, in the case of any issuance of Additional Notes, certify that such issuance is in compliance with Sections 3.3 and 3.5, together with an Opinion of Counsel stating that such Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms (subject to customary exceptions).  In addition, each such Officers’ Certificate shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated, the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated, whether the securities are to be Initial Notes, Exchange Notes or Additional Notes and the aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding on the date of authentication, and shall further specify the amount of such Notes to be issued as Global Notes or Definitive Notes.  Such Notes shall initially be in the form of one or more Global Notes, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Notes to be issued, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee and (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction.  All Notes issued under this Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class and no series of Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter.

 

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Notes.  Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so.  Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent.  An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or any Affiliate of the Company.

 

SECTION 2.3.            Registrar and Paying Agent.  The Company shall maintain (i) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (including any co-registrar, the “Registrar”) and (ii) an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“Paying Agent”).  The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange.  The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents.  The term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent.  The Company may change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without prior notice to any Holder of a Note.  The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing and the Trustee shall notify the Holders of the Notes of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture.  The Company may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.  The Company shall enter into

 

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an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture, which shall incorporate the provisions of the TIA.  The agreement shall implement the provisions hereof that relate to such Agent.  The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any such Agent.  If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, or fails to give the foregoing notice, the Trustee shall act as such, and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation in accordance with Section 7.11.

 

The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent and agent for service of notices and demands in connection with the Notes.

 

SECTION 2.4.            Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.  The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Company in making any such payment.  While any such Default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee.  The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by such Paying Agent to the Trustee.  Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company) shall have no further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee.  If the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes all money held by it as Paying Agent.

 

SECTION 2.5.            Lists of Holders of the Notes.  The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).  If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of the Notes, including the aggregate principal amount of the Notes held by each thereof, and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).

 

SECTION 2.6.            Transfer and Exchange.

 

(a)           Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.  A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.  Global Notes will be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes, subject to any applicable laws, only if (i) the Company delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that (A) the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary for the Global Notes or (B) the Depositary is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary within 90 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary, (ii) upon request of the Trustee or Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes if there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes or (iii) if the Company notifies the Trustee that it elects to cause the issuance of Definitive Notes.  In any such case, the Company will notify the Trustee in writing that, upon surrender by the Participants and Indirect Participants of their interests in such Global Note, certificated Notes will be issued to each Person that such Participants, Indirect Participants and DTC jointly identify as being the beneficial owner of the related Notes.  Global Notes also may be exchanged

 

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or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.7 and 2.10.  Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.6 or Section 2.7 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note.  A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.6.  However, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in paragraph (b), (c) or (i) below.

 

(b)           Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes.  The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Applicable Procedures.  Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth in this Indenture to the extent required by the Securities Act.  Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with the applicable subparagraphs below.

 

(i)            Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note.  Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, no transfer of beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note may be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser) unless permitted by applicable law and made in compliance with subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) below.  Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note.  No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this subparagraph (i) unless specifically stated above.

 

(ii)           All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes.  In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to subparagraph (i) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either (A) (1) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase, or (B) (1) if Definitive Notes are at such time permitted to be issued pursuant to this Indenture, a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged and (2) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above.  Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer by the Company in accordance with paragraph (i) below, the requirements of this subparagraph (ii) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of Transmittal delivered by the holder of such beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes (or delivered in accordance with Applicable Procedures).  Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to paragraph (m) below.

 

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(iii)          Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note.  A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of subparagraph (ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:

 

(A)          if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and

 

(B)          if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.

 

(iv)          Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note.  A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of subparagraph (ii) above, and

 

(A)          such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;

 

(B)          such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)          such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement and such Broker-Dealer complies with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

(D)          the Registrar receives the following:

 

(y)           if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof, or

 

(z)            if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

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and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.

 

Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

 

(c)           Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes.

 

(i)            Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes.  Subject to Section 2.6(a) If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

 

(A)          if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;

 

(B)          if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

 

(C)          if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and

 

(D)          if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

 

the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to paragraph (m) below, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Restricted Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount.  Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in

 

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exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant.  The Trustee shall deliver such Restricted Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.  Any Restricted Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this subparagraph (i) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.

 

(ii)           Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  Subject to Section 2.6(a), a holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if:

 

(A)          such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of such beneficial interest, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;

 

(B)          such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)          such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and such Broker-Dealer complies with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

(D)          the Registrar receives the following:

 

(y)           if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or

 

(z)           if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note that does not bear the Private Placement Legend, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof,

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

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(iii)          Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  Subject to Section 2.6(a), if any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in subparagraph (b)(ii) above, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to paragraph (m) below, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the certificate a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount.  Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this subparagraph (c)(iii) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant.  The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.  Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this subparagraph (c)(iii) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

(d)           Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests.

 

(i)            Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes.  If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

 

(A)          if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;

 

(B)          if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; or

 

(C)          if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof,

 

the Trustee shall cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, and in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note.

 

(ii)           Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.  A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if:

 

(A)          such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of

 

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Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;

 

(B)          such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)          such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement and such Broker-Dealer complies with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

(D)          the Registrar receives the following:

 

(y)           if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or

 

(z)           if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this subparagraph (d)(ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.

 

(iii)          Transfer and Exchange of Unrestricted Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.  A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time.  Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.

 

If any such exchange or transfer from an Unrestricted Definitive Note or a Restricted Definitive Note, as the case may be, to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraph (ii)(B), (ii)(D) or (iii) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.2, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes, as the case may be, so transferred.

 

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(e)           Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes.  Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this paragraph (e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes.  Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or its attorney, duly authorized in writing.  In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this paragraph (e).

 

(f)            Transfer of Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes.  Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

 

(A)          if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

 

(B)          if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and

 

(C)          if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including, if the Registrar so requests, a certification or Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act.

 

(g)           Transfer and Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes for Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if

 

(A)          such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company;

 

(B)          any such transfer is effected pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

 

(C)          any such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer Registration Statement and such Broker-Dealer complies with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement; or

 

(D)          the Registrar receives the following:

 

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(y)           if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or

 

(z)           if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the applicable certifications in item (4) thereof;

 

and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained in this Indenture and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

(h)           Transfer of Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes.  A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note.  Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

 

(i)            Exchange Offer.  Upon the occurrence of an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that make the certifications in the applicable Letters of Transmittal required by Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and accepted for exchange in an Exchange Offer and (ii) subject to Section 2.6(a) Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in an Exchange Offer.  Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Restricted Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amounts.

 

(j)            Reserved.

 

(k)           Private Placement Legend.

 

(A)          Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note (other than an Unrestricted Global Note) and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

(B)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraph (b)(iv), (c)(ii), (c)(iii), (d)(ii), (d)(iii), (e)(ii), (e)(iii) or (f) of this Section 2.6 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall not bear the Private Placement Legend.

 

(l)            Global Note Legend.  Each Global Note shall bear the Global Note Legend.

 

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(m)          Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes.  At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof.  At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

 

(n)           General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

 

(i)            To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon the Company’s order or at the Registrar’s request.

 

(ii)           No service charge shall be made to a holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.2, 2.10, 3.7, 3.9 and 5.7).

 

(iii)          The Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

(iv)          All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits hereof, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

(v)           The Company shall not be required (A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business on a Business Day 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

 

(vi)          Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Company shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

(vii)         The Trustee shall authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2.

 

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(viii)        All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.6 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

 

(ix)          The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Participants or Indirect Participants) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

(x)           Neither the Trustee nor any Agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

 

SECTION 2.7.            Replacement Notes.

 

If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Company shall issue and the Trustee, upon the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements for replacements of Notes are met.  The Holder must supply indemnity or security sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee, any Agent or any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced.  The Company and the Trustee may charge for their fees and expenses in replacing a Note including amounts to cover any tax, assessment, fee or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.

 

Every replacement Note is an obligation of the Company.

 

SECTION 2.8.            Outstanding Notes.

 

The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.8 as not outstanding.

 

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.7, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.

 

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 3.1 hereof, it shall cease to be outstanding and interest on it shall cease to accrue.

 

Subject to Section 2.9, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.

 

SECTION 2.9.            Treasury Notes.  In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall

 

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be considered as though not outstanding, except that for purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes which a Trust Officer actually knows to be so owned shall be so considered.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Notes that are to be acquired by the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company pursuant to an exchange offer, tender offer or other agreement shall not be deemed to be owned by the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company until legal title to such Notes passes to the Company, such Subsidiary or such Affiliate, as the case may be.

 

SECTION 2.10.          Temporary Notes.  Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes.  Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of Definitive Notes but may have variations that the Company and the Trustee consider appropriate for temporary Notes.  Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of the written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company, shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.  Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as Definitive Notes.

 

SECTION 2.11.          Cancellation.  The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation.  The Registrar and Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment.  The Trustee shall cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of all canceled Notes in its customary manner (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act), unless the Company directs copies of canceled Notes to be returned to it.  The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has redeemed or paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

 

SECTION 2.12.          Payment of Interest; Defaulted Interest.  Interest on any Note which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3.

 

Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not paid when the same becomes due and payable and such nonpayment continues for a period of 30 days shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such defaulted interest and (to the extent lawful) interest on such defaulted interest at the rate borne by the Notes (such defaulted interest and interest thereon herein collectively called “Defaulted Interest”) shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

 

(a)           The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date (as defined below) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner.  The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date (not less than 30 days after such notice unless a shorter period shall be acceptable to the Trustee) of the

 

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proposed payment (the “Special Interest Payment Date”), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided.  Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the Special Interest Payment Date and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment.  The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date, and in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor to be given in the manner provided for in Section 12.1, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date.  Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date and Special Interest Payment Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid on the Special Interest Payment Date to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

(b)           The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause (b), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Indenture or the Notes, if any such Interest Payment Date (other than an Interest Payment Date at maturity) would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, then the Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day (except if that Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, then interest shall be paid on the immediately preceding Business Day).  If the maturity date of the Notes is a day that is not a Business Day, all payments to be made on such day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the maturity date.  In either of such cases, no additional interest shall be payable as a result of such delay in payment.

 

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

 

SECTION 2.13.          CUSIP Numbers.  The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use).  The Trustee shall not be responsible for the use of CUSIP numbers, and the Trustee makes no representation as to their correctness as printed on any Note or notice to Holders.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.

 

SECTION 2.14.          Reserved.

 

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SECTION 2.15.           Record Date.  The Record Date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders of the Notes entitled to vote or consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted under this Indenture shall be determined as provided for in TIA § 316(c).

 

ARTICLE III

 

Covenants

 

SECTION 3.1.                  Payment of Notes.  The Company shall promptly pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture.  Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due and the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

 

The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Company may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes imposed by the United States of America from principal or interest payments hereunder.

 

SECTION 3.2.                  SEC Reports.  Notwithstanding that the Company may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall provide to the Trustee and the registered Holders of the Notes, within 15 days of the applicable time periods specified in the relevant forms:

 

(1)                                 all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such Forms (but without any requirement to provide separate financial statements of any Subsidiary of the Company), including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm; and

 

(2)                                 all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports; provided that unless otherwise required to be provided to Holders, current reports will only be required with respect to the following Form 8-K Items (or its successor item):  Item 1.01 (Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement), Item 1.02 (Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement), Item 1.03 (Bankruptcy or Receivership), Item 2.01 (Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets), Item 2.03 (Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant), Item 2.04 (Triggering Events that Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement), Item 2.05 (Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities), Item 4.01 (Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant), Item 4.02 (Non-Reliance on Previously

 

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Issued Financial Statements or a Related Audit Report or Completed Interim Review), Item 5.01 (Changes in Control of Registrant), Items 5.02 (a), (b) and (c) (Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers) and Item 9.01 (Financial Statements and Exhibits, but only with respect to financial statements and pro forma financial information relating to transactions required to be reported pursuant to Item 2.01); provided, however, that to the extent such reports are filed with the SEC and publicly available, such reports shall have been deemed to have been provided to the Holders and no additional copies need to be provided to the Holders, however, copies will still be delivered to the Trustee.

 

Additionally, the Company shall cause such documents to be filed with the SEC unless the SEC shall not accept such documents.  The requirement for the Company to provide information may be satisfied by posting such reports, documents and information on its website within the time periods specified by this Section 3.2; provided, however, that the Company shall (upon request) provide one copy of the exhibits of the foregoing to the Trustee and shall (upon request) provide additional copies of such exhibits to any Holder or prospective Holder. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

 

If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries and such Unrestricted Subsidiaries, either individually or collectively, would otherwise have been a Significant Subsidiary, then the quarterly and annual financial information required by the preceding paragraph shall include a summary presentation, in the footnotes to the financial statements, of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

In addition, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall make available to the Holders and to prospective investors, upon the request of such Holders, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act to the extent such Notes constitute “restricted securities” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

 

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible for determining whether the Company has satisfied its delivery obligations set forth in the foregoing Section 3.2 (including, but not limited to, clauses (1) and (2) thereof).

 

SECTION 3.3.                  Limitation on Indebtedness.

 

(a)                                 The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness); provided, however, that the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) if on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be no greater than 5.25 to 1.00; provided, further, that if any such Indebtedness is Incurred by a Subsidiary Guarantor, either (x)

 

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on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

(b)                                 The provisions of Section 3.3(a) shall not apply to the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness:

 

(i)                                     Indebtedness of the Company evidenced by the Notes (other than Additional Notes) and any Exchange Notes issued in exchange for such Notes and Indebtedness of Subsidiary Guarantors evidenced by the Subsidiary Guarantees relating to the Notes (other than Additional Notes) and any Guarantee of any such Exchange Notes;

 

(ii)                                  Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Debt Facilities in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $200 million at any time outstanding, less to the extent a permanent repayment or commitment reduction is required thereunder as a result of such application, the aggregate principal amount of all principal repayments following the Issue Date actually made under any Debt Facilities incurred in reliance on this clause (ii) with Net Available Cash from Asset Dispositions;

 

(iii)                               Guarantees by (x) the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor (including any Restricted Subsidiary the Company elects to cause to become a Subsidiary Guarantor in connection therewith) of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture; provided that in the case of any Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to this clause (iii), either (1) on the date such Indebtedness is initially Incurred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (2) such Guarantee constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, and (y) Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of Indebtedness Incurred by Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

(iv)                              Indebtedness of the Company owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however,

 

(A)                               if the Company is the obligor on Indebtedness owing to a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all obligations with respect to the Notes;

 

(B)                               if a Subsidiary Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary is the obligee, such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Subsidiary Guarantees of such Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

(C)                               (1) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event that results in any such Indebtedness being beneficially held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; and (2) any subsequent sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,

 

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shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be;

 

(v)                                 any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in clauses (i) and (ii)) outstanding on the Issue Date and any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in clause (i), this clause (v) or clause (vi) or Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(a);

 

(vi)                              Indebtedness of Persons Incurred and outstanding on the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, or merged or consolidated with or into, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition, merger or consolidation); provided, however, that at the time such Person is acquired by, or merged or consolidated with, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (vi), either (x) the Company would have been able to Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.3(a); (y) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be less than or equal to such Consolidated Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such acquisition; or (z) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness at any time outstanding incurred pursuant to this clause (z) (together with all Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Indebtedness previously Incurred pursuant to this clause (z)) shall not exceed $25.0 million;

 

(vii)                           Indebtedness under Hedging Obligations; provided, however, that such Hedging Obligations are entered into to fix, manage or hedge interest rate, currency or commodity exposure of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and not for speculative purposes;

 

(viii)                        Purchase Money Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50.0 million at any one time outstanding pursuant to this clause (viii);

 

(ix)                              Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, self-insurance obligations, performance, bid, surety, appeal and similar bonds and completion Guarantees (not for borrowed money) or security deposits, letters of credit, banker’s guarantees or banker’s acceptances, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)                                 Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earn-outs or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets of the Company or any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary, other than Guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Capital Stock for the purpose of financing such acquisition; provided that:

 

(A)                               the maximum aggregate liability in respect of all such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds including non-cash proceeds (the Fair Market Value of such non-cash proceeds being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), actually received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition; and

 

(B)                               such Indebtedness is not reflected on the balance sheet of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (contingent obligations referred to

 

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in a footnote to financial statements and not otherwise reflected on the balance sheet shall not be deemed to be reflected on such balance sheet for purposes of this clause (x);

 

(xi)                              Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument, including, but not limited to, electronic transfers, wire transfers and commercial card payments drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business (except in the form of committed or uncommitted lines of credit); provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within ten Business Days of Incurrence;

 

(xii)                           Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with (x) insurance premium financing arrangements not to exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding or (y) take-or-pay obligations in supply agreements incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xiii)                        Indebtedness owed on a short-term basis of no longer than 30 days to banks and other financial institutions Incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with such banks or financial institutions that arises in connection with ordinary banking arrangements to provide treasury services or to manage cash balances of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (for the avoidance of doubt, including Cash Management Obligations);

 

(xiv)                       guarantees to suppliers or licensors (other than guarantees of Indebtedness) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xv)                          Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the Net Proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to effect the Company’s legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option in accordance with Article VIII;

 

(xvi)                       Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of Guarantees in respect of obligations of joint ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of the Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (xvi) shall not exceed $50.0 million at any time outstanding; provided that in the case of any Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to this clause (xvi), either (x) on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Guarantee constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations;

 

(xvii)                    Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred in connection with any Sale/Leaseback Transaction, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $75.0 million at any time outstanding; and

 

(xviii)                 in addition to the items referred to in clauses (i) through (xvii) above, Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (xviii) and then outstanding, shall not exceed $75.0 million at any time outstanding; provided that in the case of any Incurrence of Indebtedness by a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to this clause (xviii), either (x) on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

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(c)                                  For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this Section 3.3:

 

(i)                                     in the event that Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in Section 3.3(b) or could be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(a), the Company, in its sole discretion, may divide and classify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) on the date of Incurrence and may later reclassify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 3.3 and only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness once; provided that all Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date under the Credit Facility shall be deemed Incurred on the Issue Date under Section 3.3(b)(ii) and may not later be reclassified;

 

(ii)                                  Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness that is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(iii)                               if obligations in respect of letters of credit are Incurred pursuant to a Debt Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(ii) and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(iv)                              the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor, shall be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;

 

(v)                                 Indebtedness permitted by this Section 3.3 need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this Section 3.3 permitting such Indebtedness; and

 

(vi)                              the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof shall be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the accretion of accreted value or the amortization of debt discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness and the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock shall not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 3.3.  The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (i) the accreted value thereof in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount or the aggregate principal amount outstanding in the case of Indebtedness issued with interest payable-in-kind, (ii) the principal amount or liquidation preference thereof, together with any interest thereon that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness, (iii) in the case of the Guarantee by a specified Person of Indebtedness of another Person, the maximum liability to which the specified Person may be subject upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation and (iv) in the case of Indebtedness of others Guaranteed solely by means of a Lien on any asset or property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (and not to their other assets or properties generally), the lesser of (x) the Fair Market Value of such asset or property on the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred and (y) the amount of the Indebtedness so secured.

 

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(d)                                 In addition, the Company shall not permit any of its Unrestricted Subsidiaries to Incur any Indebtedness or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock, other than Non-Recourse Debt.  If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this Section 3.3, the Company shall be in Default of this Section 3.3).

 

(e)                                  For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such Refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being Refinanced plus the amount of any reasonable premium (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs and any reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of such new Indebtedness.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.3, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company may Incur pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies.  The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being Refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such Refinancing.

 

SECTION 3.4.                  Limitation on Restricted Payments.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to:

 

(i)                                     declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution (whether made in cash, securities or other property) on or in respect of its Capital Stock (including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) other than:

 

(A)                               dividends or distributions payable solely in Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase such Capital Stock of the Company; and

 

(B)                               dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary payable to the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary (and if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, to its other holders of common Capital Stock on a pro rata basis or on a basis that results in the receipt by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of dividends or distributions of a greater value than it would receive on a pro rata basis);

 

(ii)                                  purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any Capital Stock of the Company held by Persons other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in exchange for Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock));

 

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(iii)                               make any principal payment on, or purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to any scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Existing Notes other than the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition of such Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Existing Notes, as the case may be, in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or acquisition; or

 

(iv)                              make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) (other than any exception thereto) shall be referred to as a “Restricted Payment”), unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:

 

(1)                                  no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom);

 

(2)                                  immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, the Company is able to Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under Section 3.3(a) hereof; and

 

(3)                                  the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments declared or made subsequent to February 11, 2010 (excluding Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi) and (xvii) of Section 3.4(b)) would not exceed the sum of, without duplication:

 

(A)                               the excess of (x) the Company’s cumulative Consolidated EBITDA (whether positive or negative) determined at the time of such Restricted Payment minus (y) 140% of the Company’s Consolidated Interest Expense, each determined for the period (taken as one accounting period) from December 27, 2009 to the end of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment;

 

(B)                               100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property received by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary from the issue or sale of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or other capital contributions subsequent to February 11, 2010, other than:

 

(x)                                 Net Cash Proceeds received from an issuance or sale of such Capital Stock to a Subsidiary of the Company or to an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination; and

 

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(y)                                 Net Cash Proceeds received by the Company from the issue and sale of its Capital Stock to the extent applied to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 5.1(b);

 

(C)                               the amount by which Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is reduced on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange subsequent to February 11, 2010 of any Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company (less the amount of any cash, or the Fair Market Value of any other property, distributed by the Company upon such conversion or exchange);

 

(D)                               100% of the Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash and marketable securities from the sale or other disposition (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of Restricted Investments made after February 11, 2010 and redemptions and repurchases of such Restricted Investments from the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries and repayment of Restricted Investments in the form of loans or advances from the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and releases of Guarantees that constitute Restricted Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than in each case to the extent the Restricted Investment was made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(xii));

 

(E)                                100% of the Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash and marketable securities received by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale (other than to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than in each case to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(xii) or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment); and

 

(F)                                 to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company designated as such after February 11, 2010 is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company merges into or consolidates with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Unrestricted Subsidiary transfers, dividends or distributes assets to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case after February 11, 2010, the Fair Market Value of such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation or such merger or consolidation, or in the case of the transfer, dividend or distribution of assets of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, the Fair Market Value of such assets of the Unrestricted Subsidiary as determined at the time of the redesignation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of such merger, consolidation or transfer, dividend or distribution of assets (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by a Restricted Subsidiary

 

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pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(xii) or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment).

 

(b)                                 The provisions of Section 3.4(a) hereof shall not prohibit

 

(i)                                     any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Capital Stock, Disqualified Stock, Existing Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or any Restricted Investment made in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Company (other than (x) Disqualified Stock and (y) Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination); provided, however, that the Net Cash Proceeds from such sale of Capital Stock shall be excluded from Section 3.4(a)(iv)(3)(B);

 

(ii)                                  any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Existing Notes, Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent Incurrence of Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(iii)                               any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Disqualified Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of Disqualified Stock of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that, so long as such refinancing Disqualified Stock is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 3.3;

 

(iv)                              dividends paid within 90 days after the date of declaration if at such date of declaration such dividend would have complied with this provision;

 

(v)                                 the purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition, cancellation or retirement for value of Capital Stock, or options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock, of the Company held by any existing or former employees, management or directors of or consultants to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case in connection with the repurchase provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase agreements or other compensatory agreements approved by the Board of Directors of the Company; provided that such purchases, repurchases, redemptions, acquisitions, cancellations or retirements pursuant to this clause shall not exceed $5.0 million in the aggregate during any calendar year, although such amount in any calendar year (with any unused amounts in any year being available in succeeding years) may be increased by an amount not to exceed:

 

(A)                               the Net Cash Proceeds from the sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company to existing or former employees or members of management of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that occurs after the Issue Date, to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments (provided that the Net Cash Proceeds from such sales or contributions shall be excluded from Section 3.4(a)(iv)(3)(B)); plus

 

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(B)                               the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Issue Date; less

 

(C)                               the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made with the cash proceeds described in the clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v);

 

(vi)                              the accrual declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;

 

(vii)                           repurchases or other acquisitions of Capital Stock deemed to occur (i) upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, restricted stock units or other rights to purchase Capital Stock or other convertible securities if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price thereof or conversion price thereof or (ii) in connection with withholdings or similar taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director or officer;

 

(viii)                        the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Existing Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations at a purchase price not greater than 101% of the principal amount of (plus accrued and unpaid interest on) such Existing Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations in the event of a Change of Control in accordance with provisions similar to Section 3.9; provided that, prior to or simultaneously with such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement, the Company has made a Change of Control Offer under this Indenture and has completed the repurchase or redemption of all Notes validly tendered for payment in connection with such Change of Control Offer under this Indenture;

 

(ix)                              cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of the Company or other exchanges of securities of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for Capital Stock of the Company;

 

(x)                                 the purchase, repurchase, redemption, acquisition or retirement of Existing Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations with Unutilized Excess Proceeds remaining after an Asset Disposition Offer pursuant to Section 3.7;

 

(xi)                              [Reserved];

 

(xii)                           other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount, which, when taken together with all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (xii) (as reduced by the amount of capital returned from any such Restricted Payments that constituted Restricted Investments in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (exclusive of amounts included in Section 3.4(a)(iv)(3)(A)) not to exceed $25.0 million;

 

(xiii)                        the purchase of fractional shares of Capital Stock of the Company arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations or mergers, consolidations or other acquisitions;

 

(xiv)                       in connection with any acquisition by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the receipt or acceptance of the return to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Capital Stock of the Company constituting a portion of the purchase price consideration in settlement of indemnification claims or as a result of a purchase price adjustment (including earn outs or similar obligations);

 

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(xv)                          the distribution of rights pursuant to any shareholder rights plan or the redemption of such for nominal consideration in accordance with the terms of any shareholder rights plan;

 

(xvi)                       payments or distributions to stockholders pursuant to appraisal rights required under applicable law in connection with any merger, consolidation or other acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(xvii)                    the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement of the Company’s 4.625% Notes due November 1, 2014 and/or the Company’s 5.750% Notes due September 1, 2017;

 

provided, however, that at the time of and after giving effect to any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (vi), (x), (xii), (xvi) and (xvii), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.

 

(c)                                  The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the assets or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment.  The fair market value of any cash Restricted Payment shall be its face amount and any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined conclusively in Good Faith by the Company.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 3.4, in the event that a proposed Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in clauses (i) through (xvii) of this Section 3.4(b), or is entitled to be made pursuant to Section 3.4(a), the Company shall be entitled to divide and classify such Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) on the date of its payment in any manner that complies with this Section 3.4.

 

If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary makes a Restricted Investment or a Permitted Investment and the Person in which such Investment was made subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, to the extent such Investment resulted in a reduction of the amounts calculated under the first paragraph of this covenant or any other provision of this covenant or the definition of Permitted Investment (which was not subsequently reversed), then such amount shall be increased by the amount of such reduction to the extent of the lesser of (x) the amount of such Investment and (y) the Fair Market Value of such Investment at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

(d)                                 As of the Issue Date, all of the Company’s Subsidiaries shall be Restricted Subsidiaries.  The Company shall not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the defined term “Unrestricted Subsidiary.”  For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated shall be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the definition of “Investment.”  Such designation shall be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.  Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in this Indenture.

 

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SECTION 3.5.                  Limitation on Liens.  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur or assume any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) that secures any Indebtedness on any asset or property of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or any income or profits therefrom, other than Liens securing Indebtedness that are expressly junior in priority to the Liens on such property or assets securing the Notes pursuant to a Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.  Additionally, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, incur or suffer to exist any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) on any Excluded Property to secure any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness or Priority Payment Lien Obligations (other than assets that are excluded as a result of the 3-16 Limitation), unless the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary concurrently grants a Lien to the Collateral Agent to secure the Notes ranking with the priority specified in the Intercreditor Agreement; provided, however, that any such Lien on Excluded Property created to secure the Notes pursuant to this sentence shall provide by its terms that upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien on such Excluded Property by the collateral agent for the Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness or Priority Payment Lien Obligations, as applicable, secured by such Initial Lien, the Lien on such Excluded Property securing the Notes shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged and the Company may take any action necessary to memorialize such release or discharge.

 

SECTION 3.6.                  Limitation on Restrictions on Distributions from Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(i)                                     (A) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or

 

(B)                               pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on Common Stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock);

 

(ii)                                  make any loans or advances to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or

 

(iii)                               sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that such transfers shall not include any type of transfer described in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 3.6(a)).

 

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(b)                                 The restrictions in Section 3.6(a) shall not prohibit encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

 

(i)                                     any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date, including, without limitation, this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and the Credit Facility (and related documentation) in effect on such date;

 

(ii)                                  any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Person or assets pursuant to an agreement in effect on or before the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, merged into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, merged into or consolidated with the Company or in contemplation of the transaction) or such assets were acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any Person or the assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the Person and its Subsidiaries or the assets and property so acquired and that, in the case of Indebtedness, was permitted to be Incurred pursuant to this Indenture;

 

(iii)                               any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement effecting a Refinancing of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 3.6(b) or this clause (iii) or contained in any amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, supplement, refunding, replacement or Refinancing of an agreement referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 3.6(b) or this clause (iii); provided, however, that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such agreement are no less favorable (as determined in Good Faith by the Company) in any material respect, taken as a whole, to the Holders than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in such agreements referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 3.6(b) on the Issue Date or the date such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged into or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary, whichever is applicable;

 

(iv)                              in the case of Section 3.6(a)(iii), encumbrances or restrictions arising in connection with Liens permitted to be Incurred under the provisions of Section 3.5 that apply only to the assets subject to such Liens;

 

(v)                                 Purchase Money Indebtedness and Capitalized Lease Obligations permitted under this Indenture, in each case, that impose encumbrances or restrictions of the nature described in Section 3.6(a)(iii) on the property so acquired;

 

(vi)                              contracts for the sale of assets, including customary restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary of the Company pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale of all or a portion of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary;

 

(vii)                           restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or lessors or required by insurance, surety or bonding companies under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii)                        any customary provisions in joint venture agreements relating to joint ventures and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, provided that if such

 

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joint venture is a Restricted Subsidiary, such provisions shall not materially affect the Company’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payments on the Notes (as determined in Good Faith by the Company);

 

(ix)                              any customary provisions in leases, subleases or licenses and other agreements entered into by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)                                 encumbrances or restrictions arising or existing by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation, order, permit or grant;

 

(xi)                              encumbrances or restrictions contained in or arising under indentures or debt instruments or other debt arrangements Incurred or Preferred Stock issued by Subsidiary Guarantors in accordance with Section 3.3 that are not more restrictive, taken as a whole (as determined in Good Faith by the Company), than those applicable to the Company in this Indenture and the Credit Facility on the Issue Date (which results in encumbrances or restrictions comparable to those applicable to the Company at a Restricted Subsidiary level);

 

(xii)                           encumbrances or restrictions contained in or arising under indentures or other debt instruments or debt arrangements Incurred or Preferred Stock issued by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Subsidiary Guarantors subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to clauses (ii), (v), (vi), (vii) and (xiv) of Section 3.3(b) by Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument shall not materially affect the Company’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payments on the Notes (as determined in Good Faith by the Company); and

 

(xiii)                        under any contract, instrument or agreement relating to Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary which imposes restrictions solely on such Foreign Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 3.7.                  Limitation on Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Disposition following the Issue Date unless:

 

(i)                                     the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at least equal to the Fair Market Value (such Fair Market Value to be determined as of the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Disposition) of the assets subject to such Asset Disposition; and

 

(ii)                                  at least 75% of the consideration from such Asset Disposition received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

The Company shall determine the Fair Market Value of any consideration from such Asset Disposition that is not cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

(b)                                 Any Net Available Cash received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Asset Disposition shall be applied at the Company’s election:

 

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(x)                                  in the case of any Asset Disposition by a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary or consisting of Capital Stock of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, to repay Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary within 30 days of receipt of such Net Available Cash,

 

(y)                                  to reinvest in or acquire assets (including Capital Stock or other securities purchased in connection with the acquisition of Capital Stock or property of another Person that is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or that would constitute a Permitted Investment under clause (2) of the definition thereof) used or useful in a Related Business; provided that to the extent the assets subject to such Asset Disposition were Collateral, such newly acquired assets shall also be Collateral, or

 

(z)                                   to repay, prepay, purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Priority Payment Lien Obligations (and, if the Priority Payment Lien Obligations so repaid, prepaid, purchased, redeemed or acquired, is under a revolving credit facility, effect a permanent reduction in the availability thereunder in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Priority Payment Lien Obligations under such revolving credit facility so repaid, prepaid, purchased, redeemed or acquired).

 

(c)                                  All Net Available Cash that is not applied or invested (or committed pursuant to a written agreement to be applied or invested) as provided in subclause (x), (y) or (z) of the preceding paragraph within 365 days after receipt (or in the case of any amount committed to be so applied or reinvested, which are not actually so applied or reinvested within 180 days following such 365 day period) will be deemed to constitute “Excess Proceeds.”  When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $25.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer (“Asset Disposition Offer”) to all Holders in an amount equal to the Notes First Lien Percentage (determined with respect to any Net Available Cash from any Asset Disposition included in such Excess Proceeds at the time of such Asset Disposition) of such Excess Proceeds to purchase the maximum principal amount of the Notes (on a pro rata basis) that may be purchased out of the Notes First Lien Percentage of such Excess Proceeds, at an offer price in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the rights of Holders of record on any record date to receive payments of interest on the related Interest Payment Date), in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Indenture, in integral multiples of $1,000 (except that no Note will be purchased in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000).  To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to an Asset Disposition Offer is less than the Notes First Lien Percentage of such Excess Proceeds, the Company may use any remaining portion of such Excess Proceeds that is not applied to purchase Notes (“Unutilized Excess Proceeds”) for general corporate purposes, the repayment of Indebtedness or as otherwise required pursuant to its other contractual requirements, subject to the terms of this Indenture.  If the aggregate principal amount of Notes surrendered by Holders exceeds the Notes First Lien Percentage of such Excess Proceeds, the Notes to be purchased shall be selected on a pro rata basis on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of tendered Notes.  Upon completion of such Asset Disposition Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall be permitted to apply Net Available Cash from any Asset Disposition (other than the Notes First Lien Percentage thereof) to repay, prepay redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness at any time; provided that any such Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness shall be cancelled by the Company and deemed no longer outstanding; provided, further, that if the Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness so repaid, prepaid, purchased, redeemed or acquired, is under a revolving credit facility, the Company shall effect a permanent reduction in the availability thereunder in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Pari

 

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Passu Lien Indebtedness under such revolving credit facility so repaid, prepaid, purchased, redeemed or acquired.

 

(d)                                 The Asset Disposition Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Asset Disposition Offer Period”).  No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period (the “Asset Disposition Purchase Date”), the Company shall purchase the principal amount of Notes required to be purchased pursuant to this Section 3.7 (the “Asset Disposition Offer Amount”) or, if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been so validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes validly tendered in response to the Asset Disposition Offer.

 

(i)                                     If the Asset Disposition Purchase Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid on such Asset Disposition Purchase Date to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer.

 

(ii)                                  On or before the Asset Disposition Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Asset Disposition Offer Amount of Notes or portions of Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Asset Disposition Offer, or if less than the Asset Disposition Offer Amount has been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, all Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn, in each case in denominations of $1,000 (except that no Note shall be purchased in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000).  The Company or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five Business Days after termination of the Asset Disposition Offer Period) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder of Notes an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes validly tendered and not properly withdrawn by such holder and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon delivery of an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel from the Company, shall authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered; provided that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.  Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the Holder thereof.

 

(e)                                  For the purposes of this Section 3.7, the following are deemed to be cash:  (x) the assumption of Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock or Subordinated Obligations) or Indebtedness or other liabilities of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantor Subordinated Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock of any Subsidiary Guarantor) and the release of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from all liability on such Indebtedness or liabilities in connection with such Asset Disposition, (y) securities, notes or similar obligations received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted within 180 days by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash and (z) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Disposition having an aggregate Fair Market Value (determined in Good Faith by the Company), taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (z) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed $50.0 million at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

 

(f)                                   The Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the

 

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repurchase of Notes pursuant to this Section 3.7.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this Section 3.7, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Indenture.

 

(g)                                  Pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash, the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries may temporarily reduce revolving indebtedness under any Debt Facility or otherwise invest such Net Available Cash in Cash Equivalents.

 

SECTION 3.8.                  Limitation on Affiliate Transactions.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into or conduct any transaction (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of the Company (an “Affiliate Transaction”) unless:

 

(i)                                     the terms of such Affiliate Transaction, when viewed together with any related Affiliate Transactions, are not materially less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that could be obtained in a comparable transaction at the time of such transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a Person who is not an Affiliate;

 

(ii)                                  in the event such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, the terms of such transaction have been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Company (and such majority determines that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (i) above); and

 

(iii)                               in the event such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $20.0 million, the Company has received a written opinion from an Independent Financial Advisor that such Affiliate Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, or not materially less favorable than those that might reasonably have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate.

 

(b)                                 The provisions of Section 3.8(a) shall not apply to:

 

(i)                                     any (x) Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 3.4 and (y) Permitted Investment in any Person that is an Affiliate of the Company solely as a result of ownership of Investments in such Person by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(ii)                                  any issuance of securities, or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements and other compensation arrangements, options to purchase Capital Stock of the Company pursuant to restricted stock plans, long-term incentive plans, stock appreciation rights plans, participation plans or similar employee benefits plans, pension plans or similar plans or agreements or arrangements approved by the Board of Directors of the Company;

 

(iii)                               loans or advances to employees, officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business, in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time not in excess of $5.0 million (without giving effect to the forgiveness of any such loan);

 

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(iv)                              any transaction between or among the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries, and any Guarantees issued by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(v)                                 the payment of reasonable and customary compensation (including fees, benefits, severance, change of control payments and incentive arrangements) to, and employee benefit arrangements, including, without limitation, split-dollar insurance policies, and indemnity or similar arrangements provided on behalf of, directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether by charter, bylaw, statutory or contractual provisions;

 

(vi)                              the existence of, and the performance of obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the terms of any agreement to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Issue Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or renewed from time to time; provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal entered into after the Issue Date shall be permitted to the extent that its terms, taken as a whole, are not more disadvantageous to the Holders in any material respect, as determined in Good Faith by the Company, than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(vii)                           any agreement between any Person and an Affiliate of such Person existing at the time such Person is acquired by or merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders, as determined in Good Faith by the Company, when taken as a whole as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the date of such acquisition or merger);

 

(viii)                        transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, joint venture partners or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that as determined in Good Faith by the Company, such transactions are on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person;

 

(ix)                              any purchases by the Company’s Affiliates of Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries the majority of which Indebtedness is placed with Persons who are not Affiliates; and

 

(x)                                 any issuance or sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) to Affiliates of the Company and the granting of registration and other customary rights in connection therewith or any contribution to the Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.9.                  Change of Control.

 

(a)                                 If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes as described under Section 5.1, each Holder shall have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (in integral multiples of $1,000 except that no Note may be tendered in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).

 

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(b)                                 Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company shall mail a notice (the “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder at the address appearing in the Note Register, with a copy to the Trustee, stating:

 

(i)                                     that a Change of Control Offer is being made and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on a Record Date to receive interest on the relevant Interest Payment Date) (the “Change of Control Payment”);

 

(ii)                                  the repurchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

(iii)                               the procedures determined by the Company, consistent with this Indenture, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes repurchased;

 

(iv)                              that any Notes not tendered will continue to accrue interest in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;

 

(v)                                 that, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(vi)                              that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Notes delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is unconditionally withdrawing its election to have such Notes purchased; and

 

(vii)                           that Holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(c)                                  On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

 

(i)                                     accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

 

(ii)                                  deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes so tendered; and

 

(iii)                               deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.

 

(d)                                 The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased

 

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portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 or larger integral multiples of $1,000.

 

(e)                                  If the Change of Control Payment Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest, if any, will be paid on the relevant Interest Payment Date to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.

 

(f)                                   The Change of Control provisions described above shall be applicable whether or not any other provisions of this Indenture are applicable.

 

(g)                                  The Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if (i) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer or (ii) a notice of redemption for all of the outstanding Notes has been given pursuant to this Indenture unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest, but excluding, to the proposed Redemption Date.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.

 

(h)                                 The Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations thereunder in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations described in this Indenture by virtue of such conflict.

 

SECTION 3.10.           Future Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall cause (i) each Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary) that is formed or acquired following the Issue Date and (ii) any other Subsidiary that Incurs Indebtedness in reliance on Section 3.3(b)(ii) to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary shall unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest in respect of the Notes, including all obligations under this Indenture, on the terms set forth in Article X pursuant to a supplemental indenture hereto in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee; provided that any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary that constitutes an Immaterial Subsidiary need not become a Subsidiary Guarantor until such time as it ceases to be an Immaterial Subsidiary.

 

(b)                                 Each Restricted Subsidiary that becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor on or after the Issue Date shall also become a party to the Security Agreement and the other applicable Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement and, to the extent required by the Security Agreement, shall as promptly as practicable execute and deliver such security instruments, financing statements and certificates as may be necessary to vest in the Collateral Agent a perfected first-priority security interest on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness (subject to Permitted Liens) in properties and assets that constitute Collateral as security for the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees and as may be necessary to have such property or asset added to the applicable Collateral as required under

 

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this Indenture and the Collateral Documents, and thereupon all provisions of this Indenture relating to the Collateral shall be deemed to relate to such properties and assets to the same extent and with the same force and effect.

 

SECTION 3.11.           Limitation on Lines of Business.  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than a Related Business.

 

SECTION 3.12.           Effectiveness of Covenants.

 

(a)                                 After the Issue Date, following the first day: (i) the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Ratings Agencies and (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10 and 4.1(a)(iv) (collectively, the “Suspended Covenants”).  Additionally, upon the commencement of a Suspension Period (as defined below), the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.

 

(b)                                 If at any time the Notes’ credit rating is downgraded from an Investment Grade Rating by any Rating Agency, then the Suspended Covenants shall thereafter be reinstated as if such covenants had never been suspended (the “Reinstatement Date”) and be applicable pursuant to the terms of this Indenture (including in connection with performing any calculation or assessment to determine compliance with the terms of this Indenture), unless and until the Notes subsequently attain an Investment Grade Rating and no Default or Event of Default is in existence (in which event the Suspended Covenants shall no longer be in effect for such time that the Notes maintain an Investment Grade Rating); provided, however, that no Default, Event of Default or breach of any kind shall be deemed to exist or have occurred under this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees with respect to the Suspended Covenants based on, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall bear any liability for, any actions taken or events occurring during the Suspension Period (as defined below), or any actions taken at any time pursuant to any contractual obligation arising prior to the Reinstatement Date, regardless of whether such actions or events would have been permitted if the applicable Suspended Covenants remained in effect during such period.  The period of time between the date of suspension of the covenants and the Reinstatement Date is referred to as the “Suspension Period.”

 

(c)                                  On the Reinstatement Date, all Indebtedness Incurred during the Suspension Period shall be deemed to have been outstanding on the Issue Date, so that it is classified as permitted under Section 3.3(b)(v).  Calculations made after the Reinstatement Date of the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 3.4 shall be made as though Section 3.4 had been in effect since the Issue Date and throughout the Suspension Period.  Accordingly, Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period shall reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 3.4(a) to the extent such Restricted Payments were not otherwise permitted to be made pursuant to Section 3.4(b)(i) through (xvii); provided that the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments on the Reinstatement Date pursuant to the first paragraph shall not be reduced below zero solely as a result of such Restricted Payments under Section 3.4.

 

(d)                                 During any period when the Suspended Covenants are suspended, the Board of Directors of the Company may not designate any of the Company’s Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this Indenture.

 

(e)                                  The Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate notifying the Trustee of any Reinstatement Date or the commencement of any Suspension Period, and in no event shall

 

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the Trustee be charged with the knowledge of such Suspension Period or Reinstatement Date, except to the extent that a Trust Officer has received such Officers’ Certificate.

 

SECTION 3.13.                              Compliance Certificate.  The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (commencing with the fiscal year ending December 30, 2012) an Officers’ Certificate stating whether or not the signers know of any Default or Event of Default that occurred during such period.  If they do, the certificate shall describe the Default or Event of Default, its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 3.14.                              Statement by Officers as to Default.  The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the knowledge thereof if such event is still continuing, written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate of any Event of Default or any event which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under Section 6.1(a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (ix), (x) or (xi), which shall include their status and what action the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof.

 

SECTION 3.15.                              Payment for Consents.  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to pay or cause to be paid any consideration to or for the benefit of any Holder of any Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid and is paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or amendment.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Successor Company and Successor Guarantor

 

SECTION 4.1.                                     When Company May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any Person unless:

 

(i)                                     if other than the Company, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) shall be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States, the District of Columbia or any territory thereof;

 

(ii)                                  the Successor Company (if other than the Company) and, in the case of a Successor Company that is not a corporation, a corporate co-issuer, assume pursuant to a supplemental indenture or other documentation instruments, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in forms reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes, this Indenture, the Collateral Documents (as applicable) and the Intercreditor Agreement and, to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, will cause such amendments, supplements or other instruments to be executed, filed and recorded in such jurisdictions as may be required by applicable law to preserve and protect the Lien on the Collateral owned by or transferred to the Successor Company, together with such financing statements or

 

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comparable documents to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, as may be required to perfect any security interests in such Collateral which may be perfected by the filing of a financing statement or a similar document under the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar statute or regulation of the relevant states or jurisdictions;

 

(iii)                               immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company, the Successor Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Company, the Successor Company or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(iv)                              immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction and any related financing transactions, as if such transactions had occurred at the beginning of the applicable Four-Quarter Period;

 

(A)                               the Company or the Successor Company, as applicable, would be able to Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 3.3(a); or

 

(B)                               the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for the Successor Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be less than or equal to such Consolidated Leverage Ratio prior to such transaction;

 

(v)                                 if the Successor Company is not the Company, each Subsidiary Guarantor (unless it is the other party to the transactions above, in which case clause (i) shall apply) shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Subsidiary Guarantee shall apply to such Person’s obligations in respect of this Indenture and the Notes and its obligations under the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement shall continue to be in effect and, to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, shall cause such amendments, supplements or other instruments to be executed, filed, and recorded in such jurisdictions as may be required by applicable law to preserve and protect the Lien on the Collateral owned by such Subsidiary Guarantor, together with such financing statements or comparable documents to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, as may be required to perfect any security interests in such Collateral which may be perfected by the filing of a financing statement or a similar document under the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar statute or regulation of the relevant states or jurisdictions; and

 

(vi)                              the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Section 4.1 and, if any supplement to any Collateral Document is required in connection with such transaction, such supplement shall comply with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

 

(b)                                 Without compliance with Sections 4.1(a)(iii) and (iv):

 

(i)                                     any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate with, merge with or into or to the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor so long as no Capital Stock of the Restricted Subsidiary is distributed to any Person other than the Company or a Subsidiary Guarantor; provided that, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that merges into the Company, the Company will not be required to comply with Section 4.1(a)(vi), and

 

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(ii)                                  the Company may merge with an Affiliate of the Company solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction to realize tax or other benefits, so long as the amount of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby; provided that, in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that merges into the Company, the Company shall not be required to comply with the preceding clause (vi).

 

(c)                                  Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.1(a) or 4.1(b), as applicable, the Company shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Successor Company shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture, the Collateral Documents (as applicable) and the Intercreditor Agreement, but, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, the predecessor Company shall not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.

 

(d)                                 Solely for the purpose of computing amounts under Sections 3.4(a)(iv)(3)(A), (a)(iv)(3)(B), (a)(iv)(3)(C) and (a)(iv)(3)(D), the Successor Company shall only be deemed to have succeeded and be substituted for the Company with respect to periods subsequent to the effective time of such merger, consolidation, combination or transfer of assets.

 

SECTION 4.2.                                     When a Subsidiary Guarantor May Merge or Otherwise Dispose of Assets.

 

(a)                                 The Company shall not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not the Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets, in one or more related transactions, to any Person (other than to the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor), unless:

 

(i)                                     if such entity remains a Subsidiary Guarantor, (A) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Guarantor”) shall be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States, the District of Columbia or any other territory thereof; (B) the Successor Guarantor, if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor, expressly assumes in writing by supplemental indenture (and other applicable documents), executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guarantee, this Indenture, the Collateral Documents (as applicable), the Intercreditor Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, shall cause such amendments, supplements or other instruments to be executed, filed and recorded in such jurisdictions as may be required by applicable law to preserve and protect the Lien on the Collateral owned by or transferred to the Successor Guarantor, together with such financing statements or comparable documents to the extent required by and subject to the limitations set forth in the Security Agreement, as may be required to perfect any security interests in such Collateral which may be perfected by the filing of a financing statement or a similar document under the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar statute or regulation of the relevant states or jurisdictions; (C) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Successor Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by the Successor Guarantor or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default of Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and (D) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that

 

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such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with this Indenture; and

 

(ii)                                  if such transaction constitutes an Asset Disposition, the transaction is made in compliance with Section 3.7 (it being understood that only such portion of the Net Available Cash as is required to be applied on the date of such transaction in accordance with the terms of this Indenture needs to be applied in accordance therewith at such time), to the extent applicable.

 

(b)                                 Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2(a), the applicable Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and the Successor Guarantor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, a Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture, the Collateral Documents (as applicable) and the Intercreditor Agreement, but, in the case of a lease of all or substantially all its assets, a Subsidiary Guarantor shall not be released from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Subsidiary Guarantor may (i) merge with or into or transfer all or part of its properties and assets to another Subsidiary Guarantor or the Company or (ii) merge with a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Subsidiary Guarantor in a State of the United States or the District of Columbia, as long as the amount of Indebtedness of such Subsidiary Guarantor and its Restricted Subsidiaries is not increased thereby.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Redemption of Notes

 

SECTION 5.1.                                     Optional Redemption.

 

(a)                                 Except as set forth in Section 5.1(b) and (c), the Notes are not redeemable until December 15, 2017.  On and after December 15, 2017, the Company may redeem all or, from time to time, a part of the Notes at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed) plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes, if any, and additional interest thereon, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on December 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

 

Percentage

 

2017

 

104.500

%

2018

 

103.000

%

2019

 

101.500

%

2020 and thereafter

 

100.000

%

 

(b)                                 The Company may on any one or more occasions prior to December 15, 2015, redeem up to 35% of the original principal amount of the Notes with the Net Cash Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 109.000% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders of Notes on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date); provided that:

 

(i)                                     at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes remains outstanding after each such redemption; and

 

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(ii)                                  the redemption occurs within 90 days after the closing of such Equity Offering.

 

Notice of any redemption pursuant to this Section 5.1(b) may be given prior to the completion of such Equity Offering, and any such redemption or notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of the related Equity Offering.

 

(c)                                  In addition, at any time prior to December 15, 2017, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the Applicable Premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).

 

SECTION 5.2.                                     Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee of Optional and Mandatory Redemptions.  If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 5.1, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee, at least 5 Business Days (or such shorter time as may be acceptable to the Trustee) before notice of redemption is required to be mailed or caused to be mailed to Holders pursuant to Section 5.4, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth (a) the paragraph or subparagraph of such Note and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (b) the Redemption Date, (c) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed and (d) the redemption price.

 

SECTION 5.3.                                     Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed.  In the case of any partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not listed, then by lot (subject to rounding such that Notes are redeemed in whole increments of $1,000 and no Note of $2,000 in principal amount or less shall be redeemed in part), and in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC.  If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.  A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note in accordance with Section 5.7.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Notes selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

 

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to redemption of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Note redeemed or to be re deemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Note which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

SECTION 5.4.                                     Notice of Redemption.  The Company shall mail or cause to be mailed by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to a date fixed for redemption (a “Redemption Date”), to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed.  The Trustee shall give notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense; provided, however,

 

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that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with Article VIII.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(a)                                 the Redemption Date,

 

(b)                                 the redemption price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.6, if any,

 

(c)                                  if less than all outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Notes (or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be outstanding after such partial redemption,

 

(d)                                 in case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Note shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, the Holder shall receive, without charge, a new Note or Notes of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

 

(e)                                  that on the Redemption Date the redemption price (and accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 5.6) shall become due and payable upon each such Note, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed, and, unless the Company defaults in making the redemption payment, that interest on Notes called for redemption (or the portion thereof) shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

 

(f)                                   the place or places where such Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price and accrued interest, if any,

 

(g)                                  the name and address of the Paying Agent,

 

(h)                                 that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price,

 

(i)                                     the CUSIP number, and that no representation is made as to the accuracy or correctness of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes, and

 

(j)                                    the Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes are to be redeemed.

 

SECTION 5.5.                                     Deposit of Redemption Price.  Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as pro vided in Section 2.4) an amount of money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all the Notes which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

SECTION 5.6.                                     Notes Payable on Redemption Date.  Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the redemption price therein specified (together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date) (except as provided for in the last paragraph of Section 5.1(b)), and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the

 

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redemption price and accrued interest) such Notes shall cease to bear interest.  Upon surrender of any such Note for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Note shall be paid by the Company at the redemption price, together with accrued interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).

 

If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Notes.

 

If a Redemption Date is on or after a Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, the accrued and unpaid interest, if any, and additional interest thereon, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders whose Notes shall be subject to redemption by the Company.

 

SECTION 5.7.                                     Notes Redeemed in Part.  Any Note which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article) shall be surrendered at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.3 (with, if the Company so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder of such Note at the expense of the Company, a new Note or Notes, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Note so surrendered, provided that each such new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Defaults and Remedies

 

SECTION 6.1.                                     Events of Default.

 

(a)                                 Each of the following is an event of default (an “Event of Default”):

 

(i)                                     default in any payment of interest on any Note when the same becomes due, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

(ii)                                  default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;

 

(iii)                               the Company fails to comply with its obligations under Section 3.9 or Article IV;

 

(iv)                              the Company fails to comply for 45 days after notice as provided below with any of its obligations under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10, 3.11 and 3.15 (in each case, other than matters that would constitute an Event of Default under Section 6.1(a)(iii));

 

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(v)                                 the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor fails to comply for 60 days after notice as provided below with its other agreements (except as provided in clauses (a)(i) through (a)(iv) of this Section 6.1) contained in this Indenture or under the Notes or the Collateral Documents;

 

(vi)                              the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries defaults under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there is issued or by which there is secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is Guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the Issue Date, which default:

 

(A)                               is caused by a failure to pay principal on such Indebtedness at its final stated maturity within the grace period provided in the agreements or instruments governing such Indebtedness (“payment default”); or

 

(B)                               results in the acceleration by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to its stated final, maturity;

 

and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness under which there has been a payment default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $50.0 million or more;

 

(vii)                           the Company or a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (as defined below):

 

(A)                               commences a voluntary case or proceeding with respect to itself;

 

(B)                               consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding;

 

(C)                               consents to the appointment of a Custodian (as defined below) of it or for substantially all of its property; or

 

(D)                               makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

 

or takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;

 

(viii)                        a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(A)                               is for relief against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, in an involuntary case;

 

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(B)                               appoints a Custodian of the Company, any Significant Subsidiary or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, for any substantial part of its property; or

 

(C)                               orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company, any Significant Subsidiary or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary;

 

(ix)                              failure by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary to pay final and non-appealable judgments aggregating in excess of $50.0 million (net of any amounts that are covered by insurance issued by a reputable and creditworthy insurance company (as determined in the Good Faith by the Company) that has not contested coverage), which judgments remain unsatisfied or undischarged for any period of 60 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgments shall not be in effect;

 

(x)                                 any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that taken together as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would constitute a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of this Indenture and the Subsidiary Guarantees) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that taken together as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms its obligations under this Indenture, its Subsidiary Guarantee, any Collateral Document or the Intercreditor Agreement and the Company fails to cause such Restricted Subsidiary or Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, to rescind such denials or disaffirmations within 30 days; and

 

(xi)                              with respect to any Collateral having a fair market value in excess of $10.0 million, individually or in the aggregate, (A) the failure of the security interest with respect to such Collateral under the Collateral Documents, at any time, to be in full force and effect for any reason other than in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents and the terms of this Indenture or the Intercreditor Agreement, as applicable, and other than the satisfaction in full of all obligations under this Indenture and discharge of this Indenture if such failure continues for 60 days or (B) the assertion by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, in any pleading in any court of competent jurisdiction, that any such security interest is invalid or unenforceable, except in each case for the failure or loss of perfection resulting from the failure of the Collateral Agent to make filings, renewals and continuations (or other equivalent filings) which are required to be made or the failure of the Collateral Agent to maintain possession of certificates actually delivered to it representing securities pledged under the Collateral Documents if such assertion is not rescinded within 30 days.

 

The foregoing shall constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company so elects, the sole remedy of the Holders for a failure to comply with any obligations the Company may have or is deemed to have pursuant to Section 314(a)(1) of the TIA or to the Company’s failure to comply with Section 3.2 hereof, will for the first 180 days after the occurrence of such failure consist exclusively of the right to receive additional interest on the Notes at a rate per annum:  (i) equal to 0.25% for the first 90 days after the occurrence of such failure and (ii) equal to 0.50% from the 91st day to, and including, the 180th day after the occurrence of such failure.  The additional interest will accrue on all outstanding Notes from and including the date on which such failure first occurs until such violation is cured or waived and shall be payable on each relevant Interest Payment Date to Holders of record on the regular Record Date immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date.  On the 181st day after such failure (if such violation is not cured or waived prior to such 181st day), such failure will then constitute an Event of Default without any further notice or lapse of time and the Notes shall be subject to acceleration as provided below.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a default under clauses (iv), (v) or (xi)(A) or (xi)(B) of this Section 6.1(a) shall not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company of the default and the Company does not cure such default within the time specified in clause (iv), (v) or (xi)(A) or (xi)(B) of this paragraph after receipt of such notice.  Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default.”

 

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors.  The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

SECTION 6.2.                                     Acceleration.  If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(a)(vii) or (viii) with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice in writing specifying the Event of Default that it is a “notice” to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Notes to be due and payable.  Upon such a declaration, such principal, premium and accrued and unpaid interest shall, subject to Section 6.4, be immediately due and payable.  In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes because an Event of Default set forth in Section 6.1(a)(vi) above has occurred and is continuing, such declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(vi) shall be remedied or cured by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or waived by the holders of the relevant Indebtedness within 30 days after the declaration of accel eration with respect thereto and if (1) the annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all existing Events of Default, except nonpayment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes that became due solely because of the acceleration of the Notes, have been cured or waived.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(a)(vii) or (viii) with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Notes shall become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders.

 

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SECTION 6.3.                                     Other Remedies.  If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes, this Indenture (including sums owed to the Trustee and Collateral Agent and their agents and counsel), the Subsidiary Guarantees, Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.  A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default.  No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy.  All available remedies are cumulative.

 

SECTION 6.4.                                     Waiver of Past Defaults.  The Holders of a majority in principal amount outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes) Notes by notice to the Trustee may waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences (except a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on a Note) and rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Notes and its consequences if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived.

 

SECTION 6.5.                                     Control by Majority.  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or the Collateral Agent or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee or the Collateral Agent.  However, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents or the Intercreditor Agreement, or, subject to Sections 7.1 and 7.2, that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders or would involve the Trustee or the Collateral Agent in personal liability; provided, however, that the Trustee or the Collateral Agent may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee or the Collateral Agent that is not inconsistent with such direction.  Prior to taking any action under this Indenture, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against all losses and expenses caused by taking or not taking such action.

 

SECTION 6.6.                                     Limitation on Suits.  Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, no Holder may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:

 

(i)                                     the Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice stating that an Event of Default is continuing;

 

(ii)                                  the Holders of at least 25% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes have made a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

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(iii)                               such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense;

 

(iv)                              the Trustee has not complied with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and

 

(v)                                 the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with the request during such 60-day period.

 

A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder (it being understood that the Trustee has no affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Holders). Notwithstanding the forgoing, in no event may any Holder enforce any Lien of the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

 

SECTION 6.7.                                     Rights of Holders to Receive Payment.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

SECTION 6.8.                                     Collection Suit by Trustee.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(a)(i) or (ii) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.6.

 

SECTION 6.9.                                     Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.  The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective creditors or properties and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.6.  Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan or reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in such proceeding.

 

SECTION 6.10.                              Priorities.  Subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement, any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and Section 11.4(f) the Trustee shall pay out

 

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any money or property received by it, whether pursuant to the foreclosure or other remedial provisions contained in the Collateral Documents or otherwise, in the following order:

 

First:                                     to the Trustee and Collateral Agent for amounts due to each of them under Section 7.6 and under the Collateral Documents;

 

Second:                    to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

 

Third:                               to the Company or, to the extent the Trustee receives any amount for any Subsidiary Guarantor, to such Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section.  At least 15 days before such record date, the Company shall mail to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.

 

SECTION 6.11.                              Undertaking for Costs.  In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant.  This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by the Company, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.7 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Trustee

 

SECTION 7.1.                                     Duties of Trustee and Collateral Agent.

 

(a)                                 If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, as the case may be, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such Person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered the Trustee or the Collateral Agent indemnity, security or prefunding satisfactory to the Trustee or the Collateral Agent in its sole discretion, as applicable, against loss, liability or expense.

 

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(b)                                 Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

(i)                                     the Trustee or the Collateral Agent undertake to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture, any Collateral Document, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement against the Trustee or the Collateral Agent; and

 

(ii)                                  in the absence of gross negligence or bad faith on its part, the Trustee or Collateral Agent may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee or Collateral Agent under this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, as applicable.  However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall examine such certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, as the case may be (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

(c)                                  The Trustee and the Collateral Agent may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(i)                                     this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section;

 

(ii)                                  neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer or Trust Officers unless it is proved that the Trustee or the Collateral Agent was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

 

(iii)                               neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.5.

 

(iv)                              The Collateral Agent shall not have any fiduciary or other implied duties of any kind or nature to any person, regardless of whether an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

(d)                                 The Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee and the Collateral Agent may agree in writing with the Company.

 

(e)                                  Money held in trust by the Trustee or the Collateral Agent need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(f)                                   No provision of this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement shall require the Trustee or the Collateral Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or thereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

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(g)                                  Every provision of this Indenture, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

(h)                                 The Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, security, prefunding or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

SECTION 7.2.                                     Rights of Trustee and Collateral Agent.

 

(a)                                 Each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or any other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person or Persons.  The Trustee and the Collateral Agent need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

(b)                                 Before the Trustee or the Collateral Agent acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel.  Neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 

(c)                                  Each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care.

 

(d)                                 Each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith (in the case of the Trustee) which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, however, that the Trustee’s or the Collateral Agent’s conduct, respectively, does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.

 

(e)                                  Each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents or the Intercreditor Agreement shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder or under the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

(f)                                   The Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into any statement, warranty or representation, or the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond or other paper or document made or in connection with this Indenture, any other Collateral Document, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement; moreover, the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into (i) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, in any other Collateral Document, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, (ii) the occurrence of any default, or the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Indenture, any other Collateral

 

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Document, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, (iii) the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (iv) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in any Collateral Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Collateral Agent or (vi) the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.  The Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall have no liability with respect to any action or inaction taken by or with respect to any Sub-Collateral Agent (as defined in the Security Agreement).

 

(g)                                  The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except any Default or Event of Default of which a Trust Officer shall have (x) received written notification at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture or (y) obtained “actual knowledge.”  “Actual knowledge” shall mean the actual fact or statement of knowing by a Trust Officer without independent investigation with respect thereto.

 

(h)                                 In no event shall the Trustee or the Collateral Agent be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee or the Collateral Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

(i)                                     The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, the Collateral Agent, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder and under the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

(j)                                    The Trustee and the Collateral Agent may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

 

SECTION 7.3.                                     Individual Rights of Trustee and Collateral Agent.  Subject to the TIA each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors or their Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee or Collateral Agent, respectively.  Any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights.  However, the Trustee must comply with Section 7.9.  In addition, the Trustee shall be permitted to engage in transactions with the Company; provided, however, that if the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest the Trustee must (i) eliminate such conflict within 90 days of acquiring such conflicting interest, (ii) apply to the SEC for permission to continue acting as Trustee or (iii) resign.

 

SECTION 7.4.                                     Disclaimer.  Each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture,

 

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the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the Notes or the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Company in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication or for the use or application of any funds received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

 

SECTION 7.5.                                     Notice of Defaults.  If a Default occurs and is continuing and is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder, with a copy to the Collateral Agent, notice of the Default within 90 days after the Trustee obtains such knowledge.  Except in the case of a Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of Trust Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Holders.

 

SECTION 7.6.                                     Compensation and Indemnity.  The Company shall pay to each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent from time to time such compensation for its services as the parties shall agree in writing from time to time.  The Trustee’s compensation and the Collateral Agent’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust.  The Company shall reimburse each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it, including, but not limited to, costs of collection, costs of preparing and reviewing reports, certificates and other documents, costs of preparation and mailing of notices to Holders and reasonable costs of counsel, in addition to the compensation for its services.  Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents, counsel, accountants and experts.  The Company shall indemnify the Collateral Agent, any predecessor Collateral Agent, the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder (including Paying Agent, and Registrar), and each of their officers, directors, employees, counsel and agents, against any and all loss, liability or expense (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by it in connection with the administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder and under the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture (including this Section 7.6), the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and of defending itself against any claims (whether asserted by any Holder, the Company or otherwise).  The Collateral Agent and the Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity.  Failure by the Collateral Agent and the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder.  The Company shall defend the claim and the Collateral Agent and the Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel.  The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Collateral Agent and the Trustee through their own willful misconduct or negligence or bad faith.

 

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Collateral Agent and the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest

 

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on particular Notes.  The right of the Collateral Agent and the Trustee to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.6 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or indebtedness of the Company.

 

The Company’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section and any lien arising hereunder shall survive the discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee or Collateral Agent.  When the Trustee or Collateral Agent incurs expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 6.1(a)(vii) or (viii) with respect to the Company, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Pursuant to Section 10.1, the obligations of the Company hereunder are jointly and severally guaranteed by the Guarantors.

 

SECTION 7.7.                                     Replacement of Trustee.  The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Company.  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Company and the Trustee in writing and may appoint a successor Trustee.  The Company shall remove the Trustee if:

 

(i)                                     the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9;

 

(ii)                                  the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;

 

(iii)                               a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

(iv)                              the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Company or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.

 

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company.  Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture.  The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Holders.  The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.6.

 

If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Notes may petition, at the Company’s expense, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.9, unless the Trustee’s duty to resign is stayed, any Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

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Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.6 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

SECTION 7.8.                                     Successor Trustee by Merger.  If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

 

In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.

 

SECTION 7.9.                                     Eligibility; Disqualification.  The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million as set forth in its most recent filed annual report of condition.

 

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5).  The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b).

 

SECTION 7.10.                              Limitation on Duty of Trustee and Collateral Agent in Respect of Collateral; Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof, neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall have any duty as to any Collateral in their possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent or bailee or any income thereon or as to preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto and neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be responsible for filing any financing or continuation statements or recording any documents or instruments in any public office at any time or times or otherwise perfecting or maintaining the perfection of any security interest in the Collateral.  The Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody of the Collateral in their possession if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which they accord their own property and shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or diminution in the value of any of the Collateral, by reason of the act or omission of any car rier, forwarding agency or other agent or bailee selected by the Trustee or the Collateral Agent in good faith.

 

Neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall have any duty to ascertain or inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms of this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement by the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any other Person.

 

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SECTION 7.11.                              Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer.  The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b).  A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.

 

SECTION 7.12.                              Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.  Within 60 days after each September 1, beginning with September 1, 2013, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted).  The Trustee also shall comply with TIA § 313(b).  The Trustee shall also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).

 

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes shall be mailed to the Company and filed with the Commission and each stock exchange on which any Notes are listed.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when any Notes are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Discharge of Indenture; Defeasance

 

SECTION 8.1.                                     Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance.

 

(a)                                 When (i) (x) the Company delivers to the Trustee all outstanding Notes (other than Notes replaced pursuant to Section 2.7 or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Company) for cancellation or (y) all outstanding Notes not theretofore delivered for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of making a notice of redemption pursuant to Article V hereof or otherwise, or will become due and payable within one year or may be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of a notice of redemption pursuant to Article V by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company pursuant to Article V and the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor irrevocably deposits or causes to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as shall be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to, but excluding, the date of maturity or redemption; (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit (other than a Default resulting from borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowing) and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a de fault under, any material instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor is bound; (iii) the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable on the date of deposit to the Trustee under this Indenture; and (iv) the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of such Notes at maturity or the Redemption Date, as the case may be, then this Indenture shall, subject to Section 8.1(c), cease to be of further effect.

 

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Upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions and upon the request of the Company, the Trustee subject to its receipt of an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate shall acknowledge in writing that this Indenture, subject to Section 8.1(c), ceases to be of further force and effect.

 

(b)                                 Subject to Sections 8.1(c) and 8.2, the Company at its option and at any time may terminate (i) all the obligations of the Company and any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, this Indenture and the Collateral Documents (“legal defeasance option”) or (ii) the obligations of the Company and any Subsidiary Guarantor under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, 3.15 and 4.1(a)(iv) and the Collateral Documents and the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant or provision, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or provision or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply with such covenants or provisions shall no longer constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.1(a)(iii) (only with respect to Section 3.9), 6.1(a)(iv) (only with respect to such covenants), 6.1(a)(v) (only with respect to such covenants), 6.1(a)(vi), 6.1(a)(vii) (only with respect to Significant Subsidiaries or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), Section 6.1(a)(viii) (only with respect to Significant Subsidiaries or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) and 6.1(a)(ix) (clause (ii) being referred to as the “covenant defeasance option”), but except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and the Notes shall be unaffected thereby.  The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option.

 

If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.  If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(a)(iii) (only with respect to Section 3.9), 6.1(a)(iv) (only with respect to the covenants subject to such covenant defeasance), 6.1(a)(v) (only with respect to the covenants subject to such covenant defeasance), 6.1(a)(vi), 6.1(a)(vii) (only with respect to Significant Subsidiaries or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary), 6.1(a)(viii) (only with respect to Significant Subsidiaries or a group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited financial statements of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) or 6.1(a)(ix), 6.1(a)(x) or 6.1(a)(xi) or because of the failure of the Company to comply with Section 4.1(a)(iv).

 

Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Company, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Company terminates.

 

(c)                                  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 8.1(a) and (b), the Company’s obligations in Sections 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.9, 2.10, 2.12, 3.1, 6.7, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.6, 7.7, 8.1(b) (with respect to legal defeasance), 8.38.4, 8.5 and 8.6 shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full.  Thereafter, the Company’s obligations in Sections 6.7, 7.6, 8.4 and 8.5 shall survive.

 

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SECTION 8.2.                                     Conditions to Defeasance.  The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option only if:

 

(i)                                     the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, U.S. dollars or U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination of U.S. dollars and U.S. Government Obligations, in such amounts as shall be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, or interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding Notes issued hereunder on the Stated Maturity or on the applicable Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular Redemption Date;

 

(ii)                                  in the case of legal defeasance, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, (a) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders shall not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such legal defeasance and shall be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such legal defeasance had not occurred;

 

(iii)                               in the case of covenant defeasance, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that, subject to customary assumptions and exclusions, the Holders of the respective outstanding Notes shall not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and shall be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred;

 

(iv)                              such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is bound;

 

(v)                                 no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowings);

 

(vi)                              the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, assuming, among other things, no intervening bankruptcy of the Company between the date of deposit and the 91st day following the deposit and assuming that no Holder is an “insider” of the Company under applicable bankruptcy law, after the 91st day following the deposit, the trust funds shall not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of Title 11 of the United States Code;

 

(vii)                           the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or others; and

 

(viii)                        the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel (which Opinion of Counsel may be subject to customary assumptions and exclusions),

 

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each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the legal defeasance or the covenant defeasance have been complied with.

 

SECTION 8.3.                                     Application of Trust Money.  The Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article VIII.  It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations through the Paying Agent and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes.

 

SECTION 8.4.                                     Repayment to Company.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in this Article VIII which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, provided that the Trustee shall not be required to liquidate any U.S. Government Obligations in order to comply with the provisions of this paragraph.

 

Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes that remains unclaimed for two years, and, thereafter, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors.

 

SECTION 8.5.                                     Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations.  The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal and interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations.

 

SECTION 8.6.                                     Reinstatement.  If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees and the Collateral Documents shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article VIII until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article VIII; provided, however, that, if the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors have made any payment of interest on or principal of any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

Amendments

 

SECTION 9.1.                                     Without Consent of Holders.  This Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement may be amended or supplemented without notice to or consent of any Holder:

 

(i)                                     to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

 

(ii)                                  to comply with (a) Article IV in respect of the assumption by a Successor Company of an obligation of the Company under this Indenture, the Notes and the Collateral Documents and (b) Article IV and Article X in respect of the assumption by a Person of the obligations of a Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee, this Indenture, the Collateral Documents the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

 

(iii)                               to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code;

 

(iv)                              to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or to release a Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;

 

(v)                                 to add additional property or assets as Collateral to secure the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees or to appoint a Sub-Collateral Agent (as defined in the Security Agreement) for the purposes set forth in the Security Agreement;

 

(vi)                              to release Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent in the Collateral as provided in Section 11.3;

 

(vii)                           to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders, add Events of Default or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

 

(viii)                        to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;

 

(ix)                              to comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA, as amended;

 

(x)                                 to provide for the appointment of a successor trustee; provided that the successor trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the terms of this Indenture; or provide for the appointment of a successor Collateral Agent;

 

(xi)                              to enter into a Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement;

 

(xii)                           to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees to any provision of the “Description of notes” section of the Offering Memorandum, to the extent

 

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that such provision in the “Description of notes” is intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees; or

 

(xiii)                        to provide for or confirm the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

 

In addition, no consent of the Holders will be required under the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement to any amendments and other modifications to the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement (A) to add other parties (or any authorized agent thereof or trustee therefor) holding Priority Payment Lien Obligations or Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness that are Incurred in compliance with this Indenture and the Collateral Documents, (B) to establish that the Liens on any Collateral securing such Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness shall be pari passu under the Intercreditor Agreement with the Liens on such Collateral securing the Notes Obligations or that the Liens on any Collateral securing Priority Payment Lien Obligations shall have the priority set forth in the Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the Liens on such Collateral securing the Notes Obligations, all on the terms provided for in the Intercreditor Agreement as in effect immediately prior to such amendment or other modification and (C) to provide that the Liens securing the Notes Obligations are senior to the Liens securing other Indebtedness pursuant to the terms of a Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

After an amendment under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment.  The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section.  A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Note shall not be rendered invalid by such tender.

 

SECTION 9.2.                                     With Consent of Holders.  This Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  Any past default or compliance with the provisions of this Indenture, the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents or the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement may be waived with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  However, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no amendment, supplement or waiver may:

 

(i)                                     reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;

 

(ii)                                  reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any Note;

 

(iii)                               reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Note;

 

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(iv)                              waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on the Notes issued hereunder (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes issued hereunder by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued hereunder with respect to a nonpayment default and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

(v)                                 reduce the premium payable upon the redemption or repurchase of any Note or change the time at which any Note may or shall be redeemed or repurchased in accordance with Section 3.9 or Article V, whether through an amendment or waiver of provisions in the covenants or otherwise;

 

(vi)                              make any Note payable in a currency other than that stated in the Note;

 

(vii)                           impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes;

 

(viii)                        make any change in the amendment provisions in this Section 9.2;

 

(ix)                              modify the Subsidiary Guarantees of any Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in any manner, taken as a whole, materially adverse to the Holders; or

 

(x)                                 release any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Subsidiary Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), would constitute a Significant Subsidiary from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms thereof.

 

In addition, without the consent of the Holders of at least 66% in principal amount of Notes then outstanding, no amendment, supplement or waiver may (1) modify any Collateral Document or the provisions in this Indenture dealing with Collateral Documents or application of trust moneys in any manner, taken as a whole, materially adverse to the Holders or otherwise release any Collateral from the Liens of the Collateral Documents other than in accordance with this Indenture, the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement or (2) modify the Intercreditor Agreement in any manner adverse to the Holders in any material respect other than in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or supplement, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.  A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Note shall not be rendered invalid by such tender.

 

After an amendment or supplement under this Indenture, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or a Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment or

 

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supplement.  The failure to give such notice to all Holders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment or supplement under this Section.

 

SECTION 9.3.                                     Effect of Consents and Waivers.  A consent to an amendment, supplement or a waiver by a Holder of a Note shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of that Note or portion of the Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on the Note.  After an amendment or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every Holder unless it makes a change described in clauses (i) through (x) of Section 9.2, in which case the amendment, supplement or waiver or other action shall bind each Holder who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Notes.  An amendment or waiver made pursuant to Section 9.2 shall become effective upon receipt by the Trustee of the requisite number of written consents.

 

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture.  If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.

 

SECTION 9.4.                                     Notation on or Exchange of Notes.  If an amendment changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee.  The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Note regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder.  Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms.  Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment.

 

SECTION 9.5.                                     Trustee and Collateral Agent To Sign Amendments.  The Trustee and Collateral Agent shall sign any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment, supplement or waiver does not, in the sole determination of the Trustee or Collateral Agent, adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or Collateral Agent.  If it does, the Trustee or Collateral Agent may but need not sign it.  In signing any amendment, supplement or waiver pursuant to this Article IX, the Trustee or Collateral Agent shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 7.1 and 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment, supplement or waiver is authorized or permitted by or complies with this Indenture, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and, if applicable, that any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness was or Priority Payment Lien Obligations were issued or borrowed in compliance with the Indenture and the Collateral Documents and that such amendment, supplement or waiver is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Opinion of Counsel will be required for the Trustee or Collateral Agent to execute any amendment or supplement adding a new Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture.

 

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SECTION 9.6.                                     Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.  Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture and the Notes shall be set forth in an amended or supplemental indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

 

ARTICLE X

 

Subsidiary Guarantee

 

SECTION 10.1.                              Subsidiary Guarantee.  Subject to the provisions of this Article X, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, jointly and severally with each other Subsidiary Guarantor, to each Holder of the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the Trustee the full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes (including, without limitation, interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6) and the Collateral Documents (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guarantor Obligations”).  Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees (to the extent lawful) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this Article X notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) presentation to, demand of, payment from and protest to the Company of any of the Guarantor Obligations and also waives (to the extent lawful) notice of protest for nonpayment.  Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives (to the extent lawful) notice of any default under the Notes or the Guarantor Obligations.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee herein constitutes a Guarantee of payment when due (and not a Guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder to any security held for payment of the Guarantor Obligations.

 

Except as set forth in Section 4.2, Section 10.2 and Article VIII, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than payment of the Guarantor Obligations in full), including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not (to the extent lawful) be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Guarantor Obligations or otherwise.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor herein shall not (to the extent lawful) be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by (a) the failure of any Holder to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Company or any other person under this Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any other agreement or otherwise; (b) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor

 

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Agreement or any other agreement; (d) the release of any security held by any Holder or the Collateral Agent for the Guarantor Obligations or any of them; (e) the failure of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy against any other Subsidiary Guarantor; (f) any change in the ownership of the Company; (g) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Guarantor Obligations; or (h) any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Subsidiary Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee herein shall remain in full force and effect until payment in full of all the Guarantor Obligations or such Subsidiary Guarantor is released from its Subsidiary Guarantee in compliance with Section 4.2, Section 10.2 and Article VIII.  Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Guarantor Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder has at law or in equity against any Subsidiary Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Company to pay any of the Guarantor Obligations when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby promises to and shall, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Trustee or the Trustee on behalf of the Holders an amount equal to the sum of (i) the unpaid amount of such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing and (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on such Guarantor Obligations then due and owing (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) (including interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding).

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Subsidiary Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in this Indenture for the purposes of its Subsidiary Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guarantor Obligations guaranteed hereby and (y) in the event of any such declaration of acceleration of such Guarantor Obligations, such Guarantor Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Subsidiary Guarantor for the purposes of this Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Section.

 

Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Subsidiary Guarantee or any release, termination or discharge

 

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thereof and any such notation shall not be a condition to the validity of any Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

SECTION 10.2.                              Limitation on Liability; Termination, Release and Discharge.

 

(a)                                 Any term or provision of this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the maximum amount as shall, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law and not otherwise being void or voidable under any similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

(b)                                 A Subsidiary Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, and each Subsidiary Guarantor and its obligations under the Subsidiary Guarantee and this Indenture shall be released and discharged:

 

(i)                                     upon any sale, exchange or transfer (by merger or otherwise) of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor (including any sale, exchange or transfer) following which such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company if such sale, exchange or transfer does not constitute an Asset Disposition or is made in compliance with this Indenture, including Section 3.7 and Article IV;

 

(ii)                                  if such Subsidiary Guarantor is dissolved or liquidated in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

(iii)                               upon exercise of the Company’s legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option or upon satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, in each case, pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII hereof; and

 

(iv)                              if the Company designates such Subsidiary Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and such designation complies with the other applicable provisions of this Indenture.

 

(c)                                  In the case of Section 10.2(b)(i) only, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

(d)                                 The release of a Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee and its obligations under this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.2 shall not preclude the future applications of Section 3.10 to such Person.

 

SECTION 10.3.                              Right of Contribution.  Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made on the obligations under the Subsidiary Guarantees, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor who has not paid its proportionate share of such payment.  The provisions of this Section 10.3 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of each Subsidiary Guarantor to the Trustee and the Holders and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall remain

 

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liable to the Trustee and the Holders for the full amount guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.

 

SECTION 10.4.                              No Subrogation.  Notwithstanding any payment or payments made by each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder, no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Trustee or any Holder against the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Trustee or any Holder for the payment of the Guarantor Obligations, nor shall any Subsidiary Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Company or any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Trustee and the Holders by the Company on account of the Guarantor Obligations are paid in full.  If any amount shall be paid to any Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Guarantor Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Subsidiary Guarantor in trust for the Trustee and the Holders, segregated from other funds of such Subsidiary Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Subsidiary Guarantor, be turned over to the Trustee in the exact form received by such Subsidiary Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Subsidiary Guarantor to the Trustee, if required), to be applied against the Guarantor Obligations.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

Collateral and Security

 

SECTION 11.1.                              The Collateral.

 

(a)                                 The due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees thereof when and as the same shall be due and payable, whether on an interest payment date, at maturity, by acceleration, repurchase, redemption or otherwise, interest on the overdue principal of and interest (to the extent lawful), if any, on the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees thereof and performance of all other obligations under this Indenture, including, without limitation, the obligations of the Company set forth in Section 7.6 and Section 8.6 herein, and the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees thereof and the Collateral Documents, shall be secured by Liens as provided in the Collateral Documents which the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, have entered into simultaneously with the execution of this Indenture and shall be secured by all Collateral Documents hereafter delivered as required or permitted by this Indenture.

 

(b)                                 The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree that the Collateral Agent shall hold the Collateral in trust for the benefit of all of the Holders, the Collateral Agent and the Trustee, in each case pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents, and the Collateral Agent is hereby authorized to execute and deliver the Collateral Documents.

 

(c)                                  Each Holder, by its acceptance of any Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees thereof, consents and agrees to the terms of the Collateral Documents (including, without limitation, the provisions providing for foreclosure) and the Intercreditor Agreement, as the same may be in effect or as may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms, and authorizes and directs the Collateral Agent to perform its obligations and exercise its rights under the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement in accordance therewith.

 

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(d)                                 The Trustee and each Holder, by accepting the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees thereof, acknowledges that, as more fully set forth in the Collateral Documents, the Collateral as now or hereafter constituted shall be held for the benefit of all the Holders and the Trustee, and that the Lien of this Indenture and the Collateral Documents in respect of the Trustee and the Holders is subject to and qualified and limited in all respects by the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement and actions that may be taken thereunder.

 

SECTION 11.2.                              Further Assurances.

 

The Company shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary Guarantor to, at their sole expense, do or cause to be done all acts which may be reasonably necessary, or as requested by the Collateral Agent, to confirm that the Collateral Agent holds, for the benefit of the Holders and the Trustee, duly created, enforceable and perfected first-priority Liens and security interests, as applicable, in the Collateral (subject to Permitted Liens) to the extent such liens are required to be so perfected by this Indenture and the Collateral Documents.

 

SECTION 11.3.                              Release of Liens on the Collateral.

 

(a)                                 The Liens on the Collateral shall automatically and without any need for any further action by any Person be released:

 

(i)                                     in whole or in part, as applicable, as to all or any portion of property subject to such Liens which has been taken by eminent domain, condemnation or other similar circumstances;

 

(ii)                                  in whole upon:

 

(1)                                 satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as set forth in Section 8.1(a);

 

(2)                                 a legal defeasance or covenant defeasance of this Indenture as set forth in Section 8.1(b); or

 

(3)                                 the occurrence of a Suspension Period;

 

(iii)                               in part, as to any property that (x) is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor (other than to the Company or another Subsidiary Guarantor) in a transaction not prohibited by this Indenture at the time of such sale, transfer or disposition or (y) is owned or at any time acquired by a Subsidiary Guarantor that has been released from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, concurrently with the release of such Subsidiary Guarantee (including in connection with the designation of a Subsidiary Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary);

 

(iv)                              pursuant to an amendment in accordance with Article IX;

 

(v)                                 in whole as to all Collateral that is owned by a Subsidiary Guarantor that is released from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with Section 10.2; and

 

(vi)                              in part, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

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(b)                                 In connection with any termination or release of any Liens in all or any portion of the Collateral pursuant to this Indenture or any of the Collateral Documents, the Trustee shall, or shall cause the Collateral Agent to, promptly execute, deliver or acknowledge all documents, instruments and releases that have been requested to release, reconvey to the Company and/or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, such Collateral or otherwise give effect to, evidence or confirm such termination or release in accordance with the directions of the Company and/or the Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be.

 

(c)                                  The release of any Collateral from the terms of the Collateral Documents shall not be deemed to impair the security under this Indenture in contravention of the provisions hereof if and to the extent such Collateral is released pursuant to this Indenture or upon termination of this Indenture.  The Trustee and each of the Holders each acknowledge and direct the Trustee and the Collateral Agent that a release of Collateral or a Lien in accordance with the terms of any Collateral Document and this Article XI will not be deemed for any purpose to be an impairment of the Lien on the Collateral in contravention of the terms of this Indenture.

 

(d)                                 Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, as and when requested by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, the Trustee shall instruct the Collateral Agent to authorize the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statement amendments or releases (which shall be prepared by the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor) solely to the extent necessary to delete or release Liens on property or assets not required to be subject to a Lien under the Collateral Documents from the description of assets in any previously filed financing statements.  If requested in writing by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, the Trustee shall instruct the Collateral Agent to execute such documents, instruments or statements reasonably requested of it (which shall be prepared by the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor) and to take such other action as the Company may request to evidence or confirm that such property or assets not required to be subject to a Lien under the Collateral Documents described in the immediately preceding sentence has been released from the Liens of each of the Collateral Documents.  The Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver such documents, instruments and statements and shall take all such actions promptly upon receipt of such instructions from the Company, any Subsidiary Guarantor or the Trustee.

 

(e)                                  In no event shall the Trustee or Collateral Agent be obligated to execute or deliver any document evidencing any release or reconveyance without receipt of an Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate, each stating that such release complies with this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

 

SECTION 11.4.                              Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Trustee or the Collateral Agent Under the Collateral Documents.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the provisions of the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and the other provisions of this Indenture, each of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent may take all actions it deems necessary or appropriate in order to (i) enforce any of its rights or any of the rights of the Holders under the Collateral Documents and (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, collect and receive any and all amounts payable in respect of the Collateral in respect of the obligations of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder and thereunder.  Subject to the provisions of the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall have the power (but not the obligation) to institute and to maintain such suits and proceedings as it may deem expedient to prevent any impairment of the Collateral by any acts that may be unlawful or in violation of the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or this Indenture, and such suits and proceedings as the Trustee or the Collateral Agent may deem expedient to preserve or protect its interest

 

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and the interests of the Holders in the Collateral (including power to institute and maintain suits or proceedings to restrain the enforcement of or compliance with any legislative or other governmental enactment, rule or order that may be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid if the enforcement of, or compliance with, such enactment, rule or order would impair the security interest hereunder or be prejudicial to the interests of the Holders or the Trustee).

 

(b)                                 The Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for the existence, genuineness or value of any of the Collateral or for the validity, perfection, priority or enforceability of the Liens in any of the Collateral, whether impaired by operation of law or by reason of any action or omission to act on its part hereunder, except to the extent such action or omission constitutes negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee or the Collateral Agent, for the validity or sufficiency of the Collateral or any agreement or assignment contained therein, for the validity of the title of the Company to the Collateral, for insuring the Collateral or for the payment of taxes, charges, assessments or Liens upon the Collateral or otherwise as to the maintenance of the Collateral.  The Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall have no responsibility for recording, filing, re-recording or refiling any financing statement, continuation statement, document, instrument or other notice in any public office at any time or times or to otherwise take any action to perfect or maintain the perfection of any security interest granted to it under the Collateral Documents or otherwise.

 

(c)                                  Where any provision of the Collateral Documents requires that additional property or assets be added to the Collateral, the Company shall, or shall cause the applicable Subsidiary Guarantors to, take any and all actions reasonably required to cause such additional property or assets to be added to the Collateral and to create and maintain a valid and enforceable perfected first-priority security interest on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness in such property or assets (subject to Permitted Liens) in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Holders, in each case in accordance with and to the extent required under the Collateral Documents.

 

(d)                                 The Trustee or the Collateral Agent, in taking any action under the Collateral Documents, shall be entitled to receive, if requested, as a condition to take any action, an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such action does not violate this Indenture, the Collateral Documents or the Intercreditor Agreement, and the Trustee or the Collateral Agent shall be fully protected relying thereon.

 

(e)                                  In acting under the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, the Trustee and Collateral Agent shall have all the protections, rights and immunities given to them under this Indenture.

 

(f)                                   For the avoidance of doubt, upon receipt of any payment by the Collateral Agent or the Trustee pursuant to the Intercreditor Agreement or any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the Company, Guarantors and Holders agree that, as among them, such payments shall be made and such funds applied in accordance with Section 6.10 of this Indenture, and in every case whatsoever, the Trustee and Collateral Agent will each be paid amounts owed them under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement and the Collateral Documents prior to payments (pursuant to Article VI of this Indenture) being made to the Holders.

 

SECTION 11.5.                              Recording, Registration and Opinions.

 

(a)                                 The Company will comply with the provisions of TIA Sections 314(b) and 314(d), in each case following qualification of this Indenture pursuant to the TIA, except to the extent not required as set forth in any SEC regulation or interpretation or guidance (including any no-action letter or

 

110



 

exemptive order issued by the Staff of the SEC, whether issued to the Company or any other Person).  Following such qualification, to the extent the Company is required to furnish to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel pursuant to Trust Indenture Act Section 314(b)(2), the Company will furnish such opinion not more than 60 but not less than 30 days prior to each September 1.

 

(b)                                 Any release of Collateral permitted by Section 11.3 will be deemed not to impair the Liens under this Indenture and the Security Documents in contravention thereof and any person that is required to deliver any certificate or opinion pursuant to Section 314(d) of the TIA shall be entitled to rely upon the foregoing as a basis for delivery of such certificate or opinion.  The Trustee shall, to the extent permitted by Sections 7.1 and 7.2, accept as conclusive evidence of compliance with the foregoing provisions the appropriate statements contained in such certificate or opinion.

 

(c)                                  If any Collateral is released in accordance with this Indenture or any Collateral Document, the Company will determine whether it has delivered all documentation required by TIA Section 314(d) in connection with such release.

 

ARTICLE XII

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 12.1.                              Notices.  Notices given by publication shall be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made, and notices given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed given five calendar days after mailing.  Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person, by facsimile or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company or to any Subsidiary Guarantor:

 

c/o The McClatchy Company
2100 “Q” Street
Sacramento, California 95816
Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager
Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

if to the Trustee or Collateral Agent:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.
400 Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California 90071
Attention: Corporate Unit

Facsimile: (213) 630-6298

 

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to the Holder at the Holder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.  Any notice or communication shall also be

 

111



 

so mailed or delivered to any Person described in TIA § 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA.

 

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.  If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

Each of the Trustee and Collateral Agent agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture or the Collateral Documents or Intercreditor Agreement sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods.  If the party elects to give the Trustee or Collateral Agent e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee or Collateral Agent in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s or Collateral Agent’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling.  Neither the Trustee nor the Collateral Agent shall be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s or Collateral Agent’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction.  The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee or Collateral Agent, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee or Collateral Agent acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

 

SECTION 12.2.                              Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.  Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of Notes on the date hereof), the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

(i)                                     an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

 

(ii)                                  an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

 

SECTION 12.3.                              Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.  Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and also shall include:

 

(i)                                     a statement that the individual making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

(ii)                                  a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

112



 

(iii)                               a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

(iv)                              a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual, such covenant or condition has been complied with.

 

In giving such Opinion of Counsel, counsel may rely as to factual matters on an Officers’ Certificate or on certificates of public officials.

 

SECTION 12.4.                              Submission of JurisdictionTo the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or any federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture, the Guarantees and the Notes, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts.

 

SECTION 12.5.                              Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar.  The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by, or a meeting of, Holders.  The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.

 

SECTION 12.6.                              Days Other than Business Days.  If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is not a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.  If a regular Record Date is not a Business Day, the Record Date shall not be affected.

 

SECTION 12.7.                              Governing Law.  This Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

SECTION 12.8.                              Waiver of Jury Trial.  EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

SECTION 12.9.                              No Recourse Against Others.  An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.  By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability.  The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

113



 

SECTION 12.10.                       Successors.  All agreements of the Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors.  All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

SECTION 12.11.                       Multiple Originals.  The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture.  Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.  One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture.

 

SECTION 12.12.                       Variable Provisions.  The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent and Registrar and custodian with respect to any Global Notes.

 

SECTION 12.13.                       Table of Contents; Headings.  The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

SECTION 12.14.                       Direction by Holders to Enter into Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement.  By accepting a Note, each Holder is deemed to have authorized and directed the Trustee and the Collateral Agent, as applicable, to enter into the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement and any Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 12.15.                       Force Majeure.  In no event shall the Trustee or the Collateral Agent be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee and the Collateral Agent shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

SECTION 12.16.                       USA Patriot Act.  The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act the Trustee and the Trust Officers, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account.  The parties to this agreement agree that they will provide the Trustee and the Trust Officers with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

 

SECTION 12.17.                       Trust Indenture Act Controls.  If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA § 318(c), the imposed duties shall control.

 

SECTION 12.18.                       Communication by Holders of Notes with other Holders of Notes.  Holders of the Notes may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders of Notes with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes.  The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

 

114



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

 

ABOARD PUBLISHING, INC.

 

ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, INC.

 

BELTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

BISCAYNE BAY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

CASS COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

COLUMBUS LEDGER-ENQUIRER, INC.

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, INC.

 

EAST COAST NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

HLB NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

KELTATIM PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

KEYNOTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

LEE’S SUMMIT JOURNAL, INCORPORATED

 

LEXINGTON H-L SERVICES, INC.

 

MACON TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

MAIL ADVERTISING CORPORATION

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE WEST

 

MCCLATCHY INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY U.S.A., INC.

 

MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY

 

NEWSPRINT VENTURES, INC.

 

NITTANY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

NOR-TEX PUBLISHING, INC.

 

OLYMPIC-CASCADE PUBLISHING, INC.

 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

QUAD COUNTY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

STAR-TELEGRAM, INC.

 

TACOMA NEWS, INC.

 

THE BRADENTON HERALD, INC.

 

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE NEWS AND OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY

 

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

TRIBUNE NEWSPRINT COMPANY

 

WICHITA EAGLE AND BEACON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

WINGATE PAPER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

 

MCCLATCHY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE LLC

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 

 

BELLINGHAM HERALD PUBLISHING, LLC

 

IDAHO STATESMAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

OLYMPIAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

 

All By:

Pacific Northwest Publishing Company, Inc.,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, LLC

 

 

 

By:

Cypress Media, Inc.,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, LLC

 

 

 

By:

The McClatchy Company,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Teresa Petta

 

 

Name:

Teresa Petta

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Teresa Petta

 

 

Name:

Teresa Petta

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

 

Global Note Legend, if applicable

Private Placement Legend, if applicable

 

A-1



 

No. [      ]

 

Principal Amount $[                            ],

 

 

as revised by the Schedule of Increases

 

 

or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto

 

CUSIP NO.          

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

9.00% Senior Secured Note due 2022

 

The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to [                      ], or registered assigns, the initial principal amount set forth on the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note attached hereto, on December 15, 2022.

 

Interest Payment Dates:  December 15 and June 15.

 

Record Dates:  December 1 and June 1.

 

Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.

 

A-2



 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Karole Morgan-Prager

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel

 

A-3



 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF

 

 

AUTHENTICATION

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the

 

 

Notes referred to in the Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Date:

 

A-4



 

[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

 

9.00% Senior Secured Note due 2022

 

1.                                      Interest

 

The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (such corporation, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Company”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above.

 

The Company shall pay interest semiannually on December 15 and June 15 of each year, with the first interest payment to be made on June 15, 2013.  Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on the Notes or, if no interest has been paid, from December 18, 2012.  The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal or premium, if any (plus interest on such interest to the extent lawful), at the rate borne by the Notes to the extent lawful.  Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.  Interest shall accrue (in addition to the interest rate borne by the Notes) from and including the date on which an Event of Default under Section 6.1(a)(ii), 6.1(a)(vii) or 6.1(a)(viii) shall occur to but excluding the date on which such Event of Default shall have been cured, at a rate per annum equal to 2.0% of the principal amount of the Notes.

 

2.                                      Method of Payment

 

By no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, and/or interest.  The Company shall pay interest (except Defaulted Interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the December 1 and June 1 next preceding the Interest Payment Date unless Notes are cancelled, repurchased or redeemed after the record date and before the Interest Payment Date.  Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments.  The Company shall pay principal, premium, if any, and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.  Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by the transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depositary.  The Company shall make all payments in respect of a Definitive Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof.

 

3.                                      Paying Agent and Registrar

 

Initially, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America and having a corporate trust office at The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., 400 Hope Street, Suite 400, Los Angeles, California 90071, (“Trustee”), shall act as Paying Agent and Registrar.  The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar without notice to any Holder.  The Company or any of its domestically incorporated Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or co-registrar.

 

A-5



 

4.                                      Indenture

 

The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of December 18, 2012 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee.  The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.  The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the Securities Act for a statement of those terms.  To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

 

The Notes are senior secured obligations of the Company.  This Note is one of the 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 referred to in the Indenture.  The Notes include (i) $910,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 issued under the Indenture on December 18, 2012 (herein called “Initial Notes”), (ii) pursuant to the Exchange Offer, Exchange Notes from time to time for issue only in exchange for a like principal amount of Initial Notes and (iii) if and when issued, additional 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 of the Company that may be issued from time to time under the Indenture subsequent to December 18, 2012 (herein called “Additional Notes”).  The Indenture contains the terms and restrictions set forth in the Indenture or made a part of the Indenture pursuant to the requirements of the TIA.  The Indenture, among other things, imposes certain covenants with respect to the following matters:  the Incurrence of Indebtedness by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the payment of dividends and other distributions on the Capital Stock of the Company, the purchase or redemption of Capital Stock of the Company, certain purchases or redemptions of Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, the sale or transfer of assets and Capital Stock of Subsidiaries, the issuance or sale of Capital Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries, the incurrence of certain Liens, future Subsidiary Guarantors, the business activities and investments of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and transactions with Affiliates, provided, however, certain of such limitations shall be suspended if the Notes receive a rating of “BBB-” (or the equivalent) or higher from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services (or its successors) and “Baa3” (or the equivalent) or higher from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or its successors), in each case, with a stable or better outlook.  In addition, the Indenture limits the ability of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to enter into agreements that restrict distributions and dividends from Subsidiaries.  The Indenture also imposes requirements with respect to the provision of financial information.  The Indenture also contains certain exceptions to the foregoing, and this description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Indenture.

 

5.                                      Guarantee

 

To guarantee the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest (including post-filing or post-petition interest) on the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Company under the Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement when and as the same shall be due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, according to the terms of the Notes and the Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantors have unconditionally guaranteed (and future guarantors, together with the Subsidiary Guarantors, shall unconditionally Guarantee), jointly and severally, such obligations on a senior, secured

 

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basis on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the Indenture.

 

6.                                      Security

 

The Initial Notes, Exchange Notes and Additional Notes, if any, are treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture and shall be secured by first-priority Liens and security interests, subject to Permitted Liens, in the Collateral on the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture and the Collateral Documents.  The Collateral Agent holds the Collateral in trust for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders, in each case pursuant to the Collateral Documents.  Each Holder, by accepting this Note, consents and agrees to the terms of the Collateral Documents (including the provisions providing for the foreclosure and release of Collateral) as the same may be in effect or may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms, the Indenture and the Intercreditor Agreement and authorizes and directs the Collateral Agent to enter into the Collateral Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement, and to perform its obligations and exercise its rights thereunder in accordance therewith.

 

7.                                      Redemption

 

(a)                                 Except as described in clauses (b) and (c) below, the Notes are not redeemable until December 15, 2017.  On and after December 15, 2017, the Company may redeem all or, from time to time, a part of the Notes, at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed) plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on December 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

 

Percentage

 

2017

 

104.500

%

2018

 

103.000

%

2019

 

101.500

%

2020 and thereafter

 

100.000

%

 

(b)                                 At any time prior to December 15, 2015, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the Applicable Premium plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).

 

Applicable Premium” means, as determined by the Company with respect to a Note on any Redemption Date, the greater of:

 

(1)                                 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; and

 

(2)                                 the excess, if any, of (a) the present value as of such Redemption Date of (i) the principal amount of such Note on December 15, 2017, plus (ii) the remaining scheduled interest payments due on such Note through December 15, 2017 (excluding

 

A-7



 

accrued but unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such Redemption Date plus 50 basis points, over (b) the then outstanding principal of such Note, in each case as calculated by the Company or on behalf of the Company by such Person as the Company shall designate.

 

Treasury Rate” means, as obtained by the Company, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017; provided, however, that if the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the Redemption Date to December 15, 2017 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

 

(c)                                  On or prior to December 15, 2015, the Company may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the original principal amount of the Notes with the Net Cash Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 109.000% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders of Notes on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date); provided that

 

(i)                                     at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes remains outstanding after each such redemption; and

 

(ii)                                  the redemption occurs within 90 days after the closing of such Equity Offering.

 

Notice of any redemption pursuant to clause (c) may be given prior to the completion of such Equity Offering, and any such redemption or notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of the related Equity Offering.

 

(d)                                 Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph 7 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1, and Sections 5.2 through 5.7 of the Indenture.

 

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[8.                                  Registration Rights Agreement.   The Notes are entitled to the benefit of the Registration Rights Agreement.](1)

 

9.                                      Change of Control; Asset Sales

 

(a)                                 If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem all of the Notes under Section 5.1 of the Indenture, each Holder shall have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (in integral multiples of $1,000 except that no Note may be tendered in part if the remaining principal amount would be less than $2,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date) as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.

 

(b)                                 In the event of an Asset Disposition that requires the purchase of Notes pursuant to Section 3.7(c) of the Indenture, the Company shall be required to make an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes in accordance with Section 3.7(c) of the Indenture at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of purchase (subject to the rights of Holders of record on any Record Date to receive payments of interest on the related Interest Payment Date).  Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive an Asset Disposition Offer from the Company prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Note purchased pursuant to such offer by completing the form entitled “Option of Holder To Elect Purchase” attached hereto, or transferring its interest in such Note by book-entry transfer, to the Company or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three Business Days before the Asset Disposition Purchase Date.

 

10.                               Denominations; Transfer; Exchange

 

The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of principal amount of $2,000 and whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture.  The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.  The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes for a period beginning 15 Business Days before an Interest Payment Date and ending on such Interest Payment Date.

 


(1)                                 To be included in Notes bearing the Private Placement Legend.

 

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11.                               Persons Deemed Owners

 

The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

 

12.                               Unclaimed Money

 

If money for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest remains unclaimed for two years, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Company at its request unless an abandoned property law designates another person.  After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Company and not to the Trustee for payment.

 

13.                               Discharge and Defeasance

 

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Company at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

 

14.                               Amendment, Waiver

 

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, (i) the Indenture, the Notes and the Collateral Documents may be amended with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) and (ii) any default (other than (x) with respect to nonpayment or (y) in respect of a provision that cannot be amended without the written consent of each Holder affected) or noncompliance with any provision may be waived with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of any Holder, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may amend the Indenture, the Notes or the Collateral Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency, or to comply with Article IV or Article X of the Indenture in respect of the assumption by a Successor Company of an obligation of the Company under the Indenture or by a Successor Guarantor of obligations under a Subsidiary Guarantee, or to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, or to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or to secure the Notes, or to release a Subsidiary Guarantor upon its designation as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or otherwise in accordance with the Indenture, to release Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent in the Collateral as provided under the collateral release provisions, or to add additional covenants or surrender rights and powers conferred on the Company, or to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect or to conform the text of the Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees to the “Description of notes” section of the Offering Memorandum.

 

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15.                               Defaults and Remedies

 

Under the Indenture, and subject to the terms and provisions of the Indenture Events of Default include, without limitation:  (i) default for 30 days in payment of interest when due on the Notes; (ii) default in payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes at Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise; (iii) failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 3.9 or Article IV of the Indenture, (iv) failure by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor to comply with certain other provisions or agreements in the Indenture, the Notes and the Collateral Documents, in certain cases subject to notice and lapse of time; (v) certain accelerations (including failure to pay within any grace period after final maturity) of other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary if the amount accelerated (or so unpaid) exceeds $50.0 million; (vi) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary; (vii) certain final judgments or decrees for the payment of money in excess of $50.0 million; (viii) any Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or is denied or disaffirmed by such Significant Subsidiary; and (ix) with respect to Collateral with a fair market value in excess of $10.0 million, a declaration or assertion of invalidity or unenforceability or the failure to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated hereby), subject to any applicable grace periods as set forth in the Indenture.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes then outstanding may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.  Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company are Events of Default which shall result in the Notes being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.

 

Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture.  The Trustee and the Collateral Agent may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless each receives indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to each of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent.  Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power.  The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.

 

17.                               Collateral

 

These Notes and any Guarantee by a Guarantor are secured by a security interest in the Collateral pursuant to certain Collateral Documents.

 

18.                               Trustee Dealings with the Company

 

Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company or its Affiliates and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.

 

A-11



 

19.                               No Recourse Against Others

 

A director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture, the Subsidiary Guarantees, the Collateral Documents, the Intercreditor Agreement or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.  By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability.  The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

20.                               Authentication

 

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

 

21.                               Abbreviations

 

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (=tenants in common), TEN ENT (=tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (=joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian) and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).

 

22.                               CUSIP Numbers

 

Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Note Identification Procedures the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes.  No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers as printed on the Notes and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

23.                               Successor Entity

 

When a successor entity assumes, in accordance with the Indenture, all the obligations of its predecessor under the Notes and the Indenture, and immediately before and thereafter no Default or Event of Default exists and all other conditions of the Indenture are satisfied, the predecessor entity will be released from those obligations.

 

24.                               Governing Law

 

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge to the Holder a copy of the Indenture which has in it the text of this Note in larger type.  Requests may be made to:

 

The McClatchy Company

2100 “Q” Street

Sacramento, California 95816

 

A-12



 

Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager

Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

A-13



 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

 

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. No.)

 

and irrevocably appoint                        agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Company.  The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

 

 

(Signature must be guaranteed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.

 

 

 

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.

 

A-14



 

[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]

 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

 

The initial principal amount of the Note shall be $ [                            ].  The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of 
Exchange

 

Amount of decrease in
Principal Amount of this
Global Note

 

Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of this
Global Note

 

Principal Amount of this
Global Note following
such decrease or
increase

 

Signature of authorized
signatory of Trustee or
Notes Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-15



 

OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

 

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, check the box:

 

 

o

o

 

 

3.7

3.9

 

 

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 3.7 or 3.9 of the Indenture, state the amount in principal amount (must be in denominations of integral multiples of $1,000):  $

 

Date:

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of the Note)

 

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

 

 

(Signature must be guaranteed)

 

 

 

The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-15.

 

A-16



 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE

 

Pursuant to the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of December 18, 2012 among The McClatchy Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto (each a “Subsidiary Guarantor” and collectively the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”) and as collateral agent, each Subsidiary Guarantor, subject to the provisions of Article X of the Indenture, hereby fully, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees on a pari passu basis with the Liens securing any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, jointly and severally with each other Subsidiary Guarantor, to each Holder of the Notes, to the extent lawful, and the Trustee the full and punctual payment when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and all other obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes (including without limitation interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding and the obligations under Section 7.6 of the Indenture) and the Collateral Documents (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guarantor Obligations”).  Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees (to the extent lawful) that the Guarantor Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from it, and that it shall remain bound under this Subsidiary Guarantee notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guarantor Obligation.

 

The Guarantor Obligations of the Guarantors to the Holders of the Notes pursuant to the Subsidiary Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article X of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or the Holders in enforcing any rights under this Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

A-17



 

 

ABOARD PUBLISHING, INC.

 

ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, INC.

 

BELTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

BISCAYNE BAY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

CASS COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

COLUMBUS LEDGER-ENQUIRER, INC.

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, INC.

 

 

 

EAST COAST NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

HLB NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

KELTATIM PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

KEYNOTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

LEE’S SUMMIT JOURNAL, INCORPORATED

 

LEXINGTON H-L SERVICES, INC.

 

MACON TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

MAIL ADVERTISING CORPORATION

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE WEST

 

MCCLATCHY INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY U.S.A., INC.

 

MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY

 

NEWSPRINT VENTURES, INC.

 

NITTANY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

NOR-TEX PUBLISHING, INC.

 

OLYMPIC-CASCADE PUBLISHING, INC.

 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

QUAD COUNTY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

STAR-TELEGRAM, INC.

 

TACOMA NEWS, INC.

 

THE BRADENTON HERALD, INC.

 

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE NEWS AND OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY

 

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

TRIBUNE NEWSPRINT COMPANY

 

WICHITA EAGLE AND BEACON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

WINGATE PAPER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

A-18



 

 

MCCLATCHY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE LLC

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 

 

BELLINGHAM HERALD PUBLISHING, LLC

 

IDAHO STATESMAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

OLYMPIAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

 

All By:

Pacific Northwest Publishing Company, Inc., its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, LLC

 

 

 

By:

Cypress Media, Inc.,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, LLC

 

 

 

By:

The McClatchy Company,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief

 

 

 

Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

A-19



 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

 

The McClatchy Company

2100 “Q” Street

Sacramento, California 95816

Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager

Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.

400 Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: Corporate Unit

Facsimile: (213) 630-6298

 

Re:  9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of December 18, 2022 (the “Indenture”), among The McClatchy Company, as Issuer (the “Company”), the Guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

 

(the “Transferor”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $         in such Note[s] or interests (the “Transfer”), to                      (the “Transferee”), as further specified in Annex A hereto.  In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:

 

[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]

 

1.                                      o                                    Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A.  The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.  Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

B-1



 

2.                                      o                                    Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note or a Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S.  The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser).  Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note and/or the Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

3.                                      o                                    Check and complete if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A or Regulation S.  The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):

 

(a)                                 o                                    such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act;

 

or

 

(b)                                 o                                    or such Transfer is being effected to the Company or a subsidiary thereof;

 

or

 

(c)                                  o                                    such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

 

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4.                                     o                                    Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note.

 

(a)                                 o                                    Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144.  (i)  The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.  Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

 

(b)                                 o                                    Check if Transfer is pursuant to Regulation S.  (i)  The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.  Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

 

(c)                                  o                                    Check if Transfer is pursuant to other exemption.  (i)  The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.  Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

 

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.

 

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[Insert Name of Transferor]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

B-4



 

ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

 

1.                                      The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:

 

[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]

 

(a)                                 o                                    a beneficial interest in the:

 

(i)                                      o                                    144A Global Note (CUSIP [               ]), or

 

(ii)                                   o                                    Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [               ])),  or

 

(b)                                 o                                    a Restricted Definitive Note.

 

2.                                      After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:

 

[CHECK ONE]

 

(a)                                 o                                    a beneficial interest in the:

 

(i)                                      o                                    144A Global Note  (CUSIP [               ]),  or

 

(ii)                                   o                                    Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP [               ]), or

 

(iii)                                o                                    Unrestricted Global Note  CUSIP [               ],  or

 

(b)                                 o                                    a Restricted Definitive Note; or

 

(c)                                  o                                    an Unrestricted Definitive Note,

 

in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

B-5



 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE

 

The McClatchy Company

2100 “Q” Street

Sacramento, California 95816

Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager

Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.

400 Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: Corporate Unit

Facsimile: (213) 630-6298

 

Re:  9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

(CUSIP [             ])

 

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of December 18, 2012 (the “Indenture”), among The McClatchy Company, as Issuer (the “Company”), the Guarantors named therein and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

 

(the “Owner”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $                 in such Note[s] or interests (the “Exchange”).  In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:

 

1.                                      Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note.

 

(a)                                 o                                    Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note.  In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

(b)                                 o                                    Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note.  In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial

 

C-1



 

interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

(c)                                  o                                    Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note.  In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

(d)                                 o                                    Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note.  In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

2.                                      Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes.

 

(a)                                 o                                    Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note.  In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer.  Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

(b)                                 o                                    Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.  In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] o 144A Global Note, o Regulation S Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest

 

C-2



 

is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.  Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

 

C-3



 

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.

 

 

 

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Dated:

 

 

 

 

C-4



 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

 

D-1



 

INTERCREDITOR AND COLLATERAL AGENCY AGREEMENT

 

dated as of December 18, 2012,

 

among

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY,

 

the other GRANTORS party hereto,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent,

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Notes Collateral Agent,

 

and

 

each ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT from time to time party hereto

 



 

INTERCREDITOR AND COLLATERAL AGENCY AGREEMENT dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other Grantors party hereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Credit Agreement Collateral Agent”), THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., in its capacity as collateral agent for the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties (in such capacity, the “Notes Collateral Agent”), and each ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT from time to time party hereto as collateral agent for any First Lien Obligations (as defined below) of any other Class (as defined below).

 

The parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01.  Certain Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

Additional Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII.

 

Additional First Lien Obligations” means all obligations of the Borrower and the other Grantors that shall have been designated as such pursuant to Article VIII, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, that the holders of any such Refinancing debt (or the applicable Collateral Agent on their behalf) shall, to the extent not already party hereto in such capacity, bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement, and shall in any event include all interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in such Additional First Lien Obligations Documents, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law.

 

Additional First Lien Obligations Documents” means the indentures or any other agreements or instruments under which Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series are issued or incurred and all other instruments, agreements and other documents evidencing or governing Additional First Lien Obligations of such Series or providing any guarantee, Lien or other right in respect thereof.

 

Additional Secured Parties” means the holders of any Additional First Lien Obligations.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 



 

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

 

Aggregate Credit Agreement Exposures” means, at any time, the sum of (i) the unused portion of the commitments under the Credit Agreement and (ii) the Credit Agreement Obligations.

 

Amend” means, in respect of any agreement, to amend, restate, supplement, waive or otherwise modify such agreement, in whole or in part.  The terms “Amended” and “Amendment” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Authorized Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, any vice president, treasurer, general counsel, secretary or another executive officer of such Person.

 

Bailee Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(a).

 

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

 

Bankruptcy Law” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

 

Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

Class”, when used in reference to (a) any First Lien Obligations, refers to whether such First Lien Obligations are the Credit Agreement Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (b) any Collateral Agent, refers to whether such Collateral Agent is the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, the Notes Collateral Agent or the Additional Collateral Agent with respect to the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (c) any Bailee Collateral Agent, refers to whether such Bailee Collateral Agent is the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, the Notes Collateral Agent or the Additional Collateral Agent with respect to the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (d) any Secured Parties, refers to whether such Secured Parties are the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties or the holders of the Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, (e) any Secured Credit Documents, refers to whether such Secured Credit Documents are the Credit Agreement Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Documents or the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents with respect to Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series, and (f) any Security Documents, refers to whether such Security Documents are part of the Credit Agreement Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Documents or the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents with respect to Additional First Lien Obligations of any Series.

 

Collateral” means all assets of the Borrower or any of the Grantors now or hereafter subject to a Lien securing any First Lien Obligations.

 

2



 

Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit I.

 

Collateral Agents” means the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, the Notes Collateral Agent and each Additional Collateral Agent.

 

Control” has the meaning assigned thereto in the definition of “Affiliate”.

 

Controlled Shared Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(a).

 

Credit Agreement” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of December 18, 2012 by and among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto from time to time, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent, and one or more other financing arrangements (including, without limitation, any guarantee agreements and security documents), in each case as such agreements may be amended (including any amendment and restatement thereof), supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement, indenture, credit facility, commercial paper facility or new agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing, replacing, consolidating or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under any such agreement or any successor or replacement agreement and whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders and whether or not increasing the amount of Indebtedness that may be incurred thereunder; provided that the collateral agent for any such other financing arrangement or agreement becomes a party hereto by executing and delivering a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Administrative Agent” has the meaning assigned to the term “Administrative Agent” in the Credit Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

 

Credit Agreement Collateral Agreement” has the meaning assigned to the term “Security Agreement” in the Credit Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Documents” has the meaning assigned to the term “Loan Documents” in the Credit Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Obligations” means all Obligations, Hedging Obligations owed to any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time the underlying contract was executed) and Cash Management Obligations, as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, that the holders of any such Refinancing debt (or the applicable Collateral Agent on their behalf) shall, to the extent not already party hereto in such capacity, bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement, and shall in any event include all interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the Credit Agreement, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law.

 

3



 

Credit Agreement Secured Parties” means the holders of the Credit Agreement Obligations.

 

Discharge” means, with respect to First Lien Obligations of any Class, (a) payment in full in cash of the principal of and interest on (including interest accruing during the pendency of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), and premium, if any, on, all Indebtedness outstanding under Secured Credit Documents of such Class, (b) payment in full of all other First Lien Obligations of such Class that are due and payable or otherwise accrued and owing at or prior to the time such principal and interest are paid, (c) in the case of the Credit Agreement Obligations, cancellation of or the entry into of arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Credit Agreement Administrative Agent and each applicable issuing lender with respect to all letters of credit issued and outstanding under the Credit Agreement Documents and (d) termination or expiration of all commitments to lend under the Credit Agreement Documents.

 

Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” (or similar event, however denominated) as defined in any Secured Credit Document.

 

First Lien Obligations” means all Credit Agreement Obligations, Senior Secured Notes Obligations and Additional First Lien Obligations.

 

Grantor Joinder Agreement” means a supplement to this Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit II.

 

Grantors” means, at any time, the Borrower and each Subsidiary that, at such time, pursuant to Security Documents of any Class have granted a Lien on any of its assets to secure any First Lien Obligations of such Class.

 

Impairment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.02.

 

Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture or in the Credit Agreement, as applicable.

 

Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding” means:

 

(a)           any case commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, receivership, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Borrower or any other Grantor, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its assets or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its creditors or its assets, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

 

(b)           any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other winding up of or relating to the Borrower or any other Grantor or its assets, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency and whether or not in a court supervised proceeding; or

 

4



 

(c)           any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

 

Intervening Creditor” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.02.

 

Intervening Lien” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.02.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset.

 

Notes Collateral Agent” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble hereto.

 

Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness” means all First Lien Obligations other than the Priority Payment Lien Obligations.

 

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, governmental authority or other entity.

 

Priority Payment Lien Obligations” means Credit Agreement Obligations and any Additional First Lien Obligations (together with any Refinancing thereof), in each case, which meet the requirements of “Priority Payment Lien Obligations” as such term is defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture as in effect on the date hereof and, to the extent the Discharge of Credit Agreement Obligations has not then occurred, is expressly permitted by the Credit Agreement; provided, that the holders of any such Refinancing debt (or the applicable Collateral Agent on their behalf) shall, to the extent not already party hereto in such capacity, bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement.

 

Proceeds” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01(b).

 

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, purchase, defease, retire, restructure or replace, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness, in whole or in part.  “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Related Secured Credit Documents” means, with respect to the Collateral Agent or Secured Parties of any Class, the Secured Credit Documents of such Class.

 

Related Secured Parties” means, with respect to the Collateral Agent of any Class, the Secured Parties of such Class.

 

Secured Credit Documents” means, collectively, the Credit Agreement Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Documents and the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents.

 

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties.

 

5



 

Security Documents” means (a) the Credit Agreement Collateral Agreement and the other Collateral Documents (as defined in the Credit Agreement), (b) the Senior Secured Notes Collateral Agreement and the other Senior Secured Notes Documents providing any Lien (including any mortgage) in respect of the Senior Secured Notes Obligations and (c) any other agreement entered into in favor of the Collateral Agent of any other Class for the purpose of securing the First Lien Obligations of such Class.

 

Senior Secured Notes Collateral Agreement” has the meaning assigned to the term “Security Agreement” in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.

 

Senior Secured Notes Documents” means the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Senior Secured Notes Collateral Agreement and all other instruments, agreements and other documents evidencing or governing the Senior Secured Notes Obligations or providing any Subsidiary Guarantee (as defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture), Lien (including any mortgage) or other right in respect thereof.

 

Senior Secured Notes Indenture” means that certain Indenture, dated as of December 18, 2012, among the Borrower, the other Grantors party thereto, as guarantors, the Notes Collateral Agent and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Senior Secured Notes Trustee, governing the Borrower’s 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement extending the maturity of, refinancing, replacing, consolidating or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such Senior Secured Notes Indenture or any successor or replacement Senior Secured Notes Indenture and whether by the same or any other Senior Secured Notes Trustee and whether or not increasing the amount of Indebtedness that may be incurred thereunder; provided that the collateral agent for any such other financing arrangement or Senior Secured Notes Indenture becomes a party hereto by executing and delivering a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement.

 

Senior Secured Notes Obligations” has the meaning assigned to the term “Notes Obligations” in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, that the holders of any such Refinancing debt (or their agent on their behalf) shall bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement, and shall in any event include all interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law.

 

Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties” has the meaning assigned to the term “Secured Parties” in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.

 

Senior Secured Notes Trustee” has the meaning given to the term “Trustee” as defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.

 

Series”, when used in reference to Additional First Lien Obligations, refers to such Additional First Lien Obligations as shall have been issued or incurred pursuant to the same indentures or other agreements and with respect to which the same Person acts as the Additional Collateral Agent.

 

6



 

Shared Collateral” means, at any time, Collateral on which Collateral Agents or Secured Parties of any two or more Classes have at such time a Lien (including as a result of the agreements set forth in Section 4.01).  If First Lien Obligations of more than two Classes are outstanding at any time, then any Collateral shall constitute Shared Collateral with respect to First Lien Obligations of any Class only if the Collateral Agent or Secured Parties of such Class have at such time a Lien on such Collateral.

 

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

 

SECTION 1.02.  Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  Unless the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument, other document, statute or regulation as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, but shall not be deemed to include the subsidiaries of such Person unless express reference is made to such subsidiaries, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Exhibits shall be construed to refer to Articles, and Sections of, and Exhibits to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.03.  Concerning the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, the Notes Collateral Agent and Each Additional Collateral Agent.

 

(a)           Each acknowledgement, agreement, consent and waiver (whether express or implied) in this Agreement made by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, whether on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, is made in reliance on the authority granted to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent pursuant to the authorization thereof under the Credit Agreement.  It is understood and agreed that the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into whether any of its Related Secured Parties is in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, and no party hereto or any other Secured Party shall have any right of action whatsoever against the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent for any failure of any of its Related Secured Parties to comply with the terms hereof or for any of its Related Secured Parties taking any action contrary to the terms hereof.

 

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(b)           Each acknowledgement, agreement, consent and waiver (whether express or implied) in this Agreement made by the Notes Collateral Agent, whether on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, is made in reliance on the authority granted to the Notes Collateral Agent pursuant to the authorization thereof under the Senior Secured Notes Indenture.  It is understood and agreed that the Notes Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into whether any of its Related Secured Parties is in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, and no party hereto or any other Secured Party shall have any right of action whatsoever against the Notes Collateral Agent for any failure of any of its Related Secured Parties to comply with the terms hereof or for any of its Related Secured Parties taking any action contrary to the terms hereof.

 

(c)           Each acknowledgement, agreement, consent and waiver (whether express or implied) in this Agreement made by any Additional Collateral Agent, whether on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, is made in reliance on the authority granted to such Additional Collateral Agent pursuant to the authorization thereof under the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents relating to such Class of First Lien Obligations.  It is understood and agreed that no Additional Collateral Agent shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into whether any of its Related Secured Parties is in compliance with the terms of this Agreement, and no party hereto or any other Secured Party shall have any right of action whatsoever against the Additional Collateral Agent for any failure of any of its Related Secured Parties to comply with the terms hereof or for any of its Related Secured Parties taking any action contrary to the terms hereof.

 

ARTICLE II

 

Lien Priorities; Proceeds

 

SECTION 2.01.  Relative Priorities.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding the date, time, method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any Lien on any Shared Collateral securing any First Lien Obligation, and notwithstanding any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, any other applicable law or any Secured Credit Document, or any other circumstance whatsoever (but, in each case, subject to Section 2.01(b) and Section 2.02), each Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of its Related Secured Parties, agrees that Liens on any Shared Collateral securing First Lien Obligations of any Class shall be of equal priority.

 

(b)           Each Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of its Related Secured Parties, agrees that, notwithstanding (x) any provision of any Secured Credit Document to the contrary (but subject to Section 2.02) and (y) the date, time, method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any Lien on any Shared Collateral securing any First Lien Obligation, and notwithstanding any provision of the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, any other applicable law or any Secured Credit Document, or any other circumstance whatsoever (but, in each case, subject to Section 2.02), if (i) such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties takes any action to enforce rights or exercise remedies in respect of any Shared Collateral (including any such action referred to in Section 3.01(a)), (ii) any distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) is made in respect of any Shared

 

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Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Borrower or any other Grantor or (iii) such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties receives any payment with respect to any Shared Collateral pursuant to any intercreditor agreement (other than this Agreement), then the proceeds of any sale, collection or other liquidation of any Shared Collateral obtained by such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties on account of such enforcement of rights or exercise of remedies, and any such distributions or payments received by such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties (all such proceeds, distributions and payments being collectively referred to as “Proceeds”), shall be applied as follows:

 

(i)            FIRST, to the payment of all amounts owing to, and all costs and expenses incurred by, any Collateral Agent, the Credit Agreement Administrative Agent and the Senior Secured Notes Trustee (in their capacities as such), pursuant to the terms of any Secured Credit Document or in connection with any enforcement of rights or exercise of remedies pursuant thereto, including all court costs and the reasonable fees and expenses of agents and legal counsel and, in each case, including all costs and expenses incurred by such Collateral Agent, the Credit Agreement Administrative Agent, the Senior Secured Notes Trustee or any of their respective Related Secured Parties in enforcing its rights to obtain such payment;

 

(ii)           SECOND, to the payment in full of any Priority Payment Lien Obligations at the time due and payable (including any post-petition interest with respect thereto, regardless of whether or not allowed or allowable in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) and the termination of any commitments thereunder;

 

(iii)          THIRD, subject to Section 2.02, to the payment in full of all other First Lien Obligations of each Class secured by a Lien on such Shared Collateral at the time due and payable (the amounts so applied to be distributed, as among such Classes of First Lien Obligations, ratably in accordance with the amounts of the First Lien Obligations of each such Class on the date of such application);

 

(iv)          FOURTH, after payment in full of all First Lien Obligations secured by such Shared Collateral, to the holders of junior Liens on the Shared Collateral; and

 

(v)           FIFTH, after payment in full of all the First Lien Obligations and any holders of junior Liens, to the Borrower and the other Grantors or their successors or assigns, as their interests may appear, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

(c)           For the avoidance of doubt, any amounts to be distributed pursuant to this Section 2.01 shall be distributed by the applicable Collateral Agent to the following agents for further distribution to its Related Secured Parties: (i) in the case of any amount representing payment with respect to a Priority Payment Lien Obligation, to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent (until such time as the Credit Agreement Obligations that constitute Priority Payment Obligations are Discharged, and after such time to the Collateral Agent that is granted possession of all possessory Controlled Shared Collateral in accordance with Section 4.01(d)), (ii) in the case of any amount representing payment with respect to a Credit Agreement Obligation, to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, (iii) in the case of any amount representing payment with

 

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respect to a Senior Secured Notes Obligation, to the Notes Collateral Agent, and (iv) in the case of any amount representing payment with respect to any Additional First Lien Obligation, to the applicable Additional Collateral Agent for the corresponding Additional First Lien Obligations Documents.

 

(d)           It is acknowledged that the First Lien Obligations of any Series may, subject to the limitations set forth in the then extant Secured Credit Documents, be increased, extended, renewed, replaced, restated, supplemented, restructured, repaid, refunded, Refinanced or otherwise amended or modified from time to time, all without affecting the priorities set forth in Section 2.01(b) or the provisions of this Agreement defining the relative rights of the Secured Parties of any Class.

 

SECTION 2.02.  Impairments.  It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Secured Parties of any given Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness (and not the Secured Parties of any other Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness) bear the risk of any determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that (i) any First Lien Obligations of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness are unenforceable under applicable law or are subordinated to any other obligations (other than to any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness), (ii) the Secured Parties of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness do not have a Lien on any of the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations of any other Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness and/or (iii) any Person (other than any Collateral Agent or Secured Party) has a Lien on any Shared Collateral that is senior in priority to the Lien on such Shared Collateral securing First Lien Obligations of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, but junior to the Lien on such Shared Collateral securing any other Class of Priority Payment Lien Obligations or Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness (any such Lien being referred to as an “Intervening Lien”, and any such Person being referred to as an “Intervening Creditor”) (any condition with respect to First Lien Obligations of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness being referred to as an “Impairment” of such Class).  In the event an Impairment exists with respect to First Lien Obligations of any Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, the results of such Impairment shall be borne solely by the Secured Parties of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, and the rights of the Secured Parties of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness (including the right to receive distributions in respect of First Lien Obligations of such Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness pursuant to Section 2.01(b)) set forth herein shall be modified to the extent necessary so that the results of such Impairment are borne solely by the Secured Parties of such Class.  In furtherance of the foregoing, in the event First Lien Obligations of any Class of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness shall be subject to an Impairment in the form of an Intervening Lien of any Intervening Creditor, the value of any Shared Collateral or Proceeds that are allocated to such Intervening Creditor shall be deducted solely from the Shared Collateral or Proceeds to be distributed in respect of First Lien Obligations of such Class.

 

SECTION 2.03.  Payment Over.  Each Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, agrees that if such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties shall at any time obtain possession of any Shared Collateral or receive any Proceeds (other than as a result of any application of Proceeds pursuant to Section 2.01(b)), (i) such Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Party, as the case may be, shall promptly inform each other Collateral Agent thereof, (ii) such Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Party shall hold such Shared Collateral or Proceeds for the benefit of the Secured Parties of any Class entitled thereto pursuant to Section 2.01(b) and, with respect to any Shared Collateral constituting Controlled Shared

 

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Collateral, such Collateral Agent shall comply with the provisions of Section 4.01 and (iii) in the case of any such Proceeds, such Proceeds shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.01(b) as promptly as practicable.

 

SECTION 2.04.  Determinations with Respect to Amounts of Obligations and Liens.  Whenever the Collateral Agent of any Class shall be required, in connection with the exercise of its rights or the performance of its obligations hereunder, to determine the existence or amount of any First Lien Obligations of any other Class, or the Shared Collateral subject to any Lien securing the First Lien Obligations of any other Class (and whether such Lien constitutes a valid and perfected Lien), it may request that such information be furnished to it in writing by the Collateral Agent of such other Class and shall be entitled to make such determination on the basis of the information so furnished; provided that if, notwithstanding the request of the Collateral Agent of such Class, the Collateral Agent of such other Class shall fail or refuse reasonably promptly to provide the requested information, the Collateral Agent of such Class shall be entitled to make any such determination by such method as it may, in the exercise of its good faith judgment, determine, including by reliance upon a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower.  Each Collateral Agent may rely conclusively, and shall be fully protected in so relying, on any determination made by it in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence (or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction) and shall have no liability to any Grantor, any Secured Party or any other Person as a result of such determination or any action taken or not taken pursuant thereto.

 

SECTION 2.05.  Exculpatory Provisions.  None of the Collateral Agents or any Secured Parties shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by any Collateral Agent or Secured Party with respect to any Shared Collateral in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Rights and Remedies; Matters Relating to Shared Collateral

 

SECTION 3.01.  Exercise of Rights and Remedies.

 

(a)           Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section and Section 4.01(a), nothing in this Agreement shall affect the ability of any Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties (i) to enforce any rights and exercise any remedies with respect to any Shared Collateral available under any Related Secured Credit Documents or applicable law, including any right of set-off and any determinations regarding the release of Liens on, or any sale, transfer or other disposition of, any Shared Collateral, or any other rights or remedies available to a secured creditor under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction, the Bankruptcy Code or any other Bankruptcy Law or (ii) to commence any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including any foreclosure action or proceeding or any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding).  Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section and Section 4.01(a), any such exercise of rights and remedies by any Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties may be made in such order and in such manner as such Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Parties may, subject to the provisions of their Related Secured Credit Documents, determine in their sole discretion.  In addition, (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding

 

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commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, each Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties may file a proof of claim or statement of interest with respect to the applicable obligations thereto, (B) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Borrower or any other Grantor, each Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Parties may file any necessary or appropriate responsive pleadings in opposition to any motion, adversary proceeding or other pleading filed by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking disallowance of the claim or Lien of such Collateral Agent or Related Secured Party, (C) each Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Parties may file any pleadings, objections, motions, or agreements which assert rights available to unsecured creditors of the Borrower or any other Grantor arising under any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or applicable nonbankruptcy law, and (D) each Collateral Agent and its Related Secured Party may vote on any plan of reorganization in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Borrower or any other Grantor, in each case (A) through (D) above to the extent such action is not inconsistent with, or could not result in a resolution inconsistent with, the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section:

 

(i)            each Collateral Agent and its Related Secured Parties shall remain subject to, and bound by, all covenants or agreements made herein by or on behalf of such Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Parties;

 

(ii)           each Collateral Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, that, prior to the commencement of any enforcement of rights or any exercise of remedies with respect to any Shared Collateral by such Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties, such Collateral Agent or its Related Secured Party, as the case may be, shall provide prior written notice thereof to each other Collateral Agent, such notice to be provided as far in advance of such commencement as reasonably practicable, and shall regularly inform each other Collateral Agent of developments in connection with such enforcement or exercise; and

 

(iii)          subject to the terms and conditions of each Collateral Agent’s Related Secured Credit Documents, each Collateral Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, that such Collateral Agent and its Related Secured Parties shall cooperate in a commercially reasonable manner with each other Collateral Agent and its Related Secured Parties in any enforcement of rights or any exercise of remedies with respect to any Shared Collateral; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall require any Collateral Agent to cooperate with any other Collateral Agent if it has not received the appropriate or necessary consents, waivers, direction or indemnity from its Related Secured Parties.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, to the extent provided in the Senior Secured Notes Documents or the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents with respect to any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness for which the Notes Collateral Agent is also acting as collateral agent, the Notes Collateral Agent will be permitted to exercise remedies and sell the Collateral under the Security Documents only at the direction of the agents or representatives (including the Senior Secured Notes Trustee in the case of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties) who are authorized to act on behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Secured

 

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Parties or the Additional Secured Parties for which the Notes Collateral Agent is acting as collateral agent, as applicable, or at the direction of the holders of a majority in the principal amount of the outstanding Senior Secured Notes Obligations and any outstanding Additional First Lien Obligations for which the Collateral Agent is acting as collateral agent voting as a single class.

 

SECTION 3.02.  Prohibition on Contesting Liens.  Each Collateral Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, that neither such Collateral Agent nor any of its Related Secured Parties will, and each hereby waives any right to, contest or support any other Person in contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the perfection, priority, validity, attachment or enforceability of a Lien held by or on behalf of any other Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties in all or any part of the Shared Collateral; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties to enforce this Agreement.

 

SECTION 3.03.  Prohibition on Challenging this Agreement.  Each Collateral Agent agrees, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, that neither such Collateral Agent nor any of its Related Secured Parties will attempt, directly or indirectly, whether by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to challenge the enforceability of any provision of this Agreement; provided that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties to enforce this Agreement.

 

SECTION 3.04.  Release of Liens.  The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that the release of Liens on any Shared Collateral securing First Lien Obligations of any Class, whether in connection with a sale, transfer or other disposition of such Shared Collateral or otherwise, shall be governed by and subject to the Secured Credit Documents of such Class, and that nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to amend or affect the terms of the Secured Credit Documents of such Class with respect thereto; provided that if, at any time any Shared Collateral is transferred to a third party or otherwise disposed of, in each case, in connection with any enforcement by the applicable Collateral Agent in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, then (whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding is pending at the time) the Liens in favor of the other Collateral Agents for the benefit of each Series of Secured Parties upon such Shared Collateral will automatically be released and discharged upon final conclusion of foreclosure proceeding as and when, but only to the extent, such Liens on the Shared Collateral of the Collateral Agent enforcing its remedies in connection with such foreclosure are released and discharged; provided that any proceeds of any Shared Collateral realized therefrom shall be applied pursuant to Section 2.01(b) hereof. Each Collateral Agent agrees to execute and deliver (at the sole cost and expense of the Grantors) all such authorizations and other instruments as shall reasonably be requested by the any other Collateral Agent to evidence and confirm any release of Shared Collateral provided for in this Section.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

Collateral

 

SECTION 4.01.  Bailment for Perfection of Security Interests.

 

(a)           Each Collateral Agent agrees that if it shall at any time hold a Lien on any Shared Collateral that can be perfected by the possession or control of such Shared Collateral or of any deposit, securities or other account in which such Shared Collateral is held, and if such Shared Collateral or any such account is in fact in the possession or under the control of such Collateral Agent, or of agents or bailees of such Collateral Agent (such Shared Collateral being referred to herein as the “Controlled Shared Collateral”), such Collateral Agent shall, solely for the purpose of perfecting the Liens of any other Collateral Agent granted on such Shared Collateral under its Related Secured Credit Documents and subject to the terms and conditions of this Article, also hold such Controlled Shared Collateral as gratuitous bailee and sub-agent for each such other Collateral Agent (any Collateral Agent that shall be holding any Controlled Shared Collateral as gratuitous bailee and sub-agent being referred to herein as the “Bailee Collateral Agent”).  In furtherance of the foregoing, each Collateral Agent appoints each Bailee Collateral Agent as such Collateral Agent’s gratuitous bailee and sub-agent hereunder with respect to any Controlled Shared Collateral that such Bailee Collateral Agent possesses or controls at any time solely for the purpose of perfecting a Lien on such Controlled Shared Collateral.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, it is understood and agreed that as of the date hereof and until such time as the Credit Agreement Obligations that constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations are Discharged, the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent shall have the sole right to give any instructions, directions and entitlement orders (including any blockage or withdrawal instructions) with respect to any deposit, securities or other accounts, or any funds or property contained thereinto and to exercise any other remedies under any control agreement entered into with respect to a deposit account, a securities account or any other account; provided that any amounts withdrawn therefrom shall be subject to Article II.  It is further understood and agreed that as of the date hereof and until such time as the Credit Agreement Obligations that constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations are Discharged, the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent shall be granted possession of all possessory Controlled Shared Collateral and, thereafter, possession shall be determined by Section 4.01(d).

 

(b)           In furtherance of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby grants a security interest in the Controlled Shared Collateral to each Collateral Agent that possesses or controls Controlled Shared Collateral as permitted in Section 4.01(a) for the benefit of the Secured Parties under any other Class of First Lien Obligations which have been granted a Lien on the Controlled Shared Collateral possessed or controlled by such Collateral Agent.

 

(c)           Subject to Section 4.01(a), for purposes of this Section, the Bailee Collateral Agent shall be entitled to deal with the applicable Controlled Shared Collateral in accordance with the terms of its Related Secured Credit Documents as if the Liens thereon of the Collateral Agent or Secured Parties of any other Class (and the agreements set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section) did not exist; provided that any Proceeds arising from any such Controlled Shared Collateral shall be subject to Article II.  The obligations and responsibilities of any Bailee Collateral Agent to any other Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties under this Article shall be limited solely to holding or controlling the applicable Controlled Shared Collateral as gratuitous bailee and sub-agent in accordance with this Article.  Without limiting the foregoing, (i) no Bailee Collateral Agent shall have any obligation or responsibility to ensure that any Controlled Shared Collateral is genuine or owned by any of the Grantors, (ii) no Bailee Collateral Agent shall, by reason of this Agreement, any other Security Document or any other document, have a fiduciary relationship or other implied duties in respect of any other Collateral

 

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Agent or any other Secured Party and (iii) without affecting the agreement of any Bailee Collateral Agent to act as a gratuitous bailee and sub-agent solely for the purpose set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section or the right of any other Collateral Agent to enforce the rights and exercise the remedies (in each case other than through such Bailee Collateral Agent) as set forth in Section 3.01 and subject to the proviso in Section 4.01(a), each Collateral Agent agrees that such Collateral Agent shall not issue any instructions to any Bailee Collateral Agent, in its capacity as a gratuitous bailee and sub-agent of such Collateral Agent, with respect to the Controlled Shared Collateral or otherwise seek to exercise control over any Bailee Collateral Agent.

 

(d)           The Bailee Collateral Agent of any Class shall, upon the Discharge of the First Lien Obligations of such Class, transfer the possession and control of the applicable Controlled Shared Collateral, together with any necessary endorsements but without recourse or warranty, (i) if First Lien Obligations of any other Class are outstanding at such time, to the Collateral Agent of such other Class (or, if First Lien Obligations of more than one other Class are outstanding at such time, to the Collateral Agent of the same Class as the Class of the First Lien Obligations the aggregate principal amount of which outstanding at such time exceeds the aggregate principal amount of the First Lien Obligations of any other Class outstanding at such time) and (ii) if no First Lien Obligations are outstanding at such time, to the applicable Grantor or as directed by a court of competent jurisdiction, in each case so as to allow such Person to obtain possession and control of such Controlled Shared Collateral.  In connection with any transfer under clause (i) above by any Bailee Collateral Agent, such Bailee Collateral Agent agrees to take all actions in its power as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the transferee Collateral Agent to permit the transferee Collateral Agent to obtain, for the benefit of its Related Secured Parties, a first priority security interest in the applicable Controlled Shared Collateral.

 

SECTION 4.02.  Delivery of Documents.  Promptly after the execution and delivery to any Collateral Agent by any Grantor of any Security Document (other than (a) any Security Document in effect on the date hereof and (b) any Additional First Lien Obligations Document referred to in paragraph (b) of Article VIII, but including any amendment, amendment and restatement, waiver or other modification of any such Security Document or Additional First Lien Obligations Document), the Borrower shall deliver to each Collateral Agent party hereto at such time a copy of such Security Document.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Certain Agreements With Respect to Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings

 

SECTION 5.01.   Certain Agreements With Respect to Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings.

 

(a)           If the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall become subject to a case under the Bankruptcy Code and shall, as debtor(s)-in-possession, move for approval of financing (“DIP Financing”) to be provided by one or more lenders (the “DIP Lenders) under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or the use of cash collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, each of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties in respect

 

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of Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness agree that it will raise no objection to any such financing or to the Liens on the Shared Collateral securing the same (“DIP Financing Liens”) or to any use of cash collateral that constitutes Shared Collateral, unless the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of the Priority Payment Lien Obligations secured by the Shared Collateral shall then oppose or object to such DIP Financing or such DIP Financing Liens or use of cash collateral (and, to the extent that such DIP Financing Liens are senior to, or rank pari passu with, the Liens of such Priority Payment Lien Obligations secured by the Shared Collateral, the Notes Collateral Agent will, for itself and on behalf of the other Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent will, for itself and on behalf of any other Additional Secured Parties, subordinate the Liens of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and Additional Secured Parties in such Shared Collateral to the DIP Financing Liens, all adequate protection liens granted to the holders of the Priority Payment Lien Obligations on the Shared Collateral, and to any “carve-out” for professional and United States Trustee fees agreed to by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent), so long as the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties are granted adequate protection in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

(b)           Each Senior Secured Notes Secured Party and Additional Secured Party holding Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness agrees that it will not object to or oppose any release of their Liens in connection with any sale or other disposition of any Shared  Collateral (or any portion thereof) under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code or any other provision of the Bankruptcy Code if the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent and the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations shall have consented to such sale or disposition of such Shared Collateral, provided that the Liens of the Secured Parties will attach to the proceeds of such sale or disposition on the same basis of priority as they do with respect to the Shared Collateral in accordance with this Agreement, and further provided that the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties will be entitled to assert any objection to such sale or disposition that may be asserted by any unsecured creditor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

 

SECTION 5.02.  Relief from Automatic Stay.  Until the Discharge of Priority Payment Lien Obligations, the Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of its Related Secured Parties holding Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, each agrees that none of them shall (i) seek relief from the automatic stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Shared Collateral, without the prior written consent of the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, or (ii) oppose any motion by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or any the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations seeking relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Shared Collateral.

 

SECTION 5.03.  Adequate Protection.

 

(a)           The Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of its Related Secured Parties holding Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, agrees that none of them shall oppose (or support any other person opposing) (i) any motion or other request by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations for adequate protection of the Credit

 

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Agreement Collateral Agent’s Liens upon the Shared Collateral in any form, including any claim of the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations to post-petition interest, fees, or expenses as a result of their Lien on the Shared Collateral and request for additional or replacement Liens on post-petition assets of the same type as the Shared Collateral and/or for a superpriority administrative claim, or (ii) any objection by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations claiming a lack of adequate protection with respect to their Liens in the Shared Collateral.

 

(b)           In any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, the Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent on behalf of its Related Secured Parties, may seek adequate protection in respect of the Senior Secured Notes Obligations and the Additional First Lien Obligations, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, only if the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations, as the case may be, are granted adequate protection in the form of additional collateral or replacement Lien on the Shared Collateral and/or a superpriority administrative claim, in which event the Notes Collateral Agent or any Additional Collateral Agent, as the case may be, may receive as adequate protection an additional or replacement Lien and/or superpriority administrative claim (as applicable) that is junior and subordinate to such lien and/or claim granted to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or such holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations as adequate protection on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Senior Secured Notes Obligations and the Additional First Lien Obligations are so subordinated to the Liens securing the Priority Payment Lien Obligations.  In the event the Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties or any Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, seeks or requests (or is otherwise granted) adequate protection in respect of Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Additional First Lien Obligations and such adequate protection is granted in the form of an additional or replacement Lien and/or a superpriority administrative claim, then the Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, agrees that the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations, as the case may be, shall also be granted an additional or replacement Lien and/or a superpriority administrative claim (as applicable) as adequate protection for its senior interest in the Shared Collateral, and that the Notes Collateral Agent’s or such Additional Collateral Agent’s, as the case may be, additional or replacement Lien and/or superpriority administrative claim (as applicable) shall be subordinated to the additional or replacement Lien and/or superpriority administrative claim of the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations, as the case may be, on the same basis as the Liens and claims of the Notes Collateral Agent or such Additional Collateral Agent, as the case may be, on the Shared Collateral are subordinated to the Liens of, and claims with respect to, the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent or the holders of Priority Payment Lien Obligations on the Shared Collateral pursuant hereto.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the holders of the Priority Payment Lien Obligations are deemed by a court of competent jurisdiction to be fully secured on the petition date of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, or have been granted as adequate protection or otherwise the right to receive current post-petition interest, incurred fees or expenses or other cash payments, then the Notes Collateral Agent and the Notes Secured Parties and each

 

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Additional Collateral Agent and any Additional Secured Parties shall not be prohibited from seeking adequate protection in the form of payments in the amount of current post-petition interest, incurred fees, and expenses or other cash payments (as applicable), in addition to the forms of adequate protection described in Section 5.03(b).

 

SECTION 5.04.  Section 506(c) ClaimsUntil the Discharge of Priority Payment Lien Obligations, the Notes Collateral Agent and the Notes Secured Parties and Additional Secured Parties with Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness shall not assert or enforce any claim under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code senior to or on a parity with the Liens securing the Priority Payment Lien Obligations for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Shared Collateral or other collateral.

 

SECTION 5.05.  No X Clause.  This Agreement does not include any “X Clause” in favor of any of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing or of any other provision of this Agreement, absent a Discharge of Credit Agreement Obligations occurring on or before the effective date of any such Plan of Reorganization or absent the affirmative vote of Credit Agreement Secured Parties holding eighty-five percent (85%) or more of the Aggregate Credit Agreement Exposures expressly consenting to an alternate treatment in favor of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and the Additional Secured Parties in connection with any such Plan of Reorganization, no Senior Secured Notes Secured Party or Additional Secured Party shall be entitled to receive or retain any cash or any debt or equity securities to be distributed under any confirmed Plan of Reorganization on account of or otherwise by virtue of Liens in their favor on the Shared Collateral, regardless of the manner in which such distributions may or may not be expressly denominated or otherwise characterized (whether under such Plan of Reorganization, in any accompanying disclosure statement or other solicitation materials, or otherwise), but any such cash or debt or equity securities instead shall be deemed to constitute Shared Collateral and shall be distributed to the Credit Agreement Administrative Agent for further distribution to the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, which shall be theirs to retain and/or otherwise realize upon, pending a Discharge of Credit Agreement Obligations.

 

SECTION 5.06.  Separate Grants of Security and Separate Classification.   It is acknowledged and agreed that:

 

(a)           the Credit Agreement Obligations of the Borrower and each Grantor, including in respect of Shared Collateral, constitute claims separate and apart (and of a different nature) from any other First Lien Obligations of the Borrower and each other Grantor, including in respect of the Shared Collateral;

 

(b)           the grant of Liens to secure the Credit Agreement Obligations constitutes a separate and distinct grant of Liens from any Liens granted to secure any other First Lien Obligations; and

 

(c)           because of, among other things, their differing payment terms, their differing covenant rights, and their differing rights in the Shared Collateral (including vis-à-vis any Grantor and/or in directing the exercise of any rights in and remedies against the Collateral), the Credit Agreement Obligations are fundamentally different and distinct from (and

 

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substantially dissimilar, within the meaning of Section 1122 of the Bankruptcy Code, to) any and all other First Lien Obligations and must be separately classified in any plan of reorganization, liquidation, arrangement, or composition (any “Plan of Reorganization”), proposed or confirmed in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and the First Lien Obligations of any Series must be separately classified in any such plan from the First Lien Obligations of any other Series.

 

To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, and without limiting the generality of the other provisions of this Agreement, if it is held that the claims against the Borrower or any Grantor in respect of the Shared Collateral constitute only one secured claim (rather than separate classes of claims), then the Notes Collateral Agent and the Senior Secured Notes Trustee, on behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, hereby acknowledges and agrees that all distributions pursuant to Section 2.01(b) shall be made as if there were separate classes of senior and junior secured claims against the Borrower and the Grantors in respect of the Shared Collateral (with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the Shared Collateral is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the Notes Collateral Agent on behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties), the Credit Agreement Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive from the proceeds or deemed proceeds of such Shared Collateral, in addition to amounts distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest at the relevant default rate and all reasonable fees, costs, and changes provided for under the Credit Agreement and the Credit Agreement Collateral Documents (even though such claims may or may not be allowed in whole or in part in the respective Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) before any distribution from the proceeds or deemed proceeds of such Shared Collateral is made in respect of the claims held by the Notes Collateral Agent or any Additional Collateral Agent, as the case may be, with the Notes Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties and each Additional Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself or any of its Related Secured Parties, hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to the Credit Agreement Administrative Agent (for distribution to the holders of the Credit Agreement Obligations) all amounts otherwise received or receivable by them from the proceeds or deemed proceeds of such Shared Collateral to the extent needed to effectuate the intent of this sentence even if such turnover of amounts has the effect of reducing the amount of (or the distributions on) the claim of the Senior Secured Notes Secured Parties or the Additional Secured Parties, as the case may be).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Other Agreements

 

SECTION 6.01.  Concerning Secured Credit Documents and Collateral.

 

(a)           The Secured Credit Documents of any Class may be Amended, in whole or in part, in accordance with their terms, in each case without notice to or the consent of the Collateral Agent or any Secured Parties of any other Class; provided that nothing in this paragraph shall affect any limitation on any such Amendment that is set forth in the Secured Credit Documents of any such other Class.

 

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(b)                                 The Grantors agree that each Security Document creating a Lien on any Shared Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations shall contain a legend substantially in the form of Annex I, or similar provisions approved by the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent (until such time as the Credit Agreement Obligations that constitute Priority Payment Obligations are Discharged, and after such time by the Collateral Agent that is granted possession of all possessory Controlled Shared Collateral in accordance with Section 4.01(d)), which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(c)                                  The Grantors agree that they shall not grant to any Person any Lien on any Shared Collateral securing First Lien Obligations of any Class other than through the Collateral Agent of such Class (it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to prohibit grants of set-off rights to Secured Parties of any Class); provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the granting of any Liens permitted by the terms of the Secured Credit Documents.

 

(d)                                 The Grantors agree that they shall not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, grant or permit or suffer to exist any additional Liens on any asset or property to secure any Class of First Lien Obligations unless it has granted a Lien on such asset or property to secure each other Class of First Lien Obligations; provided, that to the extent the foregoing is not complied with for any reason, without limiting any other rights and remedies available to the Secured Parties, each Secured Party agrees that any amounts received by or distributed to any of them pursuant to or as a result of Liens granted in contravention of this Section 6.01(d) shall be subject to Article II; provided, further,  that the foregoing shall not prohibit (i) any Class of First Lien Obligations from being secured by Capital Stock (as defined in the Credit Agreement) that do not secure any other class of First Lien Obligations due to the Rule 3-16 Limitation (as defined in the Senior Secured Notes Collateral Agreement) or (ii) the granting of any Liens permitted by the terms of the Secured Credit Documents to any Person;

 

SECTION 6.02.  Refinancings.  The First Lien Obligations of any Class may be Refinanced (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any additional Indebtedness incurred to pay premiums (including tender premiums), defeasance costs, and accrued interest, fees and expenses in connection with such Refinancing), in whole or in part, in each case, without notice to, or the consent of the Collateral Agent or Secured Party of any other Class, all without affecting the priorities provided for herein (including, without limitation, the priority in right of payment of the Priority Payment Lien Obligations) or the other provisions hereof; provided, that if any obligations of the Grantors in respect of such Refinancing indebtedness shall be secured by Liens on any Shared Collateral, such obligations and the holders thereof shall be subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, if not already, the collateral agent under such obligations shall become a party hereto by executing and delivering a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.03.  Reinstatement.  If, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise, all or part of any payment with respect to the First Lien Obligations of any Class previously made shall be rescinded for any reason whatsoever (including an order or judgment for disgorgement of a preference or other avoidance action under the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar law), then the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be fully applicable thereto until all the First Lien Obligations of such Class shall again have been satisfied in full.

 

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SECTION 6.04.  Reorganization Modifications.  In the event the First Lien Obligations of any Class are modified pursuant to applicable law, including Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, any reference to the First Lien Obligations of such Class or the Secured Credit Documents of such Class shall refer to such obligations or such documents as so modified.

 

SECTION 6.05.  Further Assurances.  Each of the Collateral Agents and the Grantors agrees that it will execute, or will cause to be executed, such reasonable further documents, agreements and instruments, and take all such reasonable further actions, as may be required under any applicable law, or which any Collateral Agent may reasonably request, to effectuate the terms of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

No Reliance; No Liability

 

SECTION 7.01.  No Reliance; Information.  Each Collateral Agent, on behalf of its Related Secured Parties, acknowledges that (a) its Related Secured Parties have, independently and without reliance upon any Collateral Agent or any Related Secured Parties, and based on such documents and information as they have deemed appropriate, made their own credit analysis and decision to enter into the Secured Credit Documents to which they are party and (b) its Related Secured Parties will, independently and without reliance upon any Collateral Agent or any of its Related Secured Parties, and based on such documents and information as they shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make their own credit decision in taking or not taking any action under this Agreement or any other Secured Credit Document.  The Collateral Agent or Secured Parties of any Class shall have no duty to disclose to any Collateral Agent or any Secured Party of any other Class any information relating to the Borrower or any of the Grantors or their Subsidiaries, or any other circumstance bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of any of the First Lien Obligations, that is known or becomes known to any of them or any of their Affiliates.  If the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party of any Class, in its sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to, as the case may be, the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party of any other Class, it shall be under no obligation (i) to make, and shall not be deemed to have made, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of the information so provided, (ii) to provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion or (iii) to undertake any investigation.

 

SECTION 7.02.  No Warranties or Liability.

 

(a)                                 Each Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of its Related Secured Parties, acknowledges and agrees that no Collateral Agent or Secured Party of any other Class has made any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectability or enforceability of any of the Secured Credit Documents, the ownership of any Shared Collateral or the perfection or priority of any Liens thereon.  The Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties of any Class will be entitled to manage and supervise their loans and other extensions of credit in the manner set forth in their Related Secured Credit Documents. No Collateral Agent shall, by reason of this Agreement, any

 

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other Security Document or any other document, have a fiduciary relationship or other implied duties in respect of any other Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party.

 

(b)                                 No Collateral Agent or Secured Parties of any Class shall have any express or implied duty to the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party of any other Class to act or refrain from acting in a manner that allows, or results in, the occurrence or continuance of a default or an Event of Default under any Secured Credit Document (other than, in each case, this Agreement), regardless of any knowledge thereof that they may have or be charged with.

 

SECTION 7.03.  Rights of Notes Collateral Agent.

 

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Notes Collateral Agent shall be entitled to the same rights, protections, immunities and indemnities as set forth in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture as if the provisions setting forth those rights, protections, immunities and indemnities are fully set forth herein.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Additional First Lien Obligations

 

The Borrower may from time to time, subject to any limitations contained in any Secured Credit Documents in effect at such time, designate additional indebtedness and related obligations that are, or are to be, secured by Liens on any assets of the Borrower or any of the Grantors that would, if such Liens were granted, constitute Shared Collateral as Additional First Lien Obligations by delivering to each Collateral Agent party hereto at such time a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower:

 

(a)                                 describing the indebtedness and other obligations being designated as Additional First Lien Obligations, and including a statement of the maximum aggregate outstanding principal amount of such indebtedness as of the date of such certificate;

 

(b)                                 setting forth the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents under which such Additional First Lien Obligations are or will be issued or incurred or the Guarantees of or Liens securing such Additional First Lien Obligations are, or are to be, granted or created, and attaching copies of such Additional First Lien Obligations Documents as each Grantor has executed and delivered to the Person that serves as the collateral agent, collateral trustee or a similar representative for the holders of such Additional First Lien Obligations (such Person being referred to as the “Additional Collateral Agent”) with respect to such Additional First Lien Obligations on the closing date of such Additional First Lien Obligations, certified as being true and complete in all material respects by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower;

 

(c)                                  identifying the Person that serves as the Additional Collateral Agent;

 

(d)                                 certifying that the incurrence of such Additional First Lien Obligations, the creation of the Liens securing such Additional First Lien Obligations and the designation of such Additional First Lien Obligations as “Additional First Lien

 

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Obligations” hereunder do not or will not violate or result in a default under any provision of any Secured Credit Document of any Class in effect at such time;

 

(e)                                  identifying such Additional First Lien Obligations as either Priority Payment Lien Obligations or Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness in accordance with the applicable definitions thereof;

 

(f)                                   certifying that the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents (A) meet the requirements of Section 6.01(b) and (B) authorize the Additional Collateral Agent to become a party hereto by executing and delivering a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement and provide that, upon such execution and delivery, such Additional First Lien Obligations and the holders thereof shall become subject to and bound by the provisions of this Agreement; and

 

(g)                                  attaching a fully completed Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement executed and delivered by the Additional Collateral Agent.

 

Upon the delivery of such certificate and the related attachments as provided above and as so long as the statements made therein are true and correct as of the date of such certificate, the obligations designated in such notice shall become Additional First Lien Obligations for all purposes of this Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, each Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on such certificate delivered by the Borrower, and upon its receipt of such certificate, each Collateral Agent shall execute the Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement evidencing its acknowledgment thereof, and shall incur no liability to any Person for such execution.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01.  Notices.  All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:

 

(a)                                 if to any Grantor, to it (or, in the case of any Grantor other than the Borrower, to it in care of the Borrower) at:

 

The McClatchy Company
2100 “Q” Street
Sacramento, California 95816
Attention: Karole Morgan-Prager
Facsimile No.: (916) 326-5586

 

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(b)                                 if to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, to it at:

 

Bank of America, N.A.

Mail Code: WA1-501-17-32

800 Fifth Avenue

Seattle, Washington 98104

Attention: Ken Puro

Facsimile: (415) 343-0559

 

(c)                                  if to the Notes Collateral Agent, to it at:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.
400 Hope Street, Suite 400

Los Angeles, California 90071
Attention: Corporate Unit

Facsimile: (213) 630-6298

 

(d)                                 if to any Additional Collateral Agent, to it at the address set forth in the applicable Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement.

 

Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt (if a Business Day) and on the next Business Day thereafter (in all other cases) if delivered by hand or overnight courier service or sent by facsimile or on the date five Business Days after dispatch by certified or registered mail if mailed, in each case delivered, sent or mailed (properly addressed) to such party as provided in this Section or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section.  As agreed to in writing by any party hereto from time to time, notices and other communications to such party may also be delivered by e-mail to the e-mail address of a representative of such party provided from time to time by such party.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the Notes Collateral Agent agrees to accept and act upon notice, instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods.  If the party elects to give the Notes Collateral Agent e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Notes Collateral Agent in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Notes Collateral Agent’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling.  The Notes Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Notes Collateral Agent’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction.  The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Notes Collateral Agent, including without limitation the risk of the Notes Collateral Agent acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

 

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SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendment; Joinder Agreements.

 

(a)                                 No failure or delay on the part of any party hereto in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power.  The rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.  No notice or demand on any party hereto in any case shall entitle such party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

 

(b)                                 Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or otherwise modified except as contemplated by the Secured Credit Documents and then pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by each Collateral Agent then party hereto; provided that no such agreement shall by its terms amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or obligations of any Grantor without the Borrower’s prior written consent; provided, further that without any action or consent of any Collateral Agent (i) (A) this Agreement may be supplemented by a Collateral Agent Joinder Agreement, and an Additional Collateral Agent may become a party hereto, in accordance with Article VIII and (B) this Agreement may be supplemented by a Grantor Joinder Agreement, and a Subsidiary may become a party hereto, in accordance with Section 9.12, and (ii) in connection with any Refinancing of First Lien Obligations of any Class, the Collateral Agents then party hereto shall enter (and are hereby authorized to enter without the consent of any other Secured Party), at the request of any Collateral Agent or the Borrower, into such amendments or modifications of this Agreement as are reasonably necessary to reflect such Refinancing; provided that such Collateral Agent shall not be required to enter into such amendments or modifications unless it shall have received a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower certifying that such Refinancing is permitted hereunder and such Collateral Agent shall not be required to enter into such amendments or modifications that adversely affect its rights.

 

SECTION 9.03.  Parties in Interest.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, as well as the other Secured Parties, all of whom are intended to be bound by, and to be third party beneficiaries of, this Agreement.  No other Person shall have or be entitled to assert rights or benefits hereunder.

 

SECTION 9.04.  Effectiveness; Survival.  This Agreement shall become effective when executed and delivered by the parties hereto.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any party in this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding against the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, and the parties hereto acknowledge that this Agreement is intended to be and shall be enforceable as a “subordination” agreement under Bankruptcy Code Section 510(a).  All references herein to any

 

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Grantor shall apply to any trustee for such Person and such Person as a debtor-in-possession.

 

SECTION 9.05.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.06.  Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.  The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

 

SECTION 9.07.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

 

(a)                                 This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

(b)                                 Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each party hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that any party hereto or any Secured Party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against any party hereto or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)                                  Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each party hereto irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)                                 Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01, such service to be effective upon receipt.  Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto or any Secured Party to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

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SECTION 9.08.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 9.09.  Headings.  Article and Section headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.10.  Conflicts.  In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any other Secured Credit Documents, the provisions of this Agreement shall control.

 

SECTION 9.11.  Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights.  The provisions of this Agreement are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Secured Parties in relation to one another.  Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, none of the Borrower, any other Grantor, any other Subsidiary or any other creditor of any of the foregoing shall have any rights or obligations hereunder, and none of the Borrower, any other Grantor or any other Subsidiary may rely on the terms hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Borrower or any other Grantor, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay the First Lien Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms.  For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall be construed to constitute a waiver or an amendment of any covenant of the Borrower or any other Grantor contained in any Secured Credit Document, which restricts the incurrence of any Indebtedness or the grant of any Lien.

 

SECTION 9.12.  Additional Grantors.  In the event any Subsidiary shall have granted a Lien on any of its assets to secure any First Lien Obligations, the Borrower shall cause such Subsidiary, if not already a party hereto, to become a party hereto as a “Grantor”.  Upon the execution and delivery by any Subsidiary of a Grantor Joinder Agreement, any such Subsidiary shall become a party hereto and a Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as such herein.  The execution and delivery of any such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party hereto.  The rights and obligations of each party hereto shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.13.  Specific Performance.  Each Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, may demand specific performance of this Agreement.  Each Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and its Related Secured Parties, hereby irrevocably waives

 

27



 

any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law and any other defense that might be asserted to bar the remedy of specific performance in any action which may be brought by the Secured Parties.

 

SECTION 9.14.  Integration.  This Agreement, together with the other Secured Credit Documents, represents the agreement of each of the Grantors and the Secured Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any Grantor, any Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Secured Credit Documents.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

28



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement

 



 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

 

as Notes Collateral Agent

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement

 



 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY,

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief

 

 

 

Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement

 



 

 

ABOARD PUBLISHING, INC.

 

ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, INC.

 

BELTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

BISCAYNE BAY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

CASS COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

COLUMBUS LEDGER-ENQUIRER, INC.

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, INC.

 

EAST COAST NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

HLB NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

KELTATIM PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

KEYNOTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

LEE’S SUMMIT JOURNAL, INCORPORATED

 

LEXINGTON H-L SERVICES, INC.

 

MACON TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

MAIL ADVERTISING CORPORATION

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE WEST

 

MCCLATCHY INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY U.S.A., INC.

 

MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY

 

NEWSPRINT VENTURES, INC.

 

NITTANY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

NOR-TEX PUBLISHING, INC.

 

OLYMPIC-CASCADE PUBLISHING, INC.

 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

QUAD COUNTY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

STAR-TELEGRAM, INC.

 

TACOMA NEWS, INC.

 

THE BRADENTON HERALD, INC.

 

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE NEWS AND OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY

 

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

TRIBUNE NEWSPRINT COMPANY

 

WICHITA EAGLE AND BEACON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

WINGATE PAPER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement

 



 

 

 

MCCLATCHY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

 

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BELLINGHAM HERALD PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

IDAHO STATESMAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

OLYMPIAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

Pacific Northwest Publishing Company, Inc.,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Cypress Media, Inc.,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

The McClatchy Company,

 

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief

 

 

 

 

Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

Signature Page to Intercreditor Agreement

 



 

ANNEX I

 

SECURITY DOCUMENTS LEGEND

 

THIS [NAME OF SECURITY DOCUMENT] IS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 18, 2012 (AS AMENDED, RESTATED, SUPPLEMENTED OR OTHERWISE MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME), AMONG THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, THE OTHER GRANTORS PARTY THERETO, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS CREDIT AGREEMENT COLLATERAL AGENT, AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT, AND EACH ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY THERETO.

 

Annex I-1



 

EXHIBIT I

 

[FORM OF] COLLATERAL AGENT JOINDER AGREEMENT NO. [           ] dated as of [             ], 20[  ] (this “Joinder Agreement”) to the INTERCREDITOR AND COLLATERAL AGENCY AGREEMENT dated as of December 18, 2012 (the “Intercreditor Agreement”), among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other GRANTORS party thereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Notes Collateral Agent, and each ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT from time to time party thereto.

 

A.                                    Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

B.                                    The Borrower proposes to issue or incur Additional First Lien Obligations and the Person identified in the signature pages hereto as the “Additional Collateral Agent” (the “Additional Collateral Agent”) will serve as the collateral agent, collateral trustee or a similar representative for the Additional Secured Parties.  The Additional First Lien Obligations are being designated as such by the Borrower in accordance with Article VIII of the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

C.                                    The Additional Collateral Agent wishes to become a party to the Intercreditor Agreement and to acquire and undertake, for itself and on behalf of the Additional Secured Parties, the rights and obligations of an “Additional Collateral Agent” thereunder.  The Additional Collateral Agent is entering into this Joinder Agreement in accordance with the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement in order to become an Additional Collateral Agent thereunder.

 

Accordingly, the Additional Collateral Agent and the Borrower agree as follows, for the benefit of the Additional Collateral Agent, the Borrower and each other party to the Intercreditor Agreement:

 

SECTION 1.  Accession to the Intercreditor Agreement.  The Additional Collateral Agent (a) hereby accedes and becomes a party to the Intercreditor Agreement as an Additional Collateral Agent for the Additional Secured Parties from time to time in respect of the Additional First Lien Obligations, (b) agrees, for itself and on behalf of the Additional Secured Parties from time to time in respect of the Additional First Lien Obligations, to all the terms and provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement and (c) shall have all the rights and obligations of an Additional Collateral Agent under the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.  Counterparts.  This Joinder Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Joinder Agreement shall become effective when each Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Joinder Agreement that bears the signature of the Additional Collateral Agent.  Delivery of an executed signature page to this Joinder Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Joinder Agreement.

 

Ex. I-1



 

SECTION 3.  Benefit of AgreementThe agreements set forth herein or undertaken pursuant hereto are for the benefit of, and may be enforced by, any party to the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 4.  Governing LawTHIS JOINDER AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 5.  Severability.  In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Joinder Agreement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, none of the parties hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired.  The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

 

SECTION 6.  Notices.  All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Intercreditor Agreement.  All communications and notices hereunder to the Additional Collateral Agent shall be given to it at the address set forth under its signature hereto, which information supplements Section 9.01 of the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 7.  Expense Reimbursement.  The Borrower agrees to reimburse each Collateral Agent for its reasonable and invoiced out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Joinder Agreement, including the reasonable and invoiced fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for each Collateral Agent.

 

Ex. I-2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Additional Collateral Agent and the Borrower have duly executed this Joinder Agreement to the Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

 

[NAME OF ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT], as ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT for the ADDITIONAL SECURED PARTIES

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Address for notices:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

attention of:

 

 

 

Telecopy:

 

 

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Ex. I-3



 

Acknowledged by:

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

 

as Notes Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

[EACH OTHER ADDITIONAL

 

COLLATERAL AGENT], as Additional

 

Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Ex. I-4



 

EXHIBIT II

 

[FORM OF] GRANTOR JOINDER AGREEMENT NO. [           ] dated as of [            ], 20[  ] (this “Grantor Joinder Agreement”) to the INTERCREDITOR AND COLLATERAL AGENCY AGREEMENT dated as of December 18, 2012 (the “Intercreditor Agreement”), among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the other GRANTORS party thereto, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Notes Collateral Agent, each ADDITIONAL COLLATERAL AGENT from time to time party thereto and [                   ], a [                        ], as an additional GRANTOR.

 

A.            Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

B.            [           ], a Subsidiary of the Borrower (the “Additional Grantor”), has granted a Lien on all or a portion of its assets to secure First Lien Obligations and such Additional Grantor is not a party to the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

C.            The Additional Grantor wishes to become a party to the Intercreditor Agreement and to acquire and undertake the rights and obligations of a Grantor thereunder.  The Additional Grantor is entering into this Grantor Joinder Agreement in accordance with the provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement in order to become a Grantor thereunder.

 

Accordingly, the Additional Grantor agrees as follows, for the benefit of the Collateral Agents, the Borrower and each other party to the Intercreditor Agreement:

 

SECTION 1.  Accession to the Intercreditor Agreement.   In accordance with Section 9.12 of the Intercreditor Agreement, the Additional Grantor (a) hereby accedes and becomes a party to the Intercreditor Agreement as a Grantor with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor, (b) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Intercreditor Agreement and (c) shall have all the rights and obligations of a Grantor under the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.  Representations, Warranties and Acknowledgement of the Additional Grantor.  The Additional Grantor represents and warrants to each Collateral Agent and each Secured Party that this Grantor Joinder Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such Additional Grantor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.  Counterparts.  This Grantor Joinder Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Grantor Joinder Agreement shall become effective when each Collateral Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Grantor Joinder Agreement that bears the signature of the Additional Grantor.  Delivery of an executed signature page to this Grantor Joinder Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Grantor Joinder Agreement.

 

Ex. II-1



 

SECTION 4.  Benefit of AgreementThe agreements set forth herein or undertaken pursuant hereto are for the benefit of, and may be enforced by, any party to the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.  Governing LawTHIS GRANTOR JOINDER AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 6.  Severability.  In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Grantor Joinder Agreement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, none of the parties hereto shall be required to comply with such provision for so long as such provision is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, but the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Intercreditor Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired.  The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

 

SECTION 7.  Notices.  All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.  Expense Reimbursement.  The Additional Grantor agrees to reimburse each Collateral Agent for its reasonable and invoiced out-of-pocket expenses in connection with this Grantor Joinder Agreement, including the reasonable and invoiced fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel for each Collateral Agent.

 

Ex. II-2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Additional Grantor has duly executed this Grantor Joinder Agreement to the Intercreditor Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

[NAME OF SUBSIDIARY]

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Ex. II-3



 

Acknowledged by:

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

 

as Notes Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

[EACH OTHER ADDITIONAL

 

COLLATERAL AGENT], as Additional

 

Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Ex. II-4



 

EXHIBIT E

 

[FORM OF] JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT

 

JUNIOR LIEN INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT, dated as of [             ], 20[  ], among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (“BANA”), in its capacity as collateral agent for the Credit Agreement Obligations (as defined below), including its successors and assigns from time to time, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (“BNY Mellon”), in its capacity as collateral agent for the First Lien Indenture Obligations (as defined below), including its successors and assigns from time to time, [                      ], in its capacity as collateral agent for the Junior Lien Obligations (as defined below), including its successors and assigns from time to time, and each Additional Collateral Agent (as defined below) from time to time party hereto.  Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in Section 1 below.

 

A.            THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is party to the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, Refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time including without limitation to add new loans thereunder or increase the amount of commitments thereunder, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Company, the lenders party thereto from time to time and BANA, as administrative agent and collateral agent. The Credit Agreement Obligations constitute First Lien Obligations hereunder.

 

B.            The Company is party to the Indenture dated as of December 18, 2012 among the Company, the guarantors identified therein and BNY Mellon, as First Lien Trustee, governing the First Lien Notes (as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, Refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, the “First Lien Indenture”). The First Lien Notes Obligations constitute First Lien Obligations hereunder.

 

C.            The Company is party to the [              ] dated as of [                    ], 20[  ] among the Company, the guarantors identified therein and [                     ], as Initial Junior Lien Representative, governing the Initial Junior Lien Obligations (as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, Refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Initial Junior Lien Debt Document”).  The Initial Junior Lien Obligations constitute Junior Lien Obligations hereunder.

 

Accordingly, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants and obligations herein set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.  Definitions.

 

1.1.         Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

Additional Collateral Agents” shall be as defined in Section 8.3 herein.

 



 

Additional First Lien Collateral Agent” shall mean the administrative agent, trustee or similar entity for the lenders or holders of obligations, as applicable, under the Additional First Lien Obligations Documents, together with its successors and permitted assigns.

 

Additional First Lien Obligations” shall mean all Obligations of the Company and the other Grantors that shall have been designated as the Additional First Lien Obligations pursuant to the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement; provided that the Company shall give a notice of such designation to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent.

 

Additional First Lien Obligations Documents” shall mean the credit agreements, indentures or other agreements under which the applicable Additional First Lien Obligations are issued or incurred and all other instruments, agreements and other documents evidencing or governing the applicable Additional First Lien Obligations or providing any guarantee, Lien or other right in respect thereof.

 

Additional First Lien Secured Parties” shall mean the holders of any Additional First Lien Obligation and the applicable Additional First Lien Collateral Agent, if any.

 

Additional First Lien Security Documents” shall mean any agreement, document or instrument pursuant to which a Lien is granted securing the applicable Additional First Lien Obligations or under which rights or remedies with respect to such Liens are governed, as each may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Agreement” shall mean this Agreement, as amended, renewed, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

BANA” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended.

 

Bankruptcy Law” shall mean the Bankruptcy Code and any similar Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

 

BNY Mellon” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day that is a legal holiday under the laws of the State of New York or on which banking institutions in the State of New York are required or authorized by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of any Grantor, whether real, personal or mixed, constituting both First Lien Collateral and Junior Lien Collateral including without limitation any assets on which the First Lien Collateral Agents are automatically deemed to have a Lien pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.3.

 

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

2



 

Comparable Junior Lien Security Document” shall mean, in relation to any Collateral subject to any Lien created under any First Lien Document, those Junior Lien Security Documents that create a Lien on the same Collateral, granted by the same Grantor.

 

Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

Credit Agreement Collateral Agent” shall mean BANA, in its capacity as administrative agent for the lenders and other secured parties under the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Agreement Documents entered into pursuant to the Credit Agreement, together with its successors and permitted assigns.

 

Credit Agreement Documents” has the meaning assigned to the term “Loan Documents” under the Credit Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Obligations” means all Obligations, Hedging Obligations owed to any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time the underlying contract was executed) and Cash Management Obligations, as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement, together with any Refinancing thereof; provided, that the holders of any such Refinancing debt (or the applicable Collateral Agent on their behalf) shall, to the extent not already party hereto in such capacity, bind themselves in writing to the terms of this Agreement, and shall in any event include all interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the Credit Agreement, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law.

 

Credit Agreement Secured Parties” has the meaning assigned to the term “Secured Parties” in the Credit Agreement.

 

Credit Agreement Security Documents” has the meaning assigned to the term “Collateral Documents” in the Credit Agreement.

 

DIP Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

 

Discharge of First Lien Obligations” shall mean, except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 5.7, payment in full in cash (except for contingent indemnities and cost and reimbursement obligations to the extent no claim has been made) of all First Lien Obligations and, with respect to letters of credit or letter of credit guaranties outstanding under the First Lien Documents, delivery of cash collateral or backstop letters of credit in respect thereof in a manner consistent with the Credit Agreement and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, in each case after or concurrently with the termination of all commitments to extend credit thereunder and the termination of all commitments of the First Lien Secured Parties under the First Lien Documents; provided that the Discharge of First Lien Obligations shall not be deemed to have occurred if such payments are made with the proceeds of other First Lien Obligations that constitute an exchange or replacement for or a Refinancing of such Obligations or First Lien Obligations.

 

3



 

First Lien Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of any Grantor, whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted as security for any First Lien Obligations pursuant to a First Lien Security Document.

 

First Lien Collateral Agent” shall mean each of the First Lien Notes Collateral Agent, the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent and each Additional First Lien Collateral Agent.

 

First Lien Documents” shall mean the Credit Agreement Documents, the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien Notes Documents and any Additional First Lien Obligations Documents.

 

First Lien Indenture” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” shall mean that Intercreditor and Collateral Agency Agreement dated December 18, 2012 among the Company, the other Grantors party thereto, BANA, as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, BNY Mellon, as First Lien Notes Collateral Agent, and each Additional First Lien Collateral Agent from time to time party thereto.

 

First Lien Notes” shall mean (a) the initial $910.0 million of 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 issued by the Company pursuant to the First Lien Indenture, (b) the exchange notes issued in exchange therefor as contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in the First Lien Indenture) and (c) any additional notes (including any exchange notes issued therefor) issued under the First Lien Indenture by the Company, to the extent permitted by the First Lien Indenture and the Credit Agreement.

 

“First Lien Notes Collateral Agent” shall mean the First Lien Trustee in its capacity as collateral agent for the noteholders and other secured parties under the First Lien Indenture and the other First Lien Notes Documents; it being understood that as of the date of this Agreement, BNY Mellon, in its capacity as collateral agent under the First Lien Indenture, shall be so designated First Lien Notes Collateral Agent.

 

First Lien Notes Documents” shall mean the First Lien Indenture, the Collateral Documents (as defined in the First Lien Indenture) and all other instruments, agreements and other documents evidencing or governing the First Lien Notes Obligations or providing any Guarantee (as defined in the First Lien Indenture), Lien (including any mortgage) or other right in respect thereof.

 

First Lien Notes Obligationsshall mean any principal, interest (including any interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest, fees or expenses is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law), premium, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and banker’s acceptances), damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of payment of such principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, payable under the First Lien Indenture, the First Lien Notes, or any other First Lien Notes Document.

 

4



 

First Lien Notes Secured Partiesshall have the meaning assigned to the term “Secured Parties” in the First Lien Indenture.

 

First Lien Notes Security Documentsshall mean the Collateral Documents (as defined in the First Lien Indenture).

 

First Lien Obligations” shall mean the Credit Agreement Obligations, the First Lien Notes Obligations and any Additional First Lien Obligations.

 

First Lien Secured Parties” shall mean the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the First Lien Notes Secured Parties and any Additional First Lien Secured Parties.

 

“First Lien Security Documentsshall mean (a) the Credit Agreement Security Documents, (b) the First Lien Notes Security Documents, (c) any Additional First Lien Security Documents and (d) any other agreement entered into in favor of any First Lien Collateral Agent for the purpose of securing the applicable First Lien Obligations.

 

First Lien Trustee” shall mean BNY Mellon, in its capacity as trustee under the First Lien Notes Security Documents, and its permitted successors.

 

First Priority Liens” shall mean Liens securing the First Lien Obligations, which Liens are superior and prior in priority to the Liens securing the Junior Lien Obligations.

 

Grantors” shall mean the Company and each other subsidiary of the Company that has executed and delivered a First Lien Document or a Junior Lien Document.

 

Indebtedness” shall mean and include all obligations that constitute “Indebtedness” within the meaning assigned to that term in the First Lien Indenture, the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document or the Credit Agreement.

 

Initial Junior Lien Debt Document” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

Initial Junior Lien Documents” shall mean the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document, the Initial Junior Lien Security Documents and all other instruments, agreements and documents executed pursuant thereto.

 

“Initial Junior Lien Obligationsshall mean “[Secured Obligations]” (as defined in the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document).

 

Initial Junior Lien Representative” shall mean [               ], in its capacity as [             ] under the Initial Junior Lien Obligations, and its permitted successors and assigns.

 

Initial Junior Lien Secured Partiesshall mean “[Secured Parties]” (as defined in the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document).

 

Initial Junior Lien Security Documents” means the [Collateral Documents] (as defined in the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document).

 

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Insolvency or Liquidation Proceedingshall mean:

 

(1)           any case commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor under any Bankruptcy Law, any other proceeding for the reorganization, receivership, recapitalization or adjustment or marshalling of the assets or liabilities of the Company or any other Grantor or its assets, any receivership or assignment for the benefit of creditors relating to the Company or any other Grantor or its assets or any similar case or proceeding relative to the Company or any other Grantor or its creditors or its assets, as such, in each case whether or not voluntary;

 

(2)           any liquidation, dissolution, marshalling of assets or liabilities, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other winding up of or relating to the Company or any other Grantor or its assets, in each case whether or not voluntary and whether or not involving bankruptcy or insolvency and whether or not in a court supervised proceeding; or

 

(3)           any other proceeding of any type or nature in which substantially all claims of creditors of the Company or any other Grantor are determined and any payment or distribution is or may be made on account of such claims.

 

Junior Lien Collateral” shall mean all of the assets of any Grantor, whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted as security for any Junior Lien Obligations pursuant to a Junior Lien Security Document.

 

Junior Lien Collateral Agent” shall mean (i) so long as the Initial Junior Lien Obligations are outstanding, the Initial Junior Lien Representative, in its capacity as collateral agent for the noteholders and other secured parties under the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document and the other Initial Junior Lien Documents, and (ii) at any time thereafter, such agent or trustee as is designated “Junior Lien Collateral Agent” by Junior Lien Secured Parties holding a majority in principal amount of the Junior Lien Obligations then outstanding (or by Junior Lien Representatives of such Junior Lien Secured Parties) or pursuant to such other arrangements as agreed to among the holders of the Junior Lien Obligations (provided that any Junior Lien Collateral Agent so designated shall be a party hereto); it being understood that as of the date of this Agreement, the Initial Junior Lien Representative shall be so designated Junior Lien Collateral Agent.

 

Junior Lien Documents” shall mean the credit and security documents governing the Junior Lien Obligations, including, without limitation, the Initial Junior Lien Documents and the related Initial Junior Lien Security Documents.

 

Junior Lien Obligations” shall mean Initial Junior Lien Obligations and Obligations with respect to other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document, the First Lien Indenture and the Credit Agreement which are by their terms intended to be secured equally and ratably with the Initial Junior Lien Obligations or on a basis junior to the Liens securing the Initial Junior Lien Obligations (provided such Lien is permitted to be incurred under the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document, the First Lien Indenture and the Credit Agreement); provided that the holders of such additional Indebtedness or their Junior Lien Representative are a party to the Junior Lien Security Documents in accordance with the terms

 

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thereof, have appointed the Junior Lien Collateral Agent as collateral agent for such holders of Junior Lien Obligations with respect to all or a portion of the Collateral and have executed and delivered an Additional Party Addendum in accordance with Section 8.3 herein.

 

Junior Lien Representative” shall mean any duly authorized representative of any holders of Junior Lien Obligations which representative is a party to the Junior Lien Security Documents.

 

Junior Lien Secured Parties” shall mean (a) the Initial Junior Lien Secured Parties, (b) the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and (c) the holders from time to time of any other Junior Lien Obligations, and each Junior Lien Representative.

 

Junior Lien Security Documents” shall mean (a) so long as the Initial Junior Lien Obligations are outstanding, the Initial Junior Lien Security Documents and (b) thereafter any agreement, document or instrument pursuant to which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted securing Junior Lien Obligations or under which rights or remedies with respect to such Liens are governed, which in each case may include intercreditor and/or subordination agreements or arrangements among various Junior Lien Secured Parties.

 

Junior Liens” shall mean the Liens securing the Junior Lien Obligations.

 

Lien” shall mean, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset.

 

Non-Conforming Plan of Reorganization” shall mean any Plan of Reorganization which grants the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party any right or benefit, directly or indirectly, which right or benefit is expressly prohibited at such time by the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Obligations” shall mean any principal, interest (including any interest, fees and expenses accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest, fees or expenses is an allowed claim under applicable state, federal or foreign law), premium, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit and banker’s acceptances), damages and other liabilities, and guarantees of payment of such principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities, payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

 

Officers’ Certificate” shall mean a certificate signed by the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, any vice president, treasurer, general counsel, secretary or another executive officer of such Person.

 

Payment Discharge” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(a).

 

Person” shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, entity or other party, including any government and any political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

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“Plan of Reorganization” shall mean any plan of reorganization, plan of liquidation, agreement for composition, or other type of plan of arrangement proposed in or in connection with any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

 

Pledged Collateral” shall mean the Collateral in the possession or control of any First Lien Collateral Agent (or its agents or bailees), in accordance with the terms of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, to the extent that possession or control thereof perfects a Lien thereon under the UCC.

 

Recovery” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

 

Refinance” shall mean, in respect of any indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, defease, amend, increase, modify, supplement, restructure, refund, replace or repay, or to issue other indebtedness or enter alternative financing arrangements, in exchange or replacement for such indebtedness, including by adding or replacing lenders, creditors, agents, borrowers and/or guarantors, and including in each case, but not limited to, after the original instrument giving rise to such indebtedness has been terminated.  “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Subsidiary” shall mean any “Subsidiary” of the Company as defined in the Credit Agreement, the First Lien Indenture or the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document.

 

UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in any applicable jurisdiction.

 

1.2.         Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with this Agreement, (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Sections shall be construed to refer to Sections of this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 2.  Lien Priorities.

 

2.1.         Subordination of Liens.  Notwithstanding (i) the date, time, method, manner or order of filing or recordation of any document or instrument or grant, attachment or perfection (including any defect or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any of the foregoing) of any Liens granted to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or the Junior Lien Secured

 

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Parties on the Collateral or of any Liens granted to any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party on the Collateral, (ii) any provision of the UCC, the Bankruptcy Code, any applicable law, the Junior Lien Documents or the First Lien Documents, (iii) whether any First Lien Collateral Agent, either directly or through agents, holds possession of, or has control over, all or any part of the Collateral, (iv) the fact that any such Liens may be subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated or lapsed or (v) any other circumstance of any kind or nature whatsoever, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby agree that:  (a) any Lien on the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Parties or any agent or trustee therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall have priority over and be senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on the Collateral securing any Junior Lien Obligations, (b) any Lien on the Collateral securing any Junior Lien Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party or any agent or trustee therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be junior and subordinate in all respects to all Liens on the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations and (c) with respect to any Junior Lien Obligations other than the Initial Junior Lien Obligations (and as between the Initial Junior Lien Representative, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the other Junior Lien Representatives, the Initial Junior Lien Secured Parties and the other Junior Lien Secured Parties), the Liens on the Collateral securing such Junior Lien Obligations now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Initial Junior Lien Representative, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representatives, any Initial Junior Lien Secured Party or any other Junior Lien Secured Party or any agent or trustee therefor regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall rank in all respects equally and ratably to or junior to the Liens securing the Initial Junior Lien Obligations.  All Liens on the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations shall be and remain senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Collateral securing any Junior Lien Obligations for all purposes, whether or not such Liens securing any First Lien Obligations are subordinated to any Lien securing any other obligation of the Company, any other Grantor or any other Person.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, for itself and on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, expressly agree that any Lien purported to be granted on any Collateral as security for the First Lien Obligations shall be deemed to be, and shall be deemed to remain, senior in all respects and prior to all Liens on the Collateral securing any Junior Lien Obligations for all purposes regardless of whether the Lien purported to be granted is found to be improperly granted, improperly perfected, preferential, a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or legally or otherwise deficient in any manner.

 

2.2.         Prohibition on Contesting Liens.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each other Junior Lien Representative, for itself and on behalf of each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, agrees that (a) it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to challenge, contest or support any other Person in contesting or challenging, directly or indirectly, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, perfection, priority or enforceability of a Lien securing any First Lien Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of any First Lien Collateral Agent or any of the First Lien Secured Parties or any agent or trustee therefor in any First Lien Collateral or Collateral and (b) none of them will oppose or otherwise contest (or support any Person contesting) any other request for judicial

 

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relief made in any court by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party relating to the lawful enforcement of any First Priority Lien on Collateral or First Lien Collateral.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of each First Lien Secured Party, agrees that it shall not (and hereby waives any right to) take any action to challenge, contest or support any other Person in contesting or challenging, directly or indirectly, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding), the validity, perfection, priority or enforceability of a Lien securing any Junior Lien Obligations held (or purported to be held) by or on behalf of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party on the Collateral; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or impair the rights of any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Parties to enforce this Agreement (including the priority of the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations as provided in Section 2.1) or any of the First Lien Documents.

 

2.3.         No New Liens.    So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, the parties hereto agree that, after the date hereof, neither the Junior Lien Collateral Agent nor any Junior Lien Representative shall acquire, hold or permit to exist any Lien on any assets of the Company or any other Subsidiary (and none of the Company or any Subsidiary shall grant such Lien) securing any Junior Lien Obligations that are not also subject to a First Priority Lien in respect of the First Lien Obligations under the First Lien Documents.  If the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Representative shall (nonetheless and in breach hereof) acquire or hold any Lien on any assets of the Company or any other Subsidiary that is not also subject to the First Priority Lien in respect of the First Lien Obligations under the First Lien Documents, then such Junior Lien Collateral Agent or other Junior Lien Representative shall, without the need for any further consent of any party and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other agreement, document or instrument, be deemed to also hold and have held such Lien for the benefit of the First Lien Collateral Agents as security for the First Lien Obligations (subject to the lien priority and other terms hereof) and shall use its best efforts to promptly notify each First Lien Collateral Agent in writing of such Lien and in any event take such actions as may be requested by any First Lien Collateral Agent to assign or release such Lien to each First Lien Collateral Agent (and/or its designee) as security for the applicable First Lien Obligations.

 

2.4.         Perfection of Liens.  Except as expressly set forth in Section 5.5 hereof, no First Lien Collateral Agent nor any First Lien Secured Party shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens with respect to the Collateral for the benefit of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the other Junior Lien Representatives or any other Junior Lien Secured Parties.  None of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party shall be responsible for perfecting and maintaining the perfection of Liens with respect to the Collateral for the benefit of the First Lien Collateral Agents or any other First Lien Secured Parties.  The provisions of this Agreement are intended to govern the respective Lien priorities as between the First Lien Secured Parties and the Junior Lien Secured Parties and shall not impose on any First Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any other Junior Lien Representative, the Junior Lien Secured Parties or the First Lien Secured Parties or any agent or trustee therefor any obligations in respect of the disposition of proceeds of any Collateral which would conflict with prior perfected claims therein in favor of any other Person or any order or decree of any court or governmental authority or any applicable law.

 

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SECTION 3.  Enforcement.

 

3.1.         Exercise of Remedies, Etc.

 

(a)           So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor, (i) none of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party will (x) exercise or enforce or seek to exercise or enforce any rights or remedies (including setoff and the right to credit bid debt (except as set forth in Section 3.1(f) below)) with respect to any Collateral in respect of any applicable Junior Lien Obligations, or institute any action or proceeding with respect to such rights or remedies (including any action of foreclosure), (y) contest, protest or otherwise object to any foreclosure or enforcement proceeding or action brought with respect to the Collateral or any other collateral by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party in respect of the First Lien Obligations, the exercise of any right by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party (or any agent or sub-agent on their behalf) in respect of the First Lien Obligations under any control agreement, lockbox agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s letter or similar agreement or arrangement to which the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party either is a party or may have rights as a third party beneficiary, or any other exercise by any such party, of any rights and remedies as a secured party relating to the Collateral or any other collateral under the First Lien Documents or otherwise in respect of First Lien Obligations, or (z) object to any waiver or forbearance by the First Lien Secured Parties from or in respect of bringing or pursuing any foreclosure proceeding or action or any other exercise of any rights or remedies relating to the Collateral or any other collateral in respect of First Lien Obligations and (ii) except as otherwise provided herein, as between any First Lien Collateral Agent or First Lien Secured Parties, on one hand, and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party, on the other hand, the First Lien Collateral Agents or any one of them and the First Lien Secured Parties shall have the sole and exclusive right to enforce rights, exercise remedies (including setoff and the right to credit bid their debt), marshal, process and make determinations regarding the release, disposition or restrictions, or waiver or forbearance of rights or remedies with respect to the Collateral without any consultation with or the consent of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party; provided, however, that (A) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent may file a proof of claim or statement of interest with respect to the Junior Lien Obligations, (B) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding commenced by or against the Company or any other Grantor, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties may file any necessary or appropriate responsive pleadings in opposition to any motion, adversary proceeding or other pleading filed by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking disallowance of the claim or Lien of such Junior Lien Collateral Agent or the Junior Lien Secured Parties, (C) the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties may file any pleadings, objections, motions, or agreements which assert rights available to unsecured creditors of the Company or any other Grantor arising under any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or applicable nonbankruptcy law, and (D) the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties may vote on any plan of reorganization in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Company or any other Grantor, in each case (A) through (D) above to the extent such action is not inconsistent with, or could not result in a resolution

 

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inconsistent with, the terms of this Agreement.  In exercising rights and remedies with respect to the First Lien Collateral or Collateral, the First Lien Collateral Agents and the First Lien Secured Parties may enforce the provisions of the First Lien Documents and exercise any one or more of its or their rights and remedies thereunder, all in such order and in such manner as they may determine in the exercise of their sole discretion.  Such exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of Collateral or other collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with such sale or disposition, and to exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured lender under the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction and of a secured creditor under Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

 

(b)           So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, each of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, agrees that it will not, in the context of its role as secured lender, take or receive any Collateral or any proceeds of Collateral in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy or otherwise in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding (including set off or the right to credit bid debt (except as set forth in Section 3.1(f) below)) with respect to any Collateral in respect of the applicable Junior Lien Obligations.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred, except as expressly provided in the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.1(a), the sole right of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Representatives and the Junior Lien Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral is to hold a Lien on the Collateral in respect of the applicable Junior Lien Obligations pursuant to the Junior Lien Documents, as applicable, for the period and to the extent granted therein and to receive a share of the proceeds thereof, if any, after the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred.

 

(c)           Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.1(a), (i) the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of each Junior Lien Secured Party, agrees that none of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party will take any action that would hinder any exercise of remedies undertaken by any First Lien Collateral Agent or the First Lien Secured Parties with respect to the Collateral, the First Lien Collateral or any other collateral under the First Lien Documents, including any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of the Collateral, the First Lien Collateral or such other collateral, whether by foreclosure or otherwise, and (ii) the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, for itself and on behalf of each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby waives any and all rights it or any Junior Lien Secured Party may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to object to the manner in which any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party seeks to enforce or collect the First Lien Obligations or the Liens granted in any of the First Lien Collateral or Collateral, regardless of whether any action or failure to act by or on behalf of any First Lien Collateral Agent or First Lien Secured Party is adverse to the interests of the Junior Lien Secured Parties.

 

(d)           The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, each Junior Lien Representative and each Junior Lien Secured Party hereby acknowledge and agree that no covenant, agreement or restriction contained in any applicable Junior Lien Document shall be deemed to restrict in any way the rights and remedies of any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Parties

 

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with respect to the First Lien Collateral or Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the First Lien Documents.

 

(e)           So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, none of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any other Junior Lien Representative or any other Junior Lien Secured Party may assert or enforce any right of marshalling accorded to a junior lienholder, as against any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party (in their capacity as priority lienholders).

 

(f)            Section 3.1 hereof shall not be construed to in any way limit or impair the right of any Junior Lien Secured Party from exercising a credit bid with respect to the Junior Lien Obligations in a sale or other disposition of Collateral under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, provided that in connection with and immediately after giving effect to such sale and credit bid there occurs a Discharge of First Lien Obligations.

 

3.2.         Cooperation.  Subject to the proviso in clause (ii) of Section 3.1(a), each of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, agrees that, unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred, it will not commence, or join with any Person (other than the First Lien Secured Parties and the First Lien Collateral Agents upon the request thereof) in commencing, any enforcement, collection, execution, levy or foreclosure action or proceeding with respect to any Lien held by it in the Collateral or any other collateral under any of the applicable Junior Lien Documents or otherwise in respect of the applicable Junior Lien Obligations.

 

SECTION 4.  Payments.

 

4.1.         Application of Proceeds.  So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, the Collateral or proceeds thereof received in connection with the sale or other disposition of, or collection on, such Collateral upon the exercise of rights or remedies or any transfer or disposition in lieu thereof as a secured party, shall be applied by the First Lien Collateral Agents to the First Lien Obligations in such order as specified in the relevant First Lien Documents until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred.  Upon the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, subject to the proviso of Section 5.1(a)(y) and subject to Section 5.7 hereof, the First Lien Collateral Agents shall deliver promptly to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent any Collateral or proceeds thereof held by it in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.

 

4.2.         Payments Over.  Any Collateral or First Lien Collateral or proceeds thereof received by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy (including set off or credit bid) or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding relating to the Collateral not expressly permitted by this Agreement or prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations shall be segregated and held in trust for the benefit of and forthwith paid over to the First Lien Collateral Agents in the same form as received, with any necessary endorsements or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent is hereby authorized to make any such

 

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endorsements as agent for the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any such Junior Lien Secured Party.  This authorization is coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

 

SECTION 5.  Other Agreements.

 

5.1.         Releases.

 

(a)           (x) If at any time any Grantor or any First Lien Secured Party delivers notice to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent with respect to any specified Collateral (including for such purpose, in the case of the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the equity interests in any Subsidiary, any Collateral held by such Subsidiary or any direct or indirect Subsidiary thereof) that:

 

(A)          such specified Collateral has been or is being sold, leased, exchanged, transferred or otherwise disposed of, other than in accordance with clause (B) below (a “Disposition”) by the owner of such Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Credit Agreement, Article III of the First Lien Indenture and Article [III] of the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document; or

 

(B)          the First Priority Liens thereon have been or are being otherwise released as permitted by the Credit Agreement, by the First Lien Indenture or by each First Lien Collateral Agent on behalf of the applicable First Lien Secured Parties (unless, in the case of this clause (B), such release occurs in connection with, and after giving effect to, a Discharge of First Lien Obligations, which discharge is not in connection with a foreclosure of, or other exercise of remedies with respect to, Collateral by the First Lien Secured Parties (such discharge not in connection with any such foreclosure or exercise of remedies, a “Payment Discharge”)),

 

then the Junior Liens upon such Collateral will automatically be released and discharged as and when, but only to the extent, such Liens on such Collateral securing First Lien Obligations are released and discharged (provided that in the case of any release of collateral not pursuant to a Payment Discharge, the Liens on any Collateral disposed of in connection with the satisfaction in whole or in part of First Lien Obligations shall be automatically released but any proceeds thereof not used for purposes of the Discharge of First Lien Obligations or otherwise in accordance with the Indenture shall be subject to Junior Liens and shall be applied pursuant to Section 4.1).  Upon delivery to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent of a notice from the First Lien Collateral Agents stating that any such release of Liens securing or supporting the First Lien Obligations has become effective (or shall become effective upon the Junior Lien Collateral Agent’s release), the Junior Lien Collateral Agent will promptly, at the Company’s expense, execute and deliver such instruments, releases, termination statements or other documents confirming such release on customary terms, which instruments, releases and termination statements shall be substantially identical to the comparable instruments, releases and termination statements executed by the First Lien Collateral Agents in connection with such release.

 

(y)           In the event of a Payment Discharge, the Junior Liens on Collateral owned by the Company or a Grantor immediately after giving effect to such Payment Discharge shall become first-priority security interests (subject to any intercreditor agreements or arrangements

 

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among Junior Lien Secured Parties pursuant to Section 8.21 and subject to Liens permitted by the Indenture); provided that if the Company or the Grantors incur at any time thereafter any new or replacement First Lien Obligations permitted under the Indenture, then the provisions of Section 5.7 shall apply as if a Refinancing of First Lien Obligations had occurred.

 

(b)           The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, for itself and on behalf of each Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints each First Lien Collateral Agent and any officer or agent of such First Lien Collateral Agent, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorneys-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or such holder or in any such First Lien Collateral Agent’s own name, from time to time in any such First Lien Collateral Agent’s discretion, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Section 5.1, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments that may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this Section 5.1, including any termination statements, endorsements or other instruments of transfer or release.

 

(c)           Unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent for itself and on behalf of each Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby consents to the application, whether prior to or after a default, of proceeds of Collateral or other collateral to the repayment of First Lien Obligations pursuant to the First Lien Documents.

 

5.2.         Insurance.  Unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred, as between any First Lien Collateral Agent or First Lien Secured Parties, on one hand, and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party, on the other hand, each First Lien Collateral Agent and the First Lien Secured Parties shall have the sole and exclusive right, to the extent permitted by the First Lien Documents and subject to the rights of the Grantors thereunder, to adjust settlement for any insurance policy covering the Collateral in the event of any loss thereunder and to approve any award granted in any condemnation or similar proceeding affecting the Collateral.  Unless and until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred, all proceeds of any such policy and any such award if in respect of the Collateral shall be paid (a) first, until the occurrence of the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to the First Lien Collateral Agents for the benefit of First Lien Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of the First Lien Documents, (b) second, after the occurrence of the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Junior Lien Secured Parties pursuant to the terms of the applicable Junior Lien Documents and (c) third, if no Junior Lien Obligations are outstanding, to the owner of the subject property, such other person as may be entitled thereto or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.  If the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party shall, at any time, receive any proceeds of any such insurance policy or any such award in contravention of this Agreement, such proceeds shall be segregated and held in trust for the benefit of the First Lien Collateral Agents and it shall forthwith pay such proceeds over to the First Lien Collateral Agents in accordance with the terms of Section 4.2.

 

5.3.         Amendments to Junior Lien Security Documents.

 

(a)           So long as the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has not occurred, without the prior written consent of the First Lien Collateral Agents, no Junior Lien Security Document may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified or entered into to the extent

 

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such amendment, supplement or modification, or the terms of any new Junior Lien Security Document, would be prohibited by or inconsistent with any of the terms of this Agreement.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative agree that each applicable Junior Lien Security Document shall include the following language (or language to similar effect approved by the First Lien Collateral Agents):

 

“Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the liens and security interests granted to [the Junior Lien Collateral Agent] pursuant to this Agreement and the exercise of any right or remedy by [the Junior Lien Collateral Agent] hereunder are subject to the limitations and provisions of the Intercreditor and Collateral Agency Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Intercreditor Agreement”) among Bank of America, N.A., as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as First Lien Notes Collateral Agent and certain other persons party or that may become party thereto from time to time, and consented to by The McClatchy Company and the Grantors identified therein.  In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement shall govern and control.”

 

In addition, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, agree that each mortgage covering any Collateral shall contain such other language as any First Lien Collateral Agent may reasonably request to reflect the subordination of such mortgage to the First Lien Document covering such Collateral.

 

(b)                                 In the event that any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party enter into any amendment, waiver or consent in respect of or replace any of the First Lien Security Documents for the purpose of adding to, or deleting from, or waiving or consenting to any departures from any provisions of, any First Lien Security Document or changing in any manner the rights of such First Lien Collateral Agent, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Company or any other Grantor thereunder (including the release of any Liens in Collateral in accordance with Section 5.1), then such amendment, waiver or consent shall apply automatically to any comparable provision of each Comparable Junior Lien Security Document without the consent of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party and without any action by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative, the Company or any other Grantor; provided that such amendment, waiver or consent does not materially adversely affect the rights of the Junior Lien Secured Parties or the interests of the Junior Lien Secured Parties in the Collateral in a manner materially different from that affecting the rights of the applicable First Lien Secured Parties thereunder or therein.  The applicable First Lien Collateral Agent shall give written notice of such amendment, waiver or consent (along with a copy thereof) to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the effectiveness of such amendment with respect to the provisions of any Junior Lien Security Document as set forth in this Section 5.3(b).

 

5.4.                            Rights as Unsecured Creditors.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties may exercise rights and remedies as an unsecured creditor against the Company or any Subsidiary

 

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that has guaranteed the Junior Lien Obligations in accordance with the terms of the applicable Junior Lien Documents and applicable law.  Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit the receipt by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party of required payments of interest and principal so long as such receipt is not the direct or indirect result of the exercise by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party of rights or remedies as a secured creditor in respect of Collateral or other collateral or enforcement in contravention of this Agreement of any Lien in respect of Junior Lien Obligations held by any of them or in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.  In the event the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party becomes a judgment lien creditor or other secured creditor in respect of Collateral, First Lien Collateral or other collateral as a result of its enforcement of its rights as an unsecured creditor in respect of Junior Lien Obligations or otherwise, such judgment or other lien shall be subordinated to the Liens securing First Lien Obligations on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Junior Lien Obligations are so subordinated to the First Priority Liens securing First Lien Obligations under this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement impairs or otherwise adversely affects any rights or remedies the First Lien Collateral Agents or the First Lien Secured Parties may have with respect to the First Lien Collateral.

 

5.5.                            First Lien Collateral Agents as Gratuitous Bailee for Perfection.

 

(a)                                 Each First Lien Collateral Agent agrees to hold the Pledged Collateral that is part of the Collateral in its possession or control (or in the possession or control of its agents or bailees) as gratuitous bailee for the benefit and on behalf of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Secured Party and any assignee thereof solely for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in such Pledged Collateral pursuant to the Junior Lien Security Documents, subject to the terms and conditions of this Section 5.5.

 

(b)                                 The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby appoints each of the First Lien Notes Collateral Agent and the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent to act as its collateral agent under each control agreement to which it is a party for the purpose of perfecting the security interest granted in the deposit accounts, securities account and other accounts subject to such control agreements that constitute Common Collateral (collectively, the “Controlled Accounts”) pursuant to the Junior Lien Security Documents, and each of the First Lien Notes Collateral Agent and the Credit Agreement Collateral Agent accepts such appointment.  In furtherance of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby grants a security interest in the Pledged Collateral consisting of Controlled Accounts to each First Lien Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured parties.

 

(c)                                  The First Lien Collateral Agents shall have no obligation whatsoever to any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party to assure that the Pledged Collateral is genuine or owned by the Grantors or to protect or preserve rights or benefits of any Person or any rights pertaining to the Collateral except as expressly set forth in this Section 5.5.  The duties or responsibilities of each First Lien Collateral Agent under this Section 5.5 shall be limited solely to holding the Pledged Collateral as gratuitous bailee for the benefit and on behalf of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Secured Party for purposes of perfecting the Liens held by the Junior Lien Secured Parties.

 

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(d)                                 The First Lien Collateral Agents shall not have by reason of the Junior Lien Documents or this Agreement or any other document a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party, and each of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Representatives and the Junior Lien Secured Parties hereby waives and releases each First Lien Collateral Agent from all claims and liabilities arising pursuant to such First Lien Collateral Agent’s role under this Section 5.5, as agent and gratuitous bailee with respect to the Collateral.

 

(e)                                  Upon the Discharge of First Lien Obligations, the First Lien Collateral Agents shall (x) deliver to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent written notice of the occurrence thereof (which notice may state that such Discharge of First Lien Obligations is subject to the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation Sections 5.1(a)(y), 5.7 and 6.3 hereof) (it being understood that until the delivery of such notice to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent shall not be charged with knowledge of the Discharge of First Lien Obligations or required to take any actions based on such Discharge of First Lien Obligations) and (y) deliver to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, to the extent that it is legally permitted to do so, the remaining Pledged Collateral (if any) together with any necessary endorsements (or otherwise allow the Junior Lien Collateral Agent to obtain control of such Pledged Collateral) or as a court of competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.  The Company and each Grantor shall take such further action as is required to effectuate the transfer contemplated hereby and shall indemnify each First Lien Collateral Agent for loss or damage suffered by such First Lien Collateral Agent as a result of such transfer except for loss or damage suffered by such First Lien Collateral Agent as a result of its own willful misconduct, gross negligence or bad faith.  The First Lien Collateral Agents have no obligation to follow instructions from the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party in contravention of this Agreement.

 

(f)                                   None of the First Lien Collateral Agents nor any of the First Lien Secured Parties shall be required to marshal any present or future collateral security for the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ obligations to the First Lien Collateral Agents or the First Lien Secured Parties under the Credit Agreement or the First Lien Documents or any assurance of payment in respect thereof or to resort to such collateral security or other assurances of payment in any particular order, and all of their rights in respect of such collateral security or any assurance of payment in respect thereof shall be cumulative and in addition to all other rights, however existing or arising.

 

5.6.                            [Intentionally Omitted]

 

5.7.                            No Release if Event of Reinstatement.  If at any time in connection with or after the Discharge of First Lien Obligations the Company either in connection therewith or thereafter enters into any Refinancing of any First Lien Document evidencing a First Lien Obligation, then such Discharge of First Lien Obligations shall automatically be deemed not to have occurred for all purposes of this Agreement, the First Lien Documents and the Junior Lien Documents, and the obligations under such Refinancing shall automatically be treated as First Lien Obligations for all purposes of this Agreement (a “Reinstatement”), including for purposes of the Lien priorities and rights in respect of Collateral set forth herein, and the related documents shall be treated as First Lien Documents for all purposes of this Agreement and the first lien collateral agent under such Refinanced First Lien Documents shall be a First Lien

 

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Collateral Agent for all purposes of this Agreement.  Upon receipt of a notice stating that the Company has entered into a new First Lien Document (which notice shall include the identity of the new collateral agent, such agent, the “New Agent”), the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative shall promptly (at the expense of the Company) (a) enter into such documents and agreements (including amendments or supplements to this Agreement) as the Company or such New Agent shall reasonably request in order to confirm to the New Agent the rights contemplated hereby, in each case consistent in all material respects with the terms of this Agreement and (b) deliver to the New Agent the Pledged Collateral together with any necessary endorsements (or otherwise allow the New Agent to obtain possession or control of such Pledged Collateral).

 

SECTION 6.  Insolvency or Liquidation Proceedings.

 

6.1.                            Financing Issues.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, each on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party agree that if the Company or any other Grantor shall be subject to any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding:

 

(a)                                 if any First Lien Collateral Agent shall desire to permit the use of cash collateral constituting proceeds of the Collateral or to permit the Company or any other Grantor to obtain financing under Section 363 or Section 364 of the Bankruptcy Code or any similar provision in any Bankruptcy Law (“DIP Financing”) secured by Liens on the Collateral, including if such DIP Financing is secured by Liens senior in priority to the Liens securing the Initial Junior Lien Obligations or the other Junior Lien Obligations, then the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, each on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, agrees that it will raise no objection to, and will not support any objection to, and will not otherwise contest such use of cash collateral or DIP Financing and will not seek or request adequate protection or any other relief in connection therewith (except to the extent permitted by Section 6.2) and, to the extent the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations are subordinated or pari passu with such DIP Financing, will subordinate its Liens in the Collateral and any other collateral to the Liens on the Collateral securing such DIP Financing (and all Obligations relating thereto) on the same basis as the other Liens securing the Junior Lien Obligations are so subordinated to the First Priority Liens securing the applicable First Lien Obligations, all adequate protection liens granted to the holders of First Lien Obligations on the Collateral, and to any “carve-out” for professional and United States Trustee fees agreed to by the First Lien Collateral Agent, provided that the Junior Lien Secured Parties may only object to the extent they are not granted adequate protection in accordance with the terms hereof and may not object on any other grounds or with respect to any other aspect of such DIP Financing or such use of cash collateral.

 

(b)                                 none of them will object to, or otherwise contest (or support any other Person contesting), any motion for relief from the automatic stay or from any injunction against foreclosure or enforcement in respect of First Lien Obligations made by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party;

 

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(c)                                  none of them will object to, or otherwise contest (or support any other Person contesting), any order relating to a sale or other disposition of assets of the Company or any Grantor for which any First Lien Collateral Agent has consented that provides, to the extent that such sale or disposition is to be free and clear of Liens, that the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations and the Junior Lien Obligations will attach to the proceeds thereof on the same basis of priority as the existing Liens in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(d)                                 none of them will seek relief from the automatic stay or any other stay in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Collateral, the First Lien Collateral or any other collateral without the prior written consent of all First Lien Collateral Agents;

 

(e)                                  none of them will object to, or otherwise contest (or support any other Person contesting), (i) any request by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party for adequate protection in any form or (ii) any objection by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party to any motion, relief, action or proceeding based on such First Lien Collateral Agent’s or such First Lien Secured Party’s claiming a lack of adequate protection;

 

(f)                                   none of them will assert or enforce any claim under Section 506(c) of the Bankruptcy Code senior to or on a parity with the Liens securing the First Lien Obligations for costs or expenses of preserving or disposing of any Collateral or First Lien Collateral;

 

(g)                                  none of them will oppose or otherwise contest (or support any Person contesting) any lawful exercise by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party of the right to credit bid First Lien Obligations at any sale of Collateral or First Lien Collateral under Section 363(k) of the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise, or of the right to make an election under Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the Collateral; and

 

(h)                                 none of them will challenge (or support any other Person challenging) the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of the First Priority Liens on Collateral or First Lien Collateral (and the First Lien Collateral Agents and the First Lien Secured Parties agree not to challenge the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of the Liens in favor of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each other Junior Lien Secured Party on the Collateral).

 

6.2.                            Adequate Protection.  Each of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, each on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party agrees that it will not file or prosecute in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding any motion for, or otherwise seek, adequate protection (or any comparable request for relief) based upon their respective security interests in the Collateral, except that

 

(1)                                 any of them may freely seek and obtain adequate protection relief granting a junior Lien co-extensive in all respects with, but subordinated to, all adequate

 

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protection and other Liens granted in the Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding to, or for the benefit of, the First Lien Secured Parties (and the First Lien Collateral Agents and the First Lien Secured Parties will not object to the granting of such a junior Lien); and

 

(2)                                 any of them may freely seek and obtain any relief upon a motion for adequate protection (or any comparable relief), without any condition or restriction whatsoever, at any time after the Discharge of First Lien Obligations.

 

6.3.                            Preference Issues.  If any First Lien Secured Party is required in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding or otherwise to turn over or otherwise pay to the estate of the Company or any other Grantor (or any trustee, receiver or similar person therefor) or to or for the benefit of its creditors, because the payment of such amount was declared to be fraudulent or preferential or otherwise avoidable in any respect or for any other reason, any amount (a “Recovery”), whether received as proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of setoff or otherwise, then as among the parties hereto, the First Lien Obligations shall be deemed to be reinstated to the extent of such Recovery and to be outstanding as if such payment had not occurred, and such First Lien Secured Party shall be entitled to a reinstatement of First Lien Obligations with respect to all such recovered amounts and shall have all rights hereunder.  If this Agreement shall have been terminated prior to such Recovery, this Agreement shall be reinstated in full force and effect, and such prior termination shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect the obligations of the parties hereto.  Any Collateral or First Lien Collateral or proceeds thereof received by any Junior Lien Secured Party prior to the time of such Recovery shall be deemed to have been received prior to the Discharge of First Lien Obligations and subject to the provisions of Section 4.2 and the other terms of this Agreement.  The applicable First Lien Collateral Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to give written notice to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent of the occurrence of any such Recovery (provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the First Lien Collateral Agents’ rights hereunder, except it being understood that until the delivery of such notice to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent shall not be charged with knowledge of such Recovery or required to take any actions based on such Recovery).

 

6.4.                            Application.  This Agreement constitutes a “subordination agreement” under Section 510 of the Bankruptcy Code and shall be applicable prior to and after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.  All references herein to any Grantor shall apply to any trustee for such Person and such Person as debtor in possession.  The relative rights as to the Collateral and other collateral and proceeds thereof shall continue after the filing thereof on the same basis as prior to the date of the petition, subject to any court order approving the financing of, or use of cash collateral by, any Grantor.

 

6.5.                            Reorganization Securities.  If, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, debt obligations of the reorganized debtor secured by Liens upon any property of the reorganized debtor are distributed, pursuant to a plan of reorganization or similar dispositive restructuring plan, both on account of First Lien Obligations and on account of Junior Lien Obligations, then, to the extent the debt obligations distributed on account of the First Lien Obligations and on account of the Junior Lien Obligations are secured by Liens upon the same property, the provisions of this Agreement will survive the distribution of such debt obligations pursuant to such plan and will apply with like effect to the Liens securing such debt obligations.

 

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6.6.                            Post-Petition Interest.

 

(a)                                 The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby acknowledge and agree that neither the Junior Lien Collateral Agent nor any Junior Lien Secured Party shall oppose or seek to challenge any claim by any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Party for allowance in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of First Lien Obligations consisting of post-petition interest, fees or expenses.

 

(b)                                 No First Lien Collateral Agent nor any other First Lien Secured Party shall oppose or seek to challenge any claim by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party for allowance in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of Junior Lien Obligations consisting of post-petition interest, fees or expenses to the extent of the value of the Liens in favor of the Junior Lien Secured Parties on the Collateral (after taking into account the Liens in favor of the First Lien Secured Parties thereon).

 

6.7.                            Nature of Obligations; Post-Petition Interest.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Junior Lien Secured Parties’ claims against the Company and each Grantor, including in respect of the Collateral, constitute junior claims separate and apart (and of a different class and nature) from the senior claims of the First Lien Secured Parties against the Company and each other Grantor, including in respect of the Collateral; (ii) the grant of Liens to secure the First Lien Obligations constitutes a separate and distinct grant of Liens from any Liens granted to secure any Junior Lien Obligations; (c) because of, among other things, their differing payment terms, their differing covenant rights, and their differing rights in the Collateral (including vis-à-vis any Grantor and/or in directing the exercise of any rights in and remedies against the Collateral), the First Lien Obligations are fundamentally different and distinct from (and substantially dissimilar, within the meaning of Section 1122 of the Bankruptcy Code, to) the Junior Lien Obligations and must be separately classified in any Plan of Reorganization, proposed or confirmed in an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding; and (d) the First Lien Obligations include all fees and expenses that are incurred and all interest that accrues after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding of the Company or any Grantor at the rate provided for in the applicable First Lien Documents governing the same, whether or not a claim for post-petition interest, fees, or expenses is allowed or allowable in any such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding under Section 506(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise.  To further effectuate the intent of the parties as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, if it is held that the claims against the Company or any Grantor in respect of the Collateral constitute only one secured claim (rather than separate classes of senior and junior claims), then the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby acknowledge and agree that all distributions pursuant to Section 4.1 or otherwise shall be made as if there were separate classes of senior and junior secured claims against the Company and the Grantors in respect of the Collateral (with the effect being that, to the extent that the aggregate value of the Collateral is sufficient (for this purpose ignoring all claims held by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties), the First Lien Secured Parties shall be entitled to receive, in addition to amounts owing in respect of or distributed to them in respect of principal, pre-petition interest, fees, expenses, and other claims, all amounts owing in respect of post-petition interest at the relevant contract

 

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rate, fees, and expenses (even though such claims may or may not be allowed or allowable in whole or in part in the respective Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding under Section 506(b) of the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise) before any distribution is made in respect of the claims held by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, with the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby acknowledging and agreeing to turn over to the holders of the First Lien Obligations all amounts otherwise received or receivable by them to the extent needed to effectuate the intent of this sentence even if such turnover of amounts has the effect of reducing the amount of the claim of the Junior Lien Secured Parties.

 

6.8.                            Proofs of Claim.  Subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, each First Lien Collateral Agent may file proofs of claim and other pleadings and motions with respect to any First Lien Obligations, any Junior Lien Obligations or the Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.  If a proper proof of claim has not been filed in the form required in such Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration of the time for filing thereof, each First Lien Collateral Agent shall have the right (but not the duty) to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties with respect to any of the Junior Lien Obligations or any of the Collateral.  In furtherance of the foregoing, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent hereby appoints each First Lien Collateral Agent, as its attorneys-in-fact, with full authority in the place and stead of the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and full power of substitution and in the name of the Junior Lien Secured Parties or otherwise, to execute and deliver any document or instrument that the First Lien Collateral Agents are required or permitted to deliver pursuant to this Section 6.8, such appointment being coupled with an interest and irrevocable.

 

6.9.                            Plan of Reorganization.  Without limiting the generality of any provisions of this Agreement, any vote to accept, and any other act to support the confirmation or approval of, any Non-Conforming Plan of Reorganization shall be inconsistent with and accordingly, a violation of the terms of this Agreement, and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Junior Lien Secured Parties, hereby acknowledges and agrees that no Junior Lien Secured Party may vote to accept or take any other act to support the confirmation or approval of, any Non-Conforming Plan of Reorganization without the consent of each First Lien Collateral Agent and the First Lien Secured Parties, such that each First Lien Agent shall be entitled to have any such impermissible vote by any Junior Lien Secured Party to accept a Non-Conforming Plan of Reorganization dismissed.

 

SECTION 7.  Reliance; Waivers; etc.

 

7.1.                            Reliance.  The consent by the First Lien Secured Parties to the execution and delivery of the Junior Lien Documents to which the First Lien Secured Parties have consented and all loans and other extensions of credit made or deemed made on and after the date hereof by the First Lien Secured Parties to the Company or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been given and made in reliance upon this Agreement.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, acknowledges that it and the applicable Junior Lien Secured Parties have, independently and without reliance on any First Lien Collateral Agent or any First Lien Secured Parties, and based on documents and information deemed by them appropriate, made their own credit

 

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analysis and decision to enter into the applicable Junior Lien Document, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and they will continue to make their own credit decision in taking or not taking any action under the applicable Junior Lien Document or this Agreement.

 

7.2.                            No Warranties or Liability.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and each Junior Lien Secured Party, acknowledges and agrees that no First Lien Collateral Agent nor any of the First Lien Secured Parties has made any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the execution, validity, legality, completeness, collectibility or enforceability of any of the First Lien Documents, the ownership of any Collateral or the perfection or priority of any Liens thereon.  The First Lien Secured Parties will be entitled to manage and supervise their respective loans and extensions of credit under the First Lien Documents in accordance with law and as they, in their sole discretion, may otherwise deem appropriate, and the First Lien Secured Parties may manage their loans and extensions of credit without regard to any rights or interests that the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representatives or any of the Junior Lien Secured Parties have in the Collateral or otherwise, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement.  No First Lien Collateral Agent nor any First Lien Secured Parties shall have any duty to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party to act or refrain from acting in a manner that allows, or results in, the occurrence or continuance of an event of default or default under any agreements with the Company or any Subsidiary thereof (including the Junior Lien Documents), regardless of any knowledge thereof that they may have or be charged with.  Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the First Lien Collateral Agents, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties have not otherwise made to each other, nor do they hereby make to each other, any warranties, express or implied, nor do they assume any liability to each other with respect to (a) the enforceability, validity, value or collectibility of any of the Junior Lien Obligations, the First Lien Obligations or any guarantee or security which may have been granted to any of them in connection therewith, (b) the Company’s title to or right to transfer any of the Collateral or (c) any other matter except as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

7.3.                            Obligations Unconditional.  All rights, interests, agreements and obligations of the First Lien Collateral Agents and the First Lien Secured Parties, and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Secured Parties, respectively, hereunder shall remain in full force and effect irrespective of:

 

(a)                                 any lack of validity or enforceability of any First Lien Documents or any Junior Lien Documents; or any lack of or other matter relating to the validity, enforceability, perfection or priority of any lien creating or existing or purported to be creating or existing thereunder;

 

(b)                                 any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other terms of, all or any of the First Lien Obligations or Junior Lien Obligations, or any amendment or waiver or other modification, including any increase in the amount thereof, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, of the terms of the Credit Agreement, First Lien Indenture or any other First Lien Document or of the terms of the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document or any other Junior Lien Document;

 

24



 

(c)                                  any exchange of any security interest in any Collateral or any other collateral, or any amendment, waiver or other modification, whether in writing or by course of conduct or otherwise, of all or any of the First Lien Obligations or Junior Lien Obligations or any guarantee thereof;

 

(d)                                 the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in respect of the Company or any other Grantor; or

 

(e)                                  any other circumstances that otherwise might constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Company or any other Grantor in respect of the First Lien Obligations or the Junior Lien Obligations in respect of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.  Miscellaneous.

 

8.1.                            Conflicts.  Subject to Section 8.19, in the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any Junior Lien Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern.

 

8.2.                            Continuing Nature of This Agreement; Severability.  Subject to Section 5.1(a)(y), Section 5.7 and Section 6.3, this Agreement shall continue to be effective until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations shall have occurred or such later time as all the Obligations in respect of the Junior Lien Obligations shall have been paid in full.  This is a continuing agreement of lien subordination, and the First Lien Secured Parties may continue, at any time and without notice to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or any Junior Lien Secured Party, to extend credit and other financial accommodations and lend monies to or for the benefit of the Company or any other Grantor constituting First Lien Obligations in reliance hereon.  The terms of this Agreement shall survive, and shall continue in full force and effect, in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.  Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

8.3.                            Amendments; Waivers.  No amendment, modification or waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement by the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or the First Lien Collateral Agents shall be deemed to be made except as contemplated by the First Lien Documents and the Junior Lien Documents and then pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing signed by or on behalf of the First Lien Collateral Agents and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent or their respective authorized agents, and consented to in writing by the Company, and each waiver, if any, shall be a waiver only with respect to the specific instance involved and shall in no way impair the rights of the parties making such waiver or the obligations of the other parties to such party in any other respect or at any other time; provided that no such agreement shall by its terms amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or obligations of any Grantor without the Company’s prior written consent. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 8.3 to the contrary, this Agreement may be amended from time to time at the request of the Company, at the Company’s expense, and without the consent of First Lien Collateral Agents, any First Lien Secured Party, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party to (i) provide for a replacement of any First Lien Collateral Agent in

 

25



 

accordance with the applicable First Lien Documents (including for the avoidance of doubt to provide for a replacement of any First Lien Collateral Agent assuming such role in connection with any Refinancing of the Credit Agreement), provide for a replacement Junior Lien Collateral Agent in accordance with the Junior Lien Documents (including for the avoidance of doubt to provide for a replacement Junior Lien Collateral Agent assuming such role in connection with any Refinancing of the Junior Lien Documents permitted hereunder) and/or secure additional extensions of credit or add other parties holding First Lien Obligations or Junior Lien Obligations to the extent such Indebtedness does not expressly violate the Credit Agreement, the First Lien Indenture or the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document and (ii) in the case of such additional Junior Lien Obligations, (a) establish that the Liens on the Collateral securing such Junior Lien Obligations shall be junior and subordinate in all respects to all Liens on the Collateral securing any First Lien Obligations (at least to the same extent as the Liens on the Collateral in favor of the Junior Lien Obligations are junior and subordinate to the Liens on the Collateral in favor of the First Lien Obligations pursuant to this Agreement immediately prior to the incurrence of such additional Junior Lien Obligations) and (b) provide to the holders of such Junior Lien Obligations (or any agent or trustee thereof) the comparable rights and benefits (including any improved rights and benefits that have been consented to by all First Lien Collateral Agents) as are provided to the Junior Lien Secured Parties under this Agreement.  Any amendments adding such additional agents (“Additional Collateral Agents”) may be accomplished by delivering to each First Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Collateral Agent an “Additional Party Addendum” hereto substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate referred to below.  Any such additional party and agent shall be entitled to rely on the determination of officers of the Company that such modifications do not expressly violate the Credit Agreement, the First Lien Indenture, the other First Lien Documents, the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document, the other Junior Lien Documents and this Agreement if such determination is set forth in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to such party, each First Lien Collateral Agent and the Junior Lien Collateral Agent.  For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise agreed to among the Junior Lien Secured Parties (and in addition to any additional requirements with respect to any Initial Junior Lien Obligations set forth in the Indenture), the Junior Lien Collateral Agent shall for all purposes hereof act at the direction of the Junior Lien Secured Parties holding a majority of then outstanding Junior Lien Obligations.

 

8.4.                            Information Concerning Financial Condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, each Junior Lien Representative and the Junior Lien Secured Parties shall each be responsible for keeping themselves informed of (a) the financial condition of the Company and the Subsidiaries and all endorsers and/or guarantors of the First Lien Obligations or the Junior Lien Obligations and (b) all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the First Lien Obligations or the Junior Lien Obligations.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, each Junior Lien Representative and the Junior Lien Secured Parties shall have no duty to advise any other party hereunder of information known to it or them regarding such condition or any such circumstances or otherwise.  In the event that any First Lien Collateral Agent, any First Lien Secured Party, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, any Junior Lien Representative or any Junior Lien Secured Party, in its or their sole discretion, undertakes at any time or from time to time to provide any such information to any other party, it or they shall be under no obligation (w) to make, and the First Lien Collateral Agents, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the

 

26



 

Junior Lien Representatives and the Junior Lien Secured Parties shall not make, any express or implied representation or warranty, including with respect to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or validity of any such information so provided, (x) to provide any additional information or to provide any such information on any subsequent occasion, (y) to undertake any investigation or (z) to disclose any information that, pursuant to accepted or reasonable commercial finance practices, such party wishes to maintain confidential or is otherwise required to maintain confidential.

 

8.5.                            Subrogation.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby waives any rights of subrogation it may acquire as a result of any payment hereunder until the Discharge of First Lien Obligations has occurred.

 

8.6.                            Application of Payments.  Except as otherwise provided herein, all payments received by the First Lien Secured Parties may be applied, reversed and reapplied, in whole or in part, to such part of the First Lien Obligations by the First Lien Secured Parties in a manner consistent with the terms of the First Lien Documents.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative, on behalf of itself and each applicable Junior Lien Secured Party, assents to any such extension or postponement of the time of payment of the First Lien Obligations or any part thereof and to any other indulgence with respect thereto, to any substitution, exchange or release of any security that may at any time secure any part of the First Lien Obligations and to the addition or release of any other Person primarily or secondarily liable therefor.

 

8.7.                            Consent to Jurisdiction; Waivers.  The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court located in New York, New York, and consent that all service of process may be made by registered mail directed to such party as provided in Section 8.8 for such party. Service so made shall be deemed to be completed three days after the same shall be posted as aforesaid.  The parties hereto waive any objection to any action instituted hereunder in any such court based on forum non conveniens, and any objection to the venue of any action instituted hereunder in any such court.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED ON, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, VERBAL OR WRITTEN STATEMENT OR ACTION OF ANY PARTY HERETO IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF.

 

8.8.                            Notices.  All notices to the First Lien Secured Parties and the Junior Lien Secured Parties permitted or required under this Agreement may be sent to the First Lien Collateral Agents or the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, respectively, as provided in the First Lien Indenture, the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document, the Credit Agreement, the other relevant First Lien Document or the other relevant Junior Lien Document, as applicable.  Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, any notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and may be personally served, telecopied, electronically mailed or sent by courier service or U.S. mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by courier service, upon receipt of a telecopy or electronic mail or upon receipt via U.S. mail (registered or certified, with postage prepaid and properly addressed).  For the

 

27



 

purposes hereof, the addresses of the parties hereto shall be as set forth below each party’s name on the signature pages hereto, or, as to each party, at such other address as may be designated by such party in a written notice to all of the other parties.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the First Lien Collateral Agent agrees to accept and act upon notice, instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods.  If the party elects to give the First Lien Collateral Agent e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the First Lien Collateral Agent in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the First Lien Collateral Agent’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling.  The First Lien Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the First Lien Collateral Agent reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction.  The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the First Lien Collateral Agent, including without limitation the risk of the First Lien Collateral Agent acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

 

8.9.                            Further Assurances.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and each Junior Lien Secured Party, and each First Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the applicable First Lien Secured Party, agree that each of them shall take such further action and shall execute and deliver to the First Lien Collateral Agents such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as any First Lien Collateral Agent may reasonably request to effectuate the terms of and the lien priorities contemplated by this Agreement.

 

8.10.                     Governing Law.  This Agreement has been delivered and accepted at and shall be deemed to have been made at New York, New York and shall be interpreted, and the rights and liabilities of the parties bound hereby determined, in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

8.11.                     Binding on Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the First Lien Collateral Agents, the First Lien Secured Parties, the Junior Lien Collateral Agent, the Junior Lien Representatives, the Junior Lien Secured Parties, the Company, the Grantors consenting hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

8.12.                     Specific Performance.  Any First Lien Collateral Agent may demand specific performance of this Agreement.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and each Junior Lien Secured Party, hereby irrevocably waives any defense based on the adequacy of a remedy at law and any other defense that might be asserted to bar the remedy of specific performance in any action that may be brought by any First Lien Collateral Agent.

 

8.13.                     Section Titles.  The section titles contained in this Agreement are and shall be without substantive meaning or content of any kind whatsoever and are not a part of this Agreement.

 

28



 

8.14.                     Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile or “pdf” file thereof, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall together constitute one and the same document.

 

8.15.                     Authorization.  By its signature, each party hereto represents and warrants to the other parties hereto that the Person executing this Agreement on behalf of such party is duly authorized to execute this Agreement.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the First Lien Secured Parties.  The Junior Lien Collateral Agent and each Junior Lien Representative represents and warrants that this Agreement is binding upon the Junior Lien Secured Parties.

 

8.16.                     No Third Party Beneficiaries; Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement and the rights and benefits hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, each of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of each of, and be binding upon, the holders of First Lien Obligations and Junior Lien Obligations.  No other Person shall have or be entitled to assert rights or benefits hereunder.

 

8.17.                     Effectiveness.  This Agreement shall become effective when executed and delivered by the parties hereto.  This Agreement shall be effective both before and after the commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.  All references to the Company or any other Grantor shall include the Company or any other Grantor as debtor and debtor-in-possession and any receiver or trustee for the Company or any other Grantor (as the case may be) in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding.

 

8.18.                     First Lien Collateral Agents and Junior Lien Collateral Agent.  It is understood and agreed that (a) BANA is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as collateral agent under the Credit Agreement, and the provisions of Section [9] of the Credit Agreement applicable to the administrative agent and collateral agent thereunder shall also apply to the First Lien Collateral Agent hereunder, (b) BNY Mellon, in its capacity as First Lien Notes Collateral Agent, is entering into this Agreement in its capacity as collateral agent, and the rights, privileges and immunities of the Trustee and the Collateral Agent set forth in provisions of the First Lien Indenture shall also apply to the First Lien Notes Collateral Agent hereunder and (c) [               ], in its capacity as Junior Lien Collateral Agent, is entering in this Agreement in its capacity as collateral agent, and the provisions of Sections [  ] of the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document applicable to the trustee and the collateral agent thereunder shall also apply to the Junior Lien Collateral Agent hereunder.

 

8.19.                     Relative Rights.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary (except to the extent contemplated by Section 5.3(b)), nothing in this Agreement is intended to or will (a) amend, waive or otherwise modify the provisions of the Credit Agreement or any other First Lien Document, or the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document or any other Junior Lien Document, or permit the Company or any other Grantor to take any action, or fail to take any action, to the extent such action or failure would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Credit Agreement or any other First Lien Documents or the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document or any other Junior Lien Documents, (b) change the relative priorities of the First Lien Obligations or the Liens granted under the First Lien Documents on the Collateral (or any other assets) as among the First Lien Secured Parties, (c) otherwise change the relative rights of the

 

29



 

First Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral as among such First Lien Secured Parties or (d) obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to take any action, or fail to take any action, if taking or failing to take such action, as the case may be, would otherwise constitute a breach of, or default under, the Credit Agreement or any other First Lien Document or the Initial Junior Lien Debt Document or any other Junior Lien Document.

 

8.20.                     References.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any references contained herein to any Section, clause, paragraph, definition or other provision of any First Lien Document or Junior Lien Document (including any definition contained therein) shall be deemed to be a reference to such Section, clause, paragraph, definition or other provision as in effect on the date of this Agreement; provided that any reference to any such Section, clause, paragraph or other provision shall refer to such Section, clause, paragraph or other provision of the applicable First Lien Document or Junior Lien Document, as applicable (including any definition contained therein), as amended or modified from time to time if such amendment or modification has been made in accordance with the applicable First Lien Document or Junior Lien Document.

 

8.21.                     Intercreditor Agreements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, each party hereto agrees that (i) the Junior Lien Secured Parties (as among themselves) may enter into intercreditor agreements (or similar arrangements) governing the rights, benefits and privileges as among the Junior Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral, this Agreement and the other Junior Lien Documents, including as to application of proceeds of the Collateral, voting rights, control of the Collateral and waivers with respect to the Collateral and (ii) the First Lien Secured Parties (as among themselves) may enter into intercreditor agreements (or similar arrangements) governing the rights, benefits and privileges as among the First Lien Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral, this Agreement and the other First Lien Documents, including as to application of proceeds of the Collateral, voting rights, control of the Collateral and waivers with respect to the Collateral.  In any event, if a respective intercreditor agreement (or similar arrangement) exists, the provisions thereof shall not be (or be construed to be) an amendment, modification or other change to this Agreement or any other First Lien Security Document or Junior Lien Security Document, and the provisions of this Agreement and the other First Lien Security Documents and Junior Lien Security Documents shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof (as such provisions may be amended, modified or otherwise supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, including to give effect to any intercreditor agreement (or similar arrangement)).  The provisions of this Agreement are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the First Lien Secured Parties on the one hand and the Junior Lien Secured Parties on the other hand.  None of the Company, any Grantor or any Subsidiary of the Company or any other creditor thereof shall have any rights hereunder.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Company or any other Grantor to pay the First Lien Obligations and the Junior Lien Obligations as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms.  Without limiting anything contained herein and for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to any intercreditor agreements (or similar arrangements) entered into by Junior Lien Secured Parties (as among themselves) governing the rights, benefits and privileges among Junior Lien Secured Parties in respect of Collateral as referred to above, the Initial Junior Lien Representative, acting on behalf of the Initial Junior Lien Secured Parties, may, at the written request of the Company, enter into and

 

30



 

execute on behalf of itself and the Initial Junior Lien Secured Parties, any intercreditor agreement with any other Junior Lien Representative on behalf of other Junior Lien Secured Parties with respect to Collateral to the extent permitted under the First Lien Documents and the Junior Lien Documents, which intercreditor agreement is substantially identical to this Agreement except that the liens on the Collateral granted to such other Junior Lien Secured Parties shall be junior and subordinated to the First Priority Liens on Collateral granted to the First Lien Secured Parties pursuant to the First Lien Security Documents to the same extent as the Junior Liens on Collateral are junior and subordinate to the First Priority Liens granted to the First Lien Secured Parties under this Agreement and the First Lien Security Documents.  Each First Lien Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely on an Officers’ Certificate and/or an opinion of counsel, as requested by any First Lien Collateral Agent and at the Company’s expense, that such intercreditor agreement satisfies the criterion set forth in the preceding sentence.

 

31



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

as a First Lien Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as a First Lien Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

 

S-1



 

 

[                             ], as Junior Lien Collateral Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

 

S-2



 

CONSENT OF COMPANY AND GRANTORS-

 

Dated:  [              ], 20[  ]

 

Reference is made to the Intercreditor Agreement dated as of the date hereof among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as First Lien Notes Collateral Agent, and [                                      ], as Junior Lien Collateral Agent, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, waived, or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Intercreditor Agreement”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

Each of the undersigned Grantors has read the foregoing Intercreditor Agreement and consents thereto.  Each of the undersigned Grantors agrees not to take any action that would be contrary to the express provisions of the foregoing Intercreditor Agreement, agrees to abide by the requirements expressly applicable to it under the foregoing Intercreditor Agreement and agrees that, except as otherwise provided therein, no First Lien Secured Party or Junior Lien Secured Party shall have any liability to any Grantor for acting in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien Documents or the Junior Lien Documents.  Each Grantor understands that the foregoing Intercreditor Agreement is for the sole benefit of the First Lien Secured Parties and the Junior Lien Secured Parties and their respective successors and assigns, and that such Grantor is not an intended beneficiary or third party beneficiary thereof except to the extent otherwise expressly provided therein.

 

Without limitation to the foregoing, each Grantor agrees to take such further action and to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments (in recordable form, if requested) as the First Lien Collateral Agents or the Junior Lien Collateral Agent (or any of their respective agents or representatives) may reasonably request to effectuate the terms of and the lien priorities contemplated by the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

This Consent shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.  Notices delivered to any Grantor pursuant to this Consent shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

S-3



 

IN WITNESS HEREOF, this Consent is hereby executed by each of the Grantors as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

C-1



 

Exhibit A

 

ADDITIONAL PARTY ADDENDUM

 

Reference is made to the Intercreditor Agreement dated as of [               ], 20[  ] among BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Credit Agreement Collateral Agent, THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as First Lien Notes Collateral Agent, and [                                      ], as Junior Lien Collateral Agent, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, waived, or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Intercreditor Agreement”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

The undersigned, by execution of this Additional Party Addendum on [                   ], hereby acknowledges and agrees to be bound as a [replacement First Lien Collateral Agent] [replacement Junior Lien Collateral Agent][Junior Lien Representative] to the Intercreditor Agreement as if it were an original party thereto.  The undersigned represents and warrants that it has received a copy of each of the First Lien Documents and Junior Lien Documents and satisfies each and all of the criteria set forth therein for the assumption of this agency.  This Additional Party Addendum shall become effective upon delivery of the Officers’ Certificate contemplated by Section 8.3 of the Intercreditor Agreement [and upon satisfaction of the foregoing conditions:  [                                 ]].

 

This Additional Party Addendum shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.  Notices delivered to the undersigned pursuant to this Additional Party Addendum shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement but to the address set forth below or such other address provided in writing, to the Company and other party to the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 


EX-4.3 4 a12-29753_1ex4d3.htm EX-4.3

Exhibit 4.3

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated December 18, 2012 (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and among The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors from time to time party hereto (the “Guarantors”), and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”), as representative of the several Initial Purchasers listed on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”).

 

The Company and the Initial Purchasers are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated December 3, 2012 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $910,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 (the “Securities”).  As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                      Definitions.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Business Day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

“Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company’s successors.

 

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

“Exchange Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.

 

“Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company and the Guarantors of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 

“Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 

“Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 



 

“Exchange Securities” shall mean senior secured notes issued by the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantors under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

 

“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” means each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.

 

“Guarantor” shall mean the Guarantors listed on Schedule 2 of the Purchase Agreement and any subsidiary of the Company that executes a Subsidiary Guarantee under the Indenture after the date of this Agreement and shall also include such subsidiary’s successors.

 

“Holders” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Section 5 of this Agreement, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

 

“Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

 

“Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

 

“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of December 18, 2012 among the Company, the Guarantors from time to time party thereto and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, and as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

“Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xiv) hereof.

 

“Issue Date” shall mean December 18, 2012.

 

“Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.

 

“J.P. Morgan” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any

 

2



 

of its affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided, further, that if the Company shall issue any additional Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

 

“Notice and Questionnaire” shall mean a notice of registration statement and selling security holder questionnaire distributed to a Holder by the Company upon receipt of a Shelf Request from such Holder.

 

“Participating Broker-Dealers” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

 

“Participating Holder” shall mean any Holder of Registrable Securities that has returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof.

 

“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities on the earliest of (i) when the Exchange Securities are issued in exchange for such Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (ii) if an Exchange Offer is completed on or after the Exchange Date with respect to Holders that are eligible to participate in the Exchange Offer but fail to tender such Securities in the Exchange Offer, (iii) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such Securities have been disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (iv) the date that is two years from the Issue Date or (v) when such Securities cease to be outstanding.

 

“Registration Default” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Deadline, (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) or Section 2(b)(ii) hereof, has not become effective on or prior to the Target Registration Deadline or (iii) if

 

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the Company receives a Shelf Request pursuant to Section 2(b)(iii), the Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (a) the Target Registration Deadline and (b) 90 days after delivery of such Shelf Request.

 

“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company and the Guarantors with this Agreement, including without limitation:  (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for any Underwriters or Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Underwriters, if any, or by the Majority Holders if there are no Underwriters) in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel as may be agreed by the Company and the Trustee, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantors and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Participating Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Participating Holders holding a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Registrable Securities held by such Participating Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors, including the expenses of any special audits or “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

 

“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of the Company and the Guarantors that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Restricted Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

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“Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

 

“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

 

“Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company and the Guarantors that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities (other than Additional Notes (as defined in the Indenture), if any) unless approved by a majority in aggregate principal amount held by the Participating Holders) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

“Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantees” shall mean the guarantees of the Securities and Exchange Securities by the Guarantors under the Indenture.

 

“Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

 

“Target Registration Deadline” shall mean September 14, 2013.

 

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

 

“Trustee” shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture.

 

“Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.

 

“Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

 

2.                                      Registration Under the Securities Act.

 

(a)                                 To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable efforts to (i) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all the Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (ii) have such Registration Statement remain effective until the earlier of 180 days after the Exchange Date and the date that the Participating Broker-Dealers are no longer required to deliver a prospectus under the Securities Act for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers.  The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use their reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer not later than 60 days after such effective date.  The Exchange Offer will be deemed to have been “completed” upon the delivery by the Company to the registrar under the Indenture of Exchange

 

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Securities in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Registrable Securities that were validly tendered (and not withdrawn) by Holders (other than Restricted Holders) thereof pursuant to and prior to the expiration of the Exchange Offer.

 

The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

 

(i)                                     that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange;

 

(ii)                                  the date of acceptance for exchange, as extended pursuant to the terms of the Exchange Offer (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “Exchange Date”);

 

(iii)                               that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

 

(iv)                              that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) to the extent such Registrable Security is held in certificated form, surrender such Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address (located in the United States) and in the manner specified in the notice, or (B) to the extent such Registrable Security is held in book-entry form through the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”), effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the Exchange Date; and

 

(v)                                 that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the Exchange Date, by (A) to the extent such Registrable Security is held in certificated form, sending to the institution and at the address (located in the United States) specified in the notice, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Securities exchanged or (B) to the extent such Registrable Security is held in book-entry form through the DTC, effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

 

As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company and the Guarantors that (i) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities, (iii) it is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or any Guarantor, (iv) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that

 

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it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities and not directly from the Company, then such Holder will deliver a Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a Prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities (any Holder that does not satisfy each of the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv), a “Restricted Holder”).

 

As soon as practicable after the Exchange Date, the Company and the Guarantors shall:

 

(i)                                     accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and

 

(ii)                                  deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder, Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities tendered by such Holder.

 

The Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer.  The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff and other customary conditions for “A/B” exchange offers for debt securities similar to the Securities.

 

(b)                                 In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantors determine that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason completed by the Target Registration Deadline or (iii) upon receipt of a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable efforts to cause to be filed as soon as practicable after such determination or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement become effective; provided that no Holder will be entitled to have any Registrable Securities included in any Shelf Registration Statement, or entitled to use the prospectus forming a part of such Shelf Registration Statement, until such Holder shall have delivered a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire and provided such other information regarding such Holder to the Company as is contemplated by Section 3(b) hereof.  Any such Shelf Request by an Initial Purchaser shall include the amount of Registrable Securities to be registered pursuant to such request.

 

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In the event that the Company and the Guarantors are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, subject to applicable law, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable efforts to file and have become effective both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers specified in such Shelf Request.

 

Subject to Section 3(b)(ii), the Company and the Guarantors agree to use their reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the second anniversary of the Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”).  The Company and the Guarantors further agree to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use their reasonable efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable.  The Company and the Guarantors agree to furnish to the Participating Holders copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

 

(c)                                  The Company and the Guarantors shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof.  Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

 

(d)                                 An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC.  A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

 

If a Registration Default occurs, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by 0.25% per annum for the first 90 day period beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default and by an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90 day period, up to a maximum of 0.50% per annum, until the earliest of the Exchange Offer being completed or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, becomes effective and the date on which such Securities cease to be Registrable Securities.

 

If the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, has become effective and thereafter either ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 45 days (whether or

 

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not consecutive) in any 12-month period, then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by 0.25% per annum commencing on the 46th day in such 12-month period for the first 90 day period following such date and by an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90 day period, up to a maximum of 0.50% per annum and ending on such date that the Shelf Registration Statement has again become effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable.

 

(e)                                  Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantors acknowledge that any failure by the Company or the Guarantors to comply with their obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.

 

(f)                                   The Company represents, warrants and covenants that it (including its agents and representatives) will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any Free Writing Prospectus other than any written communication relating to or that contains solely the terms of the Exchange Offer and/or other information that was included in the Registration Statement.

 

3.                                      Registration Procedures.

 

(a)                                 In connection with their obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Guarantors shall promptly:

 

(i)                                     use their reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company and the Guarantors, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use their reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

 

(ii)                                  use their reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement and file with the SEC any other required document as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

 

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(iii)                               to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, use their reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantors with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;

 

(iv)                              in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Participating Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as such Participating Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, the Company and the Guarantors consent to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Participating Holders and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

 

(v)                                 use their reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions of the United States of America or Canada as any Participating Holder shall reasonably request in writing prior to the time the applicable Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Participating Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Participating Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Participating Holder; provided that neither the Company nor any Guarantor shall be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;

 

(vi)                              notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Participating Holder and counsel for such Participating Holders promptly (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or when any amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed (in each case other than for the purpose of naming a Participating Holder as a selling security holder therein), (2) of any request (but not the nature or details regarding such request) by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant

 

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to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if the Company or any Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event (but not the nature or details concerning such event) during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (6) of any determination by the Company or any Guarantor that a post-effective amendment (other than for the purpose of naming a Participating Holder as a selling security holder therein) to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be appropriate;

 

(vii)                           use their reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Registration Statement on the proper form, at the earliest possible moment and provide immediate notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

 

(viii)                        in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder upon request, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);

 

(ix)                              in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Participating Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (unless such Registrable Securities are in book-entry form only) representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Participating Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

 

(x)                                 upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use their reasonable efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company and the Guarantors shall notify the Participating Holders (in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement) and the Initial Purchasers and any Participating Broker-Dealers known to the Company (in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such

 

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an event, and such Participating Holders, such Participating Broker-Dealers and the Initial Purchasers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company and the Guarantors have amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

 

(xi)                              a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus or of any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Participating Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantors as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) available for discussion of such document; and the Company and the Guarantors shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement or a Prospectus, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) shall object; provided that the immediately foregoing sentence shall not prohibit the Company from making any filing that is, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, necessary to comply with applicable law;

 

(xii)                           obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

 

(xiii)                        cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use their reasonable efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

 

(xiv)                       in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Participating Holders (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, any attorneys and accountants designated by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities held by the Participating Holders and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial and other records,

 

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documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and use its reasonable efforts to cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company and the Guarantors to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement, in each case as is reasonable and customary for “due diligence” examinations of issuers of similar size and business as the Company; provided that such Persons shall first agree with the Company that any information that is designated by the Company as confidential at the time of delivery shall be kept confidential by such Persons and shall be used solely for the purposes of exercising rights under this Agreement and satisfying “due diligence” obligations under the Securities Act and such Persons shall not engage in trading any securities of the Company until any material non-public information becomes properly publicly available; provided that such Person may disclose such confidential information to the extent (v) disclosure of such information is required by court or administrative order or is requested by regulatory authorities, (w) disclosure of such information is required by law, including any disclosure requirements pursuant to federal securities laws in connection with the filing of any Shelf Registration Statement or the use of any Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement referred to in this Agreement, upon a customary opinion of counsel for such Persons delivered and reasonably satisfactory to the Company, (x) such information becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure or failure to safeguard by any such Person, (y) such information becomes available to any such Person or a source other than the Company and such source is not known by such Person to be bound by a confidentiality obligation to the Company or (z) such information is necessary to establish a due diligence defense; provided, further, that with respect to any counsel engaged by the Majority Holders, the foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated by one counsel designated by the Majority Holders;

 

(xv)                          if reasonably requested by any Participating Holder, promptly include in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Participating Holder as such Participating Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing;

 

(xvi)                       in the case of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration or a Shelf Registration registering Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Participating Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Guarantors (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Participating Holders and

 

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such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each Participating Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantors, or of any business acquired by the Company or the Guarantors for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each Participating Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement; and

 

(xvii)                    so long as any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, cause each Additional Guarantor upon the creation or acquisition by the Company of such Additional Guarantor, to execute a counterpart to this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A and to deliver such counterpart, together with an opinion of counsel as to the enforceability thereof against such entity, to the Initial Purchasers no later than five Business Days following the execution thereof.

 

(b)                                 In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company a Notice and Questionnaire and such other information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company and the Guarantors may from time to time reasonably request in writing.  Each Participating Holder agrees to notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any inaccuracy or change in information previously furnished by such Participating Holder to the Company or of the occurrence of any event in either case as a result of which any Prospectus relating to the Shelf Registration Statement contains or would contain an untrue statement of a material fact regarding such Participating Holder or such Participating Holder’s intended method of disposition of Registrable Securities or omits to state any material fact regarding such Participating Holder or such Participating Holder’s intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and promptly to furnish to the Company any additional information required to correct and update any previously furnished information or required so that such Prospectus shall not contain, with respect to such Participating Holder or the disposition of such Registrable Securities, an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing.

 

(c)                                  In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Participating Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company and the Guarantors of the happening of

 

14



 

any event of the kind described in Section 3(a)(vi)(2), 3(a)(vi)(3), 3(a)(vi)(4) or 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Participating Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Participating Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company and the Guarantors, such Participating Holder will deliver to the Company and the Guarantors all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Participating Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

(d)                                 If the Company and the Guarantors shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company and the Guarantors shall extend the period during which such Shelf Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The period during which the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement and any Prospectus and Free Writing Prospectus is suspended shall not exceed 45 days in any 12 month period. Each Participating Holder shall keep confidential any communications received by it from the Company regarding the suspension of the use of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus, except as required by applicable law.

 

(e)                                  The Participating Holders who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering.  In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering.

 

4.                                      Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

 

(a)                                 The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

 

The Company and the Guarantors understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

 

15



 

(b)                                 In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors agree to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period of up to 180 days after the Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) of this Agreement), in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above.  The Company and the Guarantors further agree that Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available) during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

 

(c)                                  The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, the Guarantors, any Holder or Participating Broker-Dealers with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above.

 

5.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing through J.P. Morgan or any selling Holder, respectively expressly for use therein.  In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

 

(b)                                 Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company and the Guarantors, each officer of the Company and the Guarantors who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the

 

16



 

Guarantors, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(c)                                  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been

 

17



 

sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)                                 If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Holders on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantors or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(e)                                  The Company, the Guarantors and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5 are several and not joint.

 

(f)                                   The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

18



 

(g)                                  The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Guarantors or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantors, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

 

6.                                      General.

 

(a)                                 No Conflicting Agreements.  The Company and the Guarantors represent, warrant and agree that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or the Guarantors under any other agreement and (ii) neither the Company nor the Guarantors has entered into, or on or after the date of this Agreement will enter into, any agreement that conflicts with the provisions hereof.

 

(b)                                 Amendments and Waivers.   The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company and the Guarantors have obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder.  Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

(c)                                  Notices.  All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantors, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) to such other persons at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c).  All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.  Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

 

19



 

(d)                                 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture.  If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.  The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company or the Guarantors with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Third Party Beneficiaries.  Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

 

(f)                                   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(g)                                  Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

(h)                                 Governing Law, etc.  This Agreement, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. THE COMPANY, EACH GUARANTOR AND EACH INITIAL PURCHASER EACH IRREVOCABLY AGREES TO WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY OR ON BEHALF OF ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE PERFORMANCE HEREOF.  The Company and each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in the County and City of New York over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this agreement.  Service of any process, summons, notice or document by registered mail addressed to the Company or any Guarantor shall be effective service of process against such person for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court.  The Company and each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  A final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court may be enforced in any other courts to whose jurisdiction the Company or any Guarantor is or may be subject, by suit upon judgment.  The Company and each Guarantor further agrees that nothing herein shall affect any Initial Purchaser’s right to effect service of process in any other

 

20



 

manner permitted by law or bring a suit action or proceeding (including a proceeding for enforcement of a judgment) in any other court or jurisdiction in accordance with applicable law.

 

(i)                                     Entire Agreement; Severability.  This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.  The Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which becomes as close as possible to that of the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

21



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief

 

 

 

Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

22



 

 

ABOARD PUBLISHING, INC.

 

ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, INC.

 

BELTON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

BISCAYNE BAY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

CASS COUNTY PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

COLUMBUS LEDGER-ENQUIRER, INC.

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, INC.

 

EAST COAST NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

GULF PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

HLB NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

KELTATIM PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

KEYNOTER PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

LEE’S SUMMIT JOURNAL, INCORPORATED

 

LEXINGTON H-L SERVICES, INC.

 

MACON TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

MAIL ADVERTISING CORPORATION

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE WEST

 

MCCLATCHY INVESTMENT COMPANY

 

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY U.S.A., INC.

 

MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY

 

NEWSPRINT VENTURES, INC.

 

NITTANY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

NOR-TEX PUBLISHING, INC.

 

OLYMPIC-CASCADE PUBLISHING, INC.

 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

QUAD COUNTY PUBLISHING, INC.

 

STAR-TELEGRAM, INC.

 

TACOMA NEWS, INC.

 

THE BRADENTON HERALD, INC.

 

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE NEWS AND OBSERVER PUBLISHING COMPANY

 

THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY

 

THE SUN PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

TRIBUNE NEWSPRINT COMPANY

 

WICHITA EAGLE AND BEACON PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.

 

WINGATE PAPER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

23



 

 

MCCLATCHY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

 

MCCLATCHY INTERACTIVE LLC

 

 

 

 

 

All By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BELLINGHAM HERALD PUBLISHING, LLC

 

IDAHO STATESMAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

OLYMPIAN PUBLISHING, LLC

 

All By:

Pacific Northwest Publishing Company, Inc.,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CYPRESS MEDIA, LLC

 

By:

Cypress Media, Inc.,

 

 

  its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

The McClatchy Company,

 

 

its Sole Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

24



 

Confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written:

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

For itself and on behalf of the
 several Initial Purchasers listed on
 Schedule 1 hereto

 

 

By:

/s/ Earl Dowling

 

 

Name: Earl Dowling

 

Title:   Executive Director

 

25



 

Schedule 1

 

Initial Purchasers

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

 



 

Annex A

 

Counterpart to Registration Rights Agreement

 

The undersigned hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably agrees as a Guarantor (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 by and among the Company, a Delaware corporation, the guarantors party thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of itself and the other Initial Purchasers) to be bound by the terms and provisions of such Registration Rights Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this counterpart as of [                 ], 20[  ].

 

 

[NAME]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 


EX-10.1 5 a12-29753_1ex10d1.htm EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

 

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of December 18, 2012

 

among

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY,
as the Borrower,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and
L/C Issuer,

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as
Syndication Agent

 

and

 

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

 

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
and
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as
Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers

 

 

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

 

 

 

1.01

Defined Terms

1

1.02

Other Interpretive Provisions

48

1.03

Accounting Terms

49

1.04

Rounding

49

1.05

References to Agreements and Laws

49

1.06

Times of Day

50

1.07

Letter of Credit Amounts

50

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

 

 

2.01

Committed Loans

50

2.02

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans

50

2.03

Letters of Credit

52

2.04

Swing Line Loans

60

2.05

Prepayments

63

2.06

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

64

2.07

Repayment of Loans

64

2.08

Interest

65

2.09

Fees

65

2.10

Computation of Interest and Fees

66

2.11

Evidence of Debt

67

2.12

Payments Generally

67

2.13

Sharing of Payments

69

2.14

Cash Collateral

70

2.15

Defaulting Lenders

71

2.16

Increase in Commitments

73

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III
TAXES AND YIELD PROTECTION

 

 

 

 

3.01

Taxes

75

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

3.02

Illegality

76

3.03

Inability to Determine Rates

77

3.04

Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy

77

3.05

Compensation for Losses

79

3.06

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

79

3.07

Survival

80

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVENESS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

 

 

4.01

Conditions of Effectiveness

80

4.02

Conditions to all Credit Extensions

82

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

 

 

5.01

Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws

83

5.02

Authorization; No Contravention

83

5.03

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

84

5.04

Binding Effect

84

5.05

Financial Statements

84

5.06

Litigation

84

5.07

No Default

85

5.08

Ownership of Property; Liens

85

5.09

Environmental Compliance

85

5.10

Insurance

85

5.11

Taxes

85

5.12

ERISA Compliance

85

5.13

Subsidiaries

86

5.14

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company Act

86

5.15

Disclosure

87

5.16

Compliance with Laws

87

5.17

Solvency

87

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

6.01

Financial Statements

87

6.02

Certificates; Other Information

88

6.03

Notices

90

6.04

Payment of Obligations

90

6.05

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

91

6.06

Maintenance of Properties

91

6.07

Maintenance of Insurance

91

6.08

Compliance with Laws

91

6.09

Books and Records

91

6.10

Inspection Rights

91

6.11

Use of Proceeds

92

6.12

Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security

92

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

7.01

Liens

93

7.02

Indebtedness

93

7.03

Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock

98

7.04

Fundamental Changes

100

7.05

Change in Nature of Business

100

7.06

Transactions with Affiliates

100

7.07

Use of Proceeds

102

7.08

Financial Covenants

102

7.09

Burdensome Agreements

103

7.10

Restricted Payments

105

7.11

Amendments of Organization Documents

111

7.12

Accounting Changes

111

7.13

Early Retirement of Public Indebtedness

111

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

 

 

 

8.01

Events of Default

111

8.02

Remedies Upon Event of Default

114

8.03

Application of Funds

114

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 

 

 

9.01

Appointment and Authority

115

9.02

Rights as a Lender

116

9.03

Exculpatory Provisions

116

9.04

Reliance by Administrative Agent

117

9.05

Delegation of Duties

117

9.06

Resignation of Administrative Agent

118

9.07

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

119

9.08

No Other Duties, Etc.

119

9.09

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

119

9.10

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

120

9.11

Authorization for Intercreditor Agreement

121

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

10.01

Amendments, Etc.

121

10.02

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications

122

10.03

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

124

10.04

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

125

10.05

Payments Set Aside

127

10.06

Successors and Assigns

127

10.07

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

132

10.08

Right of Setoff

133

10.09

Interest Rate Limitation

133

10.10

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

133

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

10.11

Survival of Representations and Warranties

134

10.12

Severability

134

10.13

Replacement of Lenders

134

10.14

Tax Forms

135

10.15

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

137

10.16

Waiver of Jury Trial

138

10.17

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

138

10.18

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

139

 

SCHEDULES

 

2.01

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

 

10.02

Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Address for Notice

 

10.06

Assignment and Assumption Fees

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

Form of

A

Committed Loan Notice

 

B

Swing Line Loan Notice

 

C

Note

 

D

Compliance Certificate

 

E

Assignment and Assumption

 

F

Opinion Matters

 

G

Form of Guaranty

 

 



 

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of December 18, 2012, among THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Syndication Agent, and MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED and J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers.

 

The Borrower, various lenders, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent, and Banc of America Securities LLC (now known as Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated) and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers, are parties to that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 22, 2012 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”).  The Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) have agreed that the Existing Credit Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1.01                        Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

Acquired Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, Indebtedness (1) of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person is merged or consolidated with the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case whether or not Incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition, and Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.  Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to have been Incurred, with respect to clause (1) of the preceding sentence, on the date such Person is merged or consolidated with the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to clause (2) of the preceding sentence, on the date of consummation of such acquisition of assets.

 

Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

 

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

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Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.  “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Agent-Related Persons” means the Administrative Agent, together with its Affiliates (including, in the case of Bank of America in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated), and the officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys-in-fact of such Persons and Affiliates.

 

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

Agreement” means this Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

 

Amendment and Restatement Agreement” means the Amendment and Restatement Agreement, dated as of December 3, 2012 among the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

 

Applicable Percentage” means the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time.  If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, or if all the Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of each Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.  The Applicable Percentage of each Lender as of the Restatement Effective Date is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01, and otherwise shall be as set forth in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

 

Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following rates per annum (expressed in basis points), determined by reference to the statement of Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a):

 

Consolidated Total
Leverage Ratio

 

Commitment Fee

 

Eurodollar Rate
Letters of Credit

 

Base Rate

 

< 4.0 to 1.00

 

50.0

 

275.0

 

175.0

 

> 4.00 to 1.00 but < 5.00 to 1.00

 

50.0

 

300.0

 

200.0

 

> 5.00 to 1.00 but < 6.00 to 1.00

 

50.0

 

350.0

 

250.0

 

> 6.00 to 1.00

 

62.5

 

425.0

 

325.0

 

 

If a Compliance Certificate setting forth the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall not have been delivered to the Administrative Agent as required by Section 6.02(a), at the request of

 

2



 

the Required Lenders, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the highest rate set forth in the foregoing grid until such Compliance Certificate is so delivered.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(b).

 

Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, (a) with respect to the Facility, a Lender that has a Commitment or holds a Loan at such time, (b) with respect to the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (i) the L/C Issuer and (ii) if any Letters of Credit have been issued pursuant to Section 2.03(a), the Lenders, and (c) with respect to the Swing Line Sublimit, (i) the Swing Line Lender and (ii) if any Swing Line Loans are outstanding pursuant to Section 2.04(a), the Lenders.

 

Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Arrangers” means each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint book manager.

 

Asset Acquisition” means (1) an Investment by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary or shall be consolidated or merged with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the acquisition by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets of any Person.

 

Asset Disposition” means any sale, lease, transfer, issuance or other disposition, or a series of related sales, leases, transfers, issuances or dispositions that are part of a common plan, of shares of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares or local ownership shares) (it being understood that the Capital Stock of the Borrower is not an asset of the Borrower), property or other assets (each referred to for the purposes of this definition as a “disposition”) by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any disposition by means of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction.

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, the following items shall not be deemed to be Asset Dispositions:

 

(1)                                 a disposition of assets by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)                                 the disposition of Cash Equivalents in the ordinary course of business or the voluntary termination of Hedging Obligations;

 

(3)                                 a disposition of inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)                                 a disposition of used, obsolete, worn out, damaged or surplus equipment or equipment or assets that are no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and that is disposed of in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

3



 

(5)                                 the disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower in a manner permitted pursuant to Section 7.04 or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control or a New Senior Secured Notes Change of Control;

 

(6)                                 an issuance of Capital Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or to a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(7)                                 for purposes of Section 7.03 only, the making of a Permitted Investment or a disposition subject to Section 7.10;

 

(8)                                 dispositions of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary or property or other assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions with an aggregate Fair Market Value of less than $10.0 million;

 

(9)                                 the creation of a Permitted Lien and dispositions in connection with Permitted Liens;

 

(10)                          dispositions of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;

 

(11)                          the licensing or sublicensing of patents, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property, know-how or other general intangibles and licenses, leases or subleases of other property which do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries as operated immediately prior to the granting of such license, lease or sublease;

 

(12)                          to the extent allowable under Section 1031 of the Code, any exchange of like property (excluding any boot thereon) for use in a Related Business;

 

(13)                          foreclosure on assets or transfers by reason of eminent domain;

 

(14)                          any sale of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other securities of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)                          a Sale/Leaseback Transaction that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the cost of the underlying fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 180 days after the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary acquires or completes the acquisition of such fixed or capital asset;

 

(16)                          the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any cash insurance proceeds or condemnation award payable by reason of theft, loss, physical destruction or damage, taking or similar event with respect to any of their respective property or assets;

 

(17)                          operating leases in the ordinary course of business;

 

(18)                          the surrender or waiver of contract rights or litigation rights or the settlement, release or surrender of tort or other litigation claims of any kind;

 

4



 

(19)                          the contribution of any real property (including, without limitation, land, buildings and fixtures) by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to a pension plan to satisfy funding obligations of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under such plan; and

 

(20)                          the transfer of improvements, additions or alterations in connection with the lease of any property.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Attributable Indebtedness” in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction means, as at the time of determination, (1) if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction does not constitute a Capitalized Lease Obligation, the present value (discounted at the interest rate implicit in the transaction) of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale/Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended), determined in accordance with GAAP or (2) if such Sale/Leaseback Transaction constitutes a Capitalized Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of “Capitalized Lease Obligations.”

 

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2011, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

 

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Restatement Effective Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.

 

Average Life” means, as of the date of determination, with respect to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock, the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the products of the numbers of years from the date of determination to the dates of each successive scheduled principal payment of such Indebtedness or redemption or similar payment with respect to such Preferred Stock multiplied by the amount of such payment by (2) the sum of all such payments.

 

Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06.

 

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

 

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate

 

5



 

plus 1.00%.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

Board of Directors” means:

 

(1)                                 with respect to a corporation, the Board of Directors of the corporation or (other than for purposes of determining Change of Control) any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors with respect to the relevant matter;

 

(2)                                 with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and

 

(3)                                 with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

 

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

 

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

 

Business Unit” means each newspaper owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the assets used in connection with the publication of such newspaper.

 

Capital Expenditures” means, with respect to any Person for any period, any expenditure in respect of the purchase or other acquisition of any fixed or capital asset (excluding normal replacements and maintenance which are properly charged to current operations in accordance with GAAP).

 

Capitalized Lease Obligation” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalized lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation will be the capitalized amount of such obligation at the time any determination thereof is to be made as determined in accordance with GAAP, and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty.

 

6



 

Capital Stock” of any Person means (1) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and (2) with respect to any Person that is not a corporation, any and all partnership, limited liability company, membership or other equity interests of such Person, but in each case excluding any debt securities convertible into any of the foregoing.

 

Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more the L/C Issuer or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments:

 

(a)                                 U.S. dollars, or in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, such currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b)                                 securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency or instrumentality of the United States of America (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof);

 

(c)                                  marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of either “A” or better from S&P or “A2” or better from Moody’s;

 

(d)                                 certificates of deposit, demand deposits, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits, overnight bank deposits or bankers’ acceptances having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any commercial bank (x) the long-term debt of which is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A” (or the equivalent thereof) by S&P or “A2” (or the equivalent thereof) by Moody’s or (y) the short term commercial paper of such commercial bank or its parent company is rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-1” (or the equivalent thereof) by S&P or “P-1” (or the equivalent thereof) by Moody’s, and having combined capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000;

 

(e)                                  repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (b), (c) and (d) above, entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (d) above;

 

(f)                                   commercial paper rated at the time of acquisition thereof at least “A-1” (or the equivalent thereof) by S&P or “P-1” (or the equivalent thereof) by Moody’s, or

 

7



 

carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, if either of such Rating Agencies cease publishing ratings of investments, and in any case maturing within one year after the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(g)                                  instruments equivalent to those referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above denominated in euros or any foreign currency comparable in credit quality and tenor to those referred to in such clauses and customarily used by corporations for cash management purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States to the extent reasonably required in connection with any business conducted by any Subsidiary organized in such jurisdiction;

 

(h)                                 interests in any investment company or money market fund that invests 95% or more of its assets in instruments of the type specified in clauses (a) through (g) above;

 

(i)                                     money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Rule 2A-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated at the time of acquisition thereof “AAA” by S&P or “Aaa” by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5.0 billion; and

 

(j)                                    in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, high quality short-term investments which are customarily used for cash management purposes in any country in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates.

 

Cash Management Obligations” means obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in relation to treasury or cash management services agreement (including, without limitation, purchase cards) between the Borrower and any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time such services agreement was executed).

 

CFC” means a Person that is a controlled foreign corporation under Section 957 of the Code.

 

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (a) any Person or group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date hereof) shall own directly or indirectly, beneficially of record, shares representing more

 

8



 

than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (b) a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower shall at any time be occupied by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower, nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, in each case either by a specific vote or by approval of a proxy statement issued by the Borrower on behalf of its entire Board of Directors in which such individual is named as a nominee for director; provided, however, that neither the ownership nor acquisitions of shares of the capital stock of the Borrower by, nor the transfers of shares of the capital stock of the Borrower between, Members of the McClatchy Family shall constitute a Change in Control or (c) a New Senior Secured Notes Change of Control.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Intercreditor Agreement, the Security Agreement, each of the collateral assignments, Security Agreement Joinders, security agreements, pledge agreements or other similar agreements delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.12, and each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.

 

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

 

Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

 

Commodity Agreement” means any commodity futures contract, commodity option, commodity swap agreement, commodity collar agreement, commodity cap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Common Stock” means with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interest or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or nonvoting) of such Person’s common stock whether or not outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

 

9



 

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D.

 

Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period:

 

(1)                                 increased (without duplication) by the following items to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(a)                                 consolidated interest expense; plus

 

(b)                                 Consolidated Income Taxes; plus

 

(c)                                  consolidated depreciation expense; plus

 

(d)                                 consolidated amortization expense or impairment charges recorded in connection with the application of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and Financial Accounting Standard No. 144 “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets”; plus

 

(e)                                  other non-cash charges reducing Consolidated Net Income, including any write-offs or write-downs (excluding any such non-cash charge to the extent it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period not included in the calculation); plus

 

(f)                                   any non-cash compensation expense realized for grants of restricted stock, performance shares, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such shares, options or other rights can be redeemed at the option of the holder only for Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock); plus

 

(g)                                  any fees, charges or other expenses made or Incurred in connection with any actual or proposed Investment, asset sale, acquisition, recapitalization or issuance of Capital Stock or Incurrence of Indebtedness or any amendment or modification of Indebtedness (including as a result of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 141R); plus

 

(h)                                 the amount of any restructuring charges (including lease termination, severance and relocation expenses), integration costs or other business optimization expenses or reserves or other non-recurring charges or expenses deducted (and not added back) in such period in computing Consolidated Net Income; plus

 

(i)                                     without duplication, for those fiscal periods completed prior to the Restatement Effective Date, all adjustments to EBITDA for such period used to calculate

 

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Adjusted EBITDA for such period as disclosed in the offering memorandum for the New Senior Secured Notes;

 

(2)                                 decreased (without duplication) by non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period (excluding any items which represent the reversal of any accrual of, or reserve for, anticipated cash charges that reduced EBITDA in any prior period); and

 

(3)                                 increased or decreased (without duplication) to eliminate the following items reflected in Consolidated Net Income:

 

(a)                                 any net gain or loss resulting in such period from Hedging Obligations and the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133;

 

(b)                                 all unrealized gains and losses relating to financial instruments to which fair market value accounting is applied;

 

(c)                                  any net gain or loss resulting in such period from currency translation gains or losses related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including any net loss or gain resulting from Hedging Obligations for currency exchange risk); and

 

(d)                                 effects of adjustments (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in any line item in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of purchase accounting in relation to any completed acquisition.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, clauses (1)(b) through (e) relating to amounts of a Restricted Subsidiary of a Person will be added to Consolidated Net Income to compute Consolidated EBITDA of such Person only to the extent (and in the same proportion) that the net income (loss) of such Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Guarantor) was included in calculating the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and, to the extent the amounts set forth in clauses (1)(b) through (e) are in excess of those necessary to offset a net loss of such Restricted Subsidiary or if such Restricted Subsidiary has net income for such period included in Consolidated Net Income, only if a corresponding amount would be permitted at the date of determination to be dividended to the Borrower by such Restricted Subsidiary without prior approval (that has not been obtained), pursuant to the terms of its charter and all agreements, instruments, judgments, decrees, orders, statutes, rules and governmental regulations applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders.

 

Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant)” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant) for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant): (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) the amount of depreciation and amortization expense deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant), (iv) the amount of equity-based compensation expense deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant), (v) all non-cash restructuring charges for such period, (vi) all cash

 

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restructuring charges for such period, up to $60,000,000 for the period from and including the first fiscal quarter of 2010 through the second fiscal quarter of 2013, (vii) other non-recurring or non-cash charges or non-cash losses (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reducing Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant) for such period, (viii) all charges and losses in connection with the extinguishment of debt, (ix) all Exchange Transaction Expenses and (x) all dividend income received by the Borrower and minus (b) the following to the extent increasing Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant) for such period: (i) all non-recurring or non-cash gains or other non-recurring or non-cash items (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower), and (ii) all gains associated with the extinguishment of debt.  Upon the Disposition of a Business Unit, Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for the four fiscal quarter period during which the Disposition occurred shall be reduced by the Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for such four fiscal quarter period (if positive), or increased by the Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for such four fiscal quarter period (if negative), directly attributable to the Business Unit that was the subject of such Disposition using the same methodology as set forth in such Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter (as determined in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent in consultation with Borrower).

 

Consolidated Income Taxes” means, with respect to any Person for any period, taxes imposed upon such Person or other payments required to be made by such Person by any governmental authority which taxes or other payments are calculated by reference to the income or profits or capital of such Person or such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries (to the extent such income or profits were included in computing Consolidated Net Income for such period), including, without limitation, state, franchise and similar taxes and foreign withholding taxes regardless of whether such taxes or payments are required to be remitted to any governmental authority.

 

Consolidated Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, but without duplication, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and other instruments, exclusive of any Contingent Obligations Amount, (d) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (e) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (d) above of Persons other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (f) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (e) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company or other similar entity that does not provide for pass-through liability) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Borrower or such Subsidiary.

 

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, the interest expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including but not limited to the portion of any payments or accruals with respect to

 

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Capital Lease Obligations that are allocable to interest expense, excluding (v) any non-cash interest expense required to be recognized in accordance with GAAP in connection with the use of real property after the sale of such real property, (w) any write-offs of capitalized fees under this Agreement and all amendments hereto, (x) all non-cash charges for the amortization of purchase price adjustments in connection with the Merger related to the Indebtedness of KR, (y) all non-cash charges for the amortization of original issue discount with respect to the Senior Secured Notes, and (z) any interest on tax reserves to the extent the Borrower has elected to treat such interest as an interest expense under FIN 48 since its adoption.  If a Disposition of a Business Unit occurs that results in an adjustment to the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant), then the interest expense for the four quarter period during which the Disposition occurred shall be reduced by the amount of interest expense attributable to the Loans prepaid as a result of such Disposition.

 

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the interest expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including but not limited to the portion of any payments or accruals with respect to Capitalized Lease Obligations that are allocable to interest expense, excluding (v) any write-offs of capitalized fees under this Agreement and all amendments hereto, (w) all non-cash charges for the amortization of purchase price adjustments in connection with the acquisition of KR, (x) all non-cash charges for the amortization of original issue discount with respect to the Senior Secured Notes or the New Senior Secured Notes, (y) all non-cash interest required to be recognized in accordance with GAAP with respect to the Miami Property, and (z) any interest on tax reserves to the extent the Borrower has elected to treat such interest as an interest expense under FIN 48 since its adoption.

 

Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means at any date of determination the ratio of:  (1) the sum of the aggregate outstanding amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of the date of determination on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP to (2) the Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA for the four most recently completed fiscal quarters (the “Four Quarter Period”) ending on or prior to the date of determination for which financial statements are publicly available.

 

For purposes of this definition, the Borrower’s “Consolidated EBITDA” shall be calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to any Asset Dispositions or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of the Borrower or one of the Restricted Subsidiaries (including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Acquisition) Incurring Indebtedness and the application of the proceeds from any Asset Disposition) at any time on or subsequent to the first day of the Four Quarter Period and on or prior to the date of determination, as if such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition occurred on the first day of the Four Quarter Period.

 

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For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, the pro forma calculations shall be (x) made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower (and may include, for the avoidance of doubt, cost savings and operating expense reductions resulting from such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition which is being given pro forma effect that have been or are expected to be realized within twelve (12) months after the date of such Asset Disposition or Asset Acquisition as the result of specified actions taken or to be taken within six (6) months after such date) and, except as otherwise provided herein or (y) determined in accordance with Regulation S-X.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income (loss) of the Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (before preferred stock dividends); provided, however, that there will not be included in such Consolidated Net Income:

 

(1)                                 any net income (loss) of any Person if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, except that:

 

(a)                                 subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) through (6) below, the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included (and, without duplication, and to the extent such amounts decreased the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period, shall be increased by the Borrower’s Proportionate Equity Share of the amounts described in clauses (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c) and 1(d) of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA that decreased the net income of such Person during such period) in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period or, without duplication, within three months following the last day of such period and prior to the date of determination or which the Borrower has determined as of such date of determination will be distributed imminently in respect of such period (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (2) below); and

 

(b)                                 the Borrower’s equity in a net loss of any such Person for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income to the extent such loss has been funded with cash from the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period;

 

(2)                                 solely for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 7.10(a)(iv)(C)(1), any net income (but not loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Guarantor) if such Restricted Subsidiary is subject to prior government approval or other restrictions due to the operation of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or government regulation (which have not been waived), directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Borrower, except that:

 

(a)                                 subject to the limitations contained in clauses (3) through (6) below, the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the

 

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Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend (subject, in the case of a dividend to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained in this clause); and

 

(b)                                 the Borrower’s equity in a net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in determining such Consolidated Net Income;

 

(3)                                 any after-tax effect of gain or loss (less all fees and expenses relating thereto) realized upon sales or other dispositions of any assets of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary (including pursuant to any Sale/Leaseback Transaction) other than in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)                                 any after-tax effect of income (loss) from the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments;

 

(5)                                 the after-tax effect of extraordinary gain or loss;

 

(6)                                 the after-tax effect of the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;

 

(7)                                 any after-tax effect of non-cash impairment charges recorded in connection with the application of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangibles” and Financial Accounting Standard No. 144 “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets;” and

 

(8)                                 any non-cash compensation expense realized for grants of performance shares, stock options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such shares, options or other rights can be redeemed at the option of the holder only for Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock).

 

Consolidated Net Income (Financial Covenant)” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period.

 

Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended for which the Borrower has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b).

 

Contingent Obligations Amount” means Indebtedness in an amount, not exceeding $75,000,000 in the aggregate at any time, representing contingent obligations of one or more Loan Parties under letters of credit issued with respect to the Borrower’s programs for workers’ compensation and insurance.

 

Continuing Directors” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Borrower who:  (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Restatement Effective Date; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of the Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election either by a specific vote or by

 

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approval of a proxy statement issued by the Borrower on behalf of its entire Board of Directors in which such individual is named as a nominee for director.

 

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

Control” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”

 

Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Loans and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans at such time.

 

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

Currency Agreement” means in respect of a Person any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.

 

Debt Facility” or “Debt Facilities” means, with respect to the Borrower or any Guarantor, one or more financing arrangements (including, without limitation, this Agreement, credit facilities, indentures and note purchase agreements) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, letters of credit or other long-term indebtedness or issuances of debt securities evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or similar instruments, in each case, as amended, restated, supplemented, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt securities) in whole or in part from time to time (and whether or not with the original trustee, administrative agent, holders and lenders or another trustee, administrative agent or agents), including, without limitation, any agreement extending the maturity thereof or increasing the amount of available borrowings thereunder pursuant to incremental facilities or adding Subsidiaries of the Borrower as additional guarantors thereunder, and whether or not increasing the amount of Indebtedness that may be issued thereunder.

 

Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b)

 

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when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

Designated Non-cash Consideration” means any consideration which is not cash or Cash Equivalents received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Disposition that is designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate executed by the Borrower at the time of such Asset Disposition.  Any particular item of Designated Non-cash Consideration will cease to be considered to be outstanding once it has

 

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been transferred, sold or otherwise exchanged for or converted into or for cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

Disclosure Letter” means the Disclosure Letter of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders dated the Restatement Effective Date.

 

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person.

 

Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of such Person that by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable) or upon the happening of any event:  (1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (2) is convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock (excluding Capital Stock which is convertible or exchangeable solely at the option of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that upon such conversion or exchange it shall be an Incurrence of such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock)), or (3) is redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, in each case on or prior to the date 91 days after the earlier of the final maturity date of the Obligations or the date the Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity obligations) are no longer outstanding; provided, however, that only the portion of Capital Stock that so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided, further, that any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require the Borrower to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a New Senior Secured Notes Change of Control, Change of Control or Asset Disposition (each defined in a substantially identical manner to the corresponding definitions in this Agreement) shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) provide that the Borrower may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock (and all such securities into which it is convertible or for which it is ratable or exchangeable) pursuant to such provision prior to compliance by the Borrower with the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture and Section 7.03 and unless such repurchase or redemption would comply with Section 7.10.

 

Early Retirement” means, with respect to all or a portion of any series of Borrower’s Public Indebtedness, any prepayment, purchase, repurchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition or cancellation of such Public Indebtedness, or making any sinking fund or similar deposit with respect thereto, prior to the stated maturity date of such Public Indebtedness.

 

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).

 

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

 

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those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan for which the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate has withdrawal liability (including, without limitation, any contingent liability) or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in excess of the Threshold Amount.

 

Eurodollar Rate” means:

 

(a)                                 means for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to (i) the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate or the successor thereto if the British Bankers Association is no longer making a LIBOR Rate available (“LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or such other commercially available source providing quotations of LIBOR as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period or, (iii) if such rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and

 

(b)                                 for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London

 

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interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or maintained and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

 

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

 

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

 

Exchange” means (i) an offer to exchange, redeem, refinance or repurchase and the exchange, redemption, refinancing or repurchasing with cash and/or notes of the Borrower for all or a portion of the Public Indebtedness, and (ii) any subsequent use of cash for the Early Retirement of Public Indebtedness.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

Excluded Property” has the meaning set forth in the Security Agreement.

 

Exchange Transaction Expenses” means all fees, costs and expenses associated with an Exchange (whether or not consummated) and paid, payable or reimbursable by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, including (i) fees and expenses, including commitment, upfront and similar fees, related to the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement, (ii) fees and expenses payable to any dealer manager, any information agent and any exchange agent, and (iii) fees and expenses of legal counsel and accountants.

 

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment (or amount credited) to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any state or other political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment requested by the Borrower under Section 10.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 10.14, and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

 

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Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the second introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Existing Letters of Credit” means letters of credit issued and outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement as set forth in Schedule 2.03 to the Disclosure Letter, which shall be deemed outstanding as Letters of Credit hereunder as of the Restatement Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.03(a).

 

Existing Unsecured Notes” means the Borrower’s 4.625% Notes due November 1, 2014, 5.750% Notes due September 1, 2017, 7.15% Debentures due November 1, 2027 and 6.875% Debentures due March 15, 2029 and any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any such debt securities (including successive Refinancings).

 

Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments at such time.

 

Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any property, the price that would reasonably be expected to be paid in an arm’s length free-market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction.  Fair Market Value shall be determined, except as otherwise provided, by (x) if such decision involves a determination of Fair Market Value equal or less than $50.0 million, in good faith by any member of the Senior Management of the Borrower and (y) if such decision involves the determination of Fair Market Value in excess of $50.0 million, in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Borrower.

 

Family Percentage Holding” means the aggregate percentage of the securities held by a Qualified Trust representing, directly or indirectly, an interest in voting shares or rights to voting shares of the Borrower, that it is reasonable, under all the circumstances, to regard as being held beneficially for Qualified Persons (or any class consisting of two or more Qualified Persons); provided, always that in calculating the Family Percentage Holding (A) in respect of any power of appointment or discretionary trust capable of being exercised in favor of any of the Qualified Persons such trust or power shall be deemed to have been exercised in favor of Qualified Persons until such trust or power has been otherwise exercised; (B) where any beneficiary of a Qualified Trust has assigned, transferred or conveyed, in any manner whatsoever, his or her beneficial interest to another Person, then, for the purpose of determining the Family Percentage Holding in respect of such Qualified Trust, the Person to whom such interest has been assigned, transferred or conveyed shall be regarded as the only Person beneficially interested in the Qualified Trust in respect of such interest but in the case where the interest so assigned, transferred or conveyed is an interest in a discretionary trust or is an interest which may arise as a result of the exercise in favor of the assignor of a discretionary power of appointment and such discretionary trust or power of appointment is also capable of being exercised in favor of a Member of McClatchy Family, such discretionary trust or power shall be deemed to have been so exercised in favor of Qualified Persons until it has in fact been otherwise exercised; and (C) the interest of any Permitted Residuary Beneficiary shall be ignored until its interest has indefeasibly vested.

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantially comparable and not

 

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materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof.

 

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated December 3, 2012, among the Borrower and the Arrangers.

 

FIN 48” means interpretation no. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

First Lien Obligations” means Priority Payment Lien Obligations, the Notes Obligations and Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness.

 

Foreign Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 10.14(a)(i).

 

Foreign Subsidiary” means (i) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and any Subsidiary of such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary of a Restricted Subsidiary described in clause (i) above that is a “controlled foreign corporation” for purposes of the Code.

 

FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

 

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GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied; provided that for purposes of determining whether a lease should be classified and accounted for as a capital lease or an operating lease, such determination shall be made based on such generally accepted accounting principles as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

 

Good Faith by the Borrower” means the decision in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Borrower.

 

Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person, directly or indirectly, guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other financial obligations of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:

 

(1)                                 to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

 

(2)                                 entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other financial obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

 

provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” will not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Guarantor Subordinated Obligation” means, with respect to a Guarantor, any Indebtedness of such Guarantor (whether outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date or thereafter Incurred) that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guaranty pursuant to a written agreement.

 

Guarantors” means, collectively, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower that shall be required to execute and deliver a guaranty or guaranty supplement pursuant to Section 6.12.

 

Guaranty” means, collectively, the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit G, together with each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.12.

 

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Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.

 

IBOR Rate” means the interest rate at which Bank of America’s Grand Cayman Banking Center, Grand Cayman, British West Indies, would offer dollar deposits for the applicable interest period to other major banks in the offshore dollar interbank market.

 

Incur” means to issue, create, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for; provided, however, that any Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise) will be deemed to be Incurred by such Person at the time it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; and the terms “Incurred” and “Incurrence” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.  Any Indebtedness issued at a discount (including Indebtedness on which interest is payable through the issuance of additional Indebtedness) shall be deemed incurred at the time of original issuance of the Indebtedness at the initial accreted amount thereof.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication):

 

(1)                                 the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

(2)                                 the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

 

(3)                                 the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto; except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a Trade Payable or similar obligation to a trade creditor in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business) other than obligations with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments securing obligations (other than obligations described in clauses (1) and (2) above and clause (5) below) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments are not drawn upon or, to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the fifth Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments;

 

(4)                                 the principal component of all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price of property (except Trade Payables), which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto, except (i) any such balance that constitutes a Trade Payable, accrued liability or similar obligation to a trade creditor, in each case accrued in the ordinary course of business and (ii) any earn-out obligation until the amount of such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(5)                                 Capitalized Lease Obligations and all Attributable Indebtedness of such Person (whether or not such items would appear on the balance sheet of the guarantor or obligor);

 

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(6)                                 the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock or, with respect to any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

 

(7)                                 the principal component of all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such indebtedness of such other Persons;

 

(8)                                 the principal component of Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent Guaranteed by such Person (whether or not such items would appear on the balance sheet of the guarantor or obligor); and

 

(9)                                 to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, net Hedging Obligations of such Person (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such Hedging Obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time).

 

In no event shall the term “Indebtedness” include (i) any indebtedness under any overdraft or cash management facilities so long as any such indebtedness is repaid in full no later than five Business Days following the date on which it was incurred or in the case of such indebtedness in respect of credit or purchase cards, within 60 days of its incurrence, (ii) obligations in respect of performance, appeal or other surety bonds or completion guarantees incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iii) except as provided in clause (5) above, any obligations in respect of a lease properly classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP, (iv) any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established to the extent required by GAAP or (v) any customer deposits or advance payments received in the ordinary course of business.

 

The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date will be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above and the maximum liability, upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation, of any contingent obligations at such date; provided that contingent obligations arising in the ordinary course of business and not with respect to borrowed money of such Person or other Persons shall not be deemed to constitute Indebtedness.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, money borrowed and set aside at the time of the Incurrence of any Indebtedness in order to pre-fund the payment of interest on such Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be “Indebtedness,” provided that such money is held to secure the payment of such interest.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

 

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).

 

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Independent Financial Advisor” means (1) an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm or (2) a consultant to Persons engaged in a Related Business, in each case, of nationally recognized standing that is, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, qualified to perform the task for which it has been engaged.

 

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.

 

Intercreditor Agreement” means the intercreditor agreement dated as of the Restatement Effective Date, entered into by the Administrative Agent.

 

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan, if applicable pursuant to Section 2.04), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

 

Interest Period” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

 

(i)                                     any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

 

(ii)                                  any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Rate Loan that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

 

(iii)                               no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

Interest Rate Agreement” means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.

 

Internal Control Event” means a material weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, the Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting, in each case as described in the Securities Laws.

 

Investment” in any Person means any direct or indirect advance, loan (other than advances or extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business that are in conformity with GAAP recorded as accounts receivable on the balance sheet of the Borrower or its Restricted

 

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Subsidiaries) or other extensions of credit (including by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement, but excluding any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other similar instruments issued by, such Person and all other items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that none of the following will be deemed to be an Investment:

 

(1)                                 Hedging Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and in compliance with this Agreement;

 

(2)                                 endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)                                 an acquisition of assets, Capital Stock or other securities by the Borrower or a Subsidiary for consideration to the extent such consideration consists of Common Stock of the Borrower;

 

(4)                                 a deposit of funds in connection with an acquisition; provided that either such acquisition is consummated by or through a Restricted Subsidiary or such deposit is returned to the Person who made it;

 

(5)                                 an account receivable arising, or prepaid expenses or deposits made, in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(6)                                 licensing or transfer of know-how or intellectual property or the providing of services in the ordinary course of business.

 

For purposes of Section 7.10, (1) “Investment” will include the portion (proportionate to the Borrower’s equity interest in a Restricted Subsidiary to be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets of such Restricted Subsidiary at the time that such Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that upon a redesignation of such Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be deemed to continue to have a permanent “Investment” in an Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to (a) the Borrower’s aggregate “Investment” in such Subsidiary as of the time of such redesignation less (b) the portion (proportionate to the Borrower’s equity interest in such Subsidiary) of the Fair Market Value of the net assets (as conclusively determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Borrower) of such Subsidiary at the time that such Subsidiary is so redesignated a Restricted Subsidiary; and (2) any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its Fair Market Value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Borrower.

 

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

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ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.

 

KR” means Knight-Ridder, Inc., a Florida corporation.

 

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.

 

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.  For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.07.  For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender.

 

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

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Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit.

 

Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

 

Letter of Credit Sublimit” subject to Section 2.16(g), means an amount equal to $50,000,000.  The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction; provided that in no event shall an operating lease (or any filing or agreement to give any financing statement in connection therewith) be deemed to constitute a Lien.

 

Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

 

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and, after the Guaranty has been executed, each Guarantor.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Collateral Documents, each Note, each Issuer Document, the Guaranty and the Fee Letter.

 

London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, liabilities (actual or contingent), financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

Material Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary owning assets with a book value of at least $50,000,000.

 

Maturity Date” means December 18, 2017.

 

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Member of the McClatchy Family” shall mean:

 

(i)                                     the Persons listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter;

 

(ii)                                  the spouse, for the time being and from time to time, of any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter;

 

(iii)                               after the death of any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter, the widow or widower, if any, of any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter;

 

(iv)                              the issue of any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter;

 

(v)                                 individuals adopted by any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter or adopted by any of the issue of any Person listed on Schedule 1.01 to the Disclosure Letter, provided that such individuals have not attained the age of majority at the date of such adoption, together with the issue of any such adopted individuals;

 

provided that if any Person is born out of wedlock he shall not be deemed to be the issue of another Person for the purposes hereof unless and until he is proven or acknowledged to be the issue of such Person; or

 

(vi)                              a Qualified Trust, but only to the extent of its Family Percentage Holding of voting shares or rights to voting shares of the capital stock of the Borrower at such time.

 

Merger” means the merger of KR into the Borrower in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.

 

Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of March 12, 2006 between the Borrower and KR.

 

Miami Property” means the real property described in that certain Contract for Purchase and Sale of Real Property effective as of March 3, 2005 by and between The Miami Herald Publishing Company, Richwood, Inc., KR and Citisquare Group, LLC.

 

Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during the existence of a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 101% of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, (ii) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.14(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to 101% of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, and (iii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer in their sole discretion

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

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Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

Net Available Cash” from an Asset Disposition means cash payments received (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and net proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any securities or other assets received as consideration, but only as and when received, but excluding any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other obligations relating to the properties or assets that are the subject of such Asset Disposition or received in any other non-cash form) therefrom, in each case net of (1) all brokerage, legal, accounting, investment banking, title and recording tax expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all Federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing agreements), as a consequence of such Asset Disposition, (2) all payments made on any Indebtedness (other than Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness and Indebtedness secured by Liens that are junior to the Liens securing the Obligations) that is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Disposition, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or that must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Disposition, or by applicable law be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Disposition, (3) all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Disposition, (4) the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the property or other assets disposed of in such Asset Disposition and retained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Disposition, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters and (5) any portion of the purchase price from an Asset Disposition placed in escrow (whether as a reserve for adjustment of the purchase price, or for satisfaction of indemnities in respect of such Asset Disposition); provided, however, that in the cases of clauses (4) and (5), upon reversal of any such reserve or the termination of any such escrow, Net Available Cash shall be increased by the amount of such reversal or any portion of funds released from escrow to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness, the cash proceeds of such issuance or sale, net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, underwriters’ or placement agents’ fees, listing fees, discounts or commissions and brokerage, consultant and other fees and charges actually Incurred in connection with such issuance or sale and net of taxes paid or payable as a result of such issuance or sale (after taking into account any available tax credit or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements).

 

New Senior Secured Notes” means the senior secured notes due 2022 proposed to be publicly issued by the Borrower as additional Public Indebtedness and described in the offering memorandum dated December 3, 2012.

 

New Senior Secured Notes Change of Control” means:

 

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(1)                                 any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of a majority of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Borrower (or its successors by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets);

 

(2)                                 during any period of twelve consecutive months, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower are not Continuing Directors;

 

(3)                                 the sale, assignment, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) other than a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(4)                                 the adoption by the stockholders of the Borrower of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Borrower.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the ownership nor acquisitions of shares of the capital stock of the Borrower by, nor the transfers of shares of the Capital Stock of the Borrower between, Members of the McClatchy Family or any McClatchy Family Entity shall constitute a Change in Control.  For purposes of this definition, “McClatchy Family Entity” shall mean a Person in which Members of the McClatchy Family beneficially own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date hereof) more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Voting Stock of such Person.

 

New Senior Secured Note Documents” means the “Senior Secured Notes Documents,” as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement.

 

New Senior Secured Notes Indenture” means the trust indenture pursuant to which the Borrower will issue the New Senior Secured Notes.

 

Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

Non-Guarantor Subsidiary” means (i) any Subsidiary that is a CFC, (ii) any Subsidiary that is held directly or indirectly by a CFC, or (iii) any Subsidiary which (x) has assets with a book value of less than $5,000,000 in the aggregate, or (y) which, on a stand-alone basis, represented an aggregate amount less than $1,000,000 in the calculation Consolidated EBITDA for the preceding four fiscal quarters, provided that a Subsidiary may not qualify as a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary under this clause (iii) if, when taken together with all other Subsidiaries which do qualify as a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary under this clause (iii), it would (x) cause the aggregate book value of such Subsidiaries’ assets to exceed $50,000,000, or (y) represent an aggregate amount greater than $15,000,000 in the calculation Consolidated EBITDA for the preceding four fiscal quarters.

 

Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness of a Person:

 

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(1)                                 as to which neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary (a) provides any Guarantee or credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, Guarantee, indemnity, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise);

 

(2)                                 no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders thereof may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit (upon notice, lapse of time or both) any holder of any other Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare a default under such other Indebtedness or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity; and

 

(3)                                 the explicit terms of which provide there is no recourse against any of the assets of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto.

 

Notes Obligations” means the Obligations (as defined in the New Senior Notes Indenture) in respect of the New Senior Secured Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees (as defined in the New Senior Notes Indenture) and the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture.

 

Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

 

Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Borrower or, in the event that a Person is a partnership or a limited liability company that has no such officers, a person duly authorized under applicable law by the general partner, managers, members or a similar body to act on behalf of such Person.  “Officer” of any Guarantor has a correlative meaning.

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers or by an Officer and either an Assistant Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower.

 

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or

 

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organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

 

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

 

Other Taxes” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(b).

 

Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

 

Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien permitted by clause (1) or (35) (or, to the extent relating to Refinancings of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by either such clause, (19)) of the definition of “Permitted Liens” and the obligations in respect of which Indebtedness that do not constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations.

 

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

PCAOB” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

 

Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

 

Permitted Investment” means an Investment by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in:

 

(1)                                 the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, including through the purchase of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(2)                                 any Investment by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a Person that is engaged in a Related Business if as a result of such Investment:

 

(a)                                 such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(b)                                 such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

and, in each case, any Investment held by such Person; provided that such Investment was not acquired by such Person in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, consolidation or transfer;

 

(3)                                 cash and Cash Equivalents or Investments that constituted Cash Equivalents at the time made;

 

(4)                                 receivables owing to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms; provided, however, that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Borrower or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

(5)                                 commission, relocation, entertainment, payroll, travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(6)                                 loans or advances to, or guarantees of third party loans to, employees, officers or directors of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time not in excess of $5.0 million with respect to all loans or advances or guarantees made since the Restatement Effective Date (without giving effect to the forgiveness of any such loan);

 

(7)                                 any Investment acquired by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries:

 

(a)                                 in exchange for any other Investment or accounts receivable held by the Borrower or any such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with or as a result of a judgment, bankruptcy, workout, reorganization or recapitalization of the issuer of such other Investment or accounts receivable;

 

(b)                                 as a result of a foreclosure by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default; or

 

(c)                                  in the form of notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by account debtors to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to the settlement of such account debtor’s accounts, and other Investments arising in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection of accounts receivable, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(8)                                 Investments made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration (including Designated Non-cash Consideration) from an Asset Disposition that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 7.03 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Disposition;

 

(9)                                 Investments in existence on the Restatement Effective Date, and any extension, modification or renewal of any such Investments, or Investments purchased or received in exchange for such Investments, existing on the Restatement Effective Date, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other Investments of cash or other assets or other increases thereof (other than as a result of the accrual or accretion of interest or original issue discount or the issuance of pay-in-kind securities, in each case, pursuant to the terms of such Investment as in effect on the Restatement Effective Date);

 

(10)                          any Person to the extent such Investments consist of Currency Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements, Commodity Agreements and related Hedging Obligations, which transactions or obligations are Incurred in compliance with Section 7.02;

 

(11)                          Guarantees of Indebtedness issued in accordance with Section 7.02;

 

(12)                          Investments made in connection with the funding of contributions under any non-qualified retirement plan or similar employee compensation plan including, without limitation, split-dollar insurance policies, in an amount not to exceed the amount of compensation expense recognized by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such plans;

 

(13)                          Investments received in settlement of debts created in the ordinary course of business and owing to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or in satisfaction of judgments or pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of a debtor;

 

(14)                          any Person to the extent such Investments consist of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(15)                          prepayments and other credits to suppliers made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(16)                          endorsements of negotiable instruments and documents in the ordinary course of business;

 

(17)                          loans or advances or similar transactions with customers, distributors, clients, developers, suppliers or purchasers of goods or services in the ordinary course of business;

 

(18)                          Investments by the Borrower in connection with joint production arrangements in the form of dispositions of equipment to a joint venture entity in exchange for Capital Stock of or Indebtedness of the joint venture entity so long as within 30 days after such disposition, the Borrower’s or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary’s Capital Stock or Indebtedness in such entity are pledged to the Administrative Agent; and

 

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(19)                          Investments by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, together with all other Investments pursuant to this clause (19), in an aggregate amount at the time of such Investment not to exceed $150.0 million outstanding at any one time (with the Fair Market Value of such Investment being measured at the time made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

 

Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means an intercreditor agreement among the Administrative Agent, one or more collateral agents for any other class of First Lien Obligations and the trustee or agent for the holders of any obligations secured by Liens that are subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations and any other First Lien Obligations (the “Junior Liens”), on terms set forth in the form of junior lien intercreditor agreement attached as an exhibit to the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture (or such other form as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent).

 

Permitted Liens” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1)                                 Liens on the Collateral securing Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(i);

 

(2)                                 pledges or deposits by such Person under workers’ compensation laws, unemployment, general insurance and other insurance laws and old-age pensions and other social security or retirement benefits or similar legislation, or good-faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of Indebtedness) or leases to which such Person is a party, or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations of such Person or deposits of cash or United States government bonds to secure surety or appeal bonds to which such Person is a party, or deposits as security for contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment of rent, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)                                 Liens imposed by law and carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens, in each case Incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(4)                                 Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies not yet subject to penalties for non-payment or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, provided appropriate reserves required pursuant to GAAP have been made in respect thereof;

 

(5)                                 Liens in favor of issuers of surety, appeal or performance bonds or letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or similar obligations issued pursuant to the request of and for the account of such Person in the ordinary course of its business;

 

(6)                                 minor survey exceptions, encumbrances, ground leases, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning, building codes or other restrictions (including, without limitation, minor defects or irregularities in title and similar encumbrances) as to the use of real properties or Liens incidental to the conduct of the business of such Person or to the ownership of its properties that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;

 

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(7)                                 Liens securing Hedging Obligations relating to Indebtedness so long as the related Indebtedness is, and is permitted to be under this Agreement, secured by a Lien on the same property securing such Hedging Obligation;

 

(8)                                 leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets (including, without limitation, real property and intellectual property rights) that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(9)                                 judgment Liens not giving rise to an Event of Default and Liens securing appeal or surety bonds related to such judgment so long as any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment have not been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated has not expired;

 

(10)                          Liens for the purpose of securing (A) any Attributable Indebtedness in respect of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(xvii) or (B) the payment of all or a part of the purchase price of, or Capitalized Lease Obligations, mortgage financings, Purchase Money Indebtedness or other payments Incurred to finance assets or property (other than Capital Stock or other Investments) acquired, constructed, improved or leased in the ordinary course of business; provided that, in the case of this subclause (10)(B):

 

(a)                                 the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens is otherwise permitted to be incurred under this Agreement and does not exceed the cost of the assets or property so acquired, constructed or improved plus reasonable fees and expenses of such Person incurred in connection therewith; and

 

(b)                                 such Liens are created within 180 days of construction, acquisition or improvement of such assets or property and do not encumber any other assets or property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such assets or property and assets affixed or appurtenant thereto and the proceeds thereof;

 

(11)                          Liens that constitute banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a bank, depositary or other financial institution, whether arising by operation of law or pursuant to contract;

 

(12)                          Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(13)                          Liens existing on the Restatement Effective Date (other than Liens permitted under clause (1) above or clause (35)(x)(A) below);

 

(14)                          Liens on property or shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created, Incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; provided further, however, that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(15)                          Liens on property at the time the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary acquired the property, including any acquisition by means of a merger or consolidation with or into the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Liens are not created, Incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition; provided further, however, that such Liens may not extend to any other property owned by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(16)                          Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(17)                          Liens on Capital Stock of Unrestricted Subsidiaries and Liens on property of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time that it is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens were not incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such designation;

 

(18)                          deposits as security for contested taxes or contested import to customs duties;

 

(19)                          Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred to refinance, refund, replace, amend, extend or modify, as a whole or in part, Indebtedness that was previously so secured pursuant to clauses (1), (10), (13), (14), (15), (19) or (35)(y) of this definition; provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the indebtedness being refinanced or is in respect of property that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder;

 

(20)                          any interest or title of a lessor under any operating lease;

 

(21)                          Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;

 

(22)                          Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with importation of goods;

 

(23)                          Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(24)                          Liens on funds of the Borrower or any Subsidiary held in deposit accounts with third party providers of payment services securing credit card charge-back reimbursement and similar cash management obligations of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries;

 

(25)                          Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(26)                          Liens arising by operation of law or contract on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof to secure premiums thereunder;

 

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(27)                          Liens on insurance policies and proceeds of insurance policies (including rebates of premiums) securing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(xii) to finance the payment of premiums on the insurance policies subject to such Liens;

 

(28)                          statutory, common law or contractual Liens of landlords;

 

(29)                          customary Liens granted in favor of a trustee to secure fees and other amounts owing to such trustee under an indenture or other agreement pursuant to which Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.02 is Incurred;

 

(30)                          Liens on any cash earnest money deposit made by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or acquisition agreement that is not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(31)                          Liens in favor of credit card processors granted in the ordinary course of business;

 

(32)                          Liens arising in connection with Cash Equivalents describe in clause (e) of the definition of Cash Equivalents;

 

(33)                          Liens securing other obligations in an amount not to exceed $25.0 million at any time outstanding;

 

(34)                          Liens securing cash management obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; and

 

(35)                          Liens securing (x)(A) Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(ii), (B) Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations that are secured ratably (other than with respect to cash collateral for letters of credit) with Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(ii) and (C) Liens on cash or deposits granted to the collateral agent with respect to Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(ii) in respect of letters of credit issued and outstanding thereunder and (y) additional Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness in excess of the maximum amount permitted by clause (x)(A) above to the extent that after giving pro forma effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness under this clause (y) and the application of the proceeds therefrom on such date, the Priority Leverage Ratio of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries would not exceed 2.75 to 1.00; provided that such Liens are subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement; provided, further, that for all purposes of this clause (35) only, Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility shall be deemed to be Incurred on the date on which commitments are provided with respect thereto and shall be deemed to have remained outstanding at all times until such commitments have been terminated.

 

Permitted Residuary Beneficiary” means any Person who is a beneficiary of a Qualified Trust and, under the terms of the Qualified Trust, is entitled to distributions out of the capital of such Qualified Trust only after the death of all of the Qualified Persons who are beneficiaries of such Qualified Trust.

 

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

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Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

Preferred Stock” means, as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) that is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.

 

Priority Leverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of:

 

(i)                                     the sum, without duplication, of (x) the aggregate principal amount of Priority Payment Lien Obligations and Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (y) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness (other than Guarantor Subordinated Obligations) of the Guarantors, in each case, as of such date of calculation (determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP); provided that for purposes of calculating the Priority Leverage Ratio other than for purposes of determining the permissibility of any transaction under Section 7.10, without duplication (A) Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility shall be deemed to be Incurred on the date on which commitments are provided with respect thereto and shall be deemed to have remained outstanding at all times until such commitments have been terminated and (B) the maximum permitted amount of Priority Payment Lien Obligations then permitted to be incurred shall be deemed to be outstanding, to

 

(ii)                                  Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower for the four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding such date on which such additional Indebtedness is Incurred;

 

and in each case with such pro forma adjustments as are consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Consolidated Leverage Ratio.”

 

Priority Payment Lien Obligations” means (i) Obligations under this Agreement and any other Obligations secured by Liens permitted by clause (35)(x)(A) of the definition of Permitted Liens that the Borrower has designated as “Priority Payment Lien Obligations” under the Intercreditor Agreement; provided that any Obligations in respect of loans, notes or letters of credit in excess of $100.0 million in the aggregate shall not constitute Priority Payment Lien Obligations pursuant to this clause (i), and (ii) Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations that are secured ratably (other than with respect to cash collateral for letters of credit) with Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 7.02(b) and provided further that all parties hereto agree that only Obligations under this Agreement and Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations described in clause (ii) above shall qualify as “Priority Payment Lien Obligations”.

 

Proportionate Equity Share” means, with respect to the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any Person included in the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (1) of the definition thereof, the ratio of the Borrower’s equity in the net income of such Person during the applicable period to the total net income of such Person for such period.

 

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Public Indebtedness” means (i) the Senior Secured Notes, (ii) the Borrower’s 4.625% Notes due November 1, 2014, 5.750% Notes due September 1, 2017, 7.15% Debentures due November 1, 2027 and 6.875% Debentures due March 15, 2029, and (iii) the New Senior Secured Notes.

 

Purchase Money Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) Incurred (within 365 days of such purchase or lease) to finance or refinance the purchase, lease, construction, installation, or improvement of any assets used or useful in a Related Business (whether through the direct purchase of assets or through the purchase of Capital Stock of any Person owning such assets).

 

Qualified Person” means a Person referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of the definition of “Member of the McClatchy Family” or the spouse, widow or widower for the time being and from time to time of any Person described in clauses (iv) or (v) of the definition of “Member of the McClatchy Family.”

 

Qualified Trust” means a trust (whether testamentary or inter vivos) any beneficiary of which is a Qualified Person.

 

Rating” means the Borrower’s debt rating issued by Moody’s or S&P.

 

Rating Agencies” means S&P and Moody’s.

 

Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

 

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, replace, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for or to consolidate, such Indebtedness.  “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Refinancing Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that is Incurred to Refinance any Indebtedness existing on the Restatement Effective Date or Incurred in compliance with this Agreement (including Indebtedness of the Borrower that Refinances Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that Refinances Indebtedness of another Restricted Subsidiary (except that a Guarantor shall not Refinance Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor)), including Indebtedness that Refinances Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, however, that:

 

(1)                                 if the Stated Maturity of the Indebtedness being Refinanced is later than the Stated Maturity of the Obligations, the entire principal amount of the Refinancing Indebtedness has a Stated Maturity at least 91 days later than the Stated Maturity of the Obligations;

 

(2)                                 the Refinancing Indebtedness has an Average Life at the time such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred that is equal to or greater than the Average Life of the Indebtedness being Refinanced at such time;

 

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(3)                                 such Refinancing Indebtedness is Incurred in an aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) that is equal to or less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount (or if issued with original issue discount, the aggregate accreted value) then outstanding of the Indebtedness being refinanced (plus, without duplication, any additional Indebtedness Incurred to pay interest, premiums required by the instruments governing such existing Indebtedness or premiums necessary to effectuate such Refinancing and costs, fees and expenses Incurred in connection therewith);

 

(4)                                 if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or the Guaranty, such Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations or the Guaranty on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced; and

 

(5)                                 Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include (x) Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of the Borrower or a Guarantor, (y) Indebtedness of a Guarantor that refinances Existing Unsecured Notes that mature after December 15, 2022 or (z) Indebtedness of a Guarantor that refinances Existing Unsecured Notes that mature on or prior to December 15, 2022 unless (i) on the date such Indebtedness is Incurred and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (ii) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).

 

Related Business” means any business that is the same as or related, ancillary or complementary to any of the businesses of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Restatement Effective Date and any reasonable extension or evolution of any of the foregoing, including without limitation, the online business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

 

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (C) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining the Required Lenders at any time; provided that, the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.

 

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Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of a Loan Party and any other officer of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

 

Restatement Effective Date” means the date upon which all the conditions set forth in Section 4.01(a) shall have been satisfied, or waived by the Lenders.

 

Restricted Investment” means any Investment other than a Permitted Investment.

 

Restricted Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.10(a).

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Sale/Leaseback Transaction” means any direct or indirect arrangement relating to property now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary whereby the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary transfers such property to a Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) and the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary leases it from such Person.

 

Sarbanes-Oxley” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract between the Borrower and any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time such agreement was executed).

 

Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the PCAOB.

 

Security Agreement” means the Security Agreement, dated as of September 26, 2008, by and among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Guarantors party thereto.

 

Security Agreement Joinder” has the meaning specified in Annex 2 of the Security Agreement.

 

Senior Management” means the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Borrower.

 

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Senior Secured Notes” means the Borrower’s 11.50% senior secured notes due February 15, 2017.

 

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business.  The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in the agreement governing or certificate relating to such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

 

Subordinated Obligation” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower (whether outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date or thereafter Incurred) that is subordinated or junior in right of payment to the Obligations  pursuant to a written agreement.  No Indebtedness of the Borrower shall be deemed to be subordinated or junior in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Borrower solely by virtue of Liens, guarantees, maturity or payments or structural subordination.

 

Subsidiary” of any Person means (1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof), or (2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).  Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Subsidiary will refer to a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

substantially concurrent” means, with respect to two or more events, the occurrence of such events within 45 days of each other.

 

Swap Contract” means any Interest Rate Agreement, any Currency Agreement or any Commodity Agreement.

 

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Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

 

Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

 

Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

 

Swing Line Sublimit” subject to Section 2.16(g), means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments.  The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Syndication Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank.

 

Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, in the case of (a) or (b), upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

 

Taxes” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(a).

 

Threshold Amount” means $50,000,000.

 

Total Credit Exposures” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitment and Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.

 

Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

Trade Payables” means, with respect to any Person, any accounts payable to trade creditors created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the acquisition of goods or services.

 

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Type” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

 

UCP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

Unfunded Pension Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

 

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

 

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (1) any Subsidiary of the Borrower that at the time of determination shall be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of the Borrower in the manner provided below and (2) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

The Board of Directors of the Borrower may designate any Subsidiary of the Borrower (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary or a Person becoming a Subsidiary through merger or consolidation or Investment therein) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary only if:

 

(1)                                 such Subsidiary or any of its Subsidiaries does not own any Capital Stock or Indebtedness of or have any Investment in, or own or hold any Lien on any property of, any other Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or otherwise an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)                                 all the Indebtedness of such Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries shall, at the date of designation, and will at all times thereafter while they are Unrestricted Subsidiaries, consist of Non-Recourse Debt;

 

(3)                                 such designation and the Investment of the Borrower in such Subsidiary complies with Section 7.10;

 

(4)                                 such Subsidiary, either alone or in the aggregate with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries, does not operate, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(5)                                 such Subsidiary is a Person with respect to which neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation:

 

(a)                                 to subscribe for additional Capital Stock of such Person; or

 

(b)                                 to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and

 

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(6)                                 on the date such Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with terms substantially less favorable to the Borrower than those that might have been obtained from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Borrower.

 

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by filing with the Administrative Agent a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Borrower giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complies with the foregoing conditions.  If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the foregoing requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it shall thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of this Agreement and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred as of such date.

 

The Board of Directors of the Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof and the Borrower could Incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 7.02(a) on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation.

 

U.S. Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is organized under the laws of one of the states of the United States of America and is not a CFC.

 

Voting Stock” of a Person means all classes of Capital Stock of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees, as applicable, of such Person.

 

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means a Restricted Subsidiary, all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or local ownership shares) is owned by the Borrower or another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

 

1.02                        Other Interpretive Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)                                 The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

(b)                                 (i)  The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

 

(ii)                                  Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

 

(iii)                               The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

 

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(iv)                              The term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form.

 

(c)                                  In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

 

(d)                                 Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

1.03                        Accounting Terms.  (a) All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except (i) as otherwise specifically prescribed herein, and (ii) in connection with calculations of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio (and the components thereof), GAAP shall applied as in effect on the Restatement Effective Date.

 

(b)                                 If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

1.04                        Rounding.  Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

1.05                        References to Agreements and Laws.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

 

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1.06                        Times of Day.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Pacific time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

1.07                        Letter of Credit Amounts.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however that with respect to any Letter of Credit that by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

ARTICLE II
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

2.01                        Committed Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment.  Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.  Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

2.02                        Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.

 

(a)                                 Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them.  Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders.  Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole

 

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multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof.  Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans.  Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

 

(b)                                 Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

 

(c)                                  Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

 

(d)                                 The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.  At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

 

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(e)                                  After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.

 

2.03                        Letters of Credit.

 

(a)                                 The Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

(i)                                     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Restatement Effective Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit.  Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.  All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Restatement Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

 

(ii)                                  The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:

 

(A)                               subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

 

(B)                               the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.

 

(iii)                               The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)                               any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any

 

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Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Restatement Effective Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any loss, cost or expense which is not reimbursable hereunder and was not applicable on the Restatement Effective Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

 

(B)                               the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate any Laws or one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

 

(C)                               except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000;

 

(D)                               the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

 

(E)                                the Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or

 

(F)                                 any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.13(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

 

(iv)                              The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

 

(v)                                 The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.

 

(vi)                              The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

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(b)                                 Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

 

(i)                                     Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the LC Issuer.  Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.  In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

 

(ii)                                  Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof.  Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices.  Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

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(iii)                               If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

 

(iv)                              Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

(c)                                  Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

 

(i)                                     Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.  Not later than 3:00 p.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing.  If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice).  Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

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(ii)                                  Each Lender (including the Lender acting as L/C Issuer) shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 12:00 noon on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

 

(iii)                               With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest for the first Business Day at the Base Rate and thereafter at the Default Rate.  In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

(iv)                              Until each Lender funds its Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

 

(v)                                 Each Lender’s obligation to make Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice).  No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(vi)                              If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at

 

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a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be.  A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)                                 Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)                                     At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)                                  If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Obligations Absolute.  The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)                                     any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

 

(ii)                                  the existence of any claim, counterclaim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

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(iii)                               any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

(iv)                              waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not materially prejudice the Borrower;

 

(v)                                 honor of a demand for the payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

 

(vi)                              any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of any other complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;

 

(vii)                           any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

 

(viii)                        any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will promptly notify the L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

(f)                                   Role of L/C Issuer.  Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document.  The Borrower hereby assumes

 

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all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.  The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communication with a beneficiary.  None of the Lenders nor any of their Affiliates shall have any liability or responsibility to the Borrower by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e)), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the L/C Issuer.

 

(g)                                  Applicability of ISP, Limitation of Liability.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s right and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any law, order or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction whether the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Finance Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), of the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

 

(h)                                 Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the

 

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Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit).  Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears and (ii) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Maturity Date, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, during the existence of any Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), upon the request of the Required Lenders, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

 

(i)                                     Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit in the amount specified in the Fee Letter, payable on the actual daily maximum amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit).  Such fronting fee shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears.  Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect.  Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

(j)                                    Conflict with Issuer Documents.  In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

 

2.04                        Swing Line Loans.

 

(a)                                 The Swing Line.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, may in its sole discretion make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that (x) after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, (y) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan, and (z) the Swing Line Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swing Line Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Credit Extension may have, Fronting Exposure.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions

 

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hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.  Each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest at the IBOR Rate for interest periods of one day plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans, or at the Borrower’s election, at the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans, or with the prior written consent of the Swing Line Lender, any other agreed index rate plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans.  Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

 

(b)                                 Borrowing Procedures.  Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $500,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds.

 

(c)                                  Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

 

(i)                                     The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding.  Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Loans of such Type, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.  The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified

 

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in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)                                  If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Committed Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

(iii)                               If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be.  A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(iv)                              Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.  No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

 

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(d)                                 Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)                                     At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)                                  If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender.  The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans.  Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

 

(f)                                   Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender.  The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

 

2.05                        Prepayments

 

(a)                                 The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding.  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.  Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.13, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

 

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(b)                                 The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000.  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

 

(c)                                  If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.

 

2.06                        Termination or Reduction of Commitments.

 

The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments.  Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage.  All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

On the earlier of (i) December 21, 2012 or (ii) such date as shall be specified by the Borrower (the “Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date”), the Commitment of Bank of America shall automatically be permanently reduced to $23,000,000 without further action by any Person and the Applicable Percentages of all of the Lenders shall be adjusted to give effect to such reduction.

 

2.07                        Repayment of Loans.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.

 

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(c)                                  If on the Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date the Outstanding Amount of all Loans and L/C Obligations of Bank of America shall exceed $23,000,000, the Borrower shall repay the outstanding Loans of Bank of America and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations of Bank of America in an amount equal to such excess.

 

2.08                        Interest.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the IBOR Rate for interest periods of one day plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans, or if Borrower shall have so elected, at the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans, or if the Swing Line Lender shall have agreed with the Borrower in writing, any other agreed index rate plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans.

 

(b)                                 (i)  If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(ii)                                  If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(iii)                               Upon the request of the Required Lenders, during the existence of any Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(iv)                              Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

(c)                                  Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

2.09                        Fees.  In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:

 

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(a)                                 Commitment Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Facility exceeds the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Loans (which shall include Swing Line Loans) and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations.  The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Restatement Effective Date, and on the Maturity Date.  The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

 

(b)                                 Other Fees.

 

(i)                                     The Borrower shall pay to each Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

(ii)                                  The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

2.10                        Computation of Interest and Fees.

 

(a)                                 All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.

 

(b)                                 If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period.  This

 

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paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under Section 2.03(c)(iii), 2.03(h) or 2.09(a) or under Article VIII.  The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

 

2.11                        Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)                                 The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business.  The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

(b)                                 In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

2.12                        Payments Generally.

 

(a)                                 All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 12:00 noon on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 12:00 noon shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  Without limiting the generality of this Section 2.12, on each date when the payment of any principal, interest or fees are due hereunder or under any Note, the Borrower agrees to maintain on deposit in an ordinary checking account maintained by the Borrower with the Administrative Agent (as such account shall be designated by the Borrower in a written notice to the Administrative Agent

 

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from time to time, the “Borrower Account”) an amount sufficient to pay such principal, interest or fees in full.  The Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent (i) to deduct automatically all principal, interest or fees when due hereunder, or under the Notes from the Borrower Account, and (ii) if and to the extent any payment under this Agreement or any other Loan Document is not made when due, to deduct automatically any such amount from any or all of the accounts of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent agrees to provide timely notice to the Borrower of any automatic deduction made pursuant to this Section 2.12.

 

(b)                                 If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

(c)                                  Unless the Borrower or any Lender has notified the Administrative Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it to the Administrative Agent hereunder, that the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, has timely made such payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make available a corresponding amount to the Person entitled thereto.  If and to the extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds, then:

 

(i)                                     if the Borrower failed to make such payment, each Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Administrative Agent the portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender in immediately available funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect; and

 

(ii)                                  if any Lender failed to make such payment, such Lender shall forthwith on demand pay to the Administrative Agent the amount thereof in immediately available funds, together with interest thereon for the period from the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent (the “Compensation Period”) at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the applicable Borrowing.  If such Lender does not pay such amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent may make a demand therefor upon the Borrower, and the Borrower shall pay such amount to the Administrative Agent, together with interest thereon for the Compensation Period at a rate per annum equal to the rate of interest applicable to the applicable Borrowing.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which the Administrative Agent or the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

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A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (c) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(d)                                 If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest if such funds shall be returned not later than the next following Business Day and with interest at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate for each subsequent day until so returned.

 

(e)                                  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans and to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan or to fund any such participation or to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).

 

(f)                                   Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

2.13                        Sharing of Payments.  If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein (including as a result of terminations or reductions in Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 that are not pro rata according to the Lenders’ respective Applicable Percentage), any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

 

(i)                                     if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

 

(ii)                                  the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the

 

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express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14, or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

 

The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation

 

2.14                        Cash Collateral.

 

(a)                                 Certain Credit Support Events.  If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 8.02(c), or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(b)                                 Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c).  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.  All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in a blocked, non-interest bearing deposit account at Bank of America.  The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

 

(c)                                  Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.15 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral

 

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provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

(d)                                 Release.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) any such release shall be without prejudice to, and any disbursement or other transfer of Cash Collateral shall be and remain subject to, any other Lien conferred under the Loan Documents and the other applicable provisions of the Loan Documents, and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

 

2.15                        Defaulting Lenders.

 

(a)                                 Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

 

(i)                                     Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 10.01.

 

(ii)                                  Defaulting Lender Waterfall.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.14; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.14; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the L/C Issuer against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting

 

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Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv).  Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(iii)                               Certain Fees.

 

(A)                               No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

(B)                               Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.14.

 

(C)                               With respect to any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) or any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (y) pay to the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s or Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

(iv)                              Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their

 

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respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment.  No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(v)                                 Cash Collateral.  If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.14.

 

(b)                                 Defaulting Lender CureIf the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

2.16                        Increase in Commitments.

 

(a)                                 Request for Increase.  Provided there exists no Default, upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time after the Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date, request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments by an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $25,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests.  At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).

 

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(b)                                 Lender Elections to Increase.  Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase.  Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.

 

(c)                                  Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder.  To achieve the full amount of a requested increase and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrower may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(d)                                 Effective Date and Allocations.  If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

 

(e)                                  Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase.  As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (x) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (y) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.16, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) no Default existsThe Borrower shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.

 

(f)                                   Conflicting Provisions.  This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

 

(g)                                  Sublimit Increases.  In the event that the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section 2.16, the Letter of Credit Sublimit and the Swing Line Sublimit shall each be increased proportionately with effect from the Increase Effective Date, to reflect such increase in the Aggregate Commitments.

 

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ARTICLE III
TAXES AND YIELD PROTECTION

 

3.01                        Taxes.

 

(a)                                 Any and all payments by the Borrower to or for the account of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and each Lender, Excluded Taxes (all such non-excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”).  If the Borrower shall be required by any Laws to deduct any Indemnified Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01(a)(i)), each of the Administrative Agent and such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (A) to the extent provided in Section 10.14(a)(iii), (B) with respect to any backup withholding tax attributable to a Lender’s failure to comply with Section 10.14(b), or (C) with respect to any United States federal withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to the Administrative Agent or such Lender at the time the Administrative Agent or such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, except to the extent that such Administrative Agent’s predecessor (if any) or Lender’s assignor (if any), as the case may be, was entitled, at the time of succession or assignment, as the case may be, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.01(a)(i); (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions; (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable Laws; and (iv) the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall forward the same to such Lender) the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof promptly after it becomes available to the Borrower or, if such a receipt is unavailable, such other evidence as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)                                 In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any and all present or future stamp, court or documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes or charges or similar levies which arise from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).

 

(c)                                  Without duplication of any amounts payable under clauses (a) or (b) above, the Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender for (i) the full amount of Taxes with respect to which the Borrower is required to pay additional amounts pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(i) and Other Taxes (including any such Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent and such Lender and (ii) any liability (including additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, in each case whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental

 

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Authority (except to the extent that any such liability (including additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses) arises as a result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, provided that for purposes of this parenthetical clause, gross negligence shall not be deemed to include any failure on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to inquire as to whether the Borrower has failed to pay any Taxes or Other Taxes when due to the appropriate taxation authority or other authority or has failed to remit to the Administrative Agent the required receipts or other required documentary evidence).  Payment under this subsection (c) shall be made within 30 days after the date the Lender or the Administrative Agent makes a demand therefor.

 

Each Lender that sells or grants a participation shall (i) withhold or deduct from each payment to a Participant the amount of any tax required under applicable law to be withheld or deducted from such payment and not withheld or deducted therefrom by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, (ii) pay any tax so withheld or deducted by it to the appropriate taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable Laws and (iii) indemnify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent for any losses, costs and expenses that may incur as a result of any failure to withhold or deduct and pay any tax to the extent the amount of such tax and losses, costs and expenses exceeds the amount of tax and losses, costs and expenses that would have been imposed in the absence of such participation.

 

3.02                        Illegality.  If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal  for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.

 

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Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

3.03                        Inability to Determine Rates.  If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

3.04                        Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy.

 

(a)                                 If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)                                     impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;

 

(ii)                                  subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

(iii)                               impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer

 

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hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)                                 If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)                                  Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)                                 Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

(e)                                  Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.  The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such

 

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additional interest from such Lender.  If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.

 

3.05                        Compensation for Losses.  Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

(a)                                 any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

 

(b)                                 any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

(c)                                  any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13;

 

including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.  The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

 

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

 

3.06                        Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)                                 Designation of a Different Lending OfficeIf any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

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(b)                                 Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

 

3.07                        Survival.  All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article  III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

 

ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVENESS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

4.01                        Conditions of Effectiveness.  The availability of Credit Extensions is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Restatement Effective Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Restatement Effective Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:

 

(i)                                     executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Disclosure Letter, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;

 

(ii)                                  a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;

 

(iii)                               such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or is to be a party;

 

(iv)                              such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing and in good standing in its jurisdiction of formation or incorporation;

 

(v)                                 favorable opinions of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the matters set forth in Exhibit F and such other matters concerning the Borrower and the Loan Documents as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request;

 

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(vi)                              a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;

 

(vii)                           a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied;

 

(viii)                        a duly completed pro forma Compliance Certificate as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower most recently ended prior to the Restatement Effective Date for which financial statements are available, and utilizing the covenant levels for the Fiscal Quarter ending December, 2012, signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

 

(ix)                              reaffirmations of the Collateral Documents and the Guaranty by each Loan Party (other than, in the case of the Guaranty, the Borrower), in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with evidence (A) that all proper filings and financing statements in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent shall have been filed under the Uniform Commercial Code of all jurisdictions that the Administrative Agent may deem necessary or desirable in order to perfect the Liens created under the Security Agreement, covering the Collateral described in the Security Agreement, and with the priority described in the Security Agreement (which evidence may be in the form of copies of federal trademark, copyright and patent searches, and UCC and federal and state tax lien searches in the applicable jurisdictions, in each case described in and attached to, and subject to acceptable disclosures in, the Disclosure Letter), and (B) that insurance in types and amounts acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be in place with respect to the Borrower and the Guarantors and their respective properties forming part of the Collateral, which insurance policies shall contain endorsements naming the Administrative Agent as an additional insured or loss payee, as the case may be (which evidence may be in the form of copies of insurance policy endorsements described in and attached to, and subject to acceptable disclosures in, the Disclosure Letter);

 

(x)                                 copies of definitive legal documents relating to the issuance of the New Senior Secured Notes, including the New Senior Notes Indenture (including all attachments and exhibits thereto), the Intercreditor Agreement and the offering memorandum for the New Senior Secured Notes, each in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and each Lender; provided that, if any such document shall be in draft form only on the date of this Agreement, without prejudice to Section 4.02(c), this condition may be satisfied on the basis of such draft; and

 

(xi)                              such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any Lender may reasonably may require.

 

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(b)                                 There shall not have occurred since December 25, 2011, any event or condition that has had or could be reasonably expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)                                  There shall be no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or governmental authority that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)                                 Any fees required to be paid on or before the Restatement Effective Date shall have been paid.

 

(e)                                  Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Restatement Effective Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).

 

(f)                                   The Restatement Effective Date shall have occurred on or before December 21, 2012.

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01 and the consent required under Section 10.01(a), each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document delivered or to be delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(a), and the facts and circumstances pertaining to the conditions set forth in Sections 4.01(b) and (c), and not to require any additional documentation under Section 4.01(a)(xi), unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Restatement Effective Date specifying its requirements or objection with respect thereto.

 

4.02                        Conditions to all Credit Extensions.  The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V (other than, at such times as the Rating from S&P is at least BBB- and the Rating from Moody’s is at least Baa3, the representations and warranties in Sections 5.06 and 5.09) or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.

 

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(b)                                 No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension.

 

(c)                                  If the condition in Section 4.01(a)(x) was satisfied in whole or part on the basis of draft documents, the related draft document shall not have been finalized unless such final form is in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and each Lender.

 

(d)                                 The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

(e)                                  After giving effect to such proposed Credit Extension, the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.08.  In the calculation of such pro forma compliance, the Borrower shall use the Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) from the financial information most recently delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) and the Consolidated Indebtedness as of the date of such proposed Credit Extension, after giving pro forma effect to such Credit Extension.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a), (b), (c) and (e) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

5.01                        Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws.  Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.02                        Authorization; No Contravention.  The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is or is to be a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, (i) any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.

 

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5.03        Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.  No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

5.04        Binding Effect.  This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto.  This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is a party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or (ii) equitable principles relating to the granting of specific performance and other equitable remedies as a matter of judicial discretion.

 

5.05        Financial Statements.

 

(a)           The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) to the extent required by GAAP, show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

 

(b)           The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated September 23, 2012, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal interim accruals or adjustments, unless otherwise disclosed.

 

(c)           Since the later of (i) the date of the quarterly financial statements for the fiscal quarter ended September 23, 2012, and (ii) the date of the most recent audited financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a), there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.06        Litigation.  There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or (b) except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.06 to the Disclosure Letter (the “Disclosed Litigation”),

 

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either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and there has been no adverse change in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, of the matters described in Schedule 5.06 to the Disclosure Letter.

 

5.07        No Default.  Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

5.08        Ownership of Property; Liens.  Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01 or created pursuant to any Loan Document.

 

5.09        Environmental Compliance.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have reasonably concluded that, except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.09 to the Disclosure Letter, there are no claims against Borrower and its Subsidiaries or alleging potential liability under Environmental Laws or violations by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of Environmental Laws which in either case would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.10        Insurance.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have insurance in such amounts and covering such risks and liabilities as are in accordance with normal industry practice.

 

5.11        Taxes.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.  There is no proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.12        ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)           Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws.  Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto, has been established under a prototype plan for which an IRS opinion letter has been obtained by the plan sponsor and is valid as to the adopting employer, or is within its applicable remedial amendment period under Section 401(b) of the Code and, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification.  No Plan has

 

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failed prior to, or after, the effectiveness of the Pension Act, to satisfy the minimum funding standard within the meaning of Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA, as of the last day of the most recent fiscal year of such Plan ended prior to the date as of which this representation is made.  Neither the Borrower nor any of its ERISA Affiliates is (A) prior to the effectiveness of the Pension Act, required to give security to any Plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 307 of ERISA, or on or after the effectiveness of the Pension Act, required to make an additional contribution or give security to any Plan pursuant to Section 436 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 206(g) of ERISA, or (B) subject to a Lien in favor of a Plan, under either Section 302(f) of ERISA or Section 412(m) of the Code prior to the effectiveness of the Pension Act, or under Section 303(k) of the ERISA or Section 430(k) of the Code on and after the effectiveness of the Pension Act.

 

(b)           There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code, other than as exempted under Section 408 of ERISA or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan that has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA and (iv) no Pension Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.13        Subsidiaries.  As of the Restatement Effective Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.13 to the Disclosure Letter.

 

5.14        Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company Act.

 

(a)           The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

 

(b)           None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary (i) is a “holding company,” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, or (ii) is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

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5.15        Disclosure.  The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

5.16        Compliance with Laws.  Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.17        Solvency.  Each Loan Party is, individually and together with its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, Solvent.

 

ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.03 and 6.11) cause each Subsidiary to:

 

6.01        Financial Statements.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

 

(a)           as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year ending in December, 2012), a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and applicable Securities Laws and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception

 

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or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit or with respect to the absence of any material misstatement; and

 

(b)           as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal quarter ending in March, 2013), (i) a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, setting forth in comparative form to the most recent audited balance sheet the figures for the current fiscal quarter end, (ii) the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, and (iii) consolidated statements of cash flows for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth in the case of the statements of income specified in clause (ii) and cash flows specified in clause (iii) in comparative form the figures for the corresponding interim periods of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, such statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal interim accruals or adjustments, unless otherwise disclosed, and the absence of footnotes.

 

So long as the Borrower furnishes the materials required pursuant to Section 6.02(b), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish any information under clause (a) or (b) above.

 

6.02        Certificates; Other Information.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

 

(a)           concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) (commencing with the delivery of the financial statements for the fiscal year ending in December, 2012), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

 

(b)           promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

(c)           promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to any holder of debt securities of any Loan Party or of any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02;

 

(d)           to the extent not already furnished under any Loan Document, promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of each annual, monthly or other periodic statement or report furnished to holders of the New Senior Secured Notes pursuant to the terms of the New Senior Secured Note Documents, and, promptly following the giving or receipt of written notice of the

 

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occurrence of any “default” or “event of default” (however described) by any Loan Party or of any of its Subsidiaries under the terms of the New Senior Secured Note Documents, a copy of such notice; and

 

(e)           promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent and each Lender of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 6.02(b) to the Administrative Agent.  Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”).  The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (w) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in

 

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Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no Obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”.

 

6.03        Notices.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(a)           of the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)           of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including to the extent it has or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;

 

(c)           of the occurrence of any ERISA Event;

 

(d)           of the final determination by the certified public accountants providing the assessment report required under Item 308 of SEC Regulation S-K, PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 2 and Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley (in connection with its preparation of such report) or the Borrower’s determination at any time of the occurrence or existence of any Internal Control Event; and

 

(e)           of any announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change or possible change in a Rating.

 

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 (other than Section 6.03(e)) shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.  Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

 

6.04        Payment of Obligations.  Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including (a) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary; and (b) all material lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property that would not otherwise be permitted hereunder unless such claims are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and the relevant entity has established and maintains adequate reserves for the payment of the same.

 

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6.05        Preservation of Existence, Etc.  (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization (except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04), except to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.06        Maintenance of Properties.  (a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except to the extent that the failure to do so could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.07        Maintenance of Insurance.  Keep its insurable properties adequately insured at all times by financially sound and reputable insurers; maintain such other insurance, to such extent and against such risks, including fire and other risks insured against by extended coverage, as is customary with companies in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations, including public liability insurance against claims for personal injury.

 

6.08        Compliance with Laws.  Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.09        Books and Records.  (a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which are in all material respects full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

6.10        Inspection Rights.  Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower and permit representatives and independent contractors of each Lender to visit and inspect any of its

 

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properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of such Lender and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and unless an Event of Default then exists, not more frequently than once in any fiscal year, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and upon one Business Day’s notice.

 

6.11        Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions only for working capital and other corporate purposes not in contravention of Law or of any Loan Document.

 

6.12        Covenant to Guarantee Obligations and Give Security.  Upon the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect Subsidiary (other than any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary) by any Loan Party, or any Non-Guarantor Subsidiary no longer meeting the requirements of the definition thereof, the Borrower shall, at the Borrower’s expense:

 

(i)            within 10 days after such formation or acquisition (or such longer period agreed to by the Administrative Agent), or change in status, cause such Subsidiary, and cause each direct and indirect parent of such Subsidiary (if it has not already done so), to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) a guaranty or guaranty supplement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, guaranteeing the Borrower’s Obligations under the Loan Documents and (y) a joinder to the Security Agreement in the form attached thereto, and

 

(ii)           within 30 days after such formation or acquisition (or such longer period agreed to by the Administrative Agent), deliver to the Administrative Agent, (i) an incumbency certificate issued by the secretary or assistant secretary of such Guarantor, certifying as to the authority of the person executing such Guaranty on behalf of such Guarantor, (ii) a copy of a resolution from the board of directors of such Guarantor authorizing execution and delivery of such Guaranty, and (iii) a signed copy of a favorable opinion, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, of counsel for the Loan Parties acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to such matters as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

 

At any time upon request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each relevant Subsidiary to, promptly execute and deliver any and all further instruments and documents and take all such other action as the Administrative Agent may deem necessary or desirable in obtaining the full benefits of, or (as applicable) in perfecting and preserving the Liens under the Collateral Documents.

 

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ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding:

 

7.01        Liens.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create, incur or assume any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) that secures any Indebtedness on any asset or property of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary or any income or profits therefrom, other than Liens securing Indebtedness that are expressly junior in priority to the Liens on such property or assets securing the Obligations pursuant to a Permitted Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.  Additionally, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to incur or suffer to exist any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) on any Excluded Property to secure any Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness, unless the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary concurrently grants a Lien to the Administrative Agent to secure the Obligations ranking with the priority specified in the Intercreditor Agreement; provided, however, that any such Lien on Excluded Property created to secure the Obligations pursuant to this sentence shall provide by its terms that upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien on such Excluded Property by the collateral agent for the Pari Passu Lien Indebtedness secured by such Initial Lien, the Lien on such Excluded Property securing the Obligations shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged and the Borrower may take any action necessary to memorialize such release or discharge.

 

7.02        Indebtedness.

 

(a)           The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness); provided, however, that the Borrower and the Guarantors may Incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) if on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be no greater than 5.25 to 1.00; provided, further, that if any such Indebtedness is Incurred by a Guarantor, either (x) on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

(b)           The provisions of Section 7.02(a) shall not apply to the Incurrence of the following Indebtedness:

 

(i)            Indebtedness of the Borrower evidenced by the New Senior Secured Notes and any notes issued in exchange for such New Senior Secured Notes and Indebtedness of Guarantors evidenced by the Guarantees relating to the New Senior Secured Notes and any guarantee of any such exchanged notes;

 

(ii)           Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to Debt Facilities (including the Loan Documents, including any Guaranty of the Obligations owed by any Subsidiary) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $200 million minus the aggregate

 

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Commitments hereunder, at any time outstanding, less to the extent a permanent repayment or commitment reduction is required thereunder as a result of such application, the aggregate principal amount of all principal repayments following the Restatement Effective Date actually made under any Debt Facilities incurred in reliance on this clause (ii) with Net Available Cash from Asset Dispositions;

 

(iii)          Guarantees by (x) the Borrower or a Guarantor (including any Restricted Subsidiary the Borrower elects to cause to become a Guarantor in connection therewith) of Indebtedness permitted to be Incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided that in the case of any Guarantee by a Guarantor pursuant to this clause (iii), either (1) on the date such Indebtedness is initially Incurred by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (2) such Guarantee constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations, and (y) Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of Indebtedness Incurred by Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement;

 

(iv)          Indebtedness of the Borrower owing to and held by any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary owing to and held by the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however,

 

(A)          if the Borrower is the obligor on Indebtedness owing to a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, such Indebtedness is expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations;

 

(B)          if a Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary is the obligee, such Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Guaranty of such Guarantor; and

 

(C)          (1) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock or any other event that results in any such Indebtedness being beneficially held by a Person other than the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower; and (2) any subsequent sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an Incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be;

 

(v)           any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness described in clauses (i) and (ii)) outstanding on the Restatement Effective Date and any Refinancing Indebtedness Incurred in respect of any Indebtedness described in clause (i), this clause (v) or clause (vi) or Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(a);

 

(vi)          Indebtedness of Persons Incurred and outstanding on the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, or merged or consolidated with or into, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition,

 

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merger or consolidation); provided, however, that at the time such Person is acquired by, or merged or consolidated with, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (vi), either (x) the Borrower would have been able to Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 7.02(a); (y) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be less than or equal to such Consolidated Leverage Ratio immediately prior to such acquisition; or (z) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness at any time outstanding incurred pursuant to this clause (z) (together with all Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Indebtedness previously Incurred pursuant to this clause (z)) shall not exceed $25.0 million;

 

(vii)         Indebtedness under Hedging Obligations; provided, however, that such Hedging Obligations are entered into to fix, manage or hedge interest rate, currency or commodity exposure of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and not for speculative purposes;

 

(viii)        Purchase Money Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50.0 million at any one time outstanding pursuant to this clause (viii);

 

(ix)          Indebtedness Incurred by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of workers’ compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, self-insurance obligations, performance, bid, surety, appeal and similar bonds and completion Guarantees (not for borrowed money) or security deposits, letters of credit, banker’s guarantees or banker’s acceptances, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)           Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earn-outs or similar obligations, in each case, Incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets of the Borrower or any business, assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary, other than Guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Capital Stock for the purpose of financing such acquisition; provided that:

 

(A)          the maximum aggregate liability in respect of all such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds, including non-cash proceeds (the Fair Market Value of such non-cash proceeds being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), actually received by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition; and

 

(B)          such Indebtedness is not reflected on the balance sheet of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (contingent obligations referred to in a footnote to financial statements and not otherwise reflected on the balance sheet shall not be deemed to be reflected on such balance sheet for purposes of this clause (x));

 

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(xi)          Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument, including, but not limited to, electronic transfers, wire transfers and commercial card payments drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business (except in the form of committed or uncommitted lines of credit); provided, however, that such Indebtedness is extinguished within ten Business Days of Incurrence;

 

(xii)         Indebtedness Incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with (x) insurance premium financing arrangements not to exceed $10.0 million at any one time outstanding or (y) take-or-pay obligations in supply agreements incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xiii)        Indebtedness owed on a short-term basis of no longer than 30 days to banks and other financial institutions Incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries with such banks or financial institutions that arises in connection with ordinary banking arrangements to provide treasury services or to manage cash balances of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(xiv)        guarantees to suppliers or licensors (other than guarantees of Indebtedness) in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xv)         Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the Net Proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to effect the Borrower’s legal defeasance option or covenant defeasance option associated with its Public Indebtedness in accordance with the terms thereof;

 

(xvi)        Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary consisting of Guarantees in respect of obligations of joint ventures; provided that the aggregate principal amount of the Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (xvi) shall not exceed $50.0 million at any time outstanding; provided that in the case of any Guarantee by a Guarantor pursuant to this clause (xvi), either (x) on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a pro forma basis, the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Guarantee constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations;

 

(xvii)       Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary Incurred in connection with any Sale/Leaseback Transaction, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $75.0 million at any time outstanding; and

 

(xviii)      in addition to the items referred to in clauses (i) through (xvii) above, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding principal amount which, when taken together with the principal amount of all other Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to this clause (xviii) and then outstanding, shall not exceed $75.0 million at any time outstanding; provided that in the case of any Incurrence of Indebtedness by a Guarantor pursuant to this clause (xviii), either (x) on the date thereof and, after giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof on a

 

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pro forma basis, the Priority Leverage Ratio would be no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 or (y) such Indebtedness constitutes Guarantor Subordinated Obligations.

 

(c)           For purposes of determining compliance with, and the outstanding principal amount of any particular Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to and in compliance with, this Section 7.02:

 

(i)            in the event that Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in Section 7.02(b) or could be Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(a), the Borrower, in its sole discretion, may divide and classify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) on the date of Incurrence and may later reclassify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 7.02 and only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness once;

 

(ii)           Guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness that is otherwise included in the determination of a particular amount of Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(iii)          if obligations in respect of letters of credit are Incurred pursuant to a Debt Facility and are being treated as Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02(b)(ii) and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included;

 

(iv)          the principal amount of any Disqualified Stock of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, or Preferred Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, shall be equal to the greater of the maximum mandatory redemption or repurchase price (not including, in either case, any redemption or repurchase premium) or the liquidation preference thereof;

 

(v)           Indebtedness permitted by this Section 7.02 need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this Section 7.02 permitting such Indebtedness; and

 

(vi)          the amount of Indebtedness issued at a price that is less than the principal amount thereof shall be equal to the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Accrual of interest, accrual of dividends, the accretion of accreted value or the amortization of debt discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness and the payment of dividends in the form of additional shares of Preferred Stock or Disqualified Stock shall not be deemed to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.02.  The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date shall be (i) the accreted value thereof in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount or the aggregate principal amount outstanding in the case of Indebtedness issued with interest payable-in-kind, (ii) the principal amount or liquidation preference thereof, together with any interest thereon that is more than 30 days past due, in the case of any other Indebtedness, (iii) in the case of the Guarantee by a specified

 

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Person of Indebtedness of another Person, the maximum liability to which the specified Person may be subject upon the occurrence of the contingency giving rise to the obligation and (iv) in the case of Indebtedness of others Guaranteed solely by means of a Lien on any asset or property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (and not to their other assets or properties generally), the lesser of (x) the Fair Market Value of such asset or property on the date on which such Indebtedness is Incurred and (y) the amount of the Indebtedness so secured.

 

(d)           In addition, the Borrower shall not permit any of its Unrestricted Subsidiaries to Incur any Indebtedness or issue any shares of Disqualified Stock, other than Non-Recourse Debt.  If at any time an Unrestricted Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be Incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date (and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be Incurred as of such date under this Section 7.02, the Borrower shall be in Default of this Section 7.02).

 

(e)           For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was Incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such Refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being Refinanced plus the amount of any reasonable premium (including reasonable tender premiums), defeasance costs and any reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of such new Indebtedness.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7.02, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Borrower may Incur pursuant to this Section 7.02 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies.  The principal amount of any Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance other Indebtedness, if Incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being Refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such Refinancing.

 

7.03        Sales of Assets and Subsidiary Stock.

 

(a)           The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any Asset Disposition following the Restatement Effective Date unless:

 

(i)            the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at least equal to the Fair Market Value (such Fair Market Value to be determined as of the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Disposition) of the assets subject to such Asset Disposition; and

 

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(ii)           at least 75% of the consideration from such Asset Disposition received by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;

 

provided that, without the prior consent of the Administrative Agent acting at the direction of the Required Lenders, the Borrower may not effect one or more Asset Dispositions after the Restatement Effective Date of assets having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to or greater than $750,000,000.  The Borrower shall determine in accordance with this Agreement the Fair Market Value of any consideration from such Asset Disposition that is not cash or Cash Equivalents.

 

(b)           Any Net Available Cash received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from any Asset Disposition shall be applied at the Borrower’s election:

 

(i)            in the case of any Asset Disposition by a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary or consisting of Capital Stock of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary, to repay Indebtedness of a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary within 30 days of receipt of such Net Available Cash,

 

(ii)           to reinvest in or acquire assets (including Capital Stock or other securities purchased in connection with the acquisition of Capital Stock or property of another Person that is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower or that would constitute a Permitted Investment under clause (2) of the definition thereof) used or useful in a Related Business; provided that to the extent the assets subject to such Asset Disposition were Collateral, such newly acquired assets shall also be Collateral, or

 

(iii)          to repay or prepay outstanding Loans hereunder, provided that the Borrower shall also effect a permanent reduction in the Commitments in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount so repaid or prepaid with such Net Available Cash.

 

(c)           All Net Available Cash that is not applied or invested (or committed pursuant to a written agreement to be applied or invested) as provided in subclause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 7.03(b) within 365 days after receipt (or in the case of any amount committed to be so applied or reinvested, which are not actually so applied or reinvested within 180 days following such 365 day period) will be applied by the Borrower in accordance with Section 3.7(c) of the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture.

 

(d)           Pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash in accordance with Section 3.7(c) of the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries may temporarily reduce revolving indebtedness under any Debt Facility or otherwise invest such Net Available Cash in Cash Equivalents.

 

(e)           For the purpose of this covenant, the following are deemed to be cash:  (x) the assumption of Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock or Subordinated Obligations) or Indebtedness or other liabilities of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Disqualified Stock of any Guarantor) and the release of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from all liability on such Indebtedness or liabilities in connection with such Asset Disposition, (y) securities, notes or similar obligations received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that are converted

 

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within 180 days by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash and (z) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Disposition having an aggregate Fair Market Value (determined in Good Faith by the Borrower), taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (z) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed $50.0 million at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).

 

7.04        Fundamental Changes.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that:

 

(i)            any Subsidiary may merge with (A) the Borrower, provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (B) any other Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, provided that when any Subsidiary is merging with a Loan Party, a Loan Party shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (C) if such Subsidiary is not a Loan Party, any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;

 

(ii)           (A) any Loan Party other than the Borrower may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Loan Party, and (B) any Loan Party may Dispose of its assets to any other Loan Party; and

 

(iii)          any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may Dispose of all or substantially all its assets (including any Disposition that is in the nature of a liquidation) to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

7.05        Change in Nature of Business.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, engage in any material line of business other than business in the media, advertising or marketing industries or any business substantially related or incidental thereto, including in any business involving the foregoing through the internet.

 

7.06        Transactions with Affiliates.

 

(a)           The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into or conduct any transaction (including the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of the Borrower (an “Affiliate Transaction”) unless:

 

(i)            the terms of such Affiliate Transaction, when viewed together with any related Affiliate Transactions, are not materially less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that could be obtained in a comparable transaction at the time of such transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a Person who is not an Affiliate;

 

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(ii)           in the event such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, the terms of such transaction have been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower (and such majority determines that such Affiliate Transaction satisfies the criteria in clause (i) above); and

 

(iii)          in the event such Affiliate Transaction involves an aggregate consideration in excess of $20.0 million, the Borrower has received a written opinion from an Independent Financial Advisor that such Affiliate Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, or not materially less favorable than those that might reasonably have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate.

 

(b)           The provisions of Section 7.06(a) shall not apply to:

 

(i)            any (x) Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 7.10 and (y) Permitted Investment in any Person that is an Affiliate of the Borrower solely as a result of ownership of Investments in such Person by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(ii)           any issuance of securities, or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements and other compensation arrangements, options to purchase Capital Stock of the Borrower pursuant to restricted stock plans, long-term incentive plans, stock appreciation rights plans, participation plans or similar employee benefits plans, pension plans or similar plans or agreements or arrangements approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower;

 

(iii)          loans or advances to employees, officers or directors of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in the ordinary course of business, in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time not in excess of $5.0 million (without giving effect to the forgiveness of any such loan);

 

(iv)          any transaction between or among the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary or between or among Restricted Subsidiaries, and any Guarantees issued by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(v)           the payment of reasonable and customary compensation (including fees, benefits, severance, change of control payments and incentive arrangements) to, and employee benefit arrangements, including, without limitation, split-dollar insurance policies, and indemnity or similar arrangements provided on behalf of, directors, officers, employees and agents of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether by charter, bylaw, statutory or contractual provisions;

 

(vi)          the existence of, and the performance of obligations of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under the terms of, any agreement to which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Restatement

 

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Effective Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended or renewed from time to time; provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal entered into after the Restatement Effective Date shall be permitted to the extent that its terms, taken as a whole, are not more disadvantageous to the Lenders in any material respect, as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower, than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Restatement Effective Date;

 

(vii)         any agreement between any Person and an Affiliate of such Person existing at the time such Person is acquired by or merged with or into or consolidated with the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation, or any amendment thereto (so long as any such amendment is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Lenders, as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower, when taken as a whole as compared to the applicable agreement as in effect on the date of such acquisition or merger);

 

(viii)        transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, joint venture partners or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of the business of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower, such transactions are on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person;

 

(ix)          any purchases by the Borrower’s Affiliates of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries the majority of which Indebtedness is placed with Persons who are not Affiliates; and

 

(x)           any issuance or sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) to Affiliates of the Borrower and the granting of registration and other customary rights in connection therewith or any contribution to the Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

7.07        Use of Proceeds.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately for any purpose that entails a violation of, or that is inconsistent with, Regulation U of the FRB.

 

7.08        Financial Covenants.

 

(a)           Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower shall not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.

 

(b)           Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower shall not permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the following fiscal quarters of the Borrower to be more than the following ratios:

 

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Fiscal quarter ending:

 

Ratio:

 

December, 2012

 

6.25 to 1.00

 

March, 2013 and thereafter

 

6.00 to 1.00

 

 

7.09        Burdensome Agreements.

 

(a)           The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(i)            (A)          pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or

 

(B)          pay any Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on Common Stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make distributions on Capital Stock);

 

(ii)           make any loans or advances to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness Incurred by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances); or

 

(iii)          sell, lease or transfer any of its property or assets to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that such transfers shall not include any type of transfer described in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.09(a)).

 

(b)           The restrictions in Section 7.09(a) shall not prohibit encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

 

(i)            any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement in effect at or entered into on the Restatement Effective Date, including, without limitation, this Agreement, the Loan Documents and the New Senior Secured Notes Documents;

 

(ii)           any encumbrance or restriction with respect to a Person or assets pursuant to an agreement in effect on or before the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Capital Stock or Indebtedness Incurred as consideration in, or to provide all or any portion of the funds or credit support utilized to consummate, the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was acquired by, merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or in contemplation of the transaction) or such assets were acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such encumbrance or restriction shall not extend to any Person or the assets or property of the Borrower or any other Restricted

 

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Subsidiary other than the Person and its Subsidiaries or the assets and property so acquired and that, in the case of Indebtedness, was permitted to be Incurred pursuant to this Agreement;

 

(iii)          any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to an agreement effecting a Refinancing of Indebtedness Incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.09(b) or this clause (iii) or contained in any amendment, restatement, modification, renewal, supplement, refunding, replacement or Refinancing of an agreement referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.09(b) or this clause (iii); provided, however, that the encumbrances and restrictions with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary contained in any such agreement are no less favorable (as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower) in any material respect, taken as a whole, to the Holders of the Notes than the encumbrances and restrictions contained in such agreements referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.09(b) on the Restatement Effective Date or the date such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged into or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary, whichever is applicable;

 

(iv)          in the case of Section 7.09(a)(iii), encumbrances or restrictions arising in connection with Liens permitted to be Incurred under the provisions of Section 7.01 that apply only to the assets subject to such Liens;

 

(v)           Purchase Money Indebtedness and Capitalized Lease Obligations permitted under this Agreement, in each case, that impose encumbrances or restrictions of the nature described in Section 7.09(a)(iii) on the property so acquired;

 

(vi)          contracts for the sale of assets, including customary restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary of the Borrower pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale of all or a portion of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary;

 

(vii)         restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or lessors or required by insurance, surety or bonding companies under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii)        any customary provisions in joint venture agreements relating to joint ventures and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, provided that if such joint venture is a Restricted Subsidiary, such provisions shall not materially affect the Borrower’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payments on the Obligations (as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower);

 

(ix)          any customary provisions in leases, subleases or licenses and other agreements entered into by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)           encumbrances or restrictions arising or existing by reason of applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation, order, permit or grant;

 

(xi)          encumbrances or restrictions contained in or arising under indentures or debt instruments or other debt arrangements Incurred or Preferred Stock issued by

 

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Guarantors in accordance with Section 7.02 that are not more restrictive, taken as a whole (as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower), than those applicable to the Borrower in this Agreement on the Restatement Effective Date (which results in encumbrances or restrictions comparable to those applicable to the Borrower at a Restricted Subsidiary level);

 

(xii)         encumbrances or restrictions contained in or arising under indentures or other debt instruments or debt arrangements Incurred or Preferred Stock issued by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors subsequent to the Restatement Effective Date pursuant to clauses (ii), (v), (vi), (vii) and (xiv) of Section 7.02(b) by Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that such encumbrances and restrictions contained in any agreement or instrument shall not materially affect the Borrower’s ability to make anticipated principal or interest payments on the Notes (as determined in Good Faith by the Borrower); and

 

(xiii)        under any contract, instrument or agreement relating to Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary which imposes restrictions solely on such Foreign Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries.

 

7.10        Restricted Payments.

 

(a)           The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, to:

 

(i)            declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution (whether made in cash, securities or other property) on or in respect of its Capital Stock (including any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) other than:

 

(A)          dividends or distributions payable solely in Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock) or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase such Capital Stock of the Borrower; and

 

(B)          dividends or distributions by a Restricted Subsidiary payable to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary (and if such Restricted Subsidiary is not a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, to its other holders of common Capital Stock on a pro rata basis or on a basis that results in the receipt by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of dividends or distributions of a greater value than it would receive on a pro rata basis);

 

(ii)           purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any Capital Stock of the Borrower held by Persons other than the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in exchange for Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than Disqualified Stock));

 

(iii)          make any principal payment on, or purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to any scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor

 

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Subordinated Obligations or Existing Unsecured Notes other than the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition of such Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or Existing Unsecured Notes, as the case may be, in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or acquisition; or

 

(iv)          make any Restricted Investment (all such payments and other actions referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) (other than any exception thereto) shall be referred to as a “Restricted Payment”), unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:

 

(A)          no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom);

 

(B)          immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, the Borrower is able to Incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under Section 7.02(a) hereof; and

 

(C)          the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payment and all other Restricted Payments declared or made subsequent to February 11, 2010 (excluding Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi) and (xvii) of Section 7.10(b)) would not exceed the sum of, without duplication:

 

(1)           the excess of (x) the Borrower’s cumulative Consolidated EBITDA (whether positive or negative) determined at the time of such Restricted Payment minus (y) 140% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Interest Expense, each determined for the period (taken as one accounting period) from December 27, 2009 to the end of the Borrower’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment;

 

(2)           100% of the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities or other property received by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary from the issue or sale of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) or other capital contributions subsequent to February 11, 2010, other than:

 

(I)            Net Cash Proceeds received from an issuance or sale of such Capital Stock to a Subsidiary of the Borrower or to an employee stock ownership plan, option plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination; and

 

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(II)          Net Cash Proceeds received by the Borrower from the issue and sale of its Capital Stock to the extent applied to redeem the New Senior Secured Notes;

 

(3)           the amount by which Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries is reduced on the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange subsequent to February 11, 2010 of any Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries for Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower (less the amount of any cash, or the Fair Market Value of any other property, distributed by the Borrower upon such conversion or exchange);

 

(4)           100% of the Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash and marketable securities from the sale or other disposition (other than to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) of Restricted Investments made after February 11, 2010 and redemptions and repurchases of such Restricted Investments from the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries and repayment of Restricted Investments in the form of loans or advances from the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and releases of Guarantees that constitute Restricted Investments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than in each case to the extent the Restricted Investment was made pursuant to Section 7.10(b)(xii));

 

(5)           100% of the Net Cash Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash and marketable securities received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale (other than to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary) of the stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than in each case to the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 7.10(b)(xii) or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment); and

 

(6)           to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower designated as such after February 11, 2010 is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Borrower merges into or consolidates with the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Unrestricted Subsidiary transfers, dividends or distributes assets to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case after February 11, 2010, the Fair Market Value of such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation or such merger or consolidation, or in the case of the transfer, dividend or distribution of assets of an Unrestricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, the Fair Market Value of such assets of the Unrestricted Subsidiary as determined at the time of the redesignation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of such merger, consolidation or transfer, dividend or distribution of assets (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary to

 

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the extent the Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary was made by a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 7.10(b)(xii) or to the extent such Investment constituted a Permitted Investment).

 

(b)           The provisions of Section 7.10(a) hereof shall not prohibit:

 

(i)            any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Capital Stock, Disqualified Stock, Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations or any Restricted Investment made in exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, Capital Stock of the Borrower (other than (x) Disqualified Stock and (y) Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary or an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such sale to an employee stock ownership plan or similar trust is financed by loans from or Guaranteed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary unless such loans have been repaid with cash on or prior to the date of determination); provided, however, that the Net Cash Proceeds from such sale of Capital Stock shall be excluded from Section 7.10(a)(iv)(C)(2);

 

(ii)           any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligations, Guarantor Subordinated Obligations made by exchange for, or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent Incurrence of Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(iii)          any purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement of Disqualified Stock of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary made by exchange for or out of the proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of Disqualified Stock of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that, so long as such refinancing Disqualified Stock is permitted to be Incurred pursuant to Section 7.02;

 

(iv)          dividends paid within 90 days after the date of declaration if at such date of declaration such dividend would have complied with this provision;

 

(v)           the purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition, cancellation or retirement for value of Capital Stock, or options, warrants, equity appreciation rights or other rights to purchase or acquire Capital Stock, of the Borrower held by any existing or former employees, management or directors of or consultants to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or their assigns, estates or heirs, in each case in connection with the repurchase provisions under employee stock option or stock purchase agreements or other compensatory agreements approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower; provided that such purchases, repurchases, redemptions, acquisitions, cancellations or retirements pursuant to this clause shall not exceed $5.0 million in the aggregate during any calendar year, although such amount in any calendar year (with any unused amounts in any year being available in succeeding years) may be increased by an amount not to exceed:

 

(A)          the Net Cash Proceeds from the sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Borrower to existing or former employees or members

 

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of management of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that occurs after the Restatement Effective Date, to the extent the cash proceeds from the sale of such Capital Stock have not otherwise been applied to the payment of Restricted Payments (provided that the Net Cash Proceeds from such sales or contributions shall be excluded from Section 7.10(a)(iv)(C)(2)); plus

 

(B)          the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Restatement Effective Date; less

 

(C)          the amount of any Restricted Payments previously made with the cash proceeds described in the clauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v);

 

(vi)          the accrual, declaration and payment of dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Borrower issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;

 

(vii)         repurchases or other acquisitions of Capital Stock deemed to occur (i) upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, restricted stock units or other rights to purchase Capital Stock or other convertible securities if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price thereof or conversion price thereof or (ii) in connection with withholdings or similar taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director or officer;

 

(viii)        the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations at a purchase price not greater than 101% of the principal amount of (plus accrued and unpaid interest on) such Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligation or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations in the event of a New Senior Secured Notes Change of Control in accordance with the terms of such Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligation or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations;

 

(ix)          cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock of the Borrower or other exchanges of securities of the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in exchange for Capital Stock of the Borrower;

 

(x)           the purchase, repurchase, redemption, acquisition or retirement of Existing Unsecured Notes, Subordinated Obligations or Guarantor Subordinated Obligations with Net Available Proceeds remaining after application pursuant to Section 7.03(c);

 

(xi)          [Reserved];

 

(xii)         other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount, which, when taken together with all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (xii) (as reduced by the amount of capital returned from any such Restricted Payments that constituted Restricted Investments in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (exclusive of amounts included in Section 7.10(a)(iv)(C)(1)) not to exceed $25.0 million;

 

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(xiii)        the purchase of fractional shares of Capital Stock of the Borrower arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations or mergers, consolidations or other acquisitions;

 

(xiv)        in connection with any acquisition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the receipt or acceptance of the return to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Capital Stock of the Borrower constituting a portion of the purchase price consideration in settlement of indemnification claims or as a result of a purchase price adjustment (including earn outs or similar obligations);

 

(xv)         the distribution of rights pursuant to any shareholder rights plan or the redemption of such for nominal consideration in accordance with the terms of any shareholder rights plan;

 

(xvi)        payments or distributions to stockholders pursuant to appraisal rights required under applicable law in connection with any merger, consolidation or other acquisition by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(xvii)       the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, acquisition or retirement of the Borrower’s 4.625% Notes due November 1, 2014, and/or the Borrower’s 5.750% Notes due September 2017;

 

provided, however, that at the time of and after giving effect to any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (vi), (x), (xii), (xvi) and (xvii) of Section 7.10(b), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.

 

(c)           The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date of such Restricted Payment of the assets or securities proposed to be paid, transferred or issued by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to such Restricted Payment.  The fair market value of any cash Restricted Payment shall be its face amount and any non-cash Restricted Payment shall be determined conclusively in Good Faith by the Borrower.

 

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 7.10, in the event that a proposed Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in clauses (i) through (xvii) of Section 7.10(b), or is entitled to be made pursuant to Section 7.10(a), the Borrower shall be entitled to divide and classify such Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) on the date of its payment in any manner that complies with this Section 7.10.

 

If the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary makes a Restricted Investment or a Permitted Investment and the Person in which such Investment was made subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, to the extent such Investment resulted in a reduction of the amounts calculated under the first paragraph of this covenant or any other provision of this covenant or the definition of Permitted Investment (which was not subsequently reversed), then such amount shall be increased by the amount of such reduction to the extent of the lesser of (x) the amount of such Investment and (y) the Fair Market Value of such Investment at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

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(d)           As of the Restatement Effective Date, all of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries shall be Restricted Subsidiaries.  The Borrower shall not permit any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Subsidiary except pursuant to the last sentence of the defined term “Unrestricted Subsidiary.”  For purposes of designating any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, all outstanding Investments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid) in the Subsidiary so designated shall be deemed to be Restricted Payments in an amount determined as set forth in the definition of “Investment.”  Such designation shall be permitted only if a Restricted Payment in such amount would be permitted at such time and if such Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.  Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to any of the restrictive covenants set forth in this Agreement.

 

7.11        Amendments of Organization Documents.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to amend any of its Organization Documents in a manner that is adverse to the Lenders.

 

7.12        Accounting Changes.  The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to make any change in (a) accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required or permitted by GAAP, or (b) fiscal year.

 

7.13        Early Retirement of Public Indebtedness.  The Borrower shall not:

 

(a)           issue the New Senior Secured Notes unless, substantially contemporaneously therewith, it effects a purchase, repurchase, redemption or satisfaction and discharge of not less than $700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Senior Secured Notes, a termination of the intercreditor agreement dated as of February 11, 2010 between the trustee for the Senior Secured Notes and the administrative agent under the Existing Credit Agreement and execution by the trustee for the Senior Secured Notes of the Intercreditor Agreement evidencing its consent to the priority payment rights of the Lenders thereunder; nor

 

(b)           fail to effect an Early Retirement in full by no later than June 1, 2017, of its 5.750% Notes due September 1, 2017.

 

ARTICLE VIII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

8.01        Events of Default.  Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)           Non-Payment.  The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation or deposit any funds as Cash Collateral in respect of L/C Obligations, or (ii) within three Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)           Specific Covenants.  The Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.03(a), 6.05, 6.10 or 6.11 or Article VII; or

 

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(c)           Other Defaults.  Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days after the earlier of (i) knowledge by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower of such failure or (ii) written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

 

(d)           Representations and Warranties.  Any representation or warranty or certification made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

 

(e)           Cross-Default.  (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of the Senior Secured Notes or the New Senior Secured Notes, or in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to the Senior Secured Notes or the New Senior Secured Notes, or relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs (including, without limitation, the triggering of any change in control or similar event with respect to the Borrower), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of the Senior Secured Notes or the New Senior Secured Notes or such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries), as applicable, to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), but excluding the application of Net Available Cash, in accordance with Section 3.7(c) of the New Senior Secured Notes Indenture or the comparable provision of any other indenture for Indebtedness permitted hereunder, or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

 

(f)            Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  Any Loan Party, any Material Subsidiary or three or more Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries institute or consent to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or apply for or consent to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person(s) and the appointment continues

 

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undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person(s) or to all or any material part of their property is instituted without the consent of such Person(s) and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

(g)           Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.  (i) Any Loan Party, any Material Subsidiary or three or more Subsidiaries that are not Material Subsidiaries become unable or admit in writing their inability or fail generally to pay their debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person(s) and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or

 

(h)           Judgments.  There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof any one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), and (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order and such enforcement remains unstayed or such judgment remains unsatisfied for a period of 10 days, or (B) there is a period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect or such judgment is unsatisfied; or

 

(i)            ERISA.  (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

 

(j)            Invalidity of Loan Documents.  Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

 

(k)           Change of Control.  There occurs any Change of Control with respect to the Borrower.

 

(l)            Collateral Documents.  Any Collateral Document shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms thereof) cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien (subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01) on the Collateral purported to be covered thereby.

 

(m)          Subordination.  (i)  The subordination provisions of the documents evidencing or governing any subordinated Indebtedness (the “Subordinated Provisions”) shall, in whole or in part, terminate, cease to be effective or cease to be legally valid, binding and enforceable against any holder of the applicable subordinated Indebtedness; or (ii) the Borrower or any other Loan

 

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Party shall, directly or indirectly, disavow or contest in any manner (A) the effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any of the Subordination Provisions, (B) that the Subordination Provisions exist for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer or (C) that all payments of principal of or premium and interest on the applicable subordinated Indebtedness, or realized from the liquidation of any property of any Loan Party, shall be subject to any of the Subordination Provisions.

 

8.02        Remedies Upon Event of Default.  If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

(a)           declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

(b)           declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

(c)           require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount with respect thereto); and

 

(d)           exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable law;

 

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any Event of Default pursuant to clauses (f) or (g) of Section 8.01, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

8.03        Application of Funds.  After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations (which amounts shall not include amounts shared pro rata under the Security Agreement with the trustees for the Senior Secured Notes and the New Senior Secured Notes prior to release to the Administrative Agent for distribution hereunder) shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

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Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, and the Lenders (or their Affiliates) party to Secured Hedge Agreements and Cash Management Agreements in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

 

Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.14; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

 

Subject to Sections 2.03 and 2.14, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.  If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

ARTICLE IX
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

9.01        Appointment and Authority.

 

(a)           Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine or any applicable Law.  Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administration relationship between the contracting parties.

 

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(b)           The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the L/C Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article XI (including Section 10.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

9.02        Rights as a Lender.  The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

9.03        Exculpatory Provisions.  The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

 

(a)           shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(b)           shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

(c)           shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to

 

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or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default, except with respect to defaults in the payment of principal, interest and fees required to be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

9.04        Reliance by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

9.05        Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article

 

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shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

9.06        Resignation of Administrative Agent.

 

(a)           The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)           If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)           With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the

 

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same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.  If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.02(c).  Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of its respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America  with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

9.07        Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

9.08        No Other Duties, Etc.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers or the Syndication Agent listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

 

9.09        Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise

 

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(a)           to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(b)           to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, if the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer or in any such proceeding.

 

9.10        Collateral and Guaranty Matters.  The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

 

(a)           to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made), (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of or to be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or (iii) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing in accordance with Section 10.01; and

 

(b)           to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder.

 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty

 

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pursuant to this Section 9.10.  In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such property, or to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.

 

9.11        Authorization for Intercreditor Agreement.  The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into and perform its obligations under the Intercreditor Agreement and any amendments thereto approved in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.01      Amendments, EtcNo amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(a)           waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01 (other than Section 4.01(b), to the extent related to the Administrative Agent, or (c)), or, in the case of the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.02, without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(b)           extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(c)           postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for (i) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under such other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to such payment or (ii) any mandatory reduction of any Commitment hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Appropriate Lender;

 

(d)           reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate;

 

(e)           change Section 2.10 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(f)            change any provision of this Section 10.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required

 

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to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(g)           except in connection with a Disposition permitted under Section 7.03 or as set forth in Section 9.10(b), release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty, without the written consent of each Lender; or

 

(h)           impose any greater restriction on the ability of any Lender to assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of the Required Lenders;

 

(i)            release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions without the written consent of each Lender;

 

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.

 

If any Lender does not consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, consent or release with respect to any Loan Document that requires the consent of each Lender and that has been approved by the Required Lenders, the Borrower may replace such non-consenting Lender in accordance with Section 10.13; provided that such amendment, waiver, consent or release can be effected as a result of the assignment contemplated by such Section (together with all other such assignments required by the Borrower to be made pursuant to this paragraph).

 

10.02      Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

 

(a)           Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(i)            if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

 

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(ii)           if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

 

(b)           Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

(c)           The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of

 

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competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

 

(d)           Change of Address, Etc.  Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.

 

(e)           Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders.  The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

10.03      No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.  No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies

 

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that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.03 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13) or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article X to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, obligations to the Lenders or their Affiliates arising under treasury or cash management agreements and Swap Contracts unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable treasury or cash management Lender or swap counterparty, as the case may be.

 

10.04      Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

 

(a)           Costs and Expenses.  The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

(b)           Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee) incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions

 

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contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower or such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(c)           Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, but without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12.

 

(d)           Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

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(e)           Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.

 

(f)            Survival.  The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

 

10.05      Payments Set Aside.  To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

10.06      Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)           Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.06(b), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.06(d), or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 10.06(f) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)           Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment(s) and the Loans (including for purposes of this Section 10.06(b),

 

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participations in L/C Obligations) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)            Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)          in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it, or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate, or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

(B)          in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Facility, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met;

 

(ii)           Proportionate Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Lone Loans;

 

(iii)          Required Consents.  No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

 

(A)          the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

 

(B)          the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a

 

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Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender;

 

(C)          the consent of the L/C Issuer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and

 

(D)          the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment.

 

(iv)          Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount, if any, required as set forth in Schedule 10.06; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(v)           No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person.

 

(vi)          Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and

 

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Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.02, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.  Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

 

(c)           Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(d)           Participations.  Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any  provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that directly affects such Participant.  Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the

 

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benefits of Sections 3.01 and 3.02 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 10.06(b).  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.10 as though it were a Lender.

 

(e)           Limitations upon Participant Rights.  A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.02 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 10.14 as though it were a Lender.

 

(f)            Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(g)           Electronic Execution of Assignments.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

(h)           Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitments and Loans pursuant to Section 10.06(b), Bank of America may, (i) upon 45 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon 45 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender.  In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders (subject to acceptance by such designated Lender) a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be.  If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.02(c)).  If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Committed Loans or fund

 

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risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

10.07      Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders further agrees to use the Information solely in connection with the extension of its Commitments under this Agreement and the exercise of its rights and discharge of its obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.

 

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any such Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.  The confidentiality provisions set forth in this Section shall terminate two years following the date on which all Obligations hereunder have been paid in full and all Commitments hereunder have been terminated.

 

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Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including Federal and state securities Laws.

 

10.08      Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.12 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

10.09      Interest Rate Limitation.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.  In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

10.10      Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall

 

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constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

10.11                 Survival of Representations and Warranties.  All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.  Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

10.12                 Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

 

10.13                 Replacement of Lenders.  If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.02, (ii) Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) a Lender (a “Non-Consenting Lender”) does not consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document that has been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in Section 10.01 but requires unanimous consent of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby (as applicable), (iv) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or (v) any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee shall be

 

134



 

reasonably acceptable to Borrower and may be another Lender, if such other Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

 

(a)                                 the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b);

 

(b)                                 such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

(c)                                  in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

 

(d)                                 such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.

 

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

10.14                 Tax Forms.  (a) (i) Each Lender that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (a “Foreign Lender”) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, prior to receipt of any payment subject to withholding under the Code (or upon accepting an assignment of an interest herein), two duly signed completed copies of either IRS Form W-8BEN or any successor thereto (relating to such Foreign Lender and entitling it to an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax on all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or IRS Form W-8ECI or any successor thereto (relating to all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or such other evidence satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that such Foreign Lender is entitled to an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. withholding tax, including any exemption pursuant to Section 881(c) of the Code.  Thereafter and from time to time, each such Foreign Lender shall (A) promptly submit to the Administrative Agent such additional duly completed and signed copies of one of such forms (or such successor forms as shall be adopted from time to time by the relevant United States taxing authorities) as may then be available under then current United States laws and regulations to avoid, or such evidence as is satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of any available exemption from or reduction of, United States withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, (B) promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction, and (C) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of

 

135



 

applicable Laws that the Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Foreign Lender.

 

(ii)                                  Each Foreign Lender, to the extent it does not act or ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any sums paid or payable to such Lender under any of the Loan Documents (for example, in the case of a typical participation by such Lender), shall deliver to the Administrative Agent on the date when such Foreign Lender ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any such sums paid or payable, and at such other times as may be necessary in the determination of the Administrative Agent (in the reasonable exercise of its discretion), (A) two duly signed completed copies of the forms or statements required to be provided by such Lender as set forth above, to establish the portion of any such sums paid or payable with respect to which such Lender acts for its own account that is not subject to U.S. withholding tax, and (B) two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto), together with any information such Lender chooses to transmit with such form, and any other certificate or statement of exemption required under the Code, to establish that such Lender is not acting for its own account with respect to a portion of any such sums payable to such Lender.

 

(iii)                               The Borrower shall not be required to pay any additional amount to any Foreign Lender under Section 3.01 (A) with respect to any Taxes required to be deducted or withheld on the basis of the information, certificates or statements of exemption such Lender transmits with or as part of an IRS Form W-8IMY pursuant to this Section 10.14(a) or (B) if such Lender shall have failed to satisfy the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.14(a); provided that if such Lender shall have satisfied the requirement of this Section 10.14(a) on the date such Lender became a Lender or ceased to act for its own account with respect to any payment under any of the Loan Documents, nothing in this Section 10.14(a) shall relieve the Borrower of its obligation to pay any amounts pursuant to Section 3.01 in the event that, as a result of any change in any applicable law, treaty or governmental rule, regulation or order, or any change in the interpretation, administration or application thereof, such Lender is no longer properly entitled to deliver forms, certificates or other evidence at a subsequent date establishing the fact that such Lender or other Person for the account of which such Lender receives any sums payable under any of the Loan Documents is not subject to withholding or is subject to withholding at a reduced rate.

 

(iv)                              The Administrative Agent may, without reduction, withhold any Taxes required to be deducted and withheld from any payment under any of the Loan Documents with respect to which the Borrower is not required to pay additional amounts under this Section 10.14(a).

 

(b)                                 Each Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to the Administrative Agent two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-9.  If such Lender fails to deliver such forms, then the Administrative Agent may withhold from any interest payment to such Lender an amount equivalent to the applicable backup withholding tax imposed by the Code, without reduction.

 

136



 

(c)                                  If any Governmental Authority asserts that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold or backup withhold, as the case may be, any tax or other amount from payments made to or for the account of any Lender, such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent therefor, including all penalties and interest, any taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on the amounts payable to the Administrative Agent under this Section, and costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Administrative Agent) of the Administrative Agent.  The obligation of the Lenders under this Section shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.

 

10.15                 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

 

(a)                                 GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b)                                 SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

(c)                                  WAIVER OF VENUE.  THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

 

137



 

(d)                                 SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

 

10.16                 Waiver of Jury Trial.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

10.17                 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.  In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that (except as expressly set forth in an engagement letter between the Borrower and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. or Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated or the Administrative Agent): (i) the credit facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers, on the other hand, and the Borrower is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (ii) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, the Administrative Agent and each Arranger is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Borrower, or any of its Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (iii) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent or any other Arranger has advised or is currently advising the Borrower or any of its Affiliates on other matters) and neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary

 

138



 

relationship; and (v) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate.  The Borrower hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

 

10.18                 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.  Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Act.

 

139



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Name:

Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance,

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

1



 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Ken Puro

 

 

Name:

Ken Puro

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

2



 

SCHEDULE 2.01

 

COMMITMENTS

AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES

 

From Restatement Effective Date through Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date

 

Lender

 

Commitment

 

Applicable
Percentage

 

Bank of America, N.A.

 

$

38,000,000

 

42.222222221

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

$

23,000,000

 

25.5555555556

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch

 

$

23,000,000

 

25.5555555556

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Northern Trust Company

 

$

6,000,000

 

6.6666666667

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

90,000,000

 

100

%

 

From and after Bank of America Commitment Reduction Date

 

Lender

 

Commitment

 

Applicable
Percentage

 

Bank of America, N.A.

 

$

23,000,000

 

30.666666667

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

$

23,000,000

 

30.666666667

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch

 

$

23,000,000

 

30.666666667

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Northern Trust Company

 

$

6,000,000

 

7.999999999

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

75,000,000

 

100.0

%

 

3



 

SCHEDULE 10.02

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S OFFICE,
CERTAIN ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES

 

BORROWER:

 

 

 

The McClatchy Company

 

2100 Q Street

 

Sacramento, CA 95816

 

Attention: Elaine Lintecum

 

Telephone: 916-321-1846

 

Facsimile: 916-321-1869

 

Electronic Mail: elintecum@McClatchy.com

 

Website Address:     www.McClatchy.com

 

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S OFFICE

 

 

 

Notices (other than Requests for Extensions of Credit):

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

 

800 Fifth Avenue, Floor 17

 

Seattle, WA 98104

 

Mail Code: WA1-501-17-32

 

Att: Ken Puro

 

Tel: 206-358-0138

 

Facsimile: 415-343-0559

 

Electronic Mail: Ken.Puro@baml.com

 

 

 

For Payments and Requests for Extensions of Credit:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

 

Bank of America Plaza

 

901 Main Street

 

Dallas, TX 75202-3714

 

Mail Code: TX1-492-14-05

 

Att: Betty Canales

 

Tel: 214-209-2131

 

Facsimile: 214-290-8377

 

Electronic Mail: betty.l.canales@baml.com

 

 

 

Payments:

 

Bank of America, N.A., New York NY

 

ABA # 026009593

 

Account Name:

Corporate FTA

 

Account Number:

1292000883

 

Ref:    The McClatchy Company

 

 

1



 

Letters of Credit:

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

 

Trade Operations — Los Angeles #226521

 

1000 West Temple Street, Suite Level 7

 

Mail Code: CA9-705-07-05

 

Los Angeles, CA 90017-1466

 

Attn: Tai Lu

 

Facsimile: 213-481-7840

 

Tel:    213-457-8841

 

 

2



 

SCHEDULE 10.06

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION FEES

 

On file with the Administrative Agent

 

1



 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE

 

Date:                        ,        

 

To:                             Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.

 

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

 

o A Borrowing of Committed Loans

o A conversion or continuation of Loans

 

 

1.

On                   (a Business Day).

 

 

2.

In the amount of $                    .

 

 

3.

Comprised of                           .

 

[Type of Committed Loan requested]

 

 

4.

For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of       months.

 

The Committed Borrowing requested herein complies with the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.01 of the Agreement.

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

Form of Committed Loan Notice

 

A-1



 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

 

Date:                        ,      

 

To:                             Bank of America, N.A., as Swing Line Lender

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.

 

The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:

 

1.                                      On                (a Business Day).

 

2.                                      In the amount of $                        .

 

3.                                      Comprised of [IBOR Rate][other as agreed with Swing Line Lender] Loans.

 

The Swing Line Borrowing requested herein complies with the requirements of the provisos to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) of the Agreement.

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

Form of Swing Line Loan Notice

 

B-1



 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF NOTE

 

[·], 2012

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”) hereby promises to pay to                                            or registered assigns (the “Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of the Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower on and after [·]/the date hereof under that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Loans from the date of such Loans until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Agreement.  All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office.  If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Agreement.

 

This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein.  Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement.  Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business.  The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Loan and payments with respect thereto.

 

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.

 

Form of Note

 

C-1



 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

C-2



 

LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

 

Date

 

Type of Loan
Made

 

Amount of
Loan Made

 

End of
Interest
Period

 

Amount of
Principal or
Interest Paid
This Date

 

Outstanding
Principal
Balance This
Date

 

Notation
Made By

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C-3



 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

Financial Statement Date:                        ,       

 

To:                             Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the                                                                          of the Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Certificate to the Administrative Agent on the behalf of the Borrower, and that:

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

 

1.                                      The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of the Borrower ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

 

1.                                      The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended as of the above date.  Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

2.                                      The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements.

 

3.                                      A review of the activities of the Borrower during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period the Borrower performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and

 

Form of Compliance Certificate

 

D-1



 

[select one:]

 

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, the Borrower performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it.]

 

or—

 

[the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default and its nature and status:]

 

4.                                      The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V of the Agreement, and any representations and warranties of the Borrower that are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection with the Loan Documents, are true and correct on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Compliance Certificate, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 of the Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 of the Agreement, including the statements in connection with which this Compliance Certificate is delivered.

 

5.                                      The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedules 1 and 2 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of                           .

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

D-2



 

For the Quarter/Year ended                                       (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 1

to the Compliance Certificate

($ in 000’s)

 

I.

 

Section 7.08(a) — Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.

Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on above date (“Subject Period”) as set forth on Schedule 2:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.

Consolidated Interest Charges for Subject Period:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio (Line I.A. ¸ Line I.B):

 

                  to 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum required: 1.50 to 1.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II.

 

Section 7.08(b) — Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.

Consolidated Indebtedness at Statement Date:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.

Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant) for Subject Period (Line I.A. above):

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.

Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio (Line II.A ¸ Line II.B):

 

                  to 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted:

 

 

 

Fiscal quarter ending:

 

Ratio:

 

 

 

December, 2012

 

6.25 to 1.00

 

 

 

March, 2013 and thereafter

 

6.00 to 1.00

 

D-3



 

For the Quarter/Year ended                                       (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 2

to the Compliance Certificate

($ in 000’s)

 

Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant)
(in accordance with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant)
as set forth in the Agreement)

 

 

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Twelve
Months
Ended

 

Consolidated EBITDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Net Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ Consolidated Interest Charges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ depreciation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ amortization expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ non-cash restructuring charges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ cash restructuring charges (up to caps)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ non-recurring or non-cash charges or losses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ charges and losses on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ dividend income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ Exchange Transaction expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- non-recurring or non-cash gains or other items

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- all gains from extinguishment of debt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

= Consolidated EBITDA (Financial Covenant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D-4



 

EXHIBIT E

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

 

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, the Letters of Credit and the Guaranties included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, the “Assigned Interest”).  Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.                                      Assignor:                                                             

 

2.                                      Assignee:                                                               [and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender](1)]

 

3.                                      Borrower:  The McClatchy Company

 

4.                                      Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 


(1)         Select as applicable.

 

Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

E-1



 

5.                                      Credit Agreement:  Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2012, among The McClatchy Company, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer

 

6.                                      Assigned Interest:(2)

 

Facility Assigned

 

Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans
for all Lenders*

 

Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned*

 

Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans(3)

 

CUSIP
Number

 

Revolving Credit Commitment

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

%

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

%

 

 

 

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

%

 

 

 

 

[7.                                  Trade Date:                               ](4)

 

Effective Date:                                     , 20     [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

 

 

ASSIGNOR

 

 

 

 

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNEE

 

 

 

 

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 


*                 Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

 

(2)         Includes deemed Loans made on account of unreimbursed L/C draws.

 

(3)         Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

(4)         To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

E-2



 

Consented to and Accepted:

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

 

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consented to:

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

 

 

as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

E-3



 

ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

THE MCCLATCHY COMPANY

 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1.                                      Representations and Warranties.

 

1.1.                            Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

 

1.2.                            Assignee.  The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all requirements of an Eligible Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to receipt of such consents as may be required under the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

2.                                      Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the

 

E-4



 

Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 

3.                                      General Provisions.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

E-5



 

EXHIBIT F

 

OPINION MATTERS

 

As delivered to the Administrative Agent

 

Opinion Matters

 

F-1



 

EXHIBIT G

 

FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED GENERAL CONTINUING GUARANTY (“Guaranty”), dated as of September 26, 2008, is executed and delivered by the Subsidiary that is a signatory hereto and any future Subsidiary that is not a Non-Guarantor Subsidiary (as defined in the Credit Agreement referenced below) that executes and delivers a Joinder hereto (each a “Guarantor” and, collectively, the “Guarantors”), in favor of the commercial lending institutions (the “Lenders”) from time to time party to the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) and Bank of America, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, together with any successor appointed pursuant to Section 9.06 of the Credit Agreement, the “Administrative Agent”) for the Lenders.

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer are parties to a Credit Agreement dated as of June 27, 2006 (said Agreement, as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement dated as of March 28, 2007, that certain Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement dated as of July 19, 2007, that certain Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement dated as of March 28, 2008, and that certain Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement dated as of September 26, 2008, as it may hereafter be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, being the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein and not otherwise defined herein being used herein as therein defined) with The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”);

 

WHEREAS, certain of the Guarantors have previously executed a general continuing guaranty in favor of the Lenders and Bank of America pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and each of them now wishes to amend and restate such guaranty in its entirety to conform to the guaranty the new Guarantors are hereby executing;

 

WHEREAS, each of the Guarantors will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and in order to induce the Lenders to make the credit extensions contemplated under the Credit Agreement, the Guarantors hereby agree, jointly and severally, as follows:

 

1.                                      Definitions and Construction.

 

(a)                                 Definitions.  The following terms, as used in this Guaranty, shall have the following meanings:

 

Bankruptcy Code” shall mean The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. §§101-1330), as amended or supplemented from time to time, and any successor statute, and any and all rules issued or promulgated in connection therewith.

 

Beneficiaries” shall mean Administrative Agent and Lenders.

 



 

Guarantied Obligations” shall mean the due and punctual payment of all Indebtedness owing by Borrower.

 

Indebtedness” shall mean any and all obligations, indebtedness, or liabilities of any kind or character owed to Beneficiaries by Borrower and arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or the other Loan Documents (in each case as amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time) plus all of the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any and all Swap Contracts between the Borrower and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Swap Contract was executed) that hedge interest rate exposure for Indebtedness plus all of the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any and all treasury or cash management services (including, without limitation, purchase cards) between the Borrower and any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time such services agreement was executed), including all such obligations, indebtedness, or liabilities, whether for principal, interest (including any and all interest which, but for the application of the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, would have accrued on such amounts), premium, reimbursement obligations, fees, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), or indemnity obligations, whether heretofore, now, or hereafter made, incurred, or created, whether voluntarily or involuntarily made, incurred, or created, whether secured or unsecured (and if secured, regardless of the nature or extent of the security), whether absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, or determined or indeterminate, whether Borrower is liable individually or jointly with others, and whether recovery is or hereafter becomes barred by any statute of limitations or otherwise becomes unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, including any act or failure to act by Beneficiaries.

 

(b)                                 Construction.  Unless the context of this Guaranty clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the part includes the whole, the term “including” is not limiting, and the term “or” has the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and other similar terms refer to this Guaranty as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Guaranty.  Any reference in this Guaranty to any of the following documents includes any and all alterations, amendments, extensions, modifications, renewals, supplements or restatements thereto or thereof, as applicable: the Loan Documents; the Credit Agreement; this Guaranty; and the Notes.  Neither this Guaranty nor any uncertainty or ambiguity herein shall be construed or resolved against Beneficiaries or any Guarantor, whether under any rule of construction or otherwise.  On the contrary, this Guaranty has been reviewed by Guarantors, Beneficiaries, and their respective counsel, and shall be construed and interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of the words used so as to fairly accomplish the purposes and intentions of Beneficiaries and Guarantors.

 

2.                                      Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guaranties to Beneficiaries, as and for its own debt, until final and indefeasible payment thereof has been made, the due and punctual payment of the Guarantied Obligations, in each case when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise; it being the intent of each Guarantor that the

 



 

guaranty set forth herein shall be a guaranty of payment and not a guaranty of collection; provided, however, that each Guarantor shall be liable under this Guaranty for the maximum amount of such liability that can be incurred without rendering this Guaranty, as it relates to such Guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount.

 

Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that (i) neither this Guaranty nor any collateral security therefor has been given with an intent to hinder, delay or defraud any creditor of such Guarantor; (ii) such Guarantor is not engaged, or about to engage, in any business or transaction for which its assets (other than those necessary to satisfy its obligations under this Guaranty or those given as collateral security for such obligations) are unreasonably small in relation to the business or transaction, nor does such Guarantor intend to incur, or believe or reasonably should believe that it will incur, debts beyond its ability to pay as they become due; and (iii) such Guarantor is not insolvent at the time it gives this Guaranty, and the giving of this Guaranty and any collateral security provided in connection herewith will not result in such Guarantor’s becoming insolvent.  Each Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, as long as this Guaranty remains in effect, such Guarantor (i) shall incur no indebtedness beyond its ability to repay the same in full in accordance with the terms thereof; and (ii) shall not take any action, or suffer to occur any omission, which could give rise to a claim by any third party to set aside this Guaranty or any collateral given in connection herewith, or in any manner impair Beneficiaries’ rights and privileges hereunder or thereunder.

 

3.                                      Continuing Guaranty.  This Guaranty includes Guarantied Obligations arising under successive transactions continuing, compromising, extending, increasing, modifying, releasing, or renewing the Guarantied Obligations, changing the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof, or creating new or additional Guarantied Obligations after prior Guarantied Obligations have been satisfied in whole or in part.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby waives any right to revoke this Guaranty as to future Indebtedness.  If such a revocation is effective notwithstanding the foregoing waiver, each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that (a) no such revocation shall be effective until written notice thereof has been received by Beneficiaries, (b) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations in existence on such date (including any subsequent continuation, extension, or renewal thereof, or change in the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof), (c) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations made or created after such date to the extent made or created pursuant to a legally binding commitment of Beneficiaries in existence on the date of such revocation, (d) no payment by any Guarantor, Borrower, or from any other source, prior to the date of such revocation, shall reduce the maximum obligation of such Guarantor hereunder, and (e) any payment by Borrower or from any source other than such Guarantor subsequent to the date of such revocation shall first be applied to that portion of the Guarantied Obligations as to which the revocation is effective and which are not, therefore, guarantied hereunder, and to the extent so applied shall not reduce the maximum obligations of such Guarantor hereunder.

 

4.                                      Performance under this Guaranty.  In the event that Borrower fails to make any payment of any Guarantied Obligations on or before the due date thereof, each Guarantor immediately shall cause such payment to be made.

 



 

5.                                      Primary Obligations.  This Guaranty is a primary and original obligation of each Guarantor, is not merely the creation of a surety relationship, and is an absolute, unconditional, and continuing guaranty of payment and performance which shall remain in full force and effect without respect to future changes in conditions, including any change of law or any invalidity or irregularity with respect to the issuance of the Notes.  Each Guarantor agrees that it is directly, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, liable to Beneficiaries, that the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder are independent of the obligations of Borrower or any other Guarantor, and that a separate action may be brought against such Guarantor, whether such action is brought against Borrower or another Guarantor or whether Borrower or any such other Guarantor is joined in such action.  Guarantor agrees that its liability hereunder shall be immediate and shall not be contingent upon the exercise or enforcement by Beneficiaries of whatever remedies they may have against Borrower or any other Guarantor, or the enforcement of any lien or realization upon any security Beneficiaries may at any time possess.  Each Guarantor agrees that any release which may be given by Beneficiaries to Borrower or any other Guarantor shall not release such Guarantor.  Each Guarantor consents and agrees that Beneficiaries shall be under no obligation to marshal any property or assets of Borrower or any other Guarantor in favor of such Guarantor, or against or in payment of any or all of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

6.                                      Waivers.

 

(a)                                 Each Guarantor hereby waives: (i) notice of acceptance hereof; (ii) notice of any loans or other financial accommodations made or extended under the Credit Agreement, or the creation or existence of any Guarantied Obligations; (iii) notice of the amount of the Guarantied Obligations, subject, however, to such Guarantor’s right to make inquiry of Administrative Agent to ascertain the amount of the Guarantied Obligations at any reasonable time; (iv) notice of any adverse change in the financial condition of Borrower or of any other fact that might increase such Guarantor’s risk hereunder; (v) notice of presentment for payment, demand, protest, and notice thereof as to the Notes or any other instrument; (vi) notice of any Default or Event of Default under the Credit Agreement; and (vii) all other notices (except if such notice is specifically required to be given to a Guarantor under this Guaranty or any other Loan Document to which such Guarantor is party) and demands to which such Guarantor might otherwise be entitled.

 

(b)                                 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives the right by statute or otherwise to require Beneficiaries to institute suit against Borrower or to exhaust any rights and remedies which Beneficiaries have or may have against Borrower.  In this regard, each Guarantor agrees that it is bound to the payment of each and all Guarantied Obligations, whether now existing or hereafter accruing, as fully as if such Guarantied Obligations were directly owing to Beneficiaries by such Guarantor.  Each Guarantor further waives any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense (other than the defense that the Guarantied Obligations shall have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid) of Borrower or by reason of the cessation from any cause whatsoever of the liability of Borrower in respect thereof.

 

(c)                                  To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby waives: (i) any rights to assert against Beneficiaries any defense (legal or equitable), set-off, counterclaim, or claim which such Guarantor may now or at any time hereafter have against Borrower or any

 



 

other party liable to Beneficiaries; (ii) any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of perfection, sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Guarantied Obligations or any security therefor; (iii) any defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by Beneficiaries; (iv) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforcement thereof, and any act which shall defer or delay the operation of any statute of limitations applicable to the Guarantied Obligations shall similarly operate to defer or delay the operation of such statute of limitations applicable to such Guarantor’s liability hereunder; and (v) to the fullest extent permitted by law, any defense or benefit that may be derived from or afforded by law which limits the liability of or exonerates guaranties or sureties or requires Beneficiaries to exhaust remedies against the Borrower prior to commencing any action or foreclosure against such Guarantor or its properties including, without limitation, the benefits of California Civil Code §§ 2799, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2815, 2819, 2820, 2821, 2822, 2838, 2839, 2845, 2848, 2849, and 2850, California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 580A, 580B, 580C, 580D, and 726, and Chapter 2 of Title 14 of the California Civil Code.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 6(c) shall not be deemed to waive any portion of any right of subrogation, reimbursement, contribution or indemnification or similar right that would not be waived pursuant to the provisions of Section 6(e).

 

(d)                                 Each Guarantor agrees that if all or a portion of the Indebtedness or this Guaranty is at any time secured by a deed of trust or mortgage covering interests in real property, Beneficiaries, in their sole discretion, without notice or demand and without affecting the liability of such Guarantor under this Guaranty, may foreclose pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement or otherwise the deed of trust or mortgage and the interests in real property secured thereby by non-judicial sale.  Each Guarantor understands that the exercise by Beneficiaries of certain rights and remedies contained in the Credit Agreement and any such deed of trust or mortgage may affect or eliminate such Guarantor’s right of subrogation against Borrower and that such Guarantor may therefore incur a partially or totally non-reimbursable liability hereunder.  Nevertheless, each Guarantor hereby authorizes and empowers Beneficiaries to exercise, in their sole discretion, any rights and remedies, or any combination thereof, which may then be available, since it is the intent and purpose of such Guarantor that the obligations hereunder shall be absolute, independent and unconditional under any and all circumstances.  Notwithstanding any foreclosure of the lien of any deed of trust or security agreement with respect to any or all of any real or personal property secured thereby, whether by the exercise of the power of sale contained therein, by an action for judicial foreclosure or by an acceptance of a deed in lieu of foreclosure, each Guarantor shall remain bound under this Guaranty including its obligation to pay any deficiency following a non-judicial foreclosure.

 

(e)                                  (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere contained herein or in any other Loan Document, until full and final payment of the Guaranteed Obligations, each Guarantor hereby waives with respect to Borrower and its respective successors and assigns (including any surety) and any other party any and all rights at law or in equity, to subrogation, to reimbursement, to exoneration, to contribution, to setoff or to any other rights that could accrue to a surety against a principal, to a guarantor against a maker or obligor, to an accommodation party against the party accommodated, or to a holder or transferee against a maker and which such Guarantor may have or hereafter acquire against Borrower or any other party in connection with or as a result of Borrower’s execution, delivery and/or performance of

 



 

the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.  Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not have or assert any such rights against Borrower or Borrower’s successors and assigns or any other Person (including any surety), either directly or as an attempted setoff to any action commenced against such Guarantor by Borrower (as borrower or in any other capacity) or any other Person until the Guaranteed Obligations have been fully and finally repaid to the Beneficiaries.  Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that this waiver is intended to benefit the Beneficiaries and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the Borrower’s liability hereunder, under any other Loan Document to which Borrower is a party, or the enforceability hereof or thereof.

 

(2)                                 To the extent any waiver of subrogation contained in subparagraph (e)(1) is unenforceable, each Guarantor shall, until the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid in full and the Commitments shall have terminated and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated or canceled, withhold exercise of (a) any claim, right or remedy, direct or indirect, that such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Borrower or any of its assets in connection with this Guaranty or the performance by such Guarantor of its obligations hereunder, in each case whether such claim, right or remedy arises in equity, under contract, by statute, under common law or otherwise and including without limitation (i) any right of subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification that such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Borrower, (ii) any right to enforce, or to participate in, any claim, right or remedy that any Beneficiary now has or may hereafter have against Borrower, and (iii) any benefit of, and any right to participate in, any collateral or security now or hereafter held by the Beneficiaries, and (b) any right of contribution such Guarantor may have against any other Guarantor (including without limitation any such right of contribution).  Each Guarantor further agrees that, to the extent the agreement to withhold the exercise of its rights of subrogation, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution as set forth herein is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void or voidable for any reason, any rights of subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification such Guarantor may have against Borrower or against any collateral or security, and any rights of contribution Guarantor may have against any such other Guarantor, shall be junior and subordinate to any rights the Administrative Agent or Lenders may have against Borrower, to all right, title and interest the Beneficiaries may have in any such collateral or security, and to any right the Beneficiaries may have against such other Guarantor.  The Administrative Agent, on behalf of Lenders, may use, sell or dispose of any item of collateral or security as it sees fit without regard to any subrogation rights any Guarantor may have, and upon any such disposition or sale any rights of subrogation Guarantors may have shall terminate.  If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of any such subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification rights at any time when all Guaranteed Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held in trust for the Administrative Agent on behalf of Lenders and shall forthwith be paid over to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of Lenders to be credited and applied against the Guaranteed Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with Section 12 of this Guaranty.

 

7.                                      Releases.  Each Guarantor consents and agrees that, without notice to or by such Guarantor and without affecting or impairing the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder, Beneficiaries may, by action or inaction, compromise or settle, extend the period of duration or

 



 

the time for the payment, or discharge the performance of, or may refuse to, or otherwise not enforce, or may, by action or inaction, release all or any one or more parties to, any one or more of the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or any of the other Loan Documents or may grant other indulgences to Borrower in respect thereof, or may amend or modify in any manner and at any time (or from time to time) any one or more of the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or any of the other Loan Documents, or may, by action or inaction, release or substitute any other Guarantor, if any, of the Guarantied Obligations, or may enforce, exchange, release, or waive, by action or inaction, any security for the Guarantied Obligations (including any collateral) or any other guaranty of the Guarantied Obligations, or any portion thereof.

 

8.                                      No Election.  Beneficiaries shall have the right to seek recourse against any Guarantor to the fullest extent provided for herein and no election by Beneficiaries to proceed in one form of action or proceeding, or against any Guarantor or other party, or on any obligation, shall constitute a waiver of Beneficiaries’ right to proceed in any other form of action or proceeding or against any other Guarantor or other parties unless Beneficiaries have expressly waived such right in writing.  Specifically, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no action or proceeding by Beneficiaries under any document or instrument evidencing the Guarantied Obligations shall serve to diminish the liability of Guarantors under this Guaranty except to the extent that Beneficiaries finally and unconditionally shall have realized indefeasible payment by such action or proceeding.

 

9.                                      Indefeasible Payment.  The Guarantied Obligations shall not be considered indefeasibly paid for purposes of this Guaranty unless and until all payments to Beneficiaries are no longer subject to any right on the part of any person whomsoever, including Borrower, Borrower as a debtor in possession, or any trustee (whether appointed under the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise) of Borrower’s assets to invalidate or set aside such payments or to seek to recoup the amount of such payments or any portion thereof, or to declare same to be fraudulent or preferential.  In the event that, for any reason, all or any portion of such payments to Beneficiaries is set aside or restored, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, after the making thereof, the obligation or part thereof intended to be satisfied thereby shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if said payment or payments had not been made and each Guarantor shall be liable for the full amount Beneficiaries are required to repay plus any and all costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) paid by Beneficiaries in connection therewith.

 

10.                               Financial Condition of Borrower.  Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that it is currently informed of the financial condition of Borrower and of all other circumstances which a diligent inquiry would reveal and which bear upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor further represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that it has read and understands the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the Notes, and the other Loan Documents.  Each Guarantor hereby covenants that it will continue to keep itself informed of Borrower’s financial condition, the financial condition of other guarantors, if any, and of all other circumstances which bear upon the risk of nonpayment or nonperformance of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

11.                               Subordination.  Each Guarantor hereby agrees that after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default any and all present and future indebtedness of Borrower owing to such Guarantor shall be postponed in favor of and subordinated to payment in full of

 



 

the Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor agrees that amounts paid over to Beneficiaries pursuant to the subordination provisions of this Section 11 shall be separate and apart from, and shall not be credited to, the liability of such Guarantor pursuant to Section 2.

 

12.                               Payments; Application.  All payment to be made hereunder by any Guarantor shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America at the time of payment, shall be made in immediately available funds, and shall be made without setoff, deduction (whether for Taxes or otherwise) or counterclaim.  All payments made by any Guarantor hereunder shall be applied as follows:  first, to all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by Beneficiaries in enforcing this Guaranty or in collecting the Guarantied Obligations; second, to all accrued and unpaid interest, premium, if any, and fees owing to Beneficiaries constituting Guarantied Obligations; and third, to the balance of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

13.                               Attorneys’ Fees and Costs.  Each Guarantor agrees to pay, on demand, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other reasonable costs and expenses which may be incurred by Beneficiaries in the enforcement of this Guaranty or in any way arising out of, or consequential to the protection, assertion, or enforcement of the Guarantied Obligations (or any security therefor), irrespective of whether suit is brought.

 

14.                               Notices.  All notices and other communications provided to any party hereto under this Guaranty shall be in writing or by facsimile and addressed, delivered or transmitted to such party at its address or facsimile number set forth below or at such other address or facsimile number as may be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties.  Any notice, if mailed and properly addressed with postage prepaid, shall be deemed given when received; any notice, if transmitted by facsimile, shall be deemed given when transmitted.

 

If to any Guarantor:

 

c/o The McClatchy Company

 

 

2100 Q Street

 

 

Sacramento, CA 95816

 

 

Attention: Elaine Lintecum

 

 

Facsimile: (916) 321-1964

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

 

 

650 Page Mill Road

 

 

Palo Alto, California 94304-1050

 

 

Attention: Andrew Hirsch, Esq.

 

 

Facsimile: (650) 493-6811

 

 

 

If to Beneficiaries:

 

Bank of America, N.A.

 

 

800 Fifth Avenue, Floor 32

 

 

Seattle, WA 98104

 

 

Mail Code: WA1-501-32-37

 

 

Attention: Ken Puro

 

 

Facsimile: (415) 343-0559

 



 

With a copy to:

 

Mayer Brown LLP

 

 

1675 Broadway

 

 

New York, NY 10019

 

 

Attention: Brian E. Newhouse, Esq.

 

 

Facsimile: (212) 849-5148

 

15.                               Cumulative Remedies.  No remedy under this Guaranty, under the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or any Loan Document is intended to be exclusive of any other remedy, but each and every remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to any and every other remedy given under this Guaranty, under the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or any other Loan Document, and those provided by law.  No delay or omission by Beneficiaries to exercise any right under this Guaranty shall impair any such right nor be construed to be a waiver thereof.  No failure on the part of Beneficiaries to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right under this Guaranty shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right under this Guaranty preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

 

16.                               Severability of Provisions.  Any provision of this Guaranty which is prohibited or unenforceable under applicable law, shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof.

 

17.                               Entire Agreement; Amendments.  This Guaranty constitutes the entire agreement among each Guarantor and Beneficiaries pertaining to the subject matter contained herein.  This Guaranty may not be altered, amended, or modified, nor may any provision hereof be waived or noncompliance therewith consented to, except by means of a writing executed by each Guarantor and Administrative Agent.  Any such alteration, amendment, modification, waiver, or consent shall be effective only to the extent specified therein and for the specific purpose for which given.  No course of dealing and no delay or waiver of any right or default under this Guaranty shall be deemed a waiver of any other, similar or dissimilar, right or default or otherwise prejudice the rights and remedies hereunder.

 

18.                               Successors and Assigns.  Subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement, this Guaranty shall be binding each Guarantor and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of Beneficiaries; provided, however, no Guarantor shall assign this Guaranty or delegate any of its duties hereunder without Beneficiaries’ prior written consent and any unconsented to assignment shall be absolutely void.  In the event of any assignment or other transfer of rights by Beneficiaries, the rights and benefits herein conferred upon Beneficiaries shall automatically extend to and be vested in such assignee or other transferee.

 

19.                               Choice of Law and Venue; Service of Process.  THE VALIDITY OF THIS GUARANTY, ITS CONSTRUCTION, INTERPRETATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, AND THE RIGHTS OF EACH GUARANTOR AND BENEFICIARIES, SHALL BE DETERMINED UNDER, GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.  ALL JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS BROUGHT AGAINST ANY GUARANTOR WITH RESPECT TO THIS GUARANTY MAY BE BROUGHT IN ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN THE STATE OF NEW

 



 

YORK, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS GUARANTY, GUARANTOR ACCEPTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN CONNECTION WITH ITS ASSETS, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS, AND IRREVOCABLY AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ANY FINAL JUDGMENT RENDERED THEREBY IN CONNECTION WITH THIS GUARANTY FROM WHICH NO APPEAL HAS BEEN TAKEN OR IS AVAILABLE.

 

20.                               Waiver of Jury Trial.  TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY ACTION, CAUSE OF ACTION, CLAIM, DEMAND, OR PROCEEDING ARISING UNDER OR WITH RESPECT TO THIS GUARANTY, OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH, RELATED TO, OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF GUARANTORS AND BENEFICIARIES WITH RESPECT TO THIS GUARANTY, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED HERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE.  TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY AGREES THAT ANY SUCH ACTION, CAUSE OF ACTION, CLAIM, DEMAND, OR PROCEEDINGS SHALL BE DECIDED BY A COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT BENEFICIARIES MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF THIS SECTION WITH ANY COURT OR OTHER TRIBUNAL AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF SUCH GUARANTOR TO THE WAIVER OF ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

21.                               Joint and Several Liability.  The liability of the Guarantors hereunder shall be joint and several.

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed and delivered this Guaranty as of the day and year first written above.

 

[                                      ]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Its:

 

 

 

 



 

JOINDER TO AMENDED AND RESTATED GENERAL CONTINUING GUARANTY

 

This Joinder to Amended and Restated General Continuing Guaranty (this “Joinder”), dated as of                     , 20    , relates to the Amended and Restated General Continuing Guaranty dated as of September 26, 2008 (as amended to date, the “Guaranty”), among the Subsidiaries of The McClatchy Company parties thereto as Guarantors (collectively the “Guarantors”) in favor of the Lenders (as defined in the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined)) and Bank of America, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”).

 

The Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer are parties to a Credit Agreement dated as of June 27, 2006 (said Agreement, as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement dated as of March 28, 2007, that certain Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement dated as of July 19, 2007, that certain Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement dated as of March 28, 2008, and that certain Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement dated as of September 26, 2008, as it may hereafter be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, being the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein and not otherwise defined herein being used herein as therein defined) with The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”).

 

In compliance with Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement,                          (the “Additional Guarantor”) hereby agrees as follows:

 

1.                                      Joinder.  The Guaranty is hereby amended to add as a party, and more specifically, as a Guarantor, thereunder, the Additional Guarantor.

 

2.                                      Representations and Warranties. The Additional Guarantor represents and warranties to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that each of the representations and warranties of a Guarantor contained in the Guaranty is hereby made by the Additional Guarantor as of the date hereof and is true and correct as to the Additional Guarantor as of the date hereof.

 

3.                                      Additional Guarantor as Guarantor.  The Additional Guarantor assumes all of the obligations and liabilities of a Guarantor under the Guaranty, agrees to be bound thereby as if the Additional Guarantor were an original party to the Guaranty and shall be a Guarantor for all purposes under the Loan Documents.

 

4.                                      Effectiveness.  This Joinder shall become effective on the date hereof upon the execution hereof by the Additional Guarantor and the Administrative Agent and delivery hereof to the Administrative Agent.

 



 

5.                                      Governing Law.  This Joinder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law.

 

 

[Name of Additional Guarantor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Notice Address:

 

 

Attention:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 


EX-99.1 6 a12-29753_1ex99d1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

 

Contact:

Investor Relations:

 

 

 

Ryan Kimball

 

 

 

916-321-1849

 

 

 

rkimball@mcclatchy.com

 

McCLATCHY ANNOUNCES EARLY PARTICIPATION RESULTS OF
DEBT TENDER OFFER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif., December 12, 2012 — The McClatchy Company (NYSE-MNI) announced today the early participation results of its offer to purchase for cash (the “Offer”) any and all of its outstanding 11.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2017 (the “Notes”) and solicitation of consents (the “Consents”) relating to its outstanding Notes.  Based on the count provided by the depositary for the Offer, $762,405,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes were validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time on December 11, 2012 (the “Early Tender Date”).  In accordance with the terms of the Offer, McClatchy will accept all $762,405,000 of the validly tendered Notes at a purchase price of $1,103.40 for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered, which includes an early tender payment of $30.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes from August 15, 2012 to, but excluding, the date of purchase.  The withdrawal date for the Notes was 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 11, 2012.  Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer may not be revoked or withdrawn, unless the Company reduces the principal amount of, or the consideration for, the Notes subject to the Offer or is otherwise required by law to permit revocations or withdrawals (in which case previously tendered Notes may be validly withdrawn to the extent required by law).

 

Since the consents of at least 66% of the registered holders of Notes were obtained on December 11, 2012, McClatchy entered into a supplemental indenture to the indenture governing the Notes which will, among other things, eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain events of default contained in the indenture governing the Notes and also release all of the collateral securing the Notes from the liens created pursuant to the collateral documents entered into in connection with the indenture governing the Notes.

 

The amount of Notes to be purchased and Consents obtained by McClatchy is preliminary.  The determination of the final amount of Notes to be purchased and Consents obtained is subject to confirmation by the depositary of the proper delivery of the Notes and Consents validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn).  The actual amount of Notes validly tendered (and not properly withdrawn) and Consents obtained will be announced following the completion of the confirmation process.  Payment for the Notes accepted for purchase will occur promptly thereafter.  McClatchy expects that the date of payment for the Notes tendered on or before the Early Tender Date will be December 18, 2012.  McClatchy expects the date of payment for any

 

1



 

Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) after the Early Tender Date to be December 31, 2012.  Payment for the Notes will be made in cash.

 

This press release is neither an offer to purchase, nor a solicitation for acceptance of the offer.  The McClatchy Company is making the Offer only by, and pursuant to the terms of, the Amended and Restated Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement and the related Amended and Restated Consent and Letter of Transmittal.

 

The complete terms and conditions of the tender offer and consent solicitation are set forth in the Amended and Restated Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated December 3, 2012, and the related Amended and Restated Consent and Letter of Transmittal, dated December 3, 2012.  Copies of the Amended and Restated Consent Solicitation Statement and the related Amended and Restated Consent and Letter of Transmittal may be obtained from the Information Agent for the Offer, Global Bondholder Services Corporation, at 866-807-2200 (US toll-free) and 212-430-3774 (collect).

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are the Dealer Managers and Consent Solicitation Agents for the Offer. Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (800) 245-8812, BofA Merrill Lynch, Attention: Debt Advisory at (888) 292-0070 (toll-free) and (646) 855-3401 (collect) and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Liability Management Group at (800) 820-1653 (toll-free) and (212) 538-7249 (collect).

 

About McClatchy:

 

The McClatchy Company is a leading media company, offering a wide array of print and digital news products in each of the markets it serves.  As the third largest newspaper company in the United States, McClatchy’s operations include 30 daily newspapers, community newspapers, websites, mobile news and advertising, niche publications, direct marketing, direct mail services and digital marketing solutions.  The company’s largest newspapers include The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Kansas City Star, The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C.  McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

 

Additional Information:

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined under the federal securities laws.  These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company’s expectation regarding completion (subject to the conditions in the tender offer) of its Offer for the Notes.  These forward-looking statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the timing of the Offer to Purchase and other tender documents, as well as completion of the Offer, to differ materially and adversely from the timing expressed in the forward-looking statements in this press release.  Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to risks associated with the preparation of such tender offer documents and the failure to meet one or more specified conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase for the Offer.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof.  The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

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